Regional Suicide Prevention Awards

Background

The Regional Suicide Prevention Awards were established by TSPN co-founders Madge and Ken Tullis to recognize innovations and excellence in Tennessee’s suicide prevention awareness movement.

Each year, TSPN’s eight regional networks take nominations for their Regional Suicide Prevention Award who is usually recognized at that year’s local Suicide Prevention Awareness Month event.


One of the Regional Suicide Prevention Award winners receives the statewide Madge and Ken Tullis, MD, Suicide Prevention Award. The recipient of the award is recognized at the Suicide Prevention Awareness Day event and receives a plaque recognizing their contributions to suicide prevention and awareness. A donation is made to TSPN by Madge and Ken Tullis in honor of the recipient, and the recipient’s name is added to a plaque listing previous winners, currently displayed at the TSPN central office.

Nomination Process & Eligibility

  • Individuals from each TSPN region may send nominations for their Regional Suicide Prevention Award to the TSPN central office by e-mail (tspn@tspn.org) ahead of that year’s regional deadline.

  • The recipient must be a single person or couple (including two people working on a single project) residing in the state of Tennessee.

  • Madge and Ken Tullis, TSPN employees, and prior winners of Regional Suicide Prevention Awards are not eligible.

Past Winners of the RSPA

*Winners of the Madge and Ken Tullis, MD, Suicide Prevention Awards in bold

  • 2005-2010

    2005

    East Tennessee: David M. Gilliam, MD

    Mid-Cumberland: Judith J. Johnson

    Memphis/Shelby County: Bishop William Young and Pastor Dianne Young

    Northeast: Elizabeth Haren

    Rural West: Lisa Daniel

    South Central: Brad Martin

    Southeast: Sam Bernard

    Upper Cumberland: Linda Moran


    2006

    East Tennessee: Anna Irwin and Linda Albert

    Mid-Cumberland: Gwen Hamer

    Memphis/Shelby County: Kathleen Grice

    Northeast: Patrolman Ed Jeffries, Tennessee Highway Patrol (retired)

    Rural West: Stephenie Robb

    South Central: Jennifer Harris

    Southeast: Betsy Donahue

    Upper Cumberland: Lisa Stewart


    2007

    East Tennessee:  Major Greg Cook, Maryville Police Department; Officer Holly Hatcher, Alcoa Police Department; and Deputy Jennifer Shudan, Blount County Sheriff’s Office

    Mid-Cumberland: Kim Rush

    Memphis/Shelby County: Shirley McGowan

    Northeast: Bill and Phyllis Russell

    Rural West: Carol Burroughs

    South Central: Pam Arnell

    Southeast: Cindy McCroskey

    Upper Cumberland: Angel Smithers


    2008

    East Tennessee: Laura T. Harrill

    Mid-Cumberland: Natasha Clay

    Memphis/Shelby County: Sam Cochran

    Northeast: Diane Wise

    Rural West: Sid Nichols

    South Central: Junior Auxiliary of Columbia, Tennessee

    Southeast: Mary Fortune

    Upper Cumberland: Jodi Bartlett, Supervisor of the Crisis Team at Plateau Mental Health Center (PMHC), and the PMHC Crisis Team


    2009

    East Tennessee: Larry and Linda Drain

    Mid-Cumberland: Misty Yarbrough

    Memphis/Shelby County: Sally Afflick

    Northeast: Harold Leonard

    Rural West: Dana Cobb

    South Central: Karyl Chastain Beal

    Southeast: Tim Tatum

    Upper Cumberland: Patsy Cronk and Jean Key


    2010

    East Tennessee: Anne Young

    Mid-Cumberland: Granger Brown

    Memphis/Shelby County: Mike LaBonte

    Northeast: Paula Masters

    Rural West: Anne Henning-Rowan

    South Central: Rosa Newton

    Southeast: Karen Brasher

    Upper Cumberland: Anne Stamps

  • 2011-2015

    2011

    East Tennessee: Ben Harrington

    Memphis/Shelby County: Pat Kendall

    Mid-Cumberland: Brenda Harper

    Northeast: Linda Phipps Harold

    Rural West: Shelia Ward

    South Central: Elaine Williams

    Southeast: Nancy Carroll

    Upper Cumberland: Vickie Bilbrey


    2012

    East Tennessee: Anna Shugart

    Memphis/Shelby County: Patricia Hipps

    Mid-Cumberland: Cindy Johnson

    Northeast: Kandi Shearer

    Rural West: Kathy Strahan

    South Central: Rhoni McCollum

    Southeast: Monica Middlebrooks

    Upper Cumberland: Mark Allison


    2013

    East Tennessee: Debra Cohan

    Memphis/Shelby County: Renee Brown

    Mid-Cumberland: Donna Finley

    Intra-State Departmental Group: Teresa Culbreath

    Northeast: Dana Cea

    Rural West: Sabrina Anderson

    South Central: Regina Peery

    Southeast: Tricia Henderson

    Upper Cumberland: Christina Mick, Ed.D.


    2014

    East Tennessee: Frieda Herron

    Memphis/Shelby County: Lamar Frizzell

    Mid-Cumberland: Samantha Nadler

    Intra-State Departmental Group: Terry Love

    Northeast: Sharon Phipps

    Rural West: Kris Moore

    South Central: Ellen Stowers

    Southeast: Deanna Doran

    Upper Cumberland: John Rust

    Suicide Awareness and Prevention Service Award: Rachel Moore, Danny Rogers, and Karen Rogers


    2015

    East Tennessee: Lindsay Cody

    Memphis/Shelby County: Dr. Theresa Okwumabua

    Mid-Cumberland: Eileen Wallach

    Intra-State Departmental Group: Melissa Sparks

    Northeast: Kathy Benedetto

    Rural West: Dr. Paula Terry

    South Central: Sarah Hinson

    Southeast: Eve Nite

    Upper Cumberland: Mike Seal

    Suicide Awareness and Prevention Service Award: Mikayla Dalton and the Marion County High School Girls’ Softball Team

    Special Media Award: Daniel Connolly, Memphis Commercial-Appeal

    Community Partner Award: Kenny Pryor


  • 2016-2020

    2016

    East Tennessee: Dr. Cynthia Lynn

    Memphis/Shelby County Region: Pastor Waring Porter

    Mid-Cumberland Region: James Burton

    Northeast Region: Jack Stewart

    Rural West: Sean Jones

    South Central Region: Dr. Sandra Perley

    Southeast Region: Sylvia Phillips

    Upper Cumberland Region: Jessica Pruett

    Intra-State Departmental Award: Shannon Hall

    Suicide Awareness and Prevention Service Award: Kelsey Neeley

    Special Media Award: Tennessean

    Community Partner Award: Tennessee Tech University, University of Tennessee-Chattanooga, and University of Tennessee-Martin


    2017

    East Tennessee: Matt Magráns-Tillery

    Memphis/Shelby County Region: Octavio Areas

    Mid-Cumberland Region: Elvin “Woody” Woodruff

    Northeast Region: Heatherly Sifford

    Rural West: Phillip Barham

    South Central Region: Robert C. Killen, Ed.D.

    Southeast Region: Wanda Mays

    Upper Cumberland Region: Dr. John Averitt

    Intra-State Departmental Award: Michelle Bauer

    Suicide Awareness and Prevention Service Award: Tennessee Department of Health Primary Prevention Initiative

    Special Media Award: Maryville Daily Times

    Community Partner Award: American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Tennessee Chapter


    2018

    East Region: Katie Valentino

    Memphis/Shelby County Region: Lori Kent

    Mid-Cumberland Region: Joseph Chatman III

    Northeast Region: Sharon Phipps

    Rural West Region: Dana Townsend

    South Central Region: Richard Bogle

    Southeast Region: Jim Lewis

    Upper Cumberland Region: Lena Higgins

    Intra-State Departmental Suicide Prevention Award: Jenny Dudzinski

    Suicide Awareness and Prevention Service Award: Crystal Brewer

    Community Partner Award: Tennessee School of Beauty

    Media Award: Brentwood Homepage


    2019

    East Region: Luis Ramos

    Memphis/Shelby County Region: Lindsey Blevins

    Mid-Cumberland Region: Becky Stoll

    Northeast Region: Kathy Benedetto

    Northwest Region: Lynn Julian

    South Central Region: Nora Fielding

    Southeast Region: Kenneth T. Tartar

    Upper Cumberland Region: Kristi Paling

    Intra-State Departmental Suicide Prevention Award: Janet Watkins

    Suicide Awareness and Prevention Service Award: Chad Tribble

    Community Partner Award: Eileen Wallach, Your Heart on Art

    Media Award: Herald-Citizen (Cookeville)


    2020

    East Region: Nancy McGlasson

    Memphis/Shelby County Region: Jason McCown

    Mid-Cumberland Region: Maria Smith

    Northeast Region: Drew Turner

    Northwest Region: Emily Bolin

    South Central Region: Molly Barnes and LIFT

    Southeast Region: Christy Sentell

    Southwest Region: Megan Gaylord

    Upper Cumberland Region: Power of Putnam

    Intra-State Departmental Suicide Prevention Award: Carol McDonald

    Community Partner Award: Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth

    Media Award: StoneCom of Cookeville

  • 2021-2024

    2021

    East Region: Nathan Wray

    Memphis/Shelby County Region: Audrey Elion

    Mid-Cumberland Region: Jaime Harper

    Northeast Region: Jason Abernathy

    Northwest Region: Rachael Brooks

    South Central Region: Deidra Goins

    Southeast Region: Kara Coleman

    Southwest Region: Phillip Barham

    Upper Cumberland Region: Janie Mabrey

    Intra-State Departmental Suicide Prevention Award: Brittany Willis

    Community Partner Award: Upper Cumberland Development District

    Media Award: The Tullahoma News


    2022

    East: Mary King

    Mid-Cumberland: Stephanie Evans

    Northeast: Casey Caudill

    Northwest: Shannon Perry and the Crisis Care 

    Team of the University of Tennessee-Martin

    South Central: Cassandra Young

    Southeast: Be the Change Youth Initiative

    Southwest: Keesha Nathaniel

    Upper Cumberland: Marsha Polson

    Memphis/Shelby County: Amber Marisa Whitsett 

    Intra-State Departmental Group: Melissa McGee

    Media: WBBJ-TV

    Community Award: Macon Memories


    2023

    East: Bethany Lemons

    Memphis/Shelby County: Officer Tina Shaw, Memphis Police Department  

    Mid-Cumberland: Rhonda Alley

    Northeast: Brandy Maltsburger

    Northwest: Stacie Fernandez

    South Central: Mike Bryan

    Southeast: Jolene Cook

    Southwest: Amy Bechtol

    Upper Cumberland: Kelly Lewis

    Intra-State Departmental Group: Terrence Love 

    Media: Independent Herald Sports Network

    Community Award: The Natchez Trace Bridge Barrier Coalition


    2024

    East: Nancy Truett

    Greater Memphis: JeCarta Suggs

    Mid-Cumberland: Alexis Hill

    Northeast: Dr. Barb Sims

    Northwest: Amy Richardson

    South Central: Nicole Miller

    Southeast: Amy Kyriakidis

    Southwest: Parker Pearce

    Upper Cumberland: Mark Farley

    Intra-State Departmental Group Award: Gwen Hamer

    Media Award: Lexi Lepof, WVLT-TV

    Community Partner Award: 4thirTEEN Ministries