SALLY SPENCER-THOMAS CONTACT INFORMATION Carson J Spencer Foundation Cell Phone: 720-244-6535 1385 S. Colorado Blvd., Suite A-316 [email protected] Denver, CO 80222 USA Blog: http://sallyspencerthomas.blogspot.com Twitter: @SSpencerThomas @CJSFoundation @WorkingMindsCJS PROFESSIONAL STATUS Current Position: CEO & Co-Founder, Carson J Spencer Foundation Professional Credentials: Clinical Psychologist Master Trainer of Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) Suicide Prevention Gatekeeper Professional Affiliations: Inductee, Leadership Denver 2014 2009-2015 Director, Survivor of Suicide Loss Division, American Association of Suicidology Co-Chair, Workplace Special Interest Group, International Association of Suicide Prevention Co-Lead, Workplace Task Force, National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention Co-Chair, Consumer-Survivor Subcommittee, National Suicide Prevention Lifeline President, Board of Directors, Suicide Prevention Coalition of Colorado EDUCATION Regis University, Denver, CO Masters in Nonprofit Management (MNM) 2007 Leadership Certificate 2006 University of Denver (APA Approved), Denver, CO Doctorate in Psychology (Psy.D.) 1995 Bowdoin College, Brunswick, ME Bachelor of Arts with Majors in Psychology and Studio Art and Minor in Economics 1989 Graduated Summa Cum Laude Admitted to Phi Beta Kappa University of Stockholm, Stockholm, Sweden Study Abroad 1988 SPECIAL EVENTS, HONORS AND AWARDS 2015 Farberow Award for advancing the field of suicide bereavement, International Association of Suicide Prevention, Montreal 2014 Invited Guest, White House Briefing on Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, DC 2014 Invited Guest, World Health Organization’s World Suicide Report Launch, Geneva SALLY SPENCER-THOMAS 2014 Survivor of the Year, American Association of Suicidology, Los Angeles 2014 Invisible Disabilities Association Impact Honors Award 2012 Alumni Master Scholar, University of Denver 2011 Outstanding Provider for 2011 in the State of Colorado (Colorado Employee Assistance Professionals Association) 2008 Heroes in the Fight Nominee (National Alliance on Mental Illness) 2006 Recognition of Service, BACCHUS Network 2002 Advisor/Moderator of the Year, Regis University 2000, 2003 & 2004 Outstanding Advisor Award, BACCHUS Network 1997-2005 National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week Award 1997, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 Outstanding National Affiliate or Area 3 Affiliate BACCHUS & GAMMA Peer Education Network PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE Carson J Spencer Foundation, Denver, CO | www.CarsonJSpencer.org Founding Principal of this 501(c)(3) award-winning organization dedicated to sustaining a passion for life through suicide prevention, social enterprise and support for people bereaved by suicide Organizational Awards: 2012 Man Therapy™, Gold Leaf Health Communications Award 2013 Nonprofit of the Year Finalist, Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce 2013 Small Nonprofit of the Year, Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce 2011 Innovations in Philanthropy, Bank of the West CEO 2011-present Executive Director 2005-2011 Established Working Minds, nation’s first comprehensive suicide prevention program exclusively dedicated to suicide prevention in the workplace Championed its acceptance into the National Best Practice Registry for Suicide Prevention Developed first suicide prevention toolkit for workplaces, including DVD featuring Denver’s Governor John Hickenlooper and world renowned mental health expert Dr. Kay Redfield Jamison Created first website dedicated to suicide prevention in the workplace www.WorkingMinds.org Presented model to national and international audiences Established partnerships with the USPS, Denver Fire Department, Colorado’s Department of Corrections and RK Mechanical to deliver comprehensive suicide prevention program Founded The FIRE Within program for youth social entrepreneurs. Formed partnership with Junior Achievement Rocky Mountain and the Second Wind Fund to coach high school business students how to develop and implement 2 SALLY SPENCER-THOMAS sustainable mental health social enterprises Acquired $300,000 seed funding and $200,000 matching challenge grant from the Adolph Coors Foundation to scale the program from three to 50 schools in three years. Currently conducting national pilot in San Francisco, Massachusetts and Wyoming. Principal Partner on award-winning Man Therapy™ social marketing campaign Collaborated with Cactus Marketing and Colorado’s Office of Suicide Prevention to acquire $900,000 from the Anschutz Foundation Provided suicide prevention expertise and oversaw the development of the testimonial library for this innovative approach to reaching men at-risk for suicide Launched campaign July 9th, 2012 with an article in the New York Times www.ManTherapy.org First QPR (Suicide Prevention Gatekeeper) Master Trainer in Rocky Mountain region (trained over 2,000 gatekeepers and over 400 trainers) Impacted over 30,000 people with innovative suicide prevention programs, including professional art exhibit featuring Colorado’s beloved nature photographer John Fielder and invited speaking engagements at state, regional national and international forums Developed cutting edge social marketing campaigns aimed at lowering suicide rate among GLBT youth, healthcare professionals, men and young adults with mental health conditions. Co-authored two nationally distributed suicide prevention guidebooks (faith leaders and workplace managers) Produced two internationally distributed training videos for first responders Established annual interfaith healing ceremony for people struggling during the holidays Created iCare Packages program, distributing support resources to families newly bereaved by suicide Suicide Prevention Resource Center, Washington, DC 2010-2011 Executive Secretary, National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention Remotely helped lead the start-up of this national public-private partnership designed to advance the Surgeon General’s National Strategy for Suicide Prevention under the leadership of the Secretary of the Army John McHugh and the Honorable Senator Gordon Smith. Developed brand, founding documents, and other public relations materials Assisted in the launch and coordination of 13 task forces CAMPUSPEAK, Aurora, CO 2007-2012 Professional Speaker First national speaker to frame suicide prevention as a social justice issue Presented at dozens of college campuses and regional/national conferences empowering students to join the suicide prevention and mental health promotion movements Regis University, Denver, CO 1992-2009 Affiliate Faculty, Division of Business, Regis College 2009 3 SALLY SPENCER-THOMAS Director, Leadership Development 2007-2009 Founded Minor in Leadership Studies and grew program to 25 students Developed curriculum for five courses, including: o Leading Well – 1st year writing course o Leading with Differences in Mind o Leadership Experiences in New Zealand (study abroad component) o Leadership Internships o Public Scholarship Leadership Capstone Projects Chaired two national student leadership conferences Project Director, Garrett Lee Smith Campus Suicide Prevention Grant 2006-2009 Wrote grant that was selected as one of 34 college campuses in the nation to receive almost $250,000 in 2006. Chaired two national suicide prevention conferences and the National Survivors of Suicide Day Developed first suicide prevention website designed to be clearinghouse for campus stakeholders (www.PeoplePreventSuicide.org) Director of Leadership Development and Behavioral Health Promotion 2003-2007 Chaired three national violence prevention conferences and seven regional student leadership development conferences Managed over $75,000 in alcohol abuse prevention and suicide prevention grants Selected to coordinate the federal Network Addressing Collegiate Alcohol and Other Drug Issues program for three Western states Quickly rose to the region’s highest ranking position for the BACCHUS Network based on developing and implementing innovative, award-winning peer education programs Health Psychologist 1995-2003 Advised nationally recognized peer educators Developed protocol for substance abuse screening and intervention Personal Counselor 1992-1994 Nicoletti-Flater Associates, Lakewood, CO 1993-2008 Police Psychologist and Staff Writer Co-authored three books on violence prevention, including one in second printing Conducted and published research on police response to civilian suicide and presented findings at the FBI Academy Launched regional newsletter promoting mental health among law enforcement and distributed it to over 200 agencies in the Rocky Mountain region Developed curriculum for anger management and parenting classes for law enforcement families Colorado Center for Neurological Rehabilitation, Denver, CO 1992/3, 1995 Neurobehavioral Consultant Tufts University and Boston VA Medical Center Consortium; Boston, MA 1994-1995 Psychology Intern (APA approved) 4 SALLY SPENCER-THOMAS Rotations in Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, Behavioral Medicine, Child Psychology Externships in Neuropsychology and Emergency Room Psychological Intake Developed new instructional curricula for pain management and heart attack recover to provide patients with non-drug alternative treatments PUBLICATIONS Books Spencer-Thomas, S. (exp. 2015). The Suicidal Student: A Call to Action to All Those Who Care about College Suicide Prevention. (under review) Carson J Spencer Foundation, Crisis Care Network, National Action Alliance for Suicide