We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Kristen Gilliland a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Kristen thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Was there a defining moment in your professional career? A moment that changed the trajectory of your career?

Yes, there definitely was an exact moment. On March 5, 2019, the Franklin, TN police delivered the most heart shattering news a mother could ever hear – my 22-year-old son, Anders Meisenheimer, had died from an accidental overdose. From that moment, I felt I had two completely different lives: the “everything always works out” mindset before March 5, 2019, and then the grieving mom on March 5, 2019. After that tragic day, I had to remember how to breathe again and get out of bed knowing my baby boy, Anders, was no longer here on earth with me. Anders had an opioid and stimulant addiction. He refused to go to rehab. Prior to that addiction, he suffered from schizophrenia that was most likely drug-induced. I came to the Warren Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery at Vanderbilt on sabbatical from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo to research new pharmaceutical treatments for schizophrenia. Anders did not like the way the doctor prescribed anti-psychotics made him feel. That’s why he began using heavier substances – to deal with the voices and delusions in his head. I worried every single moment of every single day this devasting day might come. Shortly after Anders passed away, I knew I had to use my educational background and teaching skills to honor his life. He had gone through fear-based drug prevention programs growing up, that obviously did not work. In his memory, I created an outreach program and documentary that teaches youth (and their parents) about the developing brain and the impact that stress and substance use have on that development as a means of substance use prevention.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Sure, I earned a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry at the University of Colorado, Boulder.  As mentioned previously, I was an Associate Professor of Chemistry at Cal Poly State University, San Luis Obispo. At Cal Poly, I taught Neurochemistry, the Chemistry of Drugs and Poisons, and Organic Chemistry. I transitioned to the Warren Center in 2018, and during that same year, I delivered a TEDx presentation titled Rewiring Revolution: Neuroplasticity’s Impact on Wellbeing.  I changed the trajectory of my life about a year after losing Anders and became the Director of Outreach at the Warren Center in 2021.  Since then, I have been educating adolescent-aged children, young adults, and their parents on mental health challenges and substance use. I share my son’s story at middle schools, high schools, community centers, and recovery programs across the United States. Magically, all of this has resulted in the creation of an educational documentary titled “Speaking Through Me” which was released in August of 2023.  One of my colleagues suggested I submit the film to some film festivals.  So, I submitted the film to several national and international film festivals and was blown away by the amazing response! I now feel I have the best job in the world empowering youth with knowledge about the most incredible supercomputer they will ever own: their developing brain. Every time I educate and inspire youth and/or their parents about how amazing, yet vulnerable, the developing brain is – I feel Anders right there beside me cheering me on!

Other than training/knowledge, what do you think is most helpful for succeeding in your field?

I believe what has helped me succeed the most in my field, is that the youth and their parents can feel my sincerity and passion for the subject matter.  I also truly enjoy finding simplified ways to explain complex scientific concepts so that everyone understands. There is a heartbreaking crisis going on in the United States where the rate of accidental overdose deaths continues to increase because of the prevalence of fentanyl, other synthetic opioids, and stimulants. I want to educate as many people as I can to understand the science behind all of it.  If I can just reach one child, one parent, one person…that is a phenomenal day for me.

If you could go back in time, do you think you would have chosen a different profession or specialty?

I would give anything in the world to have Anders on this earth with me. But I am here now. This is my purpose. I have learned so much from his very short – yet colorful and beautiful life. I cherish every single day now. His life made me realize that each day I open my eyes, the universe has a purpose for me. I wish I had this insight when he was young. Maybe it would have saved his life? I don’t know. But I plan now to live each day to its fullest in his memory. I plan to educate and try to help as many kids as I can. As I mentioned before, I know I was given the gift of taking complicated subject matters and making them more digestible. From here on out, I will use that gift to help our youth understand a little more about their magical brain and how they ultimately hold the power to decide who and how they want to be as an adult.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://speakingthroughme.squarespace.com/home
• Instagram: anders_speaks
• Linkedin: Kristen Gilliland, Ph.D.
• Twitter: @Anders_Speaks
• Other: https://speakingthroughme.squarespace.com/the-documentary

Image Credits
John Amis Mason Whittaker Beth Eberl Melissa White