Keynote Speakers

Arizona State Senator Sean Bowie
Senator Sean Bowie represents Legislative District 18, which includes Ahwatukee, south Tempe, west Chandler, and southwest Mesa. Sean is serving his second term, after first winning office in November 2016 and winning re-election in November 2018.
 
Sean and his family first moved to Legislative District 18 in 1994. A product of the Kyrene Elementary and Tempe Union High School districts, Sean graduated from Mountain Pointe High School in 2002. Sean then went on to ASU, receiving degrees in Political Science and History. Sean received his Master’s degree in Public Policy and Management from Carnegie Mellon University in 2013.
 
Prior to serving in the Senate, Sean worked for the Provost's office at his alma mater, Arizona State University.  He worked daily on issues including expanding need-based financial aid for working Arizona families, increasing resources for first-year students, and expanding online educational opportunities and increasing access for students.
 
Sean serves on the Senate Appropriations, Senate Finance, and Senate Commerce Committees. In addition to those committees, he is intently focused on restoring education investment to our K-12 schools and higher educational institutions.
 
In addition to his work at the Senate, Sean also works as a Professor of Practice at ASU’s School of Public Affairs, where he teaches courses on leadership, ethics, and research methods.
 
Sean lives by the motto of his alma mater, Carnegie Mellon University, “my heart is in the work.”

Alan L. Berman, Ph.D.
Dr. Berman holds a B.A. degree from the Johns Hopkins University and a Ph.D. from the Catholic University of America.  Concurrent with a 40 year outpatient practice of psychotherapy, he was a tenured professor of psychology at American University (1970-1991), Director of the National Center for the Study and Prevention of Suicide at the Washington School of Psychiatry (1991-1995), and Executive Director of the American Association of Suicidology (AAS) (1995-2014).
Dr. Berman is a Past-President of the AAS, their 1982 Shneidman Award recipient (for Outstanding Contributions in Research in Suicidology), and recipient of AAS’s Louis I. Dublin Award for outstanding service and contributions to the field of suicide prevention. 

He was twice elected President of the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP); he is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association and the International Academy of Suicide Research, and a Diplomate of the American Board of Professional Psychology.
He has published more than 170 professional articles and book chapters and is author or editor of seven books in the field of Suicidology and Suicide Prevention..  In addition, he serves as consulting editor to four journals 
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Upon retiring from full-time employment in 2014, Dr. Berman was appointed as an Adjunct Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine where he continues to teach, mentor, and conduct research.  He currently serves as co-chair of the Fatality Review Committee of the MD Governor’s Commission on Suicide Prevention and as co-principal investigator of State of Minnesota suicide prevention project.  He continues to provide legal testimony and consultation with regard to cases of suicide both nationally and internationally.

Frank Campbell, Ph.D., LCSW, C.T.
Dr. Campbell is the Executive Director Emeritus of the Baton Rouge Crisis Intervention Center, where he serves as Volunteer Chair of the National Suicidology Training Center (NSTC).  He is also a volunteer Assistant Coroner in East Baton Rouge Parish.  In addition to his volunteer activities he is the Senior Consultant for Campbell and Associates Consulting where he consults with communities on Active Postvention efforts and Forensic Suicidology cases.  During his more than thirty years of working with those bereaved by suicide he introduced his Active Postvention Model (APM) in 1997 it is most commonly known as the LOSS Team (Local Outreach to Suicide Survivors).  His work with survivors and victims of trauma has been featured in three discovery channel documentaries, professional journals and book chapters.  He is a past-president of the American Association of Suicidology, a recipient of both national and international awards for his contributions.  Dr. Campbell is also a veteran and is most proud to have been a consultant and contributor to the TAPS program for military family members who attend the survivor seminars and National programs for the past decade.  To learn more about his work in the field of Suicidology you can visit his website www.lossteam.com or the NSTC at www.BRCIC.org

Anthony Dekker, D.O., FACOFP, FAOAAM
Tony is currently a member of the Primary Care Service Line at the Gallup Indian Medical Center as director of the Pain and Addiction Programs and supporting the COVID-19 epidemic efforts in the Indian Health Service.  

Previously he was at the Northern Arizona Veteran’s Administration Healthcare System in Prescott, Arizona.  He was the medical director of the East Community Based Outpatient Clinics (Anthem, Cottonwood and Flagstaff) and the Rural Clinics (Page, Holbrook, Tuba City, Polacca, Chinle and Kayenta).  He provided primary care and telemedicine services to veterans in mid and northern Arizona areas.  He was also active in the evaluation and treatment of veterans with chronic pain and addiction disorders. He was also an emergency room attendant at the Prescott VA, and Bates County Memorial Hospital (MO).  He has active ATLS ACLS PALS certification. He has over 10,000 hours in the ED.

From 2010 to 2015, Tony was the director of the Department of Addiction Medicine at the Ft Belvoir Community Hospital which is one of the replacement hospitals for the Walter Reed Army Medical Center.  He directed the four divisions in Addiction Medicine dedicated to the comprehensive evaluation and treatment for substance abuse and dependence disorders in the military.  Dr Dekker is expert in substance dependence and co-occurring disorders in Veterans and the Active Duty Service Member (ADSM) population and with military dependents, and retirees.  He served on the Provider Wellness and Chronic Pain Committees at Fort Belvoir and is a member of the Joint Board of Directors for the Joint Task Force (Walter Reed National Military Medical Center/Fort Belvoir Community Hospital/ National Intrepid Center of Excellence) on Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI).

After serving the Indian Health Service from 1998 to 2010 in Arizona he was honored to be a member of the Joint Task Force Medical Team that specialized in the care of Wounded Warriors.  Previously he was the Acting Director of the Office of Health Programs at the Phoenix Area Office supervising 15 health departments in Nevada, Utah and Arizona. He was also the Associate Director of the Phoenix Indian Medical Center and the Director, Ambulatory Care and Community Health.  He served as the Director of Medical Education for the Phoenix Indian Medical Center.  

Born and raised in Western Michigan he graduated from Hope College in Holland Michigan.  He completed his Osteopathic education at Michigan State University in 1978.  He completed his internship and family medicine residency at the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine and an Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine fellowship at Rush-Presbyterian-St Luke’s Medical Center in Chicago.  As a Public Health Service Scholar, he served Chicago’s South Side for fourteen years.  He was Professor and Chair of Family Medicine at the Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences and Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Kansas Medical Center and the University of Missouri-Kansas City (Children’s Mercy Hospital) during his four years in Kansas City.  

Dr. Dekker is board certified in Family Practice and Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment, Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine, and Addiction and Pain Medicine.  He is a Fellow in numerous professional societies.  As a member of the healthcare team at the Northern Arizona Veteran’s Administration Health Care System (NAVAHCS),  he is dedicated to the Mission of providing the highest quality care to veterans and active duty military and their dependents.  His areas of expertise include addiction medicine, chronic pain syndromes, infomatics, high risk youth, domestic violence and behavioral health.   He has been the Chief Clinical Consultant in Addiction Medicine and Chronic Pain for the Indian Health Service, US Public Health Service and has served on several national panels addressing substance abuse in America.  He served on the American Hospital Association Board on Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Issues.  Current faculty appointments include clinical professorships at George Washington University (Washington DC) and the Andrew Taylor Still University (Mesa, AZ).

Patricia Anne Roe, Psy.D., PMHNP-BC, LISAC
Patricia Anne Roe, Psy.D. PMHNP-BC, LISAC is stationed at the Gallup Indian Medical Center (GIMC) in Gallup, New Mexico in the Indian Health Service as a clinical psychologist and psychiatric nurse practitioner.  She is dedicated to improving the quality of life and mental health of the Indian community, patients and their families.  Dr. Roe is a licensed clinical psychologist in the states of Arizona, Missouri, Illinois and Michigan. She earned her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology in 1990 from the APA-accredited program at the Chicago School of Professional Psychology. Her diagnostic practicum was at the Institute of Juvenile Research, University of Illinois and her therapeutic practicum was at the Family Institute, Northwestern University.  Her APA approved internship was at the Michael Reese Hospital and Medical Center in Child and Family Clinical Psychology. 
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Dr Roe also completed her BSN and MSN at the University of Michigan as a Clinical Nurse Specialist and completed the Child and Family Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner program at the Arizona State University.  She is a board certified (ANCC) Child and Family Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner. Dr. Roe’s clinical experience in the mental health field includes a fifteen years as a USPHS scholar on the Southside of Chicago emphasizing care of children and families victims of trauma.  She has served in the Indian Health Service for twelve years and in the Department of Defense as he led psychologist on the inpatient psychiatric unit at the Fort Belvoir Community Hospital for active duty and dependents. intervention.  She is now a proud member of the GIMC team addressing the COVID epidemic.

Dr. Roe conducts various evaluations including psychological, substance use disorders, and risk assessments. Dr. Roe conducts general psychological evaluations privately and for Family Court. She volunteers in the care of spouses and partners of veterans and members of American Indian tribes.She has training and experience related to victims of trauma, including military sexual abuse and victimology, general psychological evaluations, families, adolescents and children with behavior problems, and various therapeutic interventions such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, End of Life care, and substance related issues. 

Kelli Donley Williams
Kelli Donley Williams is the state suicide prevention specialist at AHCCCS. She also oversees AHCCCS' initiative to expand the provision of behavioral health services in schools statewide. Kelli previously oversaw the longstanding Arnold vs. Sarn lawsuit for ADHS; she was on the team that saw the 30-plus year lawsuit to a settlement agreement, detailing the Medicaid-covered services for those with serious mental illness in Maricopa County. Kelli worked in international health from 2003-2008, spending five years implementing health programming for women and children in Bolivia, Mexico, Mozambique, and Nicaragua. She serves on the boards for United Food Bank and the Arizona Public Health Association and has worked in public health since 2003. She was a Peace Corps volunteer in Cameroon.

Breakout Speakers: 

Issac Akapnitis LMSW
​Isaac M. Akapnitis, LMSW (he/they): Isaac is a trans and queer macro social worker and advocate in Phoenix, Arizona. Isaac earned their BA Sociology from UNF and their MSSW from The University of Texas at Austin. They have worked with LGBTQ+ populations for almost 15 years across Florida, Texas, and Arizona in areas of peer support, substance use and suicide prevention, health care, community development, and higher education. In all settings, they enjoy working on policy and education efforts to create safe, welcoming, and affirming services for LGBTQ communities.

Thomas E. Rojo Aubrey, DBH-c, D.BH, MSC, LAMFT, CMHFA, CCTP, CFTP, CFTPI
Dr. Thomas E . Rojo Aubrey is the Director of Behavioral Health Sciences and Professor at Glendale Community College (GCC) in Glendale, Arizona. He is also an adjunct professor at Northern Arizona State University (NAU). Dr. Aubrey has a master’s degree in marriage and family therapy. He obtained his doctorate in behavioral health (integrated behavioral medicine) from Arizona State University (ASU) and is currently working on a second doctorate in cognitive psychology. He is the author of the textbook, The Resilient Learner: Thriving and Succeeding In College, and co-author of the books: Transformative Care: A Trauma-Focused Approach to Caregiving and Unlocking the Code to Human Resiliency: Building Professional Resiliency Against Burnout, Traumatic Stress, and Compassion Fatigue. He serves as Chair of the Behavioral Health Sciences Advisory Board at GCC and serves on the board as a member for the GCC Exercise Science and Nutrition Advisory Council. In addition, Dr. Aubrey serves on the Psychology/Counseling Advisory Board for Grand Canyon University and the Advisory Board for Arizona Trauma Institute. He also serves on the Advisory Board for the Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies. Dr. Aubrey has over 15 years of diverse experience in behavioral healthcare, including trauma treatment, crisis stabilization, marital counseling, career and academic counseling, and integrated behavioral medicine for the treatment of comorbid behavioral and medical conditions.

Louanna Benslow 
Hi I am Louanna Benslow. I am Dine’ and have three beautiful children. Currently I work at the Winslow Indian Health Care Center in the Health Promotion Department with the Substance Abuse & Suicide Prevention Initiative Program as the Project Assistant for the last 4.5 years. I have been certified to facilitate training with QPR, safeTALK, ASIST, Postvention. Also I have been training to facilitate in the following curriculum's: American Indian Life Skills, Navajo Wellness Model, Gatherings of Native Americans, Sources of Strength and Grief Recovery Method (certification process). 

​William Beverly, Ph.D., LMFT, CCHP
​Dr. Beverly is a licensed psychologist and faculty member in the counseling department at South Mountain Community College, where he also serves as Coordinator of the Behavioral Health Sciences program. Dr. Beverly has held leadership positions in a wide array of behavioral health settings overseeing numerous behavioral health programs across the state of Arizona, including residential treatment for teens, therapeutic group homes for adults with serious mental illness, forensic psychological services, sex offender treatment, and general outpatient counseling and psychiatric services. He was previously the Lead Psychologist for the Maricopa County jail system, where he co-developed a trauma-informed model for training officers working with inmates with mental illness and cognitive impairment. Dr. Beverly has conducted numerous workshops and published on the topic of suicide prevention and intervention with vulnerable populations. Dr. Beverly is also an adjunct professor at Northern Arizona University, where he has taught in the educational psychology department for the last 10 years.

Glen Bloomstrom
​Glen Bloomstrom is currently the Director, Faith Community Engagement at LivingWorks Education, an international suicide intervention training company and an adjunct professor at Bethlehem Seminary, Minneapolis, Minnesota. Glen served on active duty as a US Army chaplain for 30 years, retiring in 2011.  He has broad experience developing and providing training for the US Navy, US Special Operations Command and the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. In 2019, he was a plenary speaker for the Utah Suicide Prevention Coalition and the American Association of Suicidology.  Currently he is developing an on-line suicide prevention-training program , for faith leaders entitled LivingWorks Faith.  This training is informed by the Suicide Prevention Competencies for Faith Leaders: Supporting Life Before, During, and After a Suicidal Crisis developed by the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention and published in 2019, a project for which Glen served as a co-lead.

Robin B. Dilley, Ph.D.
Dr. Robin B. Dilley is a licensed Arizona Psychologist in private practice. Dr. Dilley has studied extensively family systems and the underlying psychological issues of shame which she believes underlies most problems that become complicated and despairing for individuals today. Years ago, Dr. Dilley was looking for a tool to help her deal with the grief and fear of being a cancer patient. She discovered the Labyrinth at that time and became mesmerized by its ability to calm and soothe her fear and personal anguish. Since that time she has become an advanced Veriditas Labyrinth Facilitator. Veriditas is the mother organization that brought the current Labyrinth Movement to life all over the world. Dr. Dilley established Arizona Labyrinth Connections earlier this year to provide educational, healing, and inspirational information through her workshops. Since, COVID has changed our ability to meet in person, she is currently providing online finger labyrinth workshops. When she saw our workshop, she knew this would be a perfect group of people who can and will benefit from an introduction to his powerful meditation tool..

Micheon Gorman
Micheon Gorman is Diné (Navajo) from Crownpoint, NM. Micheon is an Arizona State University alumna who studied Social Work with a focused career in the fields of substance abuse and domestic/sexual violence prevention and counseling in tribal communities. Micheon works at the Phoenix Indian Center as a Prevention Program Manager with the Urban Indian Coalition of Arizona, providing awareness and education to tribal youth, adults, and community members about substance abuse and suicide prevention. In addition to providing oversight and coordination for the Prevention Services programs, she facilitates workshops, training, and curriculum on the topics of parenting, suicide prevention, youth-targeted substance abuse prevention, prescription drug abuse and misuse prevention, and historical intergenerational trauma.

Shawn Hatch
Shawn Hatch has over 30 years of experience in the behavioral health field and has been with Spectrum Healthcare Group since March of 2019, serving as their Regional Vice President.  She is also a current Board member of the Yavapai Justice and Mental Health Coalition.  Prior to her arrival in Arizona, Shawn had a 27-year career with UP Health System in Marquette, Michigan.  She held various clinical and supervisory positions over the course of her time with UPHS, gaining experience in all levels of behavioral health care, prior to becoming the Director of Clinical Services. Shawn holds a Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University of Michigan.  Shawn holds addiction credentials through the Arizona Board for Certification of Addiction Counselors.  She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker via the Arizona Board of Behavioral Health Examiners.

Shomari Jackson
Shomari B. Jackson is an experienced Project Coordinator at Southwest Behavioral & Health Services, where he has developed and facilitates the South Mountain W.O.R.K.S Coalition, a nationally known youth substance abuse prevention coalition. Currently, Shomari works as an Adjunct Professor at Northern Arizona University in the Applied Human Behavioral Program. He graduated from Arizona State University, with a Bachelor’s of Science in Psychology in 2015 and a Master’s in Public Administration in 2017. Since graduating, Shomari has served on several advisory boards including the Watts Family Maryvale YMCA Advisory Board, the African Diaspora Advisory Committee of Arizona (ADACA), and currently serves as an Executive Board member for the Substance Abuse Coalition Leaders of Arizona (SACLAZ). Shomari is an experienced trainer in topics of Trauma, Harm Reduction, Substance Use Prevention, Leadership, Community Building and Sustainability. He is currently leading the Community Health & Resiliency Program, a trauma informed community building project that develops Trauma Informed Schools and Communities in Phoenix and throughout Arizona.  

Edward L. James III, MSW, ACSW, LMSW, MPM
Edward L. James, III has an earned Master of Social Work, at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, an earned Master of Public Management, at Carnegie-Mellon University and a postgraduate study in Social Work Administration at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia. Edward is certified and licensed as a master social worker, in Arizona and Pennsylvania and studied marriage and family therapy in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Chicago, Illinois and Georgetown, Washington DC. Edward has participated in marriage and family therapy private practice and has been employed for the past 40 years in a variety of profit and not for profit organizations. He has a specialization in working in the field of crisis intervention and intimate partner violence. His current specialization is program development in the field of addiction. Edward has a clinical and research interest and is a community activist in the area of men’s health, particularly in the black community. He has participated in national conversations incorporating both a grassroots and a broader national public policy perspective. He has been guest speakers at seminars and conferences in an effort to bring men’s health issues to the forefront.

Nikk Kontz, LMSW
Nikki is the Clinical Director for Teen Lifeline, a local non-profit dedicated to providing a safe, confidential and crucial crisis service where teens help teens make healthy decisions.  She has been working in the field for the past 16 years including work on a crisis mobile team, postvention intervention and assessment for hospitalization. Nikki possesses a master’s Degree in social work from Arizona State University and specializes in mental health issues, crisis intervention, suicide prevention/postvention and education, and adolescence.  She currently is a state Licensed Master Social Worker, a certified crisis worker through the American Association of Suicidology, field instructor for the Social Work Department at ASU, and serves as the President on the Board of Directors for the Arizona Suicide Prevention Coalition.

Kelly Legler
Kelly Legler is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor, and the Chief Clinical Officer and Hospital Administrator with West Yavapai Guidance Clinic.  She graduated with an emphasis in trauma and crisis intervention, originally with the purpose of working with victims of human sex trafficking.  She has been with WYGC since 2016, where she began working within the Children’s Services Department.  Her passion almost immediately gravitated towards working with adolescents struggling with feeling alone, angry, and even hopeless; struggling with thoughts of suicide.  Kelly became the Chair of the Suicide Prevention Coalition of Yavapai County in 2019.  She wanted to use this already-established Coalition to reach the next level of community involvement, not just with the obvious mission of reducing suicides, but to bring awareness of the detrimental barrier to all human struggles: stigma.  While everyone’s story and reason for wanting to make a difference is unique and personal, Kelly is a strong advocate in bringing awareness to the importance accessing services, as her own experiences have shown her that mental health services are the #1 most underutilized tool in general health services within our country.    

Paula McCall, Ph.D.
Dr. Paula J. McCall is an Arizona licensed psychologist and Nationally Certified School Psychologist who specializes in working with children, adolescents, and individuals with developmental disabilities. She runs her private practice, Next Step Psychology, which provides therapy and psychological evaluations. Dr. McCall has previously worked as a special education teacher and a school psychologist in the schools, and she continues to provide evaluations and consultations with school districts. She received her PhD in Educational Psychology from Arizona State University and currently serves as an adjunct professor for the University of Arizona. Dr. McCall is passionate about providing parent education and school consultation in suicide prevention, and she has assisted multiple school districts in developing evidence-based suicide risk assessment procedures. She also frequently presents on the topic of suicide prevention to parents and guardians in community outreach events held by organizations such as the Tempe Union High School District and Chandler Police Department. Dr. McCall is especially proud of creating the Prepared Parenting symposium, an annual free community event in Chandler that provides education to parents and guardians on various aspects of childhood and adolescent mental health.

Steve Schiro
​Steve Schiro is a retired educator and former Chapter Director for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) in Arizona. Steve currently conducts suicide prevention and postvention presentations for EMPACT-Suicide Prevention Center. He became involved in suicide prevention work after losing his son to suicide.

Theodora Schiro
A survivor of suicide loss, Theodora Schiro is dedicated to educating school personnel in suicide prevention. A teacher and K-12 school administrator for over 36 years, she has provided training for teachers, administrators, and students and presented at AZSCA conferences. Theodora serves as a board member for Through a Parent’s Tears, a non-profit organization dedicated to suicide prevention, loss, and recovery. She is a freelance writer with a book on suicide prevention published in March 2020.

David Simmons
David Simmons, session leader, is an Honors Graduate of the University of Montana School of Music and has traveled nationally and internationally as a performer, writer, teaching artist, mental health advocate and conference presenter (break-out and key-note). In addition to his training and experience he is a thriving survivor of his one suicide attempt, a recovering alcoholic and he was the fat kid who got bullied in school. David currently serves as Executive Director and Primary teaching Artist for The UBU Project whose mission is: To end youth suicide, addiction and bullying through arts integration. 

Jonah Spector
Jonah Spector (he/they): Jonah is a queer, transmasculine social worker in Phoenix, AZ. Jonah earned their BS in Public Health from Northern Arizona University in 2013, and is nearing the end of the MSW graduate program at Arizona State University. Jonah has advocated for health equity in micro, mezzo, and macro settings through his work with Greater Valley Health Education Center (GVAHEC) and various behavioral health agencies around Maricopa County. Jonah currently works as a Community Development Coordinator focusing on substance use and suicide prevention for LGBTQ+ youth and young adults, and is amidst a direct practice clinical internship. Jonah’s academic and professional focus is on health equity for TGNC individuals through community education.

Beya Thayer
Beya Thayer is a systems advocate supporting enhanced collaborations among multi-disciplinary teams and enjoys the opportunity to work as the Executive Director of the Yavapai Justice and Mental Health Coalition.  Beya works to develop and implement strategies that lead to the long-term and sustainable involvement of community institutions, organizations, and individuals within the intersections of justice and behavioral health - with the goal of addressing partnership and systems change.  Beya’s career has given her the opportunity to create partnerships and collaborations with diverse communities, professions, and agencies throughout Arizona to effect policy and change on both the micro and macro levels.  Beya has a Master’s in Social Work from Arizona State University and has worked extensively in the social services arena for over 25 years.

Sanghoon Yoo
Pastor Sanghoon Yoo, the founder of The Faithful City (TFC), has led ministries and social services at Arizona State University (ASU) and the Phoenix metropolitan area over two decades. He holds Master’s degrees in Social Work (MSW) and in theology (MDiv). Pastor Yoo launched “Arizona Trauma Informed Faith Community (AZTIFC),” collaborating with Arizona ACE (Adverse Childhood Experiences) Consortium and many other organizations to mobilize a statewide movement for building resilient communities with trauma informed care. He offers training and consultation on ACEs and the trauma informed community building. As a part of the Arizona ACE Consortium executive committee, he worked with the Governor's Office of Youth, Faith and Families (GOYFF) to hold a statewide ACEs summit last December, declaring Arizona as a trauma informed state. For two years, his organization, TFC and Pure Heart Church organized a trauma informed faith community conference “The Resilient Church” with nationally and locally recognized speakers from faith, government, mental health, school and social service areas.

Thank you to our conference sponsors: