Mattering Summit Welcome

Panel: Dr. Kathy Snyder, Andrew S. Frick, and Rabiya Karamali, EdD

Director of the Midland Area Wellbeing Coalition

Youth Matter and What Matters to Youth: Implications for Practice

This conversation explores current research on why mattering is a critical protective factor during adolescence, a period marked by rapid identity development and increasing social and academic pressures. Featuring Andrew S. Frick (Doctoral student) and Rabiya Karamali (EdD, MAPP, Instructor), this talk examines how feeling valued and having opportunities to add value within relationships shapes youth mental health and well-being. The session also highlights practical ways peers, families, schools, and communities can intentionally foster mattering to reduce loneliness, anxiety, and disengagement among young people.

Nedra Fetterman, PhD

Psychologist, Imago Faculty, and Author & Teacher of Conscious Love and Relational Repair

You Matter: Structures That Let Love Land

Nedra Fetterman, PhD, explores how relationships can become places of healing, growth, and conscious partnership through the structure and flow of genuine dialogue.

Kristoffer Carter

CEO, Executive Coach, Author of Epic Leadership

Self-Acceptance to Self Love: The Spiritual Practice of Perseverance

What if mattering to yourself wasn’t a destination, but a daily practice? Two years ago, Kristoffer Carter experienced a down-to-the-studs life renovation. Divorce after 25 mostly happy years of marriage. Full surrender to 12-step recovery. What emerged wasn’t a comeback story. It was something quieter and more durable: a pilot light. In this talk, drawing on conversations with world-class experts and the research behind his podcast Hell Yeah, You Will, Kris offers three practices for keeping that light burning when everything goes dark.

Emily Kasriel

Deep Listener, Visiting Fellow, King’s College London

From Polarisation to Connection: The Eight Steps of Deep Listening

How do you make someone feel they truly matter? By listening, really listening. In this interactive session, author and former BBC journalist Emily Kasriel introduces her eight-step Deep Listening approach, demonstrated in a peer-reviewed study across 100 countries. It helps people feel safe, understood, and truly heard, even amid profound disagreement. Through stories from her work with communities facing polarisation, from the USA to Lebanon to Ethiopia, and a live demonstration, Emily shows how Deep Listening transforms relationships and gives people dignity.

Cheryl Rice

Founder of the You Matter Marathon and President of Cheryl Rice Leadership

What 12 Years of the You Matter Marathon has Taught Me

Who would have thought a random encounter with a woman in a grocery store in 2015 would turn into a global movement leading all the way to the Mattering Summit?

This is the story of the You Matter Marathon.

In this inspiring interview, Cheryl shares some of the most moving experiences that shaped her journey, the lessons she’s learned as a social entrepreneur, and insights she’s gained about human connection, belonging, and the powerful impact of reminding people that they matter.

Brad Aronson

Author, Teacher and Speaker

Transform the World …and Yourself.

What if changing the world didn’t require a grand gesture, but simply a small, intentional act? This inspiring talk shares powerful real-life stories that reveal how even the simplest moments can create a ripple effect far beyond what we imagine. If you’re feeling the weight of the world, this session will shift your perspective with an uplifting reminder of what really matters and of how easily you can change a life—including your own.

Selena Rezvani

Leader and Speaker

Quick Confidence: Small Moves That Change Everything

You don’t need a personality overhaul to become more confident. In this fun and fast-paced session, you’ll learn small, strategic shifts – in your mindset, body language, and communication – that can quickly elevate how you show up. Practical, memorable, and immediately usable.

Emiliya Zhivotovskaya

CEO and Founder of The Flourishing Center

Belonging vs. Mattering: What’s the Difference—and Why It Matters

We know belonging is a fundamental human need—but what if belonging alone isn’t enough? In this session, Emiliya Zhivotovskaya explores the critical distinction between belonging—feeling accepted and included—and mattering—feeling valued and knowing you make a difference. Through a clear and compelling framework, you’ll discover why these two experiences, while deeply connected, are not the same—and how lacking either one can leave you feeling disconnected, invisible, or unfulfilled. You’ll learn how to identify where you currently stand, what may be missing, and how to activate both belonging and mattering as pathways to greater meaning, contribution, and flourishing. You’ll also learn how to intentionally create environments where others don’t just feel included, but truly valued and impactful—whether in your workplace, your relationships, or your community. Walk away with practical ways to foster both connection and contribution so that the people around you experience a deeper sense of being seen, needed, and significant.

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