Join us for this day-long, in-person event dedicated to discussing suicide prevention strategies and practices and collaborating with partners from across Maryland to promote hope and connection.
Participants will have the opportunity to network and collaborate with other attendees and diverse community partners. This event has no cost. Free Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are available, and lunch will be provided.
When and Where
Tuesday, June 17, 2025
9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Anne Arundel Community College
Pascal Center for Performing Arts
101 College Parkway
Arnold, MD 21012
Registration
Who Should Attend?
Health professionals, community members and leaders, educators and anyone else interested in learning more about suicide prevention practices.
Impact of Hope Award Nomination Form
The Impact of Hope Award celebrates individuals, organizations or communities whose efforts have created significant positive change by promoting mental well-being and using hope as a transformative force for good. Nominees will be considered on their transformative impact, leadership and vision, inspiration to others, sustained effort, and community or social contribution.
Please note, submissions are due by 8 a.m. on Monday, May 19th.
Agenda and Speakers
Keynote
Learning to Embrace Joy After Decades of Depression and a Disabling Suicide Attempt
Shannon Heath Parkin, MS, CPRS (she/her/hers), is a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist (MD) with On Our Own Frederick County. She received the Transforming Lived Experience Award from the American Association of Suicidology in 2022 and has presented how she learned to celebrate life as she recovered from her disabling suicide attempt more than 60 times across the U.S. Shannon's essays include Learning to Hope after 30 years of Depression and a Suicide Attempt and Suicide Survivor Stories Empowered Me to Live. Appears on the Speaking of Suicide website. Shannon and Dr. Sally Spencer-Thomas conversed on Compassion, Connection and Recovery Intention - How Faith Communities Can Best Support People Impacted by Suicide on the Hope Illuminated podcast.
Shannon will present how she learned to embrace joy after decades of depression and a disabling suicide attempt in 2015. She will describe how, during her six-month hospitalization, doctors found the right combination of antidepressants for her, and she learned to walk again on partial feet. Shannon will share how she learned from fellow residents during her five years residing in assisted living facilities. She will present how her recreational therapist and faith community emboldened her to celebrate life. Shannon will share anecdotes of how her children helped her to reframe her scars and present how hearing the stories of other suicide attempt survivors emboldened her in her journey as she became trained to tell her story. Shannon will share how she learned that resilience is built through community and that hope grows exponentially through peer support.
Learning Objectives
- Understand how peer support can embolden those impacted by suicide to celebrate life.
- Learn the role of recreational therapy and faith communities in caring for those impacted by suicide.
- Understand how learning how those impacted by suicide come to embrace joy empowers peers.
Workshops
Soul Shop for Communities
Lauren Jenkins and Elisa GilmoreSoul Shop for Communities is designed to expand suicide prevention efforts beyond the church, building a network of support within the broader community for those impacted by suicide. This program raises awareness about the dangers of suicide and explores actionable steps to reduce risks. It is ideal for parents, police officers, nurses, teachers and concerned citizens who want to learn how to address the topic of suicide, understand its prevalence in their community, and become more engaged in being part of the solution.
Learning Objectives
- Examines how communities can approach and discuss suicide.
- Introduces the CALL model.
- Raise awareness on how to help keep individuals experiencing suicidal thoughts safe.
Lauren Jenkins is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, Certified Clinical Trauma Professional, and a Certified Dialectical Behavioral Therapist. She is a mental health advocate, empowerment speaker and trainer with over 19 years of experience providing therapeutic support and interventions to youth and adults involved in the correctional and mental health systems. Lauren has extensive experience facilitating professional development and training for government and community outreach organizations throughout Maryland, the District of Columbia and Virginia, as well as across the U.S. She is a Certified Mental Health First Aid Trainer (Youth and Adult), Master Trainer in Adverse Childhood Experiences, and certified facilitator of other various Trauma Informed and Cognitive Behavioral programming and trainings. In her advocacy work, Lauren is passionate about raising awareness on the impact of suicide on African American Communities. She is a committee member for the non-profit organization Black People Die By Suicide Too, Board Member for the Life of Joy Foundation, and Suicide Prevention Advocate and Trainer of various suicide prevention programs, including L.E.T.S. Save Lives: An Introduction to Suicide Prevention for Black and African American Communities through the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Lauren is also a Trainer and Co-Director for Soul Shop™ for Black Churches, faith-based suicide prevention workshops, to support leaders and congregations minister to those impacted by suicidal desperation and suffering. She has a personal connection to this work, including her own journey with mental health challenges as well as lived experience with suicide loss and her own personal struggles with suicidality. It was after experiencing great loss and a suicide attempt in 2012 that was the catalyst to her healing and pursuit of professional and advocacy work in the mental health and suicide prevention spaces. In August 2021, Lauren launched The Journey2Well, LLC, a mental health and organizational wellness company that empowers and equips organizations through training, coaching and consulting to promote emotionally healthier staff, leaders and work environments. The Journey2Well also provides psychotherapy and processing groups for individuals, primarily those called to the helping profession, to help improve their overall quality of life. This way, they can effectively and well support others they have been entrusted to serve.
Elisa Gilmore is a life-changing mental health awareness educator, speaker and transformation life coach whose mission is to communicate the importance of mental health to bring healing and wholeness to all. Her unique approach equips and empowers individuals through training, coaching, workshops and seminars. With over 20 years of experience, Elisa is a sought-after speaker who has presented to audiences on national platforms, including appearances on WBGR TV. As founder of Divine Exchanges™, LLC, she specializes in mental health awareness and suicide prevention to support and educate individuals, organizations and churches through life challenges, distresses and crises, including mental health, recovery, resilience and restoration coaching. Her passion for mental health began after assisting her best friend through a mental health crisis, which resulted in Elisa quickly stepping in as her three sons’ caretaker. This experience fueled her passion to help educate others, leading her to become a Master Level Life Recovery and Restoration Coach, Certified Wellness Recovery Action Plan Facilitator, Gallup StrengthsFinder® Coach, and Master Level Mental Health Coach through the American Association of Christian Counselors. Elisa is also a certified Mental Health First Aid USA Instructor, a SoulShop™ Facilitator for Communities and Black Churches, and a LivingWorks™ safeTalk and ASIST Facilitator, through which she offers classes on suicide prevention and intervention. She serves as a board member for the Maryland Chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Additionally, as an advanced facilitator through the Trauma Healing Institute, she was recently asked to become one of their training facilitators. Elisa is committed to sharing hope and healing. She is an active ministry leader at First Baptist Church of Glenarden, where she serves as the Founding Director of the Mental Health Support Ministry. Her work extends to various organizations and businesses, such as Prince George’s County Public Schools, Prince George’s Community College, and Delaware State University, where she provided Mental Health First Aid trainings and customized workshops, and the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Maryland, where she has served in multiple roles, including a NAMI Maryland Trainer. Elisa’s ability to connect with diverse audiences and deliver impactful training has made her a respected figure in mental health education and advocacy.
Man Up: Men's Inner Lives of Silence and Invisibility
Steve Plummer, MS, LCPCTraditional stereotypes in our culture present men as strong, stoic and out in front leading. However, most men struggle with silence and their inner lives are invisible to most. This presentation will focus on their inner lives and the struggles that present unique mental health challenges. We will talk about the harm of traditional stereotypes, contributors to their silence and ways to help.
Learning Objectives:
- Identify the three types of silence in men
- Identify two ways to help with men's struggles
Steve Plummer is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor and graduated from Loyola University Maryland with a Master of Science in Counseling Psychology. He has been a practicing counselor for over 15 years in both private and public sectors working as a crisis clinician, trainer for Anne Arundel County Crisis Response and Police Department as well as provided leadership for a large private practice with over 100 clinical and professional staff. Steve specializes in treating First Responders, Trauma and Men's Issues. He is currently the Resiliency and Wellness Clinician for the Frederick Police Department in Frederick, Maryland.
The Loneliness Epidemic: Thoughts on Gentling the Journey Together
Marcie Gibbons, LCSW-CPlease join us for a facilitated conversation about the loneliness epidemic and the profound impact of loneliness on mental and physical health. We will explore insights from medical professionals and learn practical strategies to foster connection, build resilience and navigate today’s increasingly isolated world.
Learning Objectives:
- Identify the impact of the loneliness epidemic on physical and mental health.
- Identify community-building strategies across ages, groups and communities to enhance engagement and mitigate some negative effects of loneliness.
Marcie Gibbons, LCSW-C, is a clinical social worker and Hub Coordinator with the Anne Arundel County Mental Health Agency and is Co-Chair of the Suicide Prevention Coalition for Anne Arundel County. Her social work experience started at the beginning of the HIV pandemic. Marcie worked in prevention as a street outreach worker, in acute care and hospice settings, providing social work assessment, education, and planning in an interdisciplinary setting. She worked with adolescents and family members in a high school setting and has a private practice focused on grief, loss and life transitions. Marcie is a trainer for Question, Persuade, Refer: Suicide Prevention Training and the Adolescent Depression Program, focusing on adolescent wellness, treatment and resilience. She is also a national trainer for Mental Health First Aid (Adults, Youth and Teens).
Writing for My Life: The Power of Poetry
Janice Booth and Natalie CanavorFor young people as well as for seniors, putting emotions like pain, anxiety and fear into poetry can be a step toward healing. The process of writing a poem is a journey of self-discovery that encourages positive feelings and a wider perspective. Even people who’ve never written creatively before respond to a supportive environment and writing prompts that trigger their imagination. This participatory workshop is an action-oriented experience modeling how such a session works and how to lead it. Following a live demonstration involving all participants, the discussion will cover how to format sessions and practical techniques, including prompts, a framework for productive sharing, and ways to create a comfortable environment. These tactics can be used as the basis for a single workshop or as an ongoing therapeutic tool through poetry. Leaders need not be writers themselves to leverage poetry’s power to express, illuminate and connect!
Learning Objectives:
- Experience first-hand the impact of writing poetry and expressing yourself creatively.
- Understand the potential of poetry-writing to build relationships, trust and mutual support.
- Acquire the skills and techniques to lead poetry workshops, using provided materials.
In 2022, Janice Booth and Natalie Canavor created a poetry workshop for Wellness House, a nonprofit that supports people living with cancer. What began as a single workshop has, due to popular demand, flourished for three years. Both are professional writers, have worked as journalists and are college instructors, as well as poets. Their poems are featured in two collections, The Song in the Room and the recently published Still Singing.
Janice is a regular contributor to several regional magazines, focusing on gardening, agriculture and the environment. Her poetry appears in a variety of periodicals.
Natalie, a former magazine editor and corporate communicator, is the author of widely used books on business writing and the psychology of workplace communication.
Clear Communication for Critical Health Topics
Cynthia Baur, PhDClear, relevant and useful health information materials can make the critical difference in what people know, understand and do about their own and others’ health. Too often, health information materials available to the public are filled with jargon, dense, and too long to help people feel informed and confident about their decisions. Clear, relevant and useful health information materials create the baseline for further education, conversation and decision-making. This session will introduce the Maryland Consumer Health Information Hub and its plain language and language access resources. We will review the Maryland plain language standards, checklist and language access guidelines with examples of publicly available materials about mental health and suicide prevention.
Learning Objectives:
- Name at least three plain language techniques that make health information clear, relevant and useful.
- Identify the main messages and calls to action that promote understanding.
Cynthia Baur, PhD, is a health literacy and health communication expert focused on improving health literacy at the individual, family, community and organizational levels. She directs the University of Maryland Horowitz Center for Health Literacy, the nation's first academic health literacy center, and is a professor in the Department of Behavioral and Community Health. In 2022, Dr. Cynthia and other advocates worked with Maryland Delegate Joseline Peña-Melnyk, who sponsored Maryland House Bill 1082, to designate the Horowitz Center as the state's consumer health information hub. She is the Principal Investigator on multiple federal and state-funded projects on health literacy, clear communication, digital health, diabetes prevention and organizational health literacy improvement. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Center provided communications support to Maryland local health departments and coalitions. Pre- and post-pandemic, the Center supports the Maryland Department of Health and local health departments on the state's diabetes action plan. Dr. Cynthia provides training and expert advice to local, state and national committees and initiatives. Before coming to UMD, she served for almost 20 years in the federal Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Dr. Cynthia was the CDC's Plain Language and Health Literacy Lead from 2011 to 2016.
Good Morning, Can You Believe I’m Outta Bed?
Devon BeckExplore how music, specifically Devon Beck’s "Good Morning," can be used as a powerful tool for healing, emotional expression and suicide prevention. Rooted in the song’s uplifting but vulnerable lyrics, this session uses Beck’s storytelling to unpack topics such as depression, self-worth and resilience in the face of adversity. We’ll use guided lyric analysis, interactive prompts and small-group discussion to make space for open dialogue about mental health and the stigma that often surrounds it. Attendees will be introduced to journaling and self-expression, leaving with tools to recognize warning signs, engage peers with empathy and connect to mental health resources on campus and beyond. This presentation creates a culturally relevant and emotionally safe space to explore how to play an active role in both your own well-being and the well-being of others.
Learning Objectives:
- Analyze the emotional and lyrical content of “Good Morning” through a mental health lens.
- Apply three suicide-prevention techniques: self-reflection, peer support and help-seeking conversations.
- Recognize mental health warning signs and utilize methods such as journaling to support yourself or others effectively.
Devon Beck is a dynamic leader and advocate for education, equity and community development. His career spans multiple sectors, including education, community engagement and the music business, where he has pioneered new roles to address organizational needs. A graduate of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES), Devon began his career in education, holding various roles including Teacher’s Assistant, Behavior Specialist, Geometry and Algebra Teacher, Family and Student Liaison, and Pre-Referral Coordinator for the Talbot County Board of Education. Through these positions, he developed expertise in mentoring and supporting students who faced learning challenges. His work reinforced his belief that reaching students at critical stages in life can have a lasting impact. As a motivational speaker, Devon has shared his insights at institutions like Chesapeake College, Bowie State University, UMES, and Morgan State University, addressing topics such as racial and social injustices while encouraging students to focus on personal and professional success. Currently, as the Facilitator of Recruitment, Retention and Equity for Talbot County Public Schools, he leads efforts to remove barriers to inclusion, recruits and retains staff, and oversees initiatives such as the “Grow Your Own” and “Employee 2 Teacher” programs. He also plays a key role in their Annual Equity Summit. Beyond education, Devon is deeply committed to community impact. As the Co-Founder of Play In Color, he continues to drive positive change. He is also the recipient of the 2024 Mid-Shore Behavioral Health Caliber Award. In 2024, he launched Beck Excellence, a company dedicated to motivating and inspiring schools and businesses through his lived experiences. Devon Beck remains an outspoken advocate for the Black community, using his platform to spark conversations and drive change, especially on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. His mission is to inspire the next generation to continue the fight for equity, justice and progress.
Hope in Action Panel Discussion
Alágra Bass, LCSW-C, is a licensed clinical social worker and board-approved supervisor who began working with the Anne Arundel County Department of Aging and Disabilities in 2013. She oversees the Department’s grant-based pilot programs focused on mental, behavioral and cognitive health. Alágra is also a clinician at BTST Services (A Better Tomorrow Starts Today). She specializes in trauma-focused interventions and often supports clients experiencing depression and anxiety related to trauma. With a background in case management and related program development, Alágra is committed to a holistic, person-centered approach to care, which sees each individual as a person in and reacting to their environment. She provides compassionate support, education and advocacy for individuals, families and communities, while striving to promote mental wellness and empower those she serves across the lifespan. At this summit, Alágra is honored to contribute to the conversation on suicide prevention, collaborate on meaningful solutions to save lives and improve overall wellness as a suicide prevention strategy.
T-Kea Blackman, MPS, CPRS, RPS, is a national award-winning peer recovery specialist, social entrepreneur, speaker and author. A suicide attempt survivor, she uses her lived experience to inspire hope and break the stigma around mental health. T-Kea is the founder of the Mental Health Empowerment Agency, a consulting firm specializing in wellness workshops, strategic communications and program management. She also serves as co-founder and executive director of Black People Die By Suicide Too, a non-profit dedicated to Black suicide prevention. This fall, T-Kea begins her PhD at the University of Maryland, College Park, focusing on Black suicide prevention to influence policy and funding for mental health equity. Through her advocacy, she empowers individuals on their healing journey while driving systemic change.
Victoria Marshall is a 2025 graduate of South River High School, where she was also enrolled in the Honors Academy of Health Professions Program at the Center of Applied Technology South. Having experienced the profound impact of loss through the passing of a friend in the past year, as well as her uncle in 2016, Victoria is firmly passionate about mental health awareness and suicide prevention. As a natural giver and leader, she aims to both motivate and inspire our community to engage in open conversations about mental health and suicide in order to bring insight to others. Victoria’s goal for this panel is to provide a youth’s perspective on dealing with suicide and mental health to provide a better understanding for the community as a whole.
Miguel Sierra is an accomplished Army veteran from Cleveland, Ohio, with over 10 years of active-duty experience as a 68X (Behavioral Health Specialist), Suicide Prevention Coordinator, Provider Resiliency Support Program Manager, Drug and Alcohol Counselor and Sexual Assault Victim Advocate. After being medically retired in 2017, he continued to leverage his expertise in the civilian sector, empowering and motivating organizations, schools and communities to ensure that their employees and members achieve their fullest potential. Miguel is a passionate advocate for Suicide Prevention and has been conducting workshops for various military units, schools and community organizations. Currently, he serves as Fort George G. Meade’s Suicide Prevention Program Manager, a role that has taken him to the frontline of the battle against suicide in the military and veteran communities. Miguel is a passionate and dedicated professional who excels in everything he does and continues to make a positive impact on the lives of those he touches.
David and Christy Trapp - The Trapp Family consists of David, Christy, Jackson, Hayley and Charlie. They lost their youngest son, Charlie, to suicide on April 24, 2023. They often see Charlie in rainbows and bubbles. He is always in their hearts and minds. Charlie was struggling with mental health challenges before he passed. However, they had no idea that suicide was something he was considering. The Trapp Family is participating in this event to learn and help our community.