A mother’s love and a son’s legacy have come together in a lasting gift for Nevada’s future.
In memory of her son, Adam Robert Steele, who passed away earlier this year, longtime University of Nevada, Reno educator Rebecca Carter-Steele established the Adam Robert Steele Memorial Endowment for Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine (UNR Med). The endowment will support expanded training, research and patient care in mental health across Northern Nevada.
“My hope is that Adam’s story helps others,” said Carter-Steele. “He had a remarkable spirit — gentle, bright and compassionate — and we want that spirit to live on through something that helps families like ours.”
The endowment, created in collaboration with Takesha Cooper, M.D., chair of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, aims to grow the number of psychiatric residents trained at UNR Med, improve coordination of care, and support families navigating complex mental health diagnoses. It is a deeply personal initiative for Carter-Steele, whose son faced both autism and schizophrenia.
Adam was diagnosed with autism at age nine and began experiencing symptoms of schizophrenia in adolescence. His parents sought support from a team of mental health professionals, including Andrea Sorensen, M.D., a child and adolescent psychiatrist who was also trained as a pediatrician and played a transformative role in his care.
“Dr. Sorensen gave us our son back,” Carter-Steele said. “She saw Adam as a whole person — not just a diagnosis — and treated him with incredible care, compassion and expertise.”
With the right treatment and guidance, Adam began to thrive again. He earned his GED, developed skills to manage his symptoms, and reconnected with the world around him.
Described by his mother as a “gentle giant,” Adam stood 6-foot-4 and weighed over 300 pounds — but he was known most for his kindness and sly sense of humor. He was deeply observant, often helping his mother navigate traffic while she drove, and cared deeply for his family, making sure his aunt took her medication each day. He was also an avid reader and a self-taught expert on World War II airplanes.
“He could name every model of aircraft, where it came from, and what it was used for,” said Carter-Steele. “He was brilliant in ways that didn’t always show up in school, but they were very real.”
Adam’s journey was shaped in part by the Child and Family Research Center (CFRC) at the University of Nevada, Reno, where Carter-Steele worked for many years and where Adam attended early care and education programs.
Adam as a young boy.“The CFRC gave Adam a foundation that made all the difference,” she said. “High-quality early education changes lives — it certainly changed his.”
The endowment also aims to address systemic challenges in mental health care, including the fragmentation of services that many families face. Carter-Steele recalls managing multiple specialists for Adam’s care — none of whom coordinated with one another.
“I once asked a doctor if he’d be willing to speak with Adam’s other providers, and he laughed,” she said. “That’s the reality for too many families. We can and must do better.”
One long-term goal for the fund is to create a mentorship model that connects experienced parents with those just beginning their journey in the mental health system.
“When you’re starting out, it’s overwhelming,” said Carter-Steele. “A parent who’s walked the path before you can be a lifeline.”
Carter-Steele’s connection to the University spans decades. A former faculty member at the College of Education and Human Development, she spent her career supporting young children and families across Northern Nevada. She said creating this endowment through the University felt like coming full circle.
“This university gave me so much — not just professionally, but personally,” she said. “It gave Adam a strong start and gave our family a community. I’m honored to give back in his name.”
Through this endowment, Carter-Steele hopes to spark a broader conversation about mental health — one rooted in compassion and belonging.
“There is still so much stigma,” she said. “But people with mental health challenges are people first. We need to make sure they know they matter, that they’re not alone, and that help is out there.”
Gifts to the Adam Robert Steele Memorial Endowment will directly support training and care within UNR Med’s Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences.
