Saving Lives Until Not One Life Is Lost

Tony is the Executive Director of the Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation (OSPF). As ED, Tony leads the charge to support community-based efforts in Ohio to reduce the stigma of suicide, promote education and awareness about suicide prevention, provide training and development, and increase resources and programs that reduce the risk of lives lost to suicide. Prior to joining OSPF, Tony served as the Director of Programs and Services for the Ohio Association of County Behavioral Health Authorities, where he managed Recovery-Oriented Systems of Care, the Statewide Advocacy Network, and the Committee to Address Suicide for the organization. He has also served as the Director of State and Local Affairs for Smart Approaches to Marijuana and as legislative director for the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. Tony holds a bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Toledo.

As the Associate Director, Molly brings more than 10 years of experience from the public and private sectors to support OSPF's legislative, advocacy, and programmatic efforts. Prior to joining OSPF, Molly spent five years with the Ohio Department of Insurance working on mental health parity and implementing a robust consumer outreach program for mental health insurance benefits. She is a graduate of The Ohio State University and has always had a passion for mental health advocacy and helping empower and give a voice to those struggling with mental illness. Molly lives in Columbus with her husband and is a new mom to her daughter and has two golden retrievers, Walter and Ditka.

As the Director of Coalitions and Strategic Initiatives at the Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation, Daniel Bennett supports the ongoing growth and development of Ohio’s network of Suicide Prevention Coalitions, while working on the Ohio Coalition Institute and the Ohio Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health Prevention and Promotion. In addition, he serves as an ambassador for the Life Side Ohio campaign, is a regional trainer for Sources of Strength, and provides Q.P.R. Gatekeeper training. He is an Ohio Certified Prevention Specialist, having worked previously in universal school-based suicide prevention and coalition work. Daniel has a Bachelor of Education Degree from the University of Akron. When he isn’t at work or coaching baseball, his free time is dedicated to the outdoors.

Austin Lucas serves as the Program Director for the Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation (OSPF). He has been employed with OSPF since January 2018. He manages suicide prevention programming, training, events, education, and resources for federal, state, and foundation grants. Additionally, Austin is the project lead for the Suicide Prevention Plan for Ohio Implementation Team, which ensures the goals and objectives in the Suicide Prevention Plan for Ohio are met and exceeded. Austin works with various community-level partners in the State of Ohio, including local suicide prevention coalitions, government agencies, Local Outreach to Suicide Survivors (LOSS) Teams, mental health organizations, and many others. He is passionate about empowering communities to spread suicide prevention training, knowledge, and skills throughout their locality. His passion for suicide prevention derives from his personal struggles with depression as well as having many friends and family members that live with mental illness. Austin is a certified Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR), Mental Health First Aid (MHFA), and Working Minds instructor. Additionally, Austin is a Certified by the American Association of Suicidology (AAS) as a Psychological Autopsy Investigator. Austin currently lives in Westerville, Ohio and received a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from The Ohio State University.

Rachel Tilson is the Director of Development for Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation. Born and raised in Columbus, Ohio and a graduate of The Ohio State University, she began her fundraising career in 2017 as an intern on a United State Senate campaign. While working as a fundraising consultant she found a love for building relationships and fulfilled her competitive spirit by setting and achieving ambitious goals. As a suicide attempt survivor, she has always felt called to the mission of suicide prevention. Her love for the Buckeye state and spreading hope and love to others led her to Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation. She has a deep passion for the mission of OSPF and is relentless in the pursuit of what sets her soul on fire. Rachel loves to spend her free time with her big family, her 14 nieces and nephews, and her Golden Retriever, Poppy.

Jason Hughes is the Program Manager and Veteran Liaison for the Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation (OSPF). He is the Program Manager for the ARPA First Responder Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) Instructor Training grant. This project aims to equip key first responder personnel with the confidence and competence needed to initiate conversations about suicide with colleagues, instill hope, and refer at-risk colleagues to appropriate mental and behavioral health resources. He serves as the OSPF Veteran Liaison and co-leads the Ohio Governor's Challenge Team, which aims to prevent suicide among Service Members, Veterans, and their Families (SMVF). This team works closely with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the Ohio Army National Guard, and the Ohio Department of Veterans Services. After 22 years of service, he retired from the U.S. Army in 2019. He is a published author, a Life Side Ohio advisory committee member, a Frontline Freedom: Adventure Therapy board member, a certified VitalCog: suicide prevention in the workplace instructor, and a QPR instructor.

As the Youth Program and Policy Manager at the Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation, Evi Roberts supports OSPF’s advocacy efforts and manages projects related to youth suicide prevention, including Be Present Ohio and Sources of Strength Ohio. She is an Ohio Certified Prevention Specialist and a provisional trainer with Sources of Strength with over five years of experience in Ohio’s prevention field at the state and local levels. Evi has a Master of Public Administration from Ohio University and a Bachelor of Arts in cultural anthropology from The Ohio State University. An advocate for youth and youth empowerment, Evi values the prevention field’s commitment to “nothing about us without us” in its efforts to address societal problems.

Hali Clark is the Youth Program Coordinator and Marketing Assistant at Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation. She is a 2022 graduate from The Ohio State University with two bachelors degrees in linguistics and international relations. At OSPF, Hali facilitates and organizes programs focused on youth suicide prevention, as well as grows social media for youth outreach. She is devoted to mental health awareness and fostering a loving and supportive community wherever she goes.