Celebrating Chapter Leadership, and Honoring Contributions at the Lifesavers Gala
When it comes to doing all we can to prevent suicide — and forging a protective shell of comfort and understanding around those who have been directly affected by this leading cause of death — we are truly working together. From our national team, to our Policy and Advocacy office in Washington, D.C., to our local staff leading chapters across the country and the many impassioned and dedicated volunteers who come together — the impact we’re making is generated by a community of people who care.
Chapter Leadership Conference
In January 2025, 400 dedicated volunteers and staff gathered together in Houston for the annual Chapter Leadership Conference. The event is a chance each year for our chapters to rally around our mission, be inspired by each other, learn of the latest developments in research, public policy, and more, and align on goals centered around new programs and initiatives, such as the education program L.E.T.S. Save Lives: An Introduction to Suicide Prevention for Black and African American Communities, as well as the ongoing implementation of AFSP’s Construction Industry Initiative in partnership with Bechtel.
As part of the Chapter Awards Banquet, our chapters were honored with awards for outstanding work in program delivery, research, public policy, fundraising, and more, culminating with AFSP Virginia receiving the Overall Chapter of the Year Award.
36th Annual Lifesavers Gala
Each year, AFSP’s Lifesavers Gala allows us to reflect back on what we’ve accomplished and recognize the individuals and partners who help us achieve our mission while raising funds that enable us to keep moving forward.
Hosted by Cindy Hsu, Board Member for AFSP New York City Chapter and Emmy-award winning anchor and reporter at CBS New York, the gala was held at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City.
Distinguished honorees for the event included:
Survivors of Suicide Loss Lifesaver Award
Eric and Terry Murray launched the Grayson Murray Foundation in honor of their son, late PGA Tour player Grayson Murray, who died by suicide in May 2024 at the age of 30. The mission of the Grayson Murray Foundation is to raise awareness and support of mental health and addiction challenges faced by individuals from all walks of life.
Public Service Lifesaver Award
In Unbreakable with Jay Glazer: A Mental Wealth Podcast (an extension of his best-selling book “Unbreakable”), Jay Glazer — NFL Insider for FOX Sports’ award-winning NFL pregame show, FOX NFL SUNDAY, and the host of the iHeartMedia and Fox Sports Radio — shares his personal mental health journey, along with tips and tools for thriving despite mental health struggles.
Public Education Lifesaver Award
Ethan and Naomi Sacks are the father-daughter duo behind Image Comics’ A Haunted Girl, a comic book series inspired by Naomi’s mental health journey. Ethan and Naomi actively collaborated with AFSP on the four-issue graphic novel horror miniseries, ensuring that they wrote safely on the topic and included mental health resources.
Lifetime Achievement Research Award
Dr. Marsha Linehan developed Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) in the 1980s, causing a sea change as an effective intervention in behavioral therapy. This treatment was originally developed for suicidal behaviors and later expanded to treat people with borderline personality disorder and other severe mental disorders involving serious emotion dysregulation. Today, DBT is ubiquitous as a tool used in therapy to reduce suicidal behavior and is more cost effective compared to standard treatments.
Annual Research Award
Dr. Kate Comtois, an AFSP scientific advisor, developed game-changing interventions transforming how clinicians approach and treat patients with suicidal thoughts, behavior, and risk. Her innovative work — including Caring Contacts, adaptations of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality (CAMS), and Preventing Addiction Related Suicide (PARS) — equipped thousands of providers with effective tools to engage with high-risk individuals and save lives across diverse clinical settings.
Thanks to this year’s gala chair, Mark Baer, Partner and Immediate Past CEO at Crowe LLP.
