About Us
Elevyst (elevate + catalyst) is a systems-level consulting organization operating at the intersection of public health and public safety. We partner with healthcare, behavioral health, human services, and criminal justice leaders to strengthen workforce capacity, generate actionable insights, and drive measurable improvement. Through strategic training, organizational coaching, and policy support, Elevyst helps organizations implement sustainable, evidence-informed solutions to complex public health challenges.
WE DO THIS BY
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Promoting
Promoting public health responses to complex problems through training, research, and technical assistance.
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Empowering
Empowering organizations to creatively problem solve and meet their goals through project mapping, planning, and management.
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Developing
Developing advocacy and organizing strategies that engage community members .
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Increasing
Increasing awareness of community health initiatives through marketing and digital engagement strategies.
Our Team
The Elevyst team includes people with unique backgrounds in harm reduction, social work, public health, healthcare, advocacy, and health education to best support the goals of our clients.
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Jessica Hessler (she/her) is the Chief Officer of Digital and Educational Content Development and co-founder of Elevyst. She received her Master of Public Health in Behavioral and Community Health Sciences and Master of Social Work in Community Organizing and Social Action from the University of Pittsburgh. Prior to attending the University of Pittsburgh, she received her Bachelor of Arts in Design Studies/Design Management from the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts at Arizona State University. Her academic and professional experiences have been centered in social justice and advocacy for equity across a variety of issues, including affordable housing and housing insecurity, access to healthcare, and, predominantly, harm reduction.
In addition to her work at Elevyst, she is currently an adjunct faculty professor at the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Public Health. She previously served as a board member for Alpha House and The Open Door and as the chair of the development committee for Prevention Point Pittsburgh.
She is based in Akron, Ohio.
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Sean Fogler is a physician, behavioral health strategist, and co-founder of Elevyst, serving as CEO. His work sits at the intersection of clinical care, public health, harm reduction, and systems transformation, translating evidence, lived experience, and workforce insights into practical strategies that improve outcomes for both professionals and the communities they serve.
For more than two decades, he has worked across health systems, government agencies, academic institutions, and public safety organizations to address the complex challenges surrounding mental health, substance use, stigma, and workforce readiness. His career has included expanding access to life-saving treatment, partnering on statewide policy and systems-change initiatives, and building training and engagement programs that shift culture, improve crisis response, and support more compassionate, effective care.
He brings a unique combination of clinical insight, public health experience, and long-term recovery to his work. This perspective helps bridge gaps between sectors, elevate the voices of frontline professionals, and design solutions that are both evidence-based and grounded in real-world complexity.
Sean currently holds an adjunct faculty appointment at the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Public Health. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Anthropology from The University of Toronto and a Doctor of Medicine from Ross University. He completed residency training in internal medicine and anesthesiology at Drexel University College of Medicine.
He is based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
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Kate Oliver Clark (she/her) is a consultant at Elevyst, leveraging her extensive experience in strategic planning, program development, and organizational capacity building. Previously, she served as Chief of Staff and Partnerships at The Kennedy Forum, a public policy think tank dedicated to mental health and substance use system transformation. Her experience living in long-term recovery adds depth to her professional and volunteer work, including her role on The Bridge Way Recovery High School board. She has held leadership positions and developed award winning, replicated programs at Drexel University, Jefferson Hospital, Philadelphia Corporation for Aging, the New York City Parks Department and the Syracuse Department of Economic Development. She is a Fulbright Scholar and a Hartford Foundation Policy Fellow, and holds degrees from Clark University and The Maxwell School at Syracuse University.
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In her lifetime, Mattea (she/her) plans to see a world in which people who use drugs and people who are in recovery are treated as full and complete human beings. Mattea previously served as research director and then senior advisor of National Priorities Project, a federal budget think tank. Subsequently, she has spent a decade as an independent researcher and writer, focusing on the local and intimate effects of federal drug policy. Mattea has provided commentary, analysis, and reporting to media outlets including The Nation and The Washington Post, and she has appeared on MSNBC. Mattea holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Amherst College and a master’s degree in public policy from Harvard.
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Ellen Carroll (she/her) is a social scientist with over five years of mixed-methods research experience. She will receive her PhD in Social Psychology from the University of Arizona. Prior to attending the University of Arizona, she earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Western Washington University. Her work takes a person-centered approach to identifying systemic inequities in policy and institutions, and she uses data-driven methods to highlight how such issues can be addressed.
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Thomas M. Maioli Jr. (he/him) serves as the Director of Law Enforcement Initiatives. He has served in the law enforcement community for over four decades at the county, state, and federal levels, and in the private law enforcement training sector. Additionally, he has formerly served as Executive Director of the PA Sheriffs’ Association, a private contractor, and an adjunct professor. In Tom’s position with the Sheriffs’ Association, he was instrumental in designing and implementing the first joint law enforcement and public health harm reduction program in Pennsylvania. Tom is currently a freelance consultant, providing subject matter expertise and training services to multiple associations and law enforcement groups nationwide.
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Dr. Ilan A. Kerman serves as the Director of Applied Neuroscience & Mental Health Innovation. He is a physician-scientist and psychiatrist whose work spans the fields of neuroscience, psychiatry, and translational mental health research. His career centers on understanding the neurobiological mechanisms underlying mood and stress-related disorders and translating these insights into improved clinical care.
Dr. Kerman’s research has focused on identifying neural circuits and molecular pathways involved in emotional regulation, stress response, and vulnerability to depression and suicide. His work combines behavioral neuroscience, neuroanatomy, physiology, and molecular techniques to elucidate how alterations in brain systems contribute to psychopathology.
As a clinician, Dr. Kerman integrates evidence-based pharmacologic and psychotherapeutic approaches in the treatment of various mental health disorders. His academic contributions extend to mentoring medical students, residents, and early-career researchers in neuroscience and psychiatry, emphasizing the importance of bridging basic science and clinical practice.
He has held faculty appointments in psychiatry and neuroscience, contributing to interdisciplinary collaborations aimed at advancing understanding of the brain–behavior relationship and developing novel therapeutic strategies. Dr. Kerman’s scholarship has appeared in leading scientific and medical journals, reflecting his commitment to rigorous, data-driven inquiry.
Dr. Kerman earned his MD and PhD degrees from the University of Pittsburgh, where he studied neuroscience, and completed a research fellowship in psychiatry at the University of Michigan and residency training in psychiatry at Virginia Tech Carilion Clinic.
He is based in Roanoke, Virginia.
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Jon Gans, Ph.D. is the Chief Operating Officer and an accomplished educator, program strategist, and technical training expert with over two decades of cross-sector experience. His career spans higher education, global industry, and public-sector consulting, with a focus on developing and delivering impactful learning and workforce development programs. He has led international training initiatives for major corporations, managed educational technology in higher education, and advised on strategic planning for workforce development.
Jonathan holds a Ph.D. in Policy Analysis and Management from Cornell University, where he specialized in program planning and evaluation.
Based in Aurora, NY, he is also a dedicated community volunteer and serves as a Captain with the Aurora Volunteer Fire Department.
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Lionel Fogler is the Chief Technology Officer of Elevyst, bringing expertise in technology and business strategy to support the organization's mission. He plays a key role in shaping the platforms, tools, and operational direction that drive Elevyst's training and capacity-building work across harm reduction, public health, healthcare, and criminal justice settings.
He is based in Toronto, Canada.