About our Keynote Speakers

Thomas Joiner, Ph.D.

Thomas Joiner, Ph.D., Department of Psychology, Florida State University

Thomas Joiner grew up in Georgia, went to college at Princeton and received his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Texas at Austin. He is The Robert O. Lawton Distinguished Professor in the Department of Psychology at Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida. Dr. Joiner’s work is on the psychology, neurobiology, and treatment of suicidal behavior and related conditions. Author of over 420 peer-reviewed publications, Dr. Joiner was recently awarded the Guggenheim Fellowship and the Rockefeller Foundation’s Bellagio Residency Fellowship. He received the Young Investigator Award from the National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression, the Shakow Award for Early Career Achievement from the Division of Clinical Psychology of the American Psychological Association, the Shneidman Award for excellence in suicide research from the American Association of Suicidology, and the Award for Distinguished Scientific Early Career Contributions from the American Psychological Association, as well as research grants from the National Institute of Mental Health , Department of Defense (DoD), and various foundations. He is the Director of the DoD-funded Military Suicide Research Consortium, an $18.1 million project.

Dr. Joiner has authored or edited fifteen books, including Why People Die By Suicide, published in 2005 by Harvard University Press, and Myths and Misunderstandings About Suicidal Behavior, published in 2010, also with Harvard University Press. Largely in connection with Why People Die By Suicide, he has made numerous radio, print and television appearances, including write-ups in The Wall Street Journal and The Times of London, a radio interview on NPR's Talk of the Nation and two appearances on the Dr. Phil Show. He runs a part-time clinical and consulting practice specializing in suicidal behavior, including legal consultation on suits involving death by suicide. He lives in Tallahassee, Florida, with his wife and two sons.
http://www.psy.fsu.edu/faculty/joiner.dp.html

 

Teresa LaFromboise, Ph.D.

Teresa LaFromboise, Ph.D., School of Education, Stanford University

Dr. LaFromboise is a professor of Counseling Psychology, School of Education and Chair of Native American Studies, School of Humanities and Sciences at Stanford University. She specializes in stress-related problems of ethnic minority youth and clinical issues in multicultural counseling. La Fromboise teaches courses in Cultural Psychology, Racial and Ethnic Identity Development, and Counseling Theories and Interventions from a Multicultural Perspective. She is a fellow of the American Psychological Association and the Association for Psychological Science.

La Fromboise has authored numerous articles and book chapters on American Indian mental health initiatives and prevention including: Assertion Training with American Indians, Circles of Women: Skills Training for American Indian Professionalization, Zuni Life Skills Development, and American Indian Life Skills Development Curriculum (AILS). The AILS curriculum awards include a SAMHSA Program of Excellence by the US Department of Health and Human Services; an “Intervention Ready for Prime Time” from the Carter Center for Public Policy at Emory University; and, recognition from the First Nations Behavioral Health Association.

She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area. Her hobbies include gardening and working out. Her favorite travel is to South Dakota to visit her daughter and granddaughter.
http://ed.stanford.edu/faculty/lafrom

About our Workshop Presenters

Steven Beezley, M.S.S.W. is a Social Worker who obtained his Master’s degree in Social Work from UW-Madison in 1988. He has a 32 year career at Gundersen Lutheran and is currently working in the Employee Assistance Program. His experience with Gundersen Lutheran includes First Call for Help (now 211), the Trauma and Emergency Center, and a position as the Children’s Disability Coordinator. He joined the Employee Assistance Program in 2003. Beezley helped to coordinate the KARIS group for Suicide Survivors for more than 15 years, and has evaluated and treated many suicidal patients over his career. He has spoken to numerous schools, groups and at professional conferences on suicide.

Michael Brandt, Ph.D., joined the Behavioral Health staff at the Tomah Veteran’s Affairs Medical Center in 2004. His current VA duty station is as the Chief of Psychology, conducting psychotherapy with veterans, and overseeing Behavioral Health services at several outpatient clinics in La Crosse, Wausau, Wisconsin Rapids, and Loyal. Brandt holds a master’s degree in Education and completed his dissertation at the University of Chicago in Clinical Psychology. He also completed a Post-Doctoral Fellowship in Behavioral Medicine at the Univ. of Chicago. He is a captain in the Wisconsin Army National Guard, Medical Command – Madison, and is the Behavioral Health Officer for the State of Wisconsin.

Mike Brown has worked for Mayo Clinic Health System (Franciscan Skemp Healthcare) for 13 years as a chaplain. He is a Pastoral Care Department supervisor and director of the Spiritual Care department. He has his MA in religious studies and an MS in counseling. Brown’s professional experience includes providing counseling and suicide prevention to the U.S. Army. He also received training in Marriage & Family Therapy at the Family Therapy Institute of Washington, D.C.

Dr. William Bucknam, M.D. is the medical director of the AODA section in Department of Behavioral Health at Gundersen Lutheran since May 2010. He worked in private practice psychiatry and addiction medicine at Ann Arbor for 27 years.

Jeff Court, M.S.S.W. is a clinical Ssocial worker and substance abuse counselor, clinical member of American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, nationally certified as a gambling addiction counselor, and currently a clinical therapist with Mayo Clinic Health System. Court served as a clinical social worker at Gundersen Lutheran, Director of Social Services for Catholic Charities and Director of Dependency Services at Mayo Clinic Health System. He is a partner with the Wisconsin Farm Center’s Sowing the Seeds of Hope Program, a mental health outreach program for Wisconsin farm families.

Kathy Flores is the diversity coordinator for the City of Appleton where she works to address racism and bigotry, sexism, homophobia, xenophobia/religious intolerance, as well as the barriers people with disabilities, mental health needs and homelessness encounter. Flores’ experience includes helping Kimberly Clark Corporation establish diversity employee networks and other initiatives for the corporation. Flores is trained in suicide prevention and specializes in suicide prevention with lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth.

Vicky Gunderson is a Parent Advocate for Juvenile Justice. She has lived through a parent’s worst nightmare, losing a child. Her involvements include the following: the La Crosse Area Suicide Prevention Initiative; Campaign for Youth Justice, Washington, D.C.; Wisconsin Council for Children & Families, Madison Wis.; La Crosse Jail Ministry; the Restorative Justice Task Force of AMOS; COMPASS Prevention Network; La Crosse Underage Drinking Coalition; and speaking to high school and college students. Vicky received the National Juvenile Justice & Campaign for Youth Justice “National Mother of Distinction” award in May 2008.

Jesse Heffernan has been working with the GLBT Partnership at Harmony Cafe/Goodwill Industries for several years and has also had a pivotal role in expanding GLBT services in the Fox Valley. Most notably, Jesse has organized a whole movement of LGBT young people to create change in their communities and has achieved many ambitious goals in challenging environments.

Bridgette Hensley, Psy.D., is a licensed psychologist in Wisconsin and a graduate of the Illinois School of Professional Psychology. She is the Director of the Counseling and Testing Center at University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. Her clinical interests include: depression, anxiety disorders, suicide and suicide prevention, trauma and recovery, autism and Asperger’s disorders, as well as gay and lesbian identity development. She has been active in suicide prevention on campuses and at local levels for the last eight years. Hensley is a member of the La Crosse Area Suicide Prevention Initiative. She is also a QPR Gatekeeper Trainer and QPR Master Trainer for the QPR Institute. Hensley enjoys the outdoors, swimming, cooking and spending time with family and friends.

Dr. Parnjai Jaiarj Johnson, M.D., graduated from Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University in Bangkok, Thailand in 1992. She worked for two years at the only child psychiatric hospital in Thailand until 1994 when she started her psychiatry and child psychiatry training at Rush-Presbyterian St.Luke’s Medical Center with fellowship in Research Child Psychopharmacology. In October 2003 Johnson came to La Crosse to Gundersen Lutheran. Her primary focus is medication use in children, adolescent and adult psychiatric patients with interest in mood disorders and ADHD. Johnson teaches PA students from UW-La Crosse, medical students from UW-Madison WARM program and GLMC residents.

Patti Jo Severson, M.S., R.D. is co-president of NAMI Wisconsin and co-chair of the Mental Health Coalition of Greater La Crosse Area. As an advocate for individuals and families living with mental illness, she served on the La Crosse County Criminal Justice Management Council and the La Crosse County Mental Health and AODA Redesign Committee. In 2008, she initiated the NAMI Parents and Teachers as Allies Program, an in-service program for teachers and parents on mental illness in children and adolescents. In 2009, she was instrumental in bringing the NAMI Basics Education Program to La Crosse, a six-week program for parents of children and adolescents living with mental illness. She received her masters in Community Health Education at UW-La Crosse.

Avrie Schott has been a Police Officer with the City of La Crosse nearly 11 years. She is currently assigned as a School Resource Officer (SRO) at Lincoln Middle School. Prior to this position she has held the position of D.A.R.E. Officer and a patrol officer on second shift. Along with her role as an SRO, she is a member of the La Crosse Police Emergency Response Team as a Negotiator, member of the La Crosse Police Honor Guard, DART Officer (Domestic Abuse Reduction Team), Coordinator for the La Crosse Police POST Team (Police Officer Support Team) as well as G.R.E.A.T. and D.A.R.E. certified. She is CIT certified, serves on the Leadership Team for the Mississippi River Valley Critical Incident Stress Management Team and a peer on the team as well. Originally from La Crosse, Schott has a bachelor of arts degree in Criminal Justice from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. Schott has been certified as QPR Instructor and instructing police officers and community members in the areas of Suicide Prevention and Police Suicide Prevention for the past three years.

Willem Van Roosenbeek is an educator, advocate, and change-maker who has been working on social justice issues for over 15 years. He currently is the director of the Pride Center at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, and along with his daily work with students, faculty, and staff, he teaches a section of Understanding Human Differences. Van Roosenbeek has presented on topics related to the LGBTIQQA community, its allies, hate incidents, diversity, social justice, and inclusivity and has shared his personal story as a transgender man.

Tom Walsh has been with the La Crosse Police Department for 20 years and six years as a sergeant. He currently works second shift. Prior to this, he has served as a patrol officer, School Resource Officer, Investigator and a CPOP (Community/ Problem Oriented Policing) Specialist. Walsh is a negotiator with the La Crosse Police Emergency Response Team for 15 years, member of the La Crosse Police Honor Guard and serves on the Leadership Team for the La Crosse Police POST Team (Police Officer Support Team) as well as a G.R.E.A.T. Officer. He is been an instructor in CIT for five years and a Peer Member on the Mississippi River Valley Critical Incident Stress Management Team. Walsh is originally from La Crosse and attended Aquinas High School and the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. Walsh has been certified as QPR Instructor and instructing police officers and community members in the areas of suicide prevention and police suicide prevention for the past three years.

The Suicide Prevention Initiative is a proud partner of Healthiest County 2015: La Crosse
"Making the Healthy Choice Together."

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