Bruce Simpson has been a trial lawyer for 42 years with a practice focus on civil rights and land use law. He practiced with two of the largest firms in Kentucky for 20 years and now is a solo practitioner. Bruce has always maintained an active pro bone caseload involving some high-profile cases including one that was featured on the CBS national news program, “60 Minutes.” He has served as president of numerous nonprofit organizations including the Fayette County Bar Association. Bruce is a United States Army infantry veteran, having served 2 years active duty and 4 years reserve duty. He received his B.A. and MSW from the University of Kentucky, and his J.D. from the J. David Rosenberg College of Law. For the past 2 years, Bruce has openly discussed his lifelong battle with depression and suicide ideation, which culminated in his suicide attempt in 2023. He has often presented to veterans’ groups, mental health conferences and the Kentucky Bar Association. Bruce has written extensively about his mental health struggles in the Kentucky Bench and Bar and his was the cover story in the December 2023, edition of the American Bar Association Journal magazine. Bruce became a certified adult peer support specialist in 2025. He frequently discusses mental health and suicide prevention on the LinkedIn and Facebook social media platforms where he also provides his personal cell number (859) 229-3436 and email, [email protected] for those contemplating suicide. Bruce has spoken with people from all over the world. He does not charge for any of his mental health advocacy work.

Robert Bogue’s personal journey with suicide includes the death of his son, Alex. He co-develops solutions to reduce pain, suffering, and suicide while increasing happiness and joy. One of these developments, Suicide Myths (https://SuicideMyths.org), addresses the harmful myths that create guilt, shame, and self-blame.

Sera is a proud mother of two, identifies as a Love Warrior, lives with several mental health conditions, and is an advocate, activist, and former sex worker. She is a survivor of multiple suicide attempts, suicide loss, involuntary hospitalization, child abuse, religious abuse, homelessness, community violence, environmental contamination, and a political campaign within a small town. She has served as a peer supporter, consultant, and trainer for projects such as the Disaster Distress Helpline's Online Peer Support Communities' Survivors of Mass Violence and the Los Angeles Public Library's Library Ally and Patron Interaction Skills project. In addition, she is the co-lead of Living Beyond Suicide, an initiative dedicated to the elevation of marginalized and historically excluded voices in suicide prevention.

Anna Lieber, LCMHC, is a mental health therapist with over 25 years of experience in behavioral health. However, Anna has been living with expressions of suicidal experiences all of her life. She is a suicide loss survivor, a loved one to a person with persistent suicidal behaviors, and has her own lived experience with suicidal crises. Professionally, Anna is the current Clinical Director of Westminster University’s Master of Clinical Mental Health Counseling program and runs a free mental health clinic. Prior to starting at Westminster Anna was the Chief Clinical Officer of a 118-bed psychiatric hospital and oversaw all inpatient and outpatient clinical services. In that role Anna experienced both the benefits and harms of both voluntary and involuntary inpatient hospitalization and developed policy changes and best practices to improve patient care and decrease unnecessary inpatient admissions. Anna currently owns a small private practice and consulting agency and provides training on the treatment of suicidal behaviors to organizations and academic settings internationally.