Breakout Sessions

Breakout Sessions will take place during AFLV West's Ed Blocks 6 & 7.

2:00-3:15

The Path to Being a Man

Ross Szabo, Wellness Director, Geffen Academy UCLA

This presentation will focus on how early young men start getting messages about mental health and relationships as well as how those experiences shape us. Participants will learn about the approach of one school that starts teaching young men about mental health once a week from grade 6 through grade 12. Members will get to engage in conversations about who taught them about mental health and how they processed those messages throughout their lives. Students from the school will share how these messages affected them in high school and college. Members will discuss mental health vocabulary, brain development, risk taking and core elements that allow them to develop healthy relationships.

Brotherhood That Lasts: Building Meaningful Connections Beyond College

Irving Montgomery, Release Recovery

Brotherhood should not end at graduation. This session challenges fraternity men to rethink what sustainable, values-based brotherhood looks like during college and in the years that follow. Participants will explore how to build authentic relationships, navigate conflict, and foster accountability within their chapters, while also learning how to intentionally build a strong personal network and sense of connection post-college. The session offers practical strategies for creating a culture of connection that supports personal growth, leadership development, and lifelong brotherhood.

3:45-5:00

From Addiction to Purpose: Having the Conversations That Matter

Zac Clark, Release Recovery

Zac shares his personal journey through substance use disorder, recovery, and purpose-driven leadership. Grounded in lived experience, this session equips fraternity leaders with practical tools for recognizing warning signs, initiating difficult conversations, and supporting friends who may be struggling with substance use. Participants will learn how to lead with empathy, reduce stigma, and create brotherhoods where asking for help is normalized and encouraged.

Designed to Lose: Behind the Odds of Sports Betting

Isaac Rose-Berman, American

Institute for Boys and Men

This session breaks down the math the apps don't show you: why the house always wins, how the odds are structured to guarantee sportsbook profit over time, and why parlays — the industry's most marketed product — are often the worst bet one can make. It also covers the cognitive biases that make gambling feel winnable when it isn't, how sportsbooks weaponize them, and what makes gambling on your phone fundamentally different from a trip to a casino.

For both students placing bets and leaders responsible for their communities, the talk will cover the warning signs that casual betting has crossed a line and discuss how dangers actually escalate. It will also address how fraternity leaders and administrators can talk about gambling honestly — not with scare tactics, but with a clear-eyed understanding of how these products work, who they are targeting, and why young men are most at risk.