Meet Dan Lukasik
NYS Judicial Wellness Coordinator, Lawyer, Filmmaker, Law Professor, Well-Being Advocate & CLE Presenter, Keynote Speaker, and founder of the Buffalo Depression Project
Dan Lukasik has delivered 200 presentations across the United States on stress, anxiety, burnout, and depression. His work on mental health has been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, CNN, NPR, and many other national publications and social media outlets.
His original documentary, “My Brother Lost in Time: A Bipolar Journey,” premiered on PBS last October in honor of National Depression Awareness Month and was selected by the National Alliance on Mental Illness for its three-day conference next November. The film tells the story of his relationship with his younger brother Paul, who had bipolar disorder and passed away two years ago, as well as Dan’s efforts to save him while coping with his own depression. Dan will deliver the keynote speech and receive the Lionel Aldridge Champions Award, which recognizes an individual living with mental illness who demonstrates courage, leadership, and service in their work to promote recovery and ensure that all people living with mental illness can live full lives in their communities.
A 1988 graduate of the University of Buffalo School of Law, he currently serves as the New York State Wellness Coordinator, where he creates programming and wellness policies for the state’s 16,000 employees. Dan is also a law professor at his alma mater, where he teaches a class on mental health and well-being in the legal profession. He has received the “Distinguished Alumni Award for Public Service” from UB in recognition for his efforts to destigmatize mental illness.
Dan recently launched the Buffalo Depression Project website, which offers both local and national resources for individuals dealing with depression, as well as tools for employers to address depression in the workplace and foster a healthier, more supportive work environment for their employees.
Having lived with major depression and anxiety for the past 25 years, while building a successful career, Dan delivers powerful and impactful presentations that resonate with audiences. He provides information and resources that offer deep hope and support to those struggling with depression and other mental health conditions, as well as fighting stigma, which often discourages people from seeking treatment.
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