Schedule:
3:00 pm – Doors Open
3:30 pm – Welcoming Remarks
3:35 pm – Panel Discussion
4:00 pm – Q&A

Suicide is the second leading cause of death among Vermonters aged 15-44. Just as troubling, 14% of high school students report having made a suicide plan in the past year. These startling statistics highlight a national challenge—each year, more than 13 million U.S. adults seriously consider suicide.

Why are so many people in Vermont—and across the country—impacted by suicide? And more importantly, what can we do to help them find hope and healing?

In recognition of Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, we’re bringing together voices from across the field—people with lived experience of suicide, clinicians, and frontline providers—to explore what’s really driving suicidal despair and what we know about how to support people through it.

Panelists will share both personal and professional insights into the emotional, social, and systemic factors that drive suicidality, and the innovative approaches that offer real pathways to recovery. Together, we’ll learn about Four Pines Fund’s work to transform suicide care in Vermont and across the U.S., and explore what compassionate, effective support looks like in practice.

MODERATOR: Alison Krompf, Director of FPF’s Vermont Portfolio will facilitate a dynamic interactive conversation and highlight efforts to transform suicide care in Vermont. Together, we will explore what compassionate effective support looks like in practice.

PANELISTS:

Dr. Craig J. Bryan, PsyD, ABPP, is a board-certified clinical psychologist in cognitive behavioral psychology, and an internationally recognized expert on suicide prevention, trauma, and resilience. As of September 1, 2025, he is a Professor of Psychiatry at The University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, where he leads suicide care initiatives. 

Lindsay Mesa is a leader in alternative mental health and peer support, with 15 years’ experience shaping programs and training that have reached thousands across Vermont. As a driving force at Pathways Vermont, she builds innovative services that foster choice, connection, and community—work deeply informed by her own lived experience and losing a parent to suicide. She holds a Master’s Degree in Sociology from New York University.

HULA is a 14-acre multipurpose coworking campus and innovation hub in Burlington’s South End on the shores of Lake Champlain.