Dear County and District Superintendents, Charter School Administrators, and School Principals:

Tenth Annual Wellness Together Conference: September 9–11, 2026

Across California, educators and school leaders continue to meet the evolving needs of students with dedication, compassion, and resilience. As schools navigate increasingly complex challenges, it is more important than ever to create opportunities for educators to come together, learn from one another, and strengthen the supports that help students thrive.

I invite you and your staff to attend the Tenth Annual Wellness Together Conference, hosted by Wellness Together in partnership with the California Department of Education, at the San Diego Convention Center September 9–11, 2026.

This year’s conference centers on the power of human connection. When professionals across the education and mental health fields gather to share knowledge and collaborate, we strengthen our collective ability to support students and sustain the important work happening in our schools every day.

We are honored to welcome the following keynote speakers:

• Dr. Lisa Damour, psychologist, bestselling author, and leading expert on adolescent development and mental health. Dr. Damour also served as the scientific consultant for the Disney and Pixar film Inside Out 2, helping bring evidence-based insights about young people’s emotional lives to a global audience.
• Mychal Threets, new host of Reading Rainbow, nationally recognized librarian, literacy advocate, and champion for joyful, inclusive learning communities.
• Dr. Jean Twenge, Professor of Psychology and author of bestselling books 10 Rules for Raising Kids in a High Tech World, Generations, iGen, and Generation Me.

Building on a strong tradition of impactful voices, past conference speakers have included:

• California First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom
• Dr. Vivek Murthy, 19th and 21st U.S. Surgeon General
• Dr. Nadine Burke Harris, California’s first Surgeon General
• Dr. Anna Lembke, Professor of Psychiatry, Stanford University School of Medicine, and New York Times Bestselling Author
• Dr. John B. King, 10th U.S. Secretary of Education, Chancellor of the State University of New York (SUNY)
• Michael Tubbs, Special Advisor for Economic Mobility and Opportunity to Governor Newsom, Founder of End Poverty in California
• Many other leaders in education, public health, and youth development

Participants will engage in interactive sessions exploring evidence-based strategies and emerging research across several critical areas, including strengthening school environments that promote belonging and face-to-face connection, navigating the impact of technology and artificial intelligence on youth well-being, supporting the educator and mental health workforce, and applying developmental science to build student resilience and academic success.

I encourage your district, county office of education, and school teams to join this important gathering of educators committed to supporting the mental health and well-being of California’s students and the professionals who serve them.

For more information and to register, please visit the Wellness Together Conference web page at https://www.wellnesstogether.org/conference.

Sincerely,

Tony Thurmond
State Superintendent of Public Instruction