Our Belief
We believe we all have a responsibility to help our brothers and sisters in arms who suffer from the deepest, invisible wounds of war BEFORE they feel their only choice is taking their own lives.
Our Purpose
Stop Soldier Suicide is a nonprofit organization (see documentation) founded by ex-Army and Active-Duty Soldiers to bring awareness to, and actively curb, the growing suicide epidemic among active and veteran service members.
Our Vision
Realize a day when Soldiers and Veterans who are considering suicide can easily and without shame ask for and receive the help and support they need.
Who We Serve
Stop Soldier Suicide is the first national civilian not-for-profit organization dedicated to preventing Soldier and Veteran suicide. For Soldiers currently in the military, we will work with you if you want to receive help outside your chain of command, yet still want the comfort and reassurance of working with people who have shared similar experiences.
For veterans, we will create an environment built on camaraderie and mutual understanding. We will provide access to resources that can often be hard to utilize once no longer on active duty and plugged in to the built-in support network that your unit provided.
Donations are used for
- Building a 24/7 Contact Center that Soldiers and Veterans or family members can access to talk with peer Soldiers and Veterans and be connected to the appropriate assistance.
- Providing relief to service members using our proprietary LifeCycle Of Care model and filling the “gap” of care that currently exists .
- Supporting partner organizations whose mission is directly related to helping service members whose needs could possibly lead to suicide.
- To market the Stop Soldier Suicide brand in order to increase our network/reach.
Our History
It was 2006 and a young Soldier under the platoon leadership of Army Second Lieutenant Brian Kinsella revealed to him she was contemplating taking her own life. She was homesick and felt completely alone in her deployment in Germany. Brian talked to her one-on-one without judgment and helped her through it. Not long after, another incident occurred in which Brian was once again face-to-face with suicide. This time, it was a commanding officer. This time, there was no cry for help. The officer shot himself, and Brian knew something had to be done to stem the growing number of senseless suicides of fellow Soldiers and Veterans.
Stop Soldier Suicide was founded in 2010 amid the worst suicide crisis our military has ever seen.
After Brian left the Army in 2010, he contacted two of his Johns Hopkins University friends who had also been Army officers, Nick Black and Craig Gridelli, to help him organize Stop Soldier Suicide as an official 501(c)(3) non-profit organization by 2011. They added on two more fellow Soldiers in early 2012 who were still active duty Army officers, Chris Grates and Adam Buchanan, and one non-military friend, Yuri Blazar.
Together, they have worked tirelessly to network and grow the all-voluntary organization, raising awareness about military suicide and partnering with sources inside and outside of the military. They are committed to helping their brothers and sisters in arms get the help they need, without shame or fear of losing their military post.
Board of Directors
Brian Kinsella
Founder and Chief Executive Officer
Brian served as a Logistics Officer in the United States Army from 2005-2010. His service includes assignments in Germany, Italy, and Fort Knox. He deployed as a Detachment Commander to Baghdad, Iraq for 15 months during the surge in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He then served as the Aide-de-Camp and Executive Officer to the Commanding General of the 3rd Sustainment Command (Expeditionary). He deployed to Port-au-Prince, Haiti in support of Operation Unified Response as the Aide-de-Camp to the Commanding General of the Joint Logistics Command.
Brian is currently working at Goldman Sachs in New York City. He graduated from The Johns Hopkins University and attended the University of Louisville Graduate School of Business.
Nicholas Black
Co-Founder and Chief Operations Officer
Nick served as a Company and Battalion Fire Support Officer for 1-503 IN (ABN), 173rd ABCT from 2006-2011. Nick deployed for 15 months to Operation Enduring Freedom VIII (OEF) and then 12 months to OEF X. During his second deployment to OEF, Nick was responsible for all fires and effects as well as the 2010 Wardak District elections. Nick is a graduate of the U.S. Army Airborne and Ranger schools.
Nick is the Founder and CEO of Victory Social Capital LLC. He graduated from Johns Hopkins University and the UNC Kenan-Flagler School of Business.
Craig Gridelli
Co-Founder and Chief Financial Officer
Craig Gridelli served in the United States Army after commissioning through the ROTC program at Johns Hopkins University. He was stationed at various posts across the United States, spending the majority of his garrison time at Fort Hood, Texas. He deployed with the 3rd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division for 13 months in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. He held several positions in Afghanistan, including Outpost Commander, Base Defense Operations Officer in Charge, and Company Executive Officer, among others. He is a graduate of the US Army Ranger School.
Craig is currently pursuing a MBA at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. He graduated from Johns Hopkins University.
Staff and Other Leadership Partners
Adam Buchanan
Director Of Outreach
Prior to commissioning as an officer in the United States Army in 2006, Adam earned a BA in Economics from Furman University. He is also a graduate of the U.S. Army Airborne and Ranger schools. Adam served as a Company Fire Support Officer for 1-64 Armor, 2nd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division. He deployed to Baghdad, Iraq for 13 months in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom V, learning the principles of counterinsurgency operations first hand. Adam then served as a Company Fire Support Officer for the First Ranger Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment for three years. During this time he was responsible for the planning and execution of all aspects of fire support for a special operations Ranger Rifle Company. He served in this position for three combat deployments in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Adam is currently working in the 18th Fires Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division as the Battalion Logistics Officer for 3-27 Field Artillery Regiment.
Yuri Blazar
Director of Chapter Development
Yuri brings 8 years of complex ground-up project management experience to SSS. Until returning to
graduate school in the fall of 2011, he worked as a Construction Manager for the Washington, DC office
of Boston Properties. While there, he managed the construction and successful delivery of mixed-use
developments ranging from $20M to over $400M in value.
Yuri is currently pursuing a MBA at UNC Kenan-Flagler School of Business. He graduated from the
University of Virginia with BA in Political Science.
Laura Black
Chief Marketing Officer
Laura has developed and launched major brands and integrated marketing campaigns for more than 25 years.
Not only is she well versed in Business-to-Business marketing, having been the Creative Director for one of the nation’s
largest independently held BtoB agencies—with offices in Cincinnati, Chicago and Denver, Laura also has a wealth of
experience in Business-to-Consumer marketing and non-profits as well.
She has created successful campaigns for well-known brands such as Tide, McKee Foods’ Little Debbie Snack Cakes,
Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, Planters/Lifesavers, and Comcast. She also finds the time to “give back” by volunteering her time
and creative expertise to non-profit organizations, such as ours.
Her work has garnered attention for its success by being bestowed some of the highest industry honors, including a
Cannes Gold Media Lion. This award is only given to campaigns that excel at and highlight highly integrated, results-driven
media and creative. She was also part of a team that won a $25,000 Grand CEBA award in 2007, the most prestigious award
in business-to-business marketing.
Captain Egan O’Reilly
Military Advisor
Captain Egan Laux O’Reilly hails from Gloucester, Virginia and is an honor graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York as well as the University of Oklahoma where he earned a Bachelor of Science and Master of the Arts in International Relations, respectively. He was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the aviation branch upon graduating from West Point on May 29th, 2004. After completing flight school and the Aviation Officer Basic Course, Captain O’Reilly fulfilled his first Army assignment in the 1-214th Aviation Regiment in Mannheim, Germany from 2006-2009 where he served as the Headquarters and Headquarters Company Executive Officer, Flight Platoon Leader and Executive Officer, as well as Battalion Adjutant.
Upon completion of the Aviation Captains’ Career Course in 2009, Captain O’Reilly returned to the 12th Combat Aviation Brigade in Ansbach, Germany and deployed in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM and Operation ENDURING FREEDOM as an Assistant Operations Officer. Captain O’Reilly is a graduate of: Airborne School, Ranger School, Air Assault School, Initial Entry Rotary Wing Course, UH-60 Advanced Qualification Course, Aviation Officer Basic Course, Joint Firepower Course, and the Aviation Captains’ Career Course.
Distinguished Board of Advisors
Raul Perea-Henze, M.D., M.P.H.
Raul Perea-Henze, M.D., M.P.H., was nominated by President Obama and subsequently confirmed by the Senate as the Assistant Secretary
for Policy and Planning at the Department of Veterans Affairs.
As a former Assistant Secretary, Dr. Perea-Henze was the principal policy advisor to the Secretary and is responsible for strategy, transformation and
interagency collaborations for the Department. He executed these responsibilities through oversight of policy development, corporate governance,
corporate data and analysis, program analysis and evaluation, VA/DoD collaboration and enterprise program management.
Dr. Perea-Henze has a long and distinguished career as a physician, corporate executive, and government official. Most recently, he led global science and medical policy for the top two leading pharmaceutical companies building partnerships with governments and UN agencies and industry on issues such as diseases of the developing world, bioterrorism and global R&D. He served as deputy assistant secretary for management and budget at the Department of Commerce, and senior health care advisor and White House Fellow during the Clinton administration. He was also a management consultant specializing in global strategy in the health sector, and a senior official in New York City government in the early 1990′s.
He started his medical career as a clinician caring for underserved populations in developing countries, later moving to research in biochemistry and physiology, and academia, as an adjunct professor of health policy at New York University. His work as a board member of prominent non¬profit and philanthropic organizations in the areas of HIV/AIDS, mental health, community leadership, Hispanic affairs, and human rights spans many years, and has been recognized with several awards.
John Roglieri
John brings 14 years of experience in finance, capital markets and investment analysis. Most recently, he was Director of Structured Finance at Institutional Credit Partners, where he originated and executed transactions in asset-backed securities, CDOs and other structured credit products. Mr. Roglieri’s experience includes positions at: Fitch Ratings as a Director in the Structured Finance group, where he managed a team responsible for rating asset-backed securities; American International Group, AXA Financial, and at Price Waterhouse in the Investment Management consulting group.
John holds an M.B.A. in Accounting from Boston University and received his B.S. in Economics from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. John resides in Bergen County with his wife and children, where he is aware and supportive of the needs of the community.
Jessica Shepherd, M.D., M.B.A.
A native of Canada, Dr. Shepherd joined the OB/GYN Department at the University of Illinois at Chicago in 2011. She completed her OB/GYN training in Philadelphia, with a fellowship in Gynecologic Endoscopy and Minimally Invasive Surgery at the University of Louisville where she also completed her Masters of Business Administration.
Dr. Shepherd is a member of the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and the American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists. She has been awarded the prestigious IRCAD award in 2010 and was the 3rd place recipient of the Jay M. Cooper Award that same year.
As a physician who specializes in women’s health, she understands the need to reach out to women who may be suffering emotionally and mentally. She is committed to the mission of Stop Soldier Suicide to curb suicide attempts among US Soldiers and Veterans. According to a study in Psychiatric Services, among women ages 18 to 34, female Veterans were three times more likely to kill themselves than non-Veterans. The connection between women and their physicians is essential as women suffer from symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) at more than twice the rate of men. Therefore it is essential that women are not forgotten in this fight to save lives.
Dr. Shepherd, who has appeared on the Dr. Oz show, CBS News as well as other news venues in major cities, has been able to learn from her patients that women’s health issues are not discussed enough. Their needs span physical, emotional and spiritual positions. Dr. Shepherd will address these topics with women of all backgrounds, including Veterans, via her new outreach venture, Her Viewpoint. Through this foundation, women will have a voice and be able to discuss openly in a supportive environment all topics that affect them. You can connect with Her Viewpoint through its Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest pages as well as online at www.Herviewpoint.com
Dr. Shepherd has authored multiple articles as a medical expert in printed and online publications including Women’s Day, LifeScript.com, Heart and Soul, Best Health and WebMD. She has also contributed a book chapter on Prevention and Management of Laparoscopic Complications.
Ryan Walsh
Portfolio Manager, Senator Investment Group, New York