Meet Our Mentors
Athletes Better Together enables experienced student-athletes to mentor younger athletes, enhancing our Better Together Mental Health Literacy and Leadership programs. Mentorship combines clinician-led group sessions on specific topics and four personalized virtual Zoom sessions with a Better Together Mentor. These sessions, scheduled at mutually agreed times, revolve around course content. Mentors receive compensation for all sessions.
Lillia Montemarano
Class of 2024, University of Michigan
Major: Psychology
Sport: Women's Lacrosse
Athletic Background:
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University of Michigan Lacrosse Team (2022-2024)
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University of Denver Lacrosse Team (2020-2021)
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Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart Lacrosse Team (2013-2020)
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MC Elite Lacrosse Club (2013-2019)
Personal Statement:
"I played Division I Lacrosse at the University of Michigan and recently graduated with a degree in psychology. While our program finished with its most successful season in history, ranked within the top 5, and I concluded my career as an All-American, I value the lessons I learned throughout my time at the university and the relationships within my team more than our accolades. After closing a 15-year chapter of playing organized sports, I’m not ready to step away from the field and know I have more to give to athletics. I’m eager to combine my education in psychology, personal experience with mental health, and dedication to mental health advocacy with my lifelong love for athletics."
TJ Williams
University of Notre Dame, Class of 2024
Major: Business Management Consulting
Sport: Baseball
Athletic Background:
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Georgetown Preparatory (Bethesda, MD)
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Evoshield Canes
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Mid-Atlantic Red Sox
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Baseball U
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FTB Baseball
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West Virginia Black Bears (Draft Prospect League)
Personal Statement:
“I played four years at the University of Notre Dame, competing in the Super Regionals and College World Series in 2021 and 2022. Over my college career, I played 250 games, starting in center field during my junior and senior seasons. I also played summer ball in Vermont, Michigan, and Virginia. Currently, I play professionally for the West Virginia Black Bears. I’ve experienced the highs and lows of baseball and am excited to share my journey.”
Sierra Enge
Stanford, San Diego Wave, RC Strasbourg
Sport: Women's Soccer
Personal Statement:
"Better together is so important to me because, too often, athletes feel like they are going through challenges alone. We are taught that being tough means hiding what is going on beneath the surface. Better together allows athletes to lean on one another. It is the support network I wish I had when I lost my best friend in college. We are far more powerful together!"
Meet Our Team Leaders
This platform allows seasoned student-athletes to mentor and guide younger athletes by sharing their life experiences and complimenting our structured Better Together Mental Health Literacy and Leadership programming.
Mentorship involves a combination of clinician-facilitated topic-specific group sessions and four (4) one-on-one virtual Zoom sessions with a designated Better Together Mentor. The mentor and the mentee will engage around the Better Together course content at their own set agreed-upon times. Mentors will be compensated for all sessions.
Lead by Dr. Kimberly O'Brien, PhD, LICSW
Better Together provides customizable programming to support athletes’ mental health and well-being throughout your athletes-development. We aim to optimize the processes of wellness, balance, success, and happiness. We provide each athlete with a current or former college athlete who will support, inspire, and mentor your athletes. While you improve your athlete’s athletic skills, we improve your athlete’s mental skills. Our curriculum and practical tools will help each athlete find the best version of themselves.