Conference Founder and Organizer
Donna Colleen Kester Phillips, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor of Literacy Education and the Founder and Director of the Center for Mindful Practice at Niagara University. Her work integrates mindfulness, movement, and social-emotional learning into literacy education, including the development of the Reader Stress Survey, which identifies sources of stress and anxiety in reading.
A Certified Advanced Lee Holden Qigong Instructor and Certified Trauma-Informed Yoga Teacher, Dr. Phillips brings embodied practices into teaching and learning. She shares weekly Mindful Moments reflections, hosts the annual Mindfulness and Mindful Movement Conversations Conference, and is the co-author of Taming the Turmoil: Mindful Movement for a Calm Classroom.
Mindfulness and Mindful Movement Conversations Conference 2025
Mindfulness and Mindful Movement Conversations Conference Brings Professionals Together
The Mindfulness and Mindful Movement Conversations Conference, hosted by Niagara University, was successfully held on October 18–19, 2025, bringing together educators and professionals from across diverse fields for two days of dialogue, learning, and connection.
The conference opened on Saturday, October 18, with a focus on Mindfulness in the Professions, followed by a full day on Sunday, October 19, dedicated to Mindful Movement. Designed for educators, health professionals, law enforcement, first responders, and members of the military, the event aimed to support participants in developing strategies to survive and thrive amid ongoing professional and societal challenges.
Offered free of charge, this year’s conference emphasized education and wellness through mindfulness and mindful movement. Participants engaged in workshops tailored to teachers, counselors, administrators, psychologists, social workers, school staff, yoga, Qigong, and Tai Chi practitioners, physical therapists, athletic trainers, dancers, police officers, firefighters, and military personnel.
The conference provided a collaborative space for individuals to explore mindfulness within their respective fields, share practices and perspectives, raise questions, and build meaningful connections. A key outcome of the event was the creation of networks intended to foster ongoing conversations beyond the conference itself.
Recordings of all workshops are linked to the conference schedule available here:
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