In 2009, several longtime members of the Advisory Council opted to rotate off this body to pursue other projects, or were not reappointed to the Council by the Governor’s Board of Commissions. The remaining members of this group realized the importance of keeping these and other former Advisory Council members involved in Network activities, and therefore authorized the creation of the position of TSPN Advisory Council Member Emeritus and the TSPN Emeriti Alumni Association.

TSPN Advisory Council Members Emeriti are entitled to certain privileges as a result of their service to the Network:

• They receive certificates or resolutions recognizing the member’s Emeritus status, suitable for framing.
• They receive invitations to all local, regional and state TSPN functions and project work.
• They serve as ambassadors for TSPN to other agencies including attendance at, assistance to, or facilitation of presentations to said organizations.
• They are recognized on the TSPN website and letterhead in a special “Emeritus” section
• They may attend TSPN business meetings, making motions and casting votes like a regular Council member.

In return, Members Emeriti agree to fulfill certain responsibilities on TSPN’s behalf:

• They may be re-appointed by the Executive Committee as an active Advisory Council member for part-time service on special projects.
• They may be called upon as a special advisor the Executive Director, Executive Committee, or Advisory Council at large as necessary.
• They may be asked to represent the Network at functions where TSPN has an interest in maintaining a presence but is unable to sent a member of the Executive Committee as a delegate.
• They are required to attend at least one TSPN function, such as a business meeting, retreat, or Suicide Prevention Awareness Month event during the TSPN fiscal year.

Nomination and Selection Process

Members of the Advisory Council who have dedication and distinguished service to TSPN over four years and/or two terms on the Advisory Council are eligible for this honor.  These members may be nominated by any sitting Council member by a letter detailing:

• The nominee’s outstanding accomplishments within TSPN and/or the field of suicidology
• The nominee’s distinguished service to TSPN and/or the field of suicidology
• The nominee’s extraordinary and meritorious contributions to TSPN and/or the field of suicidology

When four other TSPN members (including two sitting Advisory Council members), the nominator may submit the form and any materials documenting the nominee’s service to the Network to the Executive Director or Advisory Council Chair for presentation to the Executive Committee.

Current TSPN Emeritus Members

Sam Bernard, PhD, FAAETS, DABCEM , Advisory Council Chair Emeritus
Dr. Bernard chaired the Advisory Council for much of the past decade, during the era from which TSPN evolved as a struggling local non-profit to a nationally recognized suicide prevention model. He currently serves as President and Board of Directors for the PAR Foundation, a non-profit agency which provides free mental health counseling following large-scale disasters and crisis events.

Clark Flatt, Member Emeritus
Mr. Flatt is President/CEO of the Jason Foundation, Inc., a nationally regarded suicide prevention and education curricula. He founded the agency following the death of his son Jason in 1997. Mr. Flatt was a charter member of TSPN’s Mid-Cumberland Region and was instrumental in spreading the word about TSPN as it developed into the agency it is today.

Judith Johnson, AAS, CC, Member Emeritus
A charter member of TSPN, Ms. Johnson served on the Mid-Cumberland Advisory Council from 2003 to 2009. As a survivor of suicide attempts herself, Ms. Johnson provided critical insight into TSPN’s projects and survivor support efforts during the early days of TSPN. She remains a contact for the Survivors of Suicide Attempts group in Nashville.

Misty Yarbrough, BBA, BSW
As chair of TSPN’s Mid-Cumberland Region from 2007 to 2010, Ms. Yarbrough played a leading role in recruiting new members, establishing its current committee structure, and representing the region at local events.  She has overseen numerous regional projects, most notably the regional older adult suicide education campaign and the “Taking It to the Streets” outreach project. For her efforts, she received the Regional Suicide Prevention Award for 2009.

Carol Burroughs, MSCPS
Ms. Burroughs chaired the Rural West Region from 2005 to 2009.  As chair, she coordinated a large-scale and long-term suicide prevention training campaign in western Tennessee.  Through this project, all teachers and most students in several county school systems received the training, and she led many of the sessions personally in her capacity as a certified QPR trainer.

Barbara Dooley, Ph.D.
Dr. Dooley is a nationally recognized expert in the field of juvenile justice, routinely consulted by juvenile services organizations across the country for her expertise in crisis management and suicide prevention.  As Secretary of TSPN’s Advisory Council for three years, Dr. Dooley was instrumental in connecting us with juvenile justice staff in Tennessee, organizing youth suicide prevention conferences, and leading QPR sessions for community members in the Memphis area.

Ken Tullis, MD
Dr. Tullis, along with his wife Madge, attended the 1998 Reno conference that started the national suicide prevention movement and sought to create a statewide suicide prevention agency. This goal was ultimately manifested in TSPN, thanks in large part to his vision and his engagement with regional mental health experts.  In the years since its foundation, Dr. Tullis has chaired several committees as well as the Network’s Memphis/Shelby County Region and promoted TSPN in lectures across the state and beyond.