The Impact of Hormones on Women’s Mental Health

Puberty • Pregnancy • Perimenopause • Menopause

Join us for an open, informed conversation on women’s hormonal health. Our panel of experts will explore the psychological, social, and biological impacts of hormonal changes, while sharing practical strategies to help women support and optimize their hormonal health and mental well-being.

Lunch will be provided and will accommodate most common dietary restrictions.

SCHEDULE

11:45am  - Doors open  
12:00pm -  Program begins
1:15pm  -  Audience Q&A 
1:30pm  - Program ends 

MEET THE PANEL 

Moderator: Alyson R. Kuroski-Mazzei, DO, DFAPA, FASAM CEO & Chief Medical Officer at HopeWay

Dr. Alyson Kuroski-Mazzei earned her Bachelor of Science from Benedictine University and medical degree from Midwestern University. She completed her general psychiatry residency at Duke University and a forensic psychiatry residency at UNC-Chapel Hill, where she maintains an academic appointment. Triple board-certified in psychiatry, forensic psychiatry, and addiction medicine, she founded the Forensic Psychiatry Program & Clinic at UNC and continues to contribute nationally and internationally to the field.

Dr. Kuroski-Mazzei is an expert in and enjoys working with women’s health issues, mood disorders including bipolar disorder, substance use disorders and complex psychopharmacology. With her background in forensic psychiatry, she is also an expert in completing suicide and violence risk assessments, medical malpractice reviews and evaluations for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Lastly, her focus for her practice is to diagnose and treat all relevant psychiatric, medical and addiction issues to lead to lasting overall wellness and recovery.

Dr. Kuroski-Mazzei and her husband, Paul, have two sons and she prides herself on being a strong mother, wife and physician executive. Her passion for returning to North Carolina in 2016 to lead HopeWay stems from personal family experience with mental health challenges that can, when treated effectively, lead one through recovery to complete personal and professional success. HopeWay is now celebrating their 10-year anniversary thanks to her leadership, passion and commitment to making HOPE tangible by inspiring mental wellness for all.

Carrie Leff, DO 

Dr. Carrie Leff is a board-certified physician in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics specializing in primary care for women, menopause medicine, and midlife health. She is the founder of Carrie Leff & Associates, an independent membership-based practice dedicated to providing personalized, relationship-driven care rooted in evidence, continuity, and trust.

A Certified Menopause Practitioner through The Menopause Society, Dr. Leff focuses on helping women navigate the physical, emotional, and hormonal transitions of midlife through individualized, science-based care. Her clinical interests include menopause management, hormone therapy, sexual health, breast cancer risk assessment, mental health, adolescent medicine, and preventive care.

Recognized as a leading voice in menopause care in Southeast Michigan, Dr. Leff is passionate about translating complex women’s health topics into accessible, actionable information. She regularly speaks to community groups, physicians, and professional organizations on menopause science and women’s health, while also sharing practical, evidence-based education through social media and community initiatives. In 2015, she co-founded Turning Teen, an educational platform focused on puberty and body literacy, and is the author of Celebrate Your Body 2: The Ultimate Puberty Book for Preteen and Teen Girls.

Dr. Leff earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan, completed medical training at Midwestern University, and completed her residency at Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Michigan. 

Mary Lynn, DO, FACOOG

Dr. Mary Lynn is an Associate Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Loyola University Chicago, where she serves as Director of the Loyola Menopause Clinic and Loyola Sexual Wellness Program. A nationally recognized leader in women’s health, she combines a thriving clinical practice with an active career in education, research, and advocacy, with particular expertise in menopause and women’s sexual health.

Dr. Lynn serves on the Education and Advocacy Committees of the International Society for the Study of Women’s Sexual Health (ISSWSH) and is an Oral Board Examiner and member of the Recertification Committee for the American Osteopathic Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology (AOBGYN). Her research and educational work focuses on empowering women through education and advancing care in menopause, sexual health during pregnancy, and cancer survivorship. She has received numerous internal and external grants supporting this work and has published and presented nationally on women’s sexual and reproductive health.

Sierra Johnson, MD

Dr. Sierra Johnson is a dedicated and board-certified psychiatrist who joined the HopeWay team in 2025.  Dr. Sierra Johnson is especially passionate about women’s mental health and reproductive psychiatry. During her residency at the University of North Carolina, she co-created the Women’s Mental Health/Reproductive Psychiatry Track to expand training and clinical services for perinatal mood disorders through inpatient, outpatient, and community-based care. She has worked extensively with individuals of all ages in both outpatient and inpatient settings.

With a background in public health, Dr. Sierra Johnson is committed to advancing mental health equity. In 2023, she had an article published in the North Carolina Psychiatric Association Journal on women’s mental health, she has delivered keynote lectures on racism and health disparities and has led various community health education initiatives.

Dr. Sierra Johnson has been recognized with the Mental Health Equity and Inclusive Excellence Impact Award from the University of North Carolina Department of Psychiatry, the John Richard Sosnowski, MD Award from the Medical University of South Carolina, and the Eugene C. Hunt ExCEL Award from the College of Charleston. At the end of residency, Dr. Sierra Johnson was awarded the Myron B. Liptzin, MD Award for Clinical Excellence. This prestigious award is presented each year to the graduating UNC Psychiatry resident who has demonstrated the most outstanding potential as a clinical and compassionate dedication to patient care.