New Jersey’s 8th Annual Suicide Prevention Conference
Embracing Life: 988 and the Path to Hope

Dr. Kirchner, Administrator of Psychological Services, is the Chief Clinical Psychologist for the State of New Jersey, Department of Health, Division of Behavioral Health Services (DBHS). Until her transfer to the Office of Medical Director, in 2012, she had served inpatients at Hagedorn Psychiatric Hospital, New Jersey, specializing in geriatric psychology.
She has been the co-chair of the NJ DHS/DOH Adult Suicide Prevention Committee that functions as a resource to state and private agencies serving the mental health and addiction needs of all New Jersey residents, as well as the community at large. 
She has also chaired the NJ DOH/DBHS Centralized Trauma-Informed Care Committee for the last 3 years and devoted her time and energy into transforming the psychiatric hospital system to a trauma-informed care environment.
The areas of Suicide Prevention and Trauma have been Maria’s interest and passion for a long time with a firm commitment to contributing to further decrease the number of deaths and attempts by suicide and the accompanying emotional pain statewide as well as nation-wide.

Ally started serving as the NJ Suicide Prevention Coordinator in the Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services at the Department of Human Services in April of 2019. Among various initiatives, she serves as the Project Coordinator on the NJ 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline team and co-leads the NJ Governor’s Challenge to Reduce Suicide Among Service Members, Veterans, and Families. Ally received her Bachelor of Arts from Rutgers University in 2015.

Bretta Jane Jacquemin, MPH (She/Her)
Research Scientist, OD2A-S Mortality Surveillance Lead, Center for Health Statistics, New Jersey Department of Health
Bretta Jacquemin, MPH is a Research Scientist at the Center for Health Statistics, New Jersey Department of Health.  She has been the epidemiologist leading the Center’s injury surveillance data activities since 2001. She has been the epidemiologist for the New Jersey Violent Death Reporting System since its beginning in 2002, and in 2011 became Principal Investigator.  She is also the Lead for Mortality Surveillance under the CDC-funded Overdose Data to Action since 2019.  Ms. Jacquemin graduated from Douglass College, Rutgers University in 1994 with a BA in Biological Sciences and Art History, and earned her MPH concentrating in Epidemiology and Quantitative Methods from UMDNJ, School of Public Health in 2001. She currently lives in Lambertville, New Jersey.

CLANCY MARTIN is the acclaimed author of the memoir How Not to Kill Yourself: A Portrait of the Suicidal Mind, the novel How to Sell, as well as numerous books on philosophy, and has translated works by Friedrich Nietzsche, Søren Kierkegaard, and other philosophers. A Guggenheim Fellow, his writing has appeared in The New Yorker, New York, The Atlantic, Harper’s, Esquire, The New Republic, Lapham’s Quarterly, The Believer, and The Paris Review. He is a professor of philosophy at the University of Missouri in Kansas City and Ashoka University in New Delhi.

MARY JEAN WESTON, LCSW

Mary Jean Weston is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) who has many years of experience as both a social work administrator and a therapist. She currently serves as the NJ 988 State Lead. In this capacity, she has guided the state’s preparation for and transition to 988, the new 3-digit dialing code for suicidal, mental health and substance use crisis.  

Mary Jean has worked for the Division of Mental Health and Additions Services (DMHAS) since 2019 as a Regional Coordinator in the Office of Community Services. In this role, she oversees Division contracts with Mental Health agencies in Middlesex and Monmouth counties. She also has oversight of the state’s mental health contact centers including the five 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline centers.

Mary Jean earned her Bachelor’s degree from Duke University and her Masters of Social Work degree from Smith College School for Social Work. Prior to her work with DMHAS, served as the Executive Director of Jewish Family Service, Houston and as the Associate Executive Director of the National Association of Social Workers - New Jersey Chapter.

Jesse Szwed is a Crisis Counselor and QI Assistant for CONTACT of Mercer County NJ. He has an Associates Degree in Liberal Ats Social Sciences from Raritan Valley Community College and is completing his Bachelors Degree in Psychology at The College of New Jersey. As a crisis counselor for CONTACT of Mercer, Jesse has been answering both 988 calls and chat/texts since September of 2022. As a Quality Improvement Assistant Jesse has been working alongside fellow crisis counselors since January of 2023 to work collaboratively in their ongoing education of crisis counseling.

My name is Natacha White and I am a licensed social worker. I am a recent graduate from Widener University where I received my master’s degree in social work in December of 2022. I completed their trauma certification course.  I have worked in the mental health field since 2007 and have been an employee of Oaks Integrated Care for the past ten years, at their Urgent Care Mental Health (UCMH) program in Vineland, New Jersey. Currently I am in the process of transitioning from case manager to a therapist at UCMH. I have experience working with adults with chronic mental health disorders and adults that are experiencing a mental health crisis.

My name is Kate Donovan and I work as a certified psychiatric screener at PESS since 2018, where I evaluate patients in crisis both in the hospital as well as the community. Overall, I've worked in the mental health field for 13 years including roles at substance abuse treatment facilities, group homes and partial care programs. In addition I was employed at ICMS where I gained vast knowledge in case management and worked directly with individuals with chronic mental illness. Most recently,  I was employed as a probation officer however I missed working in the mental health field. Subsequently, I found myself back in my niche here at PESS. When I'm not at work I enjoy taking trips and running around chaotically with my three children with all of their sports and extra curricular activities. I hope I can take this time to help provide you with good information and experiences in order to contribute to this panel.  

Dr. Mike Anestis is the Executive Director of the New Jersey Gun Violence Research Center and an Associate Professor of Urban-Global Public Health at Rutgers University.  His work focuses on suicide prevention among both servicemembers and civilians, with a particular focus on the role of firearms.  He is the author of approximately 170 peer reviewed scientific publications, as well as a book entitled Guns and Suicide: An American Epidemic.  In 2018, Dr. Anestis was awarded the Edwin Shneidman Award for early career achievement in suicide research by the American Association of Suicidology.

Dr. Robert Eilers is the Medical Director at the Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services. He is a Board-certified in adult psychiatry with subspecialty certification in administrative psychiatry and forensic psychiatry.  Dr. Eilers is also an Adjunct Professor at Drexel University School of Medicine where he teaches a course on scientific writing and the interpretation of the medical literature. He had received his M.D. from Thomas Jefferson College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, and his M.P.H. from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD.

Jeff Carrick is the Deputy Director of Administration for the Children’s System of Care, a division in the New Jersey Department of Children and Families that coordinates behavioral health and I/DD programs and services for affected youth and their families.  Jeff oversees the Office of Integrated Health and Wellness, which advances the Department’s suicide prevention work.  He has built his career in behavioral health services, having worked in adult and youth serving systems for nearly three decades. Jeff is personally and professionally committed to youth mental wellness and to one day realizing a world in which suicide no longer exists.

Kalisha is a New Jersey licensed clinical social worker, a NJ certified social work clinical supervisor, and a licensed minister. Kalisha has been privileged to work in the social service profession for the past 19 years, supporting youth experiencing acute mental health concerns and providing supervision of direct care staff to youth in crisis through the NJ Children’s System of Care. Kalisha serves as the Associate Clinical Director of the Society for the Prevention of Teen Suicide where she provides training on the continuum of prevention to school districts, community organizations, and clinicians. “Shame does not move people to a healthy place, but love, hope, and accountability transform lives."

Stacy Reh- nearly 30 years to helping improve the lives of children with behavioral health, intellectual/developmental disabilities and/or substance use challenges, throughout New Jersey. She started her career as a direct care staff member in an out of home treatment program for adolescents before fulfilling multiple roles at one of New Jersey’s first Care Management Organizations. Ms. Reh then spent 10 years as an Associate Director at a nonprofit recruiting, training, retaining and supporting resource/foster care parents. She joined the Children’s System of Care in 2016 and has been the Project Director on two SAMHSA System of Care Expansion grants focused on organizational transformation, Promising Path to Success and Promising Path to Success 2.0. Stacy became the Assistant Division Director at the CSOC in August of 2022 and oversees the new Office of Engagement and Service Excellence. She is also a Certified Advanced Trainer in the Nurtured Heart Approach®.

Dr. Meera Wells- Dr. Meera Wells is a double board certified child and adult Psychiatrist in Neptune, New Jersey and is affiliated with multiple hospitals in the area, including Ocean University Medical Center at Hackensack Meridian Health and Jersey Shore University Medical Center at Hackensack Meridian Health. Her career has included clinical research, teaching and senior leadership responsibilities. She is an Assistant Professor at Hackensack School of Medicine, as well as faculty at Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Child and Adolescent psychiatry fellowship program. She received her medical degree from Maulana Azad Medical College and has been in practice for more than 20 years.  Dr. Wells is the Statewide Medical Director of the PPC’s eight Hackensack Meridian Health led Hubs. 

Maureen A. Brogan, LPC, DRCC, ACS, DAAETS

Maureen is the Program Manager for the Statewide Traumatic Loss Coalition. The Traumatic Loss Coalitions for Youth Program (TLC) at Rutgers-University Behavioral Health Care is New Jersey's primary youth suicide prevention program funded by the Department of Children and Families. The TLC is an interactive, statewide network that offers collaboration and support to those working with school-age youth. The dual mission of the TLC is excellence in suicide prevention and trauma response assistance to youth serving organizations following unfortunate losses due to suicide, homicide, accident and illness. Maureen is a Licensed Professional Counselor, Approved Clinical Supervisor and a Diplomate at the American Academy of Experts in Trauma.  She is a Master Trainer in the evidence based practice of suicide prevention Question Persuade Refer.  She is a certified Talk Saves Lives trainer for the American Foundation of Suicide Prevention and the assistant producer of Signs Matter: Early Detection online suicide prevention training for educators. She is a certified Psychological First Aid Trainer (PFA) for the National Child Traumatic Stress Network.

Maureen is the co-chair of the New Jersey Youth Suicide Prevention Advisory Council.

The council consists of members from state government and public members appointed by the Governor, the President of the Senate, and by the Speaker of the General Assembly.  The purpose of the council is to examine existing needs and services and make recommendations to the Department of Children and Families for youth reporting, prevention, and intervention. The council educates youth and families at risk about the resources available for suicide prevention and post intervention, and to reduce the overall incidents of suicide throughout the State of New Jersey.

Maureen is also a member of the Child Fatality Review Board-which reviews child fatalities and near fatalities pertaining to suicide to identify their causes, relationship to governmental support systems, and methods of prevention.  She is also one of the first clinicians certified in the United States as a Disaster Response Crisis Counselor and is team Leader for the State of New Jersey under the Disaster and Terrorism Branch within the Division of Mental Health.  She also is member of their advisory board.  She also sits on the New Jersey Child Assault Prevention advisory board.

Maureen is a member of the National Child Traumatic Stress Network's Northeast Regional Terrorism and Disaster Coalition and led a state Disaster Response Crisis Counseling team (Hope and Healing) following Super Storm Sandy in Middlesex County.  In August 2018, Maureen accompanied a caucus from the Rutgers Global Health Institute to visit Puerto Rico following Hurricane Marie with the Disaster Community Health and Resiliency program.  She is a member of the school subcommittee for the National Child Traumatic Stress Network.

She was the Program Director for NJ FAM which was the state program supporting families impacted by the attacks on the world trade center September 11, 2001.

She is an experienced conference presenter, clinician, with over 25 years post-graduate experience in a variety of clinical and administrative positions, including extensive experience in providing treatment, psychological first aid, and traumatic stress interventions with youth, adults, and families.

Maureen also has a decade of experience doing forensic evaluations and providing therapeutic services in the criminal justice system in Sussex County. She worked in partnership with the early release program at Volunteers of America and continues to train law enforcement in QPR through the NJ Disaster and Terrorism Branch.

She is sought after as an expert panelist and has been interviewed by various media outlets including NJ Spotlight and Times Magazine. 

Liz Graham- As the Chief Operating Officer for 180 Turning Lives Around, Liz Graham has dedicated much of her 15-year tenure with the agency to the transformation and advancement of the 2NDFLOOR Youth Helpline for New Jersey youth and young adults. She has worked diligently to improve 2NDFLOOR’s technology and communications, increase response times, ensure continuous 24/7 operations, and further the helpline’s social media presence. Of her notable achievements, Liz is most proud of the implementation of the helpline’s texting platform in 2014, which allows counselors to offer support to youth who are more comfortable communicating via text message, and which has contributed to 2NDFLOOR’s ability to reach over 1.2 million youth since the helpline went statewide in 2008.

Tim Seplaki currently serves as the Chief, of EMS Data and Technology for the New Jersey Department of Health, Office of Emergency Medical Services (EMS).  His responsibilities include the implementation, coordination, and oversight of the electronic Patient Care Reporting and EMS data collection system for New Jersey.  Tim also serves as a member of the National Association of EMS Officials (NASEMSO) Data Managers Council and works with NEMSIS standard data.  He also chairs the NASMSO Opioid core working group.    Tim’s work includes overseeing and coordinating EMS bio-surveillance data of suspected opioid overdose and other opioid-related programs. 

Additionally, Tim speaks nationally on the opioid response and EMS involvement in combating the opioid crisis.  He has been with the New Jersey Department of Health for over eighteen years and has been involved in EMS for 30 years.  Tim is a Nationally Registered Paramedic with 24 years of experience and has worked in the field on the ground as a Mobile Intensive Care Paramedic and air as a Flight Paramedic.  He remains active in the EMS community as an educator and resource. He received his Bachelor of Science degree with a concentration in EMS Management from George Washington University and is a Certified Public Manager.

Eric Hicken currently serves as the Program Manager of the EMS for Children & Special Projects for the State of New Jersey Department of Health, Office of Emergency Medical Services.  His responsibilities include coordinating and managing all aspects of pediatric pre-hospital and hospital-based emergency care programs designed to reduce and prevent illness, injury, and mortality in the pediatric population while improving outcomes through education.  Eric is the chair of the National Association of EMS Officials Safe Transport of Children committee initiative. Eric is a Paramedic and has worked in the emergency services for over 35 years and continues serving the South Jersey region.  Additionally, he is the founder of the nonprofit Mission Hope NJ which provides mental health and wellness resources to the emergency services community throughout New Jersey.  Most recently he launched the nonprofit Team Dream Big an Interscholastic Equestrian Association team for youth in 4^th through 12^th grade to reduce the economic barriers to participation and give all youth the opportunity to experience the opportunities in equestrian sports.

Steve Crimando, MA, CTM, DRCC, is a disaster and emergency behavioral health clinician, responder and educator with 30+ years’ experience on the front lines of natural disasters and acts of mass violence. Steve is the Director of Training for the Disaster & Terrorism Branch in the New Jersey Department of Human Services-Division of Mental Health & Addiction Services. He has served as a responder and trainer for the mental health response to major storms, wildfires and acts of terrorism across the U.S. and worldwide, including the 1993 and 9/11 World Trade Center attack, and the Northeast Anthrax Screening Center.

Petros Levounis, MD, MA, serves as professor and chair of the Department of Psychiatry and associate dean at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. He is also the chief of service at University Hospital in Newark, New Jersey, director of the Northern New Jersey Medication Assisted Treatment Center of Excellence, and president-elect of the American Psychiatric Association. Dr. Levounis came to Rutgers from Columbia University where he served as director of the Addiction Institute of New York from 2002 to 2013.

Dr. Levounis is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Stanford University where he studied chemistry and biophysics before receiving his medical education at Stanford University School of Medicine and the Medical College of Pennsylvania. During medical school, he researched the effects of social class on patient-physician relationships in Oxford, England, and received an MA degree in sociology from Stanford. In 1994, he moved to New York City to train in psychiatry at the New York State Psychiatric Institute of Columbia University. He graduated from Columbia earning the National Institute of Mental Health Outstanding Resident Award and went on to complete his fellowship in addiction psychiatry at New York University.

Dr. Levounis has written numerous articles, monographs, and book chapters; has lectured extensively on addiction topics throughout the United States and abroad; and has been interviewed by CBS, ABC, NBC, CNN, FOX, The Martha Stewart Radio Show, The New York Times, and The Washington Post, among others.

Dr. Levounis has served on the boards of the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) and the American Board of Addiction Medicine, and from 2005 to 2009 chaired the national Committee on Addiction Treatment of the American Psychiatric Association (APA). Dr. Levounis is a Betty Ford Scholar, a recipient of the Association of Gay and Lesbian Psychiatrists’ Distinguished Service Award and the ASAM Educator of the Year Award, and a distinguished fellow of the APA and ASAM. In 2017, he was elected as an honorary member of the World Psychiatric Association.

Dr. Levounis has published fourteen books including the self-help paperback “Sober Siblings: How to Help Your Alcoholic Brother or Sister—and Not Lose Yourself,” the textbook of “Substance Dependence and Co-Occurring Psychiatric Disorders,” “Motivational Interviewing for Clinical Practice,” “The Behavioral Addictions,” “Becoming Mindful,” “LGBTQ Mental Health: The Spectrum of Gender and Sexuality,” “Office-Based Buprenorphine Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder,” now in its second edition, and “Technological Addictions.” Dr. Levounis is currently working on the first textbook of Nature Therapy, which is going to be available in 2023. His books have been translated into French, German, Hungarian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish.

Dr. Levounis is married to actor Lukas Hassel and lives in New York City.

Steve Crimando, MA, CTM, DRCC, is a disaster and emergency behavioral health clinician, responder and educator with 30+ years’ experience on the front lines of natural disasters and acts of mass violence. Steve is the Director of Training for the Disaster & Terrorism Branch in the New Jersey Department of Human Services-Division of Mental Health & Addiction Services. He has served as a responder and trainer for the mental health response to major storms, wildfires and acts of terrorism across the U.S. and worldwide, including the 1993 and 9/11 World Trade Center attack, and the Northeast Anthrax Screening Center.

Anne Smullen Thieling, MS, MA, LPC, LCADC, ACS, NCC, CPRP, obtained her MS in Mental Health Counseling with a concentration in Substance Use Counseling from Monmouth University and her MA in Psychological Services from Kean University. Anne works with individuals from the perspective of a fellow traveler, using her lived experience with behavioral health challenges as a means to connect with others along their wellness and recovery paths. As Chief Operating Officer at CSPNJ, she oversees the administrative and operational functions of the agency while developing and implementing best practices for peer delivered behavioral health service models.

JP Pedoto, LSW (He/Him) is a proud transman and social worker. JP began socially, medically, and legally transitioning in 2018 and since then, has been sharing his transition on social media as an LGBTQIA+ educator and activist. JP is the Program Coordinator and Clinician for Family Connections’ Pride+ program. Pride+ is a program for LGBTQIA+ middle and high-school aged youth and their families throughout Essex County. Pride+ offers a wide range of free clinical and non-clinical in-school, in-home, and in-community services including individual, group, and family counseling, psychoeducation, case management and referral services, trainings, programs, and events.

Dr. Massie-Lambert is a licensed clinical psychologist who was drawn to the field of mental health because of an interest in identifying the internal and external resources that support people in recovering and growing in the face of stress and adversity. She currently serves as the Clinical Coordinator of the Rutgers Children's Center for Resilience and Trauma Recovery, where she oversees a SAMHSA awarded Mental Health Awareness Training Grant and ARC integration within the NJ Children's System of Care. Dr. Massie-Lambert is the Training Director for UBHC's Psychology Internship in Newark, NJ and co-chair of UBHC's DEI committee. Dr. Massie-Lambert is also a certified trainer in suicide prevention, disaster response, and psychological recovery. Over the course of her training and career Dr. Massie-Lambert has worked in various settings both providing direct care and serving as an advocate for equitable mental health supports. She is passionate about increasing mental health awareness and working with historically underrepresented populations.

Dr. Nagle received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Montclair State University in 1992 and earned a Doctor of Psychology from the Graduate School of Professional Psychology at the University of Denver in 1998.  He completed an internship at the Florida State Hospital in Chattahoochee, Florida with a focus on the treatment of serious mental illness.  Dr. Nagle worked with the Federal Bureau of Prisons providing direct services to the inmate population between 1999 and 2010.  During this period, he focused on assessment, treatment and reentry commonly addressing suicide prevention, self-directed violence, serious mental illness, impulse management, and mood and substance use disorders.  Dr. Nagle was the Chief of Mental Health Services after previously serving as the National Suicide Prevention Coordinator where he focused on monitoring and improving psychological services with specific attention to serious mental illness and suicide prevention.  Additionally, Dr. Nagle has taught college courses and worked in private practice.

In her position as Executive Director of the Governor's Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse, Celina Levy is actively engaged in statewide efforts to raise awareness and educate communities about substance use disorders and overdose prevention. Through the Governor’s Council and its Alliance to Prevent Alcoholism and Drug Abuse, and its strategic partnerships, she is committed to embracing strategies that focus on mental health, harm reduction, and trauma informed approaches, as well as combating the stigma associated with both substance use and mental health disorders. Having formerly been the Executive Director of the Governor’s Council on Mental Health Stigma, Ms. Levy remains wholly dedicated to combating stigma and is grateful to be here today to join the conversation about suicide prevention." 

On December 1, 2010, Wendy’s 16-year-old son T.J. died by suicide. Since losing her son, Wendy has worked to educate herself on depression and suicide risk in the hopes of helping others. She serves as Chair for the NJ Youth Suicide Prevention Advisory Council, as NJ Chapter Chair for The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and is employed as the Suicide Prevention Coordinator for Bergen County.  Her passion is to help children and families maintain mental wellness and to understand when help is needed and how to connect to the appropriate resources.

Wendy, along with her husband Steve and son Matt, created Remembering T.J.—A Story of Teen Depression, Lessons and Hope. https://www.rememberingtj.org   They have shared their story with over 30,000 people to raise awareness of depression and mood disorders in teens and suicide risk.  Wendy also provides hope to those dealing with these issues and to those who have suffered a traumatic loss. She is a Lead Responder for the Traumatic Loss Coalition and is a certified QPR Trainer, teenMHFA Trainer and a presenter for The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s Talk Saves Lives, It’s Real: Teens and Mental Health and More Than Sad programs.

Wendy was the 2022 recipient of CBH Care’s Spirit of Caring Award, 2019 Honoree of Morris County Board of Freeholders for Stigma Free Advocacy, the 2018 recipient of the Changing Minds Award by Minding Your Mind, the 2017 recipient of the Suicide Prevention Excellence Award presented by the NJ Traumatic Loss Coalition for Youth and the recipient of the 2015 Courage Award for Outstanding Commitment to Mental Health by the CarePlus Foundation.

Maureen A. Brogan, LPC, DRCC, ACS, DAAETS

Maureen is the Program Manager for the Statewide Traumatic Loss Coalition. The Traumatic Loss Coalitions for Youth Program (TLC) at Rutgers-University Behavioral Health Care is New Jersey's primary youth suicide prevention program funded by the Department of Children and Families. The TLC is an interactive, statewide network that offers collaboration and support to those working with school-age youth. The dual mission of the TLC is excellence in suicide prevention and trauma response assistance to youth serving organizations following unfortunate losses due to suicide, homicide, accident and illness. Maureen is a Licensed Professional Counselor, Approved Clinical Supervisor and a Diplomate at the American Academy of Experts in Trauma.  She is a Master Trainer in the evidence based practice of suicide prevention Question Persuade Refer.  She is a certified Talk Saves Lives trainer for the American Foundation of Suicide Prevention and the assistant producer of Signs Matter: Early Detection online suicide prevention training for educators. She is a certified Psychological First Aid Trainer (PFA) for the National Child Traumatic Stress Network.

Maureen is the co-chair of the New Jersey Youth Suicide Prevention Advisory Council.

The council consists of members from state government and public members appointed by the Governor, the President of the Senate, and by the Speaker of the General Assembly.  The purpose of the council is to examine existing needs and services and make recommendations to the Department of Children and Families for youth reporting, prevention, and intervention. The council educates youth and families at risk about the resources available for suicide prevention and post intervention, and to reduce the overall incidents of suicide throughout the State of New Jersey.

Maureen is also a member of the Child Fatality Review Board-which reviews child fatalities and near fatalities pertaining to suicide to identify their causes, relationship to governmental support systems, and methods of prevention.  She is also one of the first clinicians certified in the United States as a Disaster Response Crisis Counselor and is team Leader for the State of New Jersey under the Disaster and Terrorism Branch within the Division of Mental Health.  She also is member of their advisory board.  She also sits on the New Jersey Child Assault Prevention advisory board.

Maureen is a member of the National Child Traumatic Stress Network's Northeast Regional Terrorism and Disaster Coalition and led a state Disaster Response Crisis Counseling team (Hope and Healing) following Super Storm Sandy in Middlesex County.  In August 2018, Maureen accompanied a caucus from the Rutgers Global Health Institute to visit Puerto Rico following Hurricane Marie with the Disaster Community Health and Resiliency program.  She is a member of the school subcommittee for the National Child Traumatic Stress Network.

She was the Program Director for NJ FAM which was the state program supporting families impacted by the attacks on the world trade center September 11, 2001.

She is an experienced conference presenter, clinician, with over 25 years post-graduate experience in a variety of clinical and administrative positions, including extensive experience in providing treatment, psychological first aid, and traumatic stress interventions with youth, adults, and families.

Maureen also has a decade of experience doing forensic evaluations and providing therapeutic services in the criminal justice system in Sussex County. She worked in partnership with the early release program at Volunteers of America and continues to train law enforcement in QPR through the NJ Disaster and Terrorism Branch.

She is sought after as an expert panelist and has been interviewed by various media outlets including NJ Spotlight and Times Magazine. 

Vincent Solomeno serves as the Deputy Commissioner of Veterans Affairs, New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, and Administrator of Veterans Affairs for the State of New Jersey. He was nominated to serve in the position by Governor Murphy in January 2023 and confirmed by the New Jersey Senate on May 22, 2023.

Solomeno previously served as the Superintendent of the National Guard Training Center, Sea Girt, where he managed an installation and facilitated the training environment for the New Jersey National Guard, State Police, Department of Corrections, Division of Criminal Justice, and the Juvenile Justice Commission.

Prior to that, he served as Executive Officer to The Adjutant General and Commissioner of Military and Veterans Affairs. He is co-author of the 2019 Resource Guide for New Jersey Military, Veterans, and Families.

A U.S. Army Veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom, Solomeno is a Distinguished Military Graduate of the University of Scranton. He commissioned as a Corps of Engineers Second Lieutenant in 2007. In 2010, he transferred to the New Jersey Army National Guard. In addition to his overseas service, he served on active duty during Hurricane Irene, Superstorm Sandy, and as an operations officer for the National Guard’s statewide COVID-19 response. He currently holds the rank of major and is the recipient of the New Jersey Distinguished Service Medal.

In addition to his Bachelor of Science from the University of Scranton, Solomeno earned his Master of Arts from the University of Amsterdam. He is the recipient of the Harry S. Truman Scholarship and the J. William Fulbright Fellowship.

Solomeno is a life member of the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the National Guard Association of the United States. He serves on the Board of Trustees of the American Legion Jersey Boys State Program and the New Jersey Civil War Heritage Association.

Mike Colston, MD, a retired Navy surface warfare officer and physician, is the Medical Director of the Department of Health, Division of Behavioral Health Services, which oversees medical care rendered at four state psychiatric facilities. He served the Navy as a nuclear engineer and line officer on the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70), deploying two times, and as a patrol boat afloat officer-in-charge.  He subsequently worked as a physician in many different capacities, including a deployment leading a combat and operational stress center in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.   He closed out his Navy career with a decade of leadership roles, including leadership of a 600-FTE national laboratory focused on neuropsychological combat injuries, and Pentagon positions involving enterprise level leadership and liaison to Executive Offices of the President, testimony to both houses of Congress, assignment to two NIH National Advisory councils for Mental Health and Neurological Disorders and a wide clinical and research portfolio, with a focus on PTSD, TBI, childhood psychiatric conditions, substance use disorders and suicidology.

Janet Berkowitz is the founder of Creative Crisis Care

and a certified peer specialist (CRSP). She designs and

facilitates creative arts workshops for mental health

peers and providers based on her lived experience. She

uses fine arts, theater, role-playing, movement, writing

and poetry to address topics such as suicide, addiction,

anger management, trauma informed care and other

mental health issues. She produces and performs in a

play called ‘The Wizard of Iz’, a whimsical and poignant

presentation on bullying and suicide prevention. She

works with a team that facilitates ‘The Bridge’

workshop, designed to enhance the relationship between

peers and providers. She teaches WRAPscrap; a

scrapbooking process that illuminates the Wellness

Recovery Action Plan. She is a professional mime/dancer

and performs pieces about mental health.

She works throughout New Jersey at wellness centers for

CSPNJ, Catholic Charities and Oaks Integrated, IOP

programs and the Ann Klein Forensics Center at Trenton

State Psychiatric Hospital. She serves on the NJ Suicide

Prevention Committee, the NJ 988 Stockholders

Committee, MHA’s Mental Health Players, Delaware

County Suicide Prevention Awareness Task Force and

COMHCO. Her work can be found on her website

creativecrisiscare.com.

Stacey Freedenthal, PhD, LCSW, is a suicidologist, psychotherapist, educator, writer, consultant, and speaker. She has authored two books: Loving Someone with Suicidal Thoughts: What Family, Friends, and Partners Can Say and Do, and Helping the Suicidal Person: Tips and Techniques for Professionals. Dr. Freedenthal also has authored or co-authored more than 30 peer-reviewed articles for academic journals, and she created and maintains the website Speaking of Suicide.

Dr. Freedenthal is a tenured associate professor at the University of Denver Graduate School of Social Work, and a psychotherapist and consultant in private practice since 2012. She first became involved in suicide prevention in 1995, when she volunteered at a suicide hotline.

Dr. Freedenthal lives in Denver, CO, with her husband Pete and their collection of cats. You can learn more about her at staceyfreedenthal.com.

Mike Colston, MD, a retired Navy surface warfare officer and physician, is the Medical Director of the Department of Health, Division of Behavioral Health Services, which oversees medical care rendered at four state psychiatric facilities. He served the Navy as a nuclear engineer and line officer on the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70), deploying two times, and as a patrol boat afloat officer-in-charge.  He subsequently worked as a physician in many different capacities, including a deployment leading a combat and operational stress center in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.   He closed out his Navy career with a decade of leadership roles, including leadership of a 600-FTE national laboratory focused on neuropsychological combat injuries, and Pentagon positions involving enterprise level leadership and liaison to Executive Offices of the President, testimony to both houses of Congress, assignment to two NIH National Advisory councils for Mental Health and Neurological Disorders and a wide clinical and research portfolio, with a focus on PTSD, TBI, childhood psychiatric conditions, substance use disorders and suicidology.