Announcing Our 2026 CBITs Rising Star Award Winner: Candice Biernesser, PhD, LCSW!

Thrilled to announce Candice Biernesser, PhD, LCSW as the 2026 Rising Star Award recipient! 🎉

Candice is a behavioral health scientist and licensed clinical social worker whose research focuses on adolescent suicide prevention, social media experiences, and digital mental health interventions. She explores the impact of negative social media experiences, especially online victimization given its tie to youth suicide risk, and she is dedicated to developing digital tools that support adolescents from underserved and minoritized communities.

Candice will close out “The Future of” 2025-26 Webinar Series with her talk: 

“The Future of the Field with CBITs Rising Star Awardee: Youth-Centered Digital Suicide Prevention Interventions”

🗓️ May 19th at 12pm CT

Learn more and register for Candice’s talk here: 

cbits.northwestern.edu/education-and-events/rising-star-award

We’re also excited to recognize the Rising Star Honorable Mentions whose work is helping shape the future of digital mental health. 

 Congratulations to Candice and all of this year’s honorees! 🌟