Suicide Prevention Advisory Committee
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Committee Members
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Dr. Mariann Atwell, of Jefferson City, is the Chief of Mental Health Services, Division of Offender Rehabilitative Services, for the Missouri Department of Corrections. Atwell holds a bachelors degree in Psychology and Sociology from the College of the Ozarks and a Masters and Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the Forest Institute of Professional Psychology in Springfield. |
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Susan Calloway, of Saint Joseph, is an Assistant Professor of Nursing at Graceland University and a Family Nurse Practitioner in Gower, MO. She received her BSN degree from Graceland University, her MSN in parent-child health and education from the University of Texas at Austin, her post-MSN family nurse practitioner certificate from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. |
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Lynn Carter, of Jefferson City, is the Deputy Director of the Department of Mental Health. Carter is a licensed clinical social worker with a Master’s degree in social work from the University of Missouri at Columbia. |
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Deborah Cook, of Kennett, is the RN coordinator for Kennett Public Schools. Cook holds an associate degree in nursing from Arkansas State University. |
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Dr. Stanley Edlavitch, of Kansas City, is a Professor of Epidemiology and Director of Epidemiology Research at the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine. Professor Edlavitch has a PhD in Epidemiology from the University of California-Berkeley and graduate degrees in Public Health and Mathematical Statistics from the University of Missouri-Columbia. |
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Heather Fabian, of Jefferson City, is a Research Associate with the Department of Higher Education. Fabian holds a masters degree in Religious Studies with a concentration in Psychology from Missouri State University. |
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Guyla Gardner (Chairperson), of Jefferson City, is a Program Specialist, Division of Alcohol and Drug Abuse, for the Missouri Department of Mental Health. She is a licensed clinical social worker. Gardner holds Bachelor of Arts degrees in Psychology and Philosophy & Religion and a Master of Arts degree in Social Studies; specializing in Community Psychology from Truman University. She has taught for Columbia College and has worked in law enforcement. Prior experience includes working for an adolescent residential treatment facility, Missouri Department of Social Services, and Missouri Division of Professional Registration. |
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Bill Heberle, of Jefferson City, is the Deputy Director of the Division of Youth Services. Heberle holds a bachelor’s degree in corrections with a minor in criminal justice from Central Missouri State University. |
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Maureen Hennessey, of Kansas City, is a psychologist at New Directions Behavioral Health. Hennessey holds a bachelor’s degree from Suny College Geneseo in New York and a doctorate from the University of Missouri-St. Louis. |
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Connie “LaJoyce” Johnson, of Saint Louis, represents the 61st District in the Missouri House of Representatives, and is also an attorney at the Law Firm of Armstrong Teasdale. Johnson holds a Bachelor of Science from Bradley University and a J.D. and Masters in Health Administration from St. Louis University. |
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Lesley Levin, of Maryland Heights, is the President of Behavioral Health Response (BHR). Levin received her BA in Sociology from Indiana University and her MSW from Case Western Reserve University. |
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Elizabeth Makulec, of Saint Louis, is Executive Director of Kids Under Twenty One (KUTO). Makulec holds a bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences with a concentration in Public Relations and Communications from Colorado State University. |
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| Sheila Osborn, of Independence, is assistant director of National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) of Greater Kansas City. |
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Edward Riedel, of St. Louis, is a Project Coordinator at the Missouri Institute of Mental Health and previously served as the Vice-President of the Arthur Center in Mexico, Missouri. Riedel holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master of social work from the University of Missouri-Columbia.
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John Robbins, of Jefferson City, worked for twenty six years as teacher and counselor in the Missouri Public Schools and is currently a Supervisor in the Guidance and Placement Services Section, Division of Career Education, Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Robbins holds an Associates Degree from Crowder College, a Bachelors Degree from Kansas State University and a Masters Degree from Pittsburg State University.
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Donna Scott, of St. Louis, is executive director of Unmasking Suicide, Inc. Scott is a Question, Persuade and Refer (QPR) certified gatekeeper instructor, National Organization for People of Color Against Suicide board member and survivor support facilitator. |
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Charles Shields, of St. Joseph, represents District 34 in the Missouri Senate and serves as the Senate Majority Floor Leader. Shields also serves as a Project Coordinator for Heartland Health System in St. Joseph. He holds a Bachelors Degree in Marketing and a Masters Degree in Business Administration, both from the University of Missouri–Columbia. |
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Sheri A. Williams, of Fayette is a Senior Public Health Nursefor the Maternal Child Health Program with the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services providing consultation services to local public health departments and school nurses in the north central/eastern region of Missouri. She has worked in public health for 11 years and is a certified QPR instructor and Olweus Bullying Prevention instructor.
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Vacant Position: Criminal Justice Representative slot |




















