Fear-Less Webinar 

[Hollywood, Military Professionals and Medical Community Unites to Discuss Mental Health, Suicide Risk, and Firearms] 

Michael Finan, Producer, Bonafina Films.
Finan is a 5-time Emmy Award Winner and is collaborating on a PBS special with children’s choirs singing about violence-related trauma.

Todd Adkins, Todd Adkins is Vice President of Government Affairs for the Sportsmen’s Alliance, a national organization founded in the 1970s to protect hunting, fishing, and trapping for future generations.
Previously, Todd held multiple positions with the National Rifle Association of America, including as a lobbyist, Director of Research, and as Managing Director of state and local affairs, supervising all of NRA’s political efforts in the states nationwide. He is an expert on firearm law and regulation, having worked on thousands of policies and statutes over 20+ years in the firearm advocacy community. While at NRA, Todd worked with Department of Defense personnel and numerous organizations to develop suicide reduction efforts at the local and national levels, including developing state suicide reduction policies that recognize Second Amendment rights. Todd holds a Master’s degree and PhD in political science from the University of Notre Dame and a law degree from the University of Iowa. His research, publication record, and focus while in graduate school were on the media’s influence on politics, including individual opinions and behaviors.

Tim Kennedy, Tim Kennedy is an active Special Forces master sergeant and sniper with combat deployments throughout the middle east as part of the most elite counter-terrorism and hostage rescue unit within the U.S. Army Green Berets. He is a former professional mixed martial arts fighter and two-time title challenger, Having fought for the largest organization in the world, including the UFC, Strikeforce, and the WEC.  He has been featured on the HISTORY Channel’s show, ‘Hunting Hitler’, as well as the Discovery Channel’s series, ‘Hard To Kill’

You’re invited to a much-needed conversation about the intersection of firearms, mental health and the entertainment industry and their collective impact on our culture. The Entertainment Industries Council is bringing together expert panelists to discuss the complex issues surrounding these topics and explore ways to promote safe practices. These webinars are not focused on legislation or policy issues. The intent is to bring together a diverse group of leaders for a critical conversation as a starting point for developing creative approaches that potentially produce a “FEAR-LESS” society, where communities can fear less that they’ll become victims of someone else’s trauma.

During these engaging webinars, we aim to foster constructive dialogue and provide insights that can help shape a more informed and safe approach toward firearms.

Topics to be covered include:

1. The intersection of Mental Health and Firearms: Explore the connection between mental health support and access to firearms. 

2. Hollywood's Opportunity to Shape Societal Norms: How can the entertainment industry accurately depict firearms while promoting safe storage methods and usage? We believe it's possible to balance entertainment value and story integrity without compromising public safety through simple prop choices.

3. Parents and Community Leaders Keeping Kids Safe: Emphasize the importance of child safety within the context of firearms and schools. We aim to discuss ways to safeguard children's well-being while fostering a constructive and inclusive environment.