When: September 18 – 19, 2024. September 19, 2024 will be a half day.

Hotel Accommodations:  Hampton Inn, 1700 Rodeo Drive, Mesquite, Texas 75149
The Hampton Inn has a guest room block, and you can start booking reservations! Contact the Hampton Inn here:
Booking Link: Texas Suicide Prevention Collaborative
Call 972-329-3100 and reference group name or code.
GROUP NAME: Texas Suicide Prevention Coll.
GROUP CODE: 913

Format: This year’s symposium will be in person. Sessions will be recorded for future viewing.

Registration: Registration will open June 10, 2024.

Exhibitor Information: To register as an exhibitor, please visit https://form.jotform.com/240706385126152.

CEUs: CEUs will be offered for professional categories awarded by Texas NASW. Documentation will be provided that is usually sufficient for other professions as well.

Nurse Contact Hours: Nursing contact hours available! Terri Goodman and Associates is an approved provider of continuing nurses’ education by the Texas Nurses Association and an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. TO ENSURE YOU RECEIVE YOUR CONTACT HOURS, PLEASE CHECK IN AT THE NURSING CONTINUING EDUCAITON TABLE FOR FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS.

Texas Education Agency (TEA): CPE hours available! Our provider # is 902257.

Law Enforcement: TCOLE hours may be available. Please check with your agency. Work through your department’s training coordinator to get attendance approval. After the training, take the provided certificate of completion, agenda, and speaker packet to your coordinator. This coordinator will submit hours per their electronic reporting system.

Special Accommodations: Please contact Zelda.Gomez@TexasSuicidePrevention.org for more information.

Recording and Photography in Progress: All events will be recorded, both audio and visual, as well as photographed. By attending the symposium, you are agreeing to sharing your likeness, photograph, and comments both written and verbal for use in informational and marketing efforts associated with the symposium.

Content Is the Responsibility of the Presenter: Presentations, content, tools, and resources provided in conjunction with the symposium, its follow-on activities, and other content are the sole responsibility of its author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, or endorsement of any local, state, or federal agency or the Texas Suicide Prevention Collaborative, its employees, contractors, Board of Directors, or event sponsors. The Texas Suicide Prevention Collaborative makes no warranty of the effectiveness of the information contained in any materials, presentations, discussion, or other media or its content’s ability to reduce or prevent a suicide death or attempt. All content is for informational purposes only and does not convey clinical advice, diagnosis, or treatment protocols and should not be used to formulate treatment plans for yourself or others without consultation with a licensed mental health professional. Zoom and the conference facility are not HIPAA compliant; please do not share publicly identifiable health information about yourself or others on this platform.

Sponsorship: Our lunch sponsors are Charlie Health and Texas Suicide Prevention Collaborative.

   

Our Wellness Room Sponsor

Interested in a sponsorship?
Contact Zelda.Gomez@texassuicideprevention.org

SEPTEMBER 18, 7:45 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. (subject to change)

—

7:45 a.m. – 12:00 noon: National and state keynote presentations

• Welcome – Dr. Courtney Harvey, Associate Commissioner, Texas Health and Human Services
•  National and 988 Updates – James Wright, Office of the Assistant Secretary, SAMHSA
• State Update – Tammy Weppelman, Director of Suicide Prevention, Policy and Services, Office of Mental Health Coordination, Behavioral Health Services, Texas HHSC
• Panel Discussion
  o Law Enforcement – Dr. David Rozek, Director of Strategy and Evaluation, STRONG STAR Training Initiative
  o Youth – Dr. Tobi Fuller, Clinical Research Manager, UT Southwestern Medical Center
  o Men’s Mental Health – Bart Andrews, Chief Clinical Officer, Behavioral Health Response

12:00 – 1:15 p.m.: Council awards and lunch keynote – Dr. S. Craig Watkins, Ernest A. Sharpe Centennial Professor and Executive Director, IC2 Institute, University of Texas at Austin

1:30 – 5:30 p.m.: Afternoon Tracks

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Track 1: Community-Based Suicide Prevention

• Best Practice Approaches – Dr. Deb Stone, Senior Advisor and Project Lead for the 2024 National Strategy for Suicide Prevention, Division of Injury Prevention, Centers for Disease Control
• Rural Communities – Dr. Lena Heilman, Director Colorado Office of Suicide Prevention
• The Role of Family and Friends – Dr. Dev Crasta, Senior Instructor, University of Rochester Medical Center
• Feedback Informed Therapy – Bart Andrews, Chief Clinical Officer, Behavioral Health Response
• Crisis Response Planning – Dr. David Rozek, Director of Strategy and Evaluation, STRONG STAR Training Initiative
• Peri Health – Dr. Latoya Frolov, UT Southwestern Medical Center

Track 2: Service Member, Veteran, and Family

• VA Update – Dr. Lisa Kearney, Senior Advisor for Health, Office of the Secretary, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
• Defense Department Update – Dr. Alicia Matteson, Senior Advisor, Psychological Health, Department of Defense Suicide Prevention Office
• Service Member Transitions and Suicide Prevention
• Dr. Joe Geraci, Director, VA Transitioning Servicemember/Veteran and Suicide Prevention Center, US Department of Veterans Affairs
• Dr. Jill Palmer, Chief of Behavioral Health, Endeavors

SEPTEMBER 19, 7:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Texas LOSS Team Conference

• Dr. Frank Campbell, Creator of the LOSS Team model
• Martha and Chris Thomas, Co-Founders, The Defensive Line
• Tammy Weppelman, Director of Suicide Prevention, Policy, and Services, Texas HHSC

Ashley Craig, M.Ed
Ashley Craig is a graduate of the University of Houston in curriculum and instruction, specializing in learning, design, and technology. During her studies, she gained an insightful analysis of content and graphic design to create value-added learning programs that achieve desired organizational outcomes. After earning her undergraduate degree in education at Sam Houston State University, Ashley followed her dream of becoming an educator for individuals with disabilities before being promoted to campus special education coordinator.

Ashley Craig serves as the Veteran Spouse Network (VSN) marketing and outreach manager. As a spouse of an Army veteran, Ashley is dedicated to applying her passion for mental health wellness, focusing on delivering and providing resources to veterans and their families through a peer-support model. Her dedication to VSN developed after she participated in the V-SRG program. Shortly after, she decided to become a VSN Peer Leader and since has led multiple groups and supported the V-SRG program’s online curriculum. Ashley’s work focuses on fostering relationships with community partners on outreach initiatives. Most importantly, increasing opportunities to empower military and veteran spouses through peer-led support and mental wellness.

Dr. David Rozek
Dr. David C. Rozek is an esteemed clinical psychologist specializing in cognitive behavioral therapy and the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). He holds a PhD from the University of Notre Dame and completed his clinical psychology residency at the Orlando Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Currently, Dr. Rozek is an associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. He also serves as the director of strategy and evaluation for the STRONG STAR Training Initiative and is a senior scientific advisor for the Face the Fight Coalition.

Dr. Rozek has an extensive background in both academic and clinical settings, having held previous positions at the University of Central Florida and the University of Utah. He is licensed to practice psychology in Oregon, Florida, and Utah and is board certified in behavior and cognitive psychology by the American Board of Professional Psychology. His research contributions are significant, with numerous peer-reviewed publications focusing on PTSD, trauma, and suicide prevention. Dr. Rozek continues to advance the field through his innovative research and commitment to improving mental health care for veterans and first responders.

Dr. Alicia Matteson

Coming soon

 

 

Dr. Bart Andrews
Bart Andrews, PhD, is the chief clinical officer at Behavioral Health Response. Dr. Andrews is the chair of the American Association of Suicidology’s Advisory Council, facilitator of Missouri’s Suicide Prevention in Healthcare ECHO, a member of the Missouri Suicide Prevention Network, a recipient of the 2022 American Association of Suicidology Roger Tierney Service Award, and a ZeroSuicide Academy faculty member. Dr. Andrews is a suicide attempt survivor and a proponent of embracing lived expertise in our suicide prevention efforts. Dr. Andrews is also known far and wide for his mastery of Facebook memery (meme-ory).

Dr. Craig Watkins
Dr. Craig Watkins is the Ernest A. Sharpe Centennial Professor and executive director of the IC² Institute at the University of Texas at Austin. At IC², Craig leads a programming initiative that is probing the role of artificial intelligence in addressing health and well-being disparities. Craig is also a principal investigator for the Good Systems Grand Challenge, a University of Texas at Austin initiative designed to catalyze interdisciplinary research and development related to artificial intelligence. Craig’s work with Good Systems focuses on the design and deployment of ethical artificial intelligence, with a specific focus on health AI. Craig serves on numerous advisories including a generative AI advisory group for Google and a Pew Research Center forthcoming project that studies teens, social media, and mental health. He is also a co-principal investigator for a new National Institutes of Health grant to better understand how AI and machine learning can identify the risk factors implicated in the rising rates of suicide among African American youth. This work involves designing more “inclusive design” practices in the development of AI-based systems.

Dr. Deb Stone
Dr. Deborah M. Stone is a senior advisor on suicide prevention at the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, where she co-leads the development of the 2024 National Strategy for Suicide Prevention and Federal Action Plan. She holds a Doctor of Science (ScD) from Harvard School of Public Health, specializing in society, human development, and health, with a minor in psychiatric epidemiology. Additionally, she earned an MPH in health behavior and health education and an MSW in interpersonal practice from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

Dr. Stone’s extensive career at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) includes roles such as lead behavioral scientist and team lead, where she established and managed CDC’s first suicide prevention team. Her leadership was instrumental in developing the Comprehensive Suicide Prevention program, operational across 24 states and territories.

An expert in suicide prevention, Dr. Stone has provided significant contributions to national policy, collaborated with multiple federal agencies, and managed a diverse portfolio of projects aimed at reducing suicide rates. Her research and expertise are well-recognized, with numerous peer-reviewed publications, government reports, and presentations at national and international conferences.

Dr. Stone has also been honored with several awards, including the CDC Honor Award for Excellence in Workforce Wellness and the NCIPC Director’s Award. Her dedication to suicide prevention and public health continues to make a profound impact on the field.

Dr. Dev Crasta
Dev Crasta, PhD, is a research investigator at the Department of Veterans Affairs Center of Excellence for Suicide Prevention and a senior instructor (psychology) at the University of Rochester Medical Center Department of Psychiatry. Dr. Crasta’s work attempts to leverage close supports to strengthen suicide prevention efforts. He recently received a VA Career Development Award (CDA-2) on “Supporting Relationships to Reduce Suicide Risk,” where he explores ways to extend existing couple treatments to higher-risk couples. He also works other researchers hoping to incorporate close others into established suicide prevention strategies, like a clinical trial of joint safety planning, helping evaluating family and friend calls to VA hotlines, and developing resources to help families discuss secure storage of firearms.

Dr. Frank Campbell
Dr. Frank R. Campbell is a renowned expert in suicidology and crisis intervention with over four decades of experience. He holds a PhD from Louisiana State University and is certified in thanatology. Dr. Campbell is the founder of the National Suicidology Training Center and currently serves as a senior consultant at Campbell & Associates Consulting LLC.

Dr. Campbell has been a key figure in developing the Active Postvention Model (APM) and has served as the executive director emeritus for the Baton Rouge Crisis Intervention Center. He is a past president of the American Association of Suicidology and has received numerous awards for his contributions, including the Louis I. Dublin Award and the Norman Farberow Award.

A prolific speaker and author, Dr. Campbell has presented at national and international conferences and has published extensively on suicide prevention and postvention. He has also been a grief consultant for the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) and has trained LOSS teams worldwide.

For more information, visit www.lossteam.com and www.brcic.org.

Dr. Latoya Frolov

Dr. Latoya Frolov is an assistant professor of psychiatry at UTSW, where she serves as medical director of the Perinatal Psychiatry Access Network, provides psychiatric care for adolescent and adult patients who are pregnant and postpartum at the Parkland Perinatal Psychiatry Clinic, and works with children and families on the Children’s Health Plano consult service. She earned her medical degree at the McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston, and she completed her residency in psychiatry at the University of California San Francisco after serving as chief resident of clinical programs and graduating with distinction in women’s mental health and cultural and public psychiatry. She then completed a fellowship in child and adolescent psychiatry at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University and Weill Cornell. She is an adjunct clinical professor of psychiatry at Weill Cornell where she is involved with research focused on perinatal mental health and is a supervisor of the Sackler Perinatal and Infant Psychiatry Fellowship.

Dr. Lisa Kearney

Dr. Kearney serves as the secretary’s senior advisor for health, ensuring implementation of VA’s top priorities in healthcare through coordination with executive leadership across the enterprise and daily coordination with other federal agencies and the White House in healthcare policy development and execution. Dr. Kearney previously served as the executive director of the Veterans Crisis Line (VCL), where she oversaw the largest national crisis line in the United States, led the successful national launch of 988 (press 1 for VCL) for the Department of Veterans Affairs, and facilitated the enactment of VA’s National Strategy for Preventing Veteran Suicide (2018) and the White House Strategy for Reducing Military and Veteran Suicide (2021). Dr. Kearney previously served as the associate director of education at the VA Center for Integrated Healthcare and served on the executive team in the VA Office of Mental Health Operations (OMHO) as the senior consultant for technical assistance, overseeing mental health policy implementation through quality improvement site visits across VA. At the local level, Dr. Kearney served as the chief of psychology, assistant chief, director of training, and director of primary care mental health integration at the South Texas Veterans Health Care System. Dr. Kearney is also a clinical associate professor of psychiatry at the University of Texas Health San Antonio and editor for Psychological Services. She has received the following recent national awards: American Psychological Association (APA) Award for Distinguished Professional Contributions to Institutional Practice (2024), Association of VA Psychologist Leaders (AVAPL) Antonette Zeiss Distinguished Leadership Award (2021), APA Excellence in Clinical Health Psychology Award (2020), and Association of Psychologists in Academic Health Centers Outstanding Mid-Career Professional Contributions Award (2019). She has over 40 publications in the areas of integrated primary care, suicide prevention, mental health business operations, and training of mental health providers. Dr. Kearney is a graduate of the University of Texas in Austin with a PhD in counseling psychology and is board certified in clinical health psychology.

Dr. Tobi Fuller
Tobi Fuller, PhD, MSN, RN, is a distinguished educational psychologist and nursing educator. He earned his Doctor of Philosophy in educational psychology from Texas A&M University Commerce, where his dissertation focused on mindset as a moderator of stereotype threat and impostor phenomenon in Black women doctoral students. Additionally, Dr. Fuller holds a Master of Science in psychology and a Master of Science in training and development from Texas A&M University Commerce, as well as a Master of Science in nursing with a concentration in nursing education from Western Governors University. He also completed his Bachelor of Science in nursing at the University of Texas at Arlington.

Currently, Dr. Fuller serves as the clinical research manager and project lead for the Texas Child Mental Health Care Consortium’s Youth Aware of Mental Health (YAM) Program at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. His role involves overseeing project management, regulatory compliance, data management, and staff training, and he has been instrumental in launching and expanding the YAM program across Texas.

Dr. Fuller’s previous roles include instructional design specialist and clinical simulation educator at UT Southwestern, where he developed curricula and training programs for medical students and residents. His extensive experience in both academic and clinical settings has been marked by a strong commitment to improving mental health care and education through innovative research and program development

Dr. Madhukar Trivedi
Coming soon

 

 

 

James Wright

James Wright, LPC, is the division director of crisis operations for the 988 and Behavioral Health Crisis Coordinating Office at SAMHSA. He currently oversees 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline administration, the 988 State and Territory grant program, and the 988 Tribal Response program. Before coming back to SAMHSA on the 988 team, Mr. Wright held both the deputy director and chief of staff positions for the Veterans Crisis Line (VCL), overseeing all clinical and business operations for VCL. Mr. Wright previously led psychiatric emergency services at Johns Hopkins Bayview and Austin Travis County Integral Care and is a veteran of the United States Army.

Jennifer Crustsinger
Jennifer A. Crutsinger, M.A., LPC-S, is a seasoned mental health professional with extensive experience in counseling, crisis intervention, and program management. She holds a Master of Arts in counseling from St. Edward’s University and a Bachelor of Arts in sociology with a minor in psychology from the University of Texas.

Jennifer currently serves as a suicide prevention specialist at the Health and Human Services Commission, where she provides expert consultative services and technical assistance on suicide prevention programs. She previously directed the Youth Suicide Prevention Grant Project, ensuring the successful implementation of the RYSE program.

In her private practice, Jennifer has offered counseling to individuals and couples, focusing on issues such as grief, depression, anxiety, and trauma. She has also managed a crisis residential unit at Integral Care, supervised therapeutic services at The Settlement Home for Children, and provided counseling at Baylor Scott & White, the Travis County Sheriff’s Office, and Caritas of Austin.

Jennifer is a Licensed Professional Counselor-Supervisor and holds several certifications, including Basic CISM Group Training, CPR and first aid, and ASIST. She is dedicated to promoting mental health and well-being in her community through her extensive clinical work and community involvement.

Dr. Jill Palmer

Dr. Jill E. Palmer, a Navy veteran, licensed clinical social worker, and 2019 graduate of the Doctor of Social Work program at the University of Tennessee, serves as Endeavors’ first corporate behavioral health officer. With her research focus on veterans, suicide prevention, and quality of life, Dr. Palmer has spearheaded the implementation of the Endeavors Veteran Wellness Center. A state-of-the-art facility in San

Antonio, Texas, the Veteran Wellness Center utilizes Dr. Palmer’s expertise by focusing on the integration of mental health, physical health, wellness, and recovery services built upon a foundation of wellness principles.

Dr. Palmer has 27 years of experience providing behavioral health services to include 13 years of leadership experience. She completed her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in social work from Florida State University and served six years in the United States Navy.

Passionate about leading healthy, productive, and innovative teams, she has led teams of social workers, psychiatrists, and other medical and mental health personnel, provided program oversight for multiple programs, developed policies and procedures to implement evidence-based practices, and managed program budgets.

Dr. Palmer currently serves as an executive leadership member for the Mobile Mental Health Collaboration in San Antonio and is a member of the VSI+/DoD STARRS pilot and III Corps Summit to support transitioning Army personnel.

Dr. Joe Geraci
Dr. Geraci retired from the U.S. Army as an infantry lieutenant colonel after serving for 20 years and deploying as a combat leader with elite special operations/Ranger, airborne, and infantry units to Afghanistan four different times since 9/11. While in uniform, he also served as an assistant professor at the U.S. Military Academy in both the Department of Behavioral Sciences and Leadership and the Department of Military Instruction. One of his last positions in the U.S. Army was serving as an infantry battalion commander in which he was directly responsible for the health, welfare, and combat readiness of his soldiers. He received his doctoral degree in clinical psychology from Teachers College at Columbia University. He teaches military psychology to graduate students at Teachers College and was a co-founder of the college’s Resilience Center for Veterans and Families. He serves within the VISN 2 MIRECC as a licensed psychologist and is focused on studying and developing interventions that mitigate the significant suicidal risks that our Modern Warriors (some of them being his former soldiers) face as they attempt to reintegrate back into their civilian communities after military service. Within the MIRECC, he leads two national VA programs (Veteran Cultural Competence Training and the Veteran Sponsorship Initiative).

Jordan Clifton
Coming soon

 

 

 

Katherine Harvey

Katherine Harvey is a seasoned rural public health professional with six years of experience in the development, delivery, and evaluation of prevention programs. She has a proven track record in youth and community engagement as well as employee and volunteer management and has successfully secured over $385,000 in grant funding for local services. Katherine’s passion for trauma-informed behavioral health, upstream prevention, and health equity drives her commitment to improving community health outcomes.

In her recent role as the rural strategies specialist for the Office of Suicide Prevention at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Katherine has focused on implementing innovative strategies to address mental health challenges in rural communities. Her previous positions include serving as the Eagles program coordinator for Colorado State University Extension, where she led a successful out-of-school program that promoted mental health among middle and high school students. Katherine’s expertise has been recognized through numerous awards, including the Student Leader in Public Health and Regional Excellence Awards from Colorado State University.

Katherine holds a Master of Public Health (MPH) in population mental health and well-being from the Colorado School of Public Health. She is certified as a positive youth development trainer by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and is a wilderness first responder through the National Outdoor Leadership School. Her dedication to public health and community service is further demonstrated by her volunteer work with the Gilpin County Public Health Advisory Board, where she serves as secretary of the board.

LaNelia Ramette

LaNelia lost her son Michael to suicide in June of 2010. As a suicide survivor, her life has taken a trajectory she didn’t expect. She has become a passionate advocate for suicide prevention since Michael’s death. She is the president of Touched by Suicide – North Texas, a 501(c)3 that provides free support groups in Denton, Flower Mound, and Keller in the DFW metroplex for adults who have lost loved ones to suicide. She has been a facilitator of the support group in Flower Mound since 2012 and has been a member of the Denton County LOSS Team since 2015.

Lori Common
Lori Common is the housing coordinator for the Connections Program at Denton County MHMR. Connections provides housing for those experiencing chronic homelessness.

Lori attended American Public University and holds a Bachelor of Arts in psychology with a minor in human services. Lori has worked for Denton County MHMR for 10 years in various roles; first in the Crisis Department, as LOSS Team coordinator, an employment specialist, and now in Connections. Lori serves as co-chair for the Denton Regional Suicide Prevention Coalition, remains a LOSS Team volunteer, and sits on the board and facilitates a support group for Touched by Suicide. Raising awareness for mental health and suicide prevention has become Lori’s passion and is very personal for her. In March 2017, Lori lost her oldest son, Mason, from suicide.

In her spare time, Lori enjoys spending time with her husband, children, grandchildren, and four-legged babies. Lori loves sports, and being from Ohio, she is a long-suffering Cleveland sports fan.

Mike Olson
Mike Olson has spent the last 10+ years with MHMR of Tarrant County. Mike has worked in various mental health programs, including homeless services and supported housing, integrated healthcare, and assisted outpatient treatment.

Mike is currently a program manager and oversees the LOSS Team (outreach to survivors of suicide) and Zero Suicide Initiative (agencywide suicide prevention framework) at MHMR of Tarrant County.

Mike Eastman
Michael R. Eastman is a highly accomplished executive and retired Army general officer with over 30 years of distinguished service in defense, government, and interagency sectors. Known for his visionary leadership, Michael has advanced the strategic direction of the Department of Defense in areas such as organizational design, cyberspace, and future concepts and capabilities. His ability to lead transformational change and deliver high-performing outcomes has earned him a stellar reputation as an ethical and inclusive leader.

Currently serving as the executive director of The ETS Sponsorship Program, Michael has successfully expanded the program’s national network, forging key partnerships with major organizations such as the Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Defense, and Google. Prior to this role, he was the commanding general of Train, Advise, Assist Command-South in Kandahar, Afghanistan, where he managed multinational operations and oversaw the successful drawdown and transfer of military assets to the Afghan government. His leadership roles also include serving as the director of Joint Force Development and Design on the Joint Staff, where he developed a comprehensive new joint warfighting concept for the U.S. Armed Forces.

Michael holds a Master of Science in political science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he also pursued his PhD. He earned his Bachelor of Science in international relations from the United States Military Academy at West Point. Additionally, he has completed advanced strategic management education at Kings College, England, and is a senior fellow at the Institute of World Politics. Michael’s extensive education and broad experience make him a formidable leader in both military and civilian sectors.

Nicole Elliott
Nicole J. Elliott is a licensed clinical social worker with over two decades of experience in mental health, specializing in counseling individuals experiencing anxiety, depression, and suicidal crises. She holds a Master of Social Work from Angelo State University and a B.S. in criminal justice from National University. Nicole is certified in various therapeutic techniques, including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and cognitive processing therapy, reflecting her commitment to evidence-based practices.

Currently, Nicole serves as the director of Zero Suicide Services at West Texas Counseling and Guidance (WTCG) in San Angelo, Texas. In this role, she manages a $5 million SAMHSA Zero Suicide initiative grant aimed at suicide prevention in rural West Texas. She also leads the Local Outreach to Suicide Survivors (LOSS) Team of Tom Green County, providing critical support to suicide loss survivors and coordinating with law enforcement and the community.

Throughout her career, Nicole has demonstrated exceptional leadership in both clinical and community settings. She has facilitated numerous suicide prevention coalitions, organized extensive training programs, and provided direct therapy services. Her experience includes significant volunteer work supporting veterans and their families, showcasing her dedication to mental health advocacy and community service.

Samantha Zachary
Samantha R. Zachary, M.A., LPC-Associate, is a dedicated mental health professional specializing in suicide prevention and care. With a Master of Arts in forensic psychology from the University of Houston-Victoria and a Bachelor of Science in psychology from the University of Maryland Global Campus, she brings a strong educational background to her work.

Currently, Samantha serves as the suicide care initiative coordinator for the Suicide Prevention Policy and Services team at the Office of Mental Health Coordination in HHSC. In this role, she supports Texas’ local mental health and behavioral health authorities in implementing the Zero Suicide framework, an evidence-based approach to improving suicide care in the public mental health system. Her expertise includes conducting site visits, providing technical assistance, and delivering best practice suicide prevention trainings to various stakeholders.

Previously, Samantha worked with the Mobile Crisis Outreach Team at Gulf Bend Center, conducting comprehensive risk assessments and collaborating with local hospitals, police, and community resources to ensure client safety. As a licensed professional counselor associate with the AWARE grant in Refugio ISD, she developed and implemented a comprehensive suicide protocol for the district and provided counseling services to students.

Samantha is well-versed in several suicide prevention training programs, including AS+K? About Suicide to Save a Life, Counseling on Access to Lethal Means (CALM), and Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST), and she is a master trainer of Safety Planning Intervention. Her extensive training and experience make her a vital asset in the field of mental health and suicide prevention.

Tammy Weppelman LPC-S 

Tammy has served on the suicide prevention team in the Office of Mental Health Coordination at HHSC for four years. During that time, Tammy has expanded technical assistance to include suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention to a wide variety of community stakeholders and partners internal HHS. She is currently the director of suicide prevention, policy, and services.

Prior to coming to HHSC, Tammy worked at a local mental health authority in Texas for 18 years. During her time there, Tammy had several roles, but spent the most time working in crisis services including Mobile Crisis Outreach Teams (MCOT), crisis walk-in services, crisis residential, Local Outreach to Suicide Survivors (LOSS Team), and continuity of care.

Tammy has a master’s degree in rehabilitation counseling from the University of North Texas and is a licensed professional counselor (LPC).

Chris Thomas
Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer

Chris has yet to meet a stranger. During his 30-plus years in corporate management of consumer goods and products, both domestically and internationally, Chris has literally made thousands of friends through his innate ability to connect with and care for others. People are put at ease by his big laugh and zest for life and by his ability to communicate a message of positivity and hope.

A gifted college athlete, Chris played an integral role in coaching and developing the athletic achievements of his children, Ella and Solomon. Chris often jokes that, as Solomon’s dad, he had the rare privilege of raising his own favorite NFL player, and no player has a more enthusiastic father in the stands.

Chris’ passion for suicide prevention programming developed by The Defensive Line is only surpassed by his insistence that people of color are provided mental health care on an equitable basis. His lived experience helps train others on recognizing and reacting appropriately to micro-aggressions when they occur. This level of nuanced discussions

makes for a deeply meaningful and purposeful presentation. Chris brings the same drive for excellence that earned him outstanding sales awards to The Defensive Line. His thirst for learning about the mental health field is fed by numerous podcasts and webinars on a daily basis. He is a member of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Board of Directors, as well as a Touched By Suicide (TBS) board member, AFSP Project 2025 board member, and College of Wooster Ad Hoc Alumni Trustee. Martha, Chris, and Solomon were recipients of the 2019 AFSP Lifesaver Award. Chris continues to play sports, travel, and barbecue some of the world’s best ribs.

Martha Thomas

Martha Thomas exudes warmth and welcome to everyone she meets. Her 30-plus years as an educator have proven invaluable to The Defensive Line where she serves as chief education officer. Her insight of the realities of the classroom provides an understanding of what teachers are faced with every day. She left teaching in 2022 to work full-time with The Defensive Line where she continues to educate through suicide prevention workshops and D-LINES training.

Martha co-founded The Defensive Line to honor her daughter, Ella, and to bring a message of hope and help to other at-risk young people. She is a respected voice in the field of mental health, a popular podcast guest, an inspiring keynote speaker, and the true north of her organization.

She has led programming partnerships in Dallas ISD, Fort Worth ISD, Clark County SD, Baylor University, and Stanford University. Speaking engagements include Mental Health America/GD, Neuroscience Education Institute Congress, and United Healthcare Town Hall. She and Chris serve as faculty members of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Echo Program, and have appeared on NFL Network, ESPN, and CNN. The Thomas family was honored to receive the 2019 AFSP Lifesaver Award.

Martha is the roots of her family and believes and demonstrates fundamentally that connection is our greatest source of strength together. She resides in Coppell, Texas with her husband, Chris, and two rescue dogs Mickey and Rebel. She is a marathoner, gardener, and a huge football fan—especially of the New York Jets!

Cynthia Thomas
Coming soon