
Tuesday, August 4th, 2026
University of Montana | Missoula
2026 Conference Theme
Balancing the Scales: Reducing Risk & Amplifying Protective Factors in Diverse Montana Communities
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Meet Our Speakers

Dr. Holly C. Wilcox, PhD, MA
Professor
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Baltimore, MD
Dr. Holly Wilcox is a Professor in the Department of Mental Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She holds joint appointments in the Department of Health Policy and Management, as well as the Johns Hopkins Schools of Medicine and Education. Holly's research centers on advancing public health approaches to suicide prevention, encompassing policies, early intervention, and chain of care approaches. Holly is the President of the International Academy of Suicide Research (IASR), a member of the Scientific Council and Board of Directors of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), a suicide prevention consultant for the World Health Organization, and an Affiliate Investigator at the Centre for Research Excellence in Suicide Prevention of the Black Dog Institute in Australia.
Dr. Wilcox has a focus on population-based research on preventing suicidal behaviors. Her work evaluates the impact of community-based universal prevention programs targeting suicidal behaviors and leverages data linkage strategies to inform effective suicide prevention. Dr. Wilcox's research extends to diverse settings, including schools, universities, social media platforms, and emergency departments. She actively mentors students, teaches courses at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and leads a multidisciplinary, interdepartmental suicide prevention work group at Johns Hopkins. She has won the Johns Hopkins Advising, Mentoring, and Teaching Recognition Award three times.
Throughout her career, Dr. Wilcox has been a tireless advocate for a public health-oriented suicide prevention agenda, collaborating with national and international organizations such as the National Institutes of Health, World Health Organization/UNICEF, and Pan American Health Organization. She has secured competitive research grants from various agencies and has published over 150 research articles. Dr. Wilcox has worked to adapt and implement school-based interventions in the United States and make research findings accessible to people working in various roles in the community including mental health professionals and suicide bereaved individuals.
Dr. Tina Barrett is the Executive Director and Co-founder of Tamarack Grief Resource Center in Montana. A licensed counselor, Barrett’s commitment to excellence in grief and trauma care is matched by her profound commitment to healthy organizations and setting teams up for success. Weaving stories from over 30 years of experiences as an Executive Director, Board Member, staff member, supervisor, supervisee, and volunteer, she is committed to strengths-oriented care and healthy, effective workplaces. Dr. Barrett’s workshops pull from her work in schools, hospitals, private practice, group homes, treatment centers, and nonprofits and the clients and colleagues she's had the honor of working alongside. She serves on the Leadership Team for Project Tomorrow Montana, the Presidents’ Circle for the National Alliance for Children’s Grief (NACG), and the Advisory Board for the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS). Barrett received the Community Educator Award from the Association for Death Educators and Counselors (ADEC) in 2019. She is delighted and honored to be a part of the National Alliance for Children's Grief.
Mike McManus is a retired U.S. Air Force veteran with 20 years of service. He held multiple leadership roles, serving his final seven years as a First Sergeant responsible for the welfare and readiness of enlisted personnel. He deployed in support of Operations ALLIED FORCE, SOUTHERN WATCH, and IRAQI FREEDOM.
Mike later worked as Training & Development Manager at Baxter International before serving 10 years as the County of Ventura (CA) Veteran Services Officer, assisting more than 39,000 veterans in accessing federal, state, and local benefits. He testified twice before the House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Veterans’ Health and was named 2018 Veteran of the Year by the California Assembly Veterans’ Affairs Committee.
Mike joined Veterans Navigation Network (VNN) in 2021 and serves as Program Manager. Under his leadership, VNN has assisted more than 2,500 veterans through resource counseling, case management, peer mentorship, and community engagement. He has strengthened statewide collaboration through leadership in the Montana Veteran Service Providers Network and the Montana Behavioral Health Advisory Council Veterans Subcommittee. Mike serves on the Montana Warriors Forward to End Veteran Suicide core team and as Vice Chair of the Suicide Prevention Coalition of Yellowstone Valley. He received the Montana Governor’s Veterans Commendation in 2025, holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Management, and serves on the board of Dog Tag Buddies.
Keely Mills is a behavioral health professional with a Master’s degree in Psychology and extensive experience supporting individuals across diverse care settings. Her work is rooted in practical problem‑solving, clear communication, and a commitment to improving outcomes for clients and teams.
Driven by a desire to elevate the quality of care in her community, she founded L’Asist Behavioral Health, an agency built on accessibility, empowerment, and person‑centered support. Through her leadership, L’Asist has become a space where clients feel seen, supported, and equipped with the tools they need to thrive.
Outside of her professional role, Keely enjoys spending time outdoors—camping, hiking, and exploring new environments. She is also an avid reader and enjoys hands‑on creative projects.
Kevin Kloster is a pastor with over 30 years of experience serving individuals and communities through trauma, crisis, and spiritual injury. For the past 27 years, he has also served as a chaplain to first responders, walking alongside law enforcement officers, firefighters, EMS, and emergency personnel as they navigate the moral and emotional weight of their work.
Kevin currently serves as the Director of Moral Injury for Volunteers of America, Northern Rockies, where he oversees a regional Moral Injury program operating across Montana, Wyoming, and South Dakota. This program functions as an upstream suicide prevention strategy, equipping first responders, veterans, and frontline professionals with the tools needed to build moral resilience, address ethical and spiritual wounds, and restore a sense of purpose and integrity before crisis turns into tragedy.
A certified ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training) Trainer, Kevin brings both clinical insight and lived pastoral experience into his training and facilitation. He is the author of Mending Moral Injury and Strengthening the Soul: Developing Moral Resiliency in First Responders, works that translate cutting-edge research into practical, compassionate tools for healing.
Through his leadership, writing, and training, Kevin is committed to helping those who serve others find restoration, resilience, and hope.
Selin Kelly, LCSW is a bilingual clinician providing psychotherapy in English and Turkish, specializing in trauma-focused, developmentally informed, and culturally responsive care. She holds a Master of Science in Social Work from Columbia University, graduating from the Advanced Clinical Practice Track with a specialization in Family, Youth, and Children’s Services.
Selin completed her post-graduate fellowship at the Yale Child Study Center, training in TF-CBT, CFTSI, and pediatric ERP for OCD and related disorders. She also participated in the Yale Child Development Community Policing Program, providing consultation and care coordination following community trauma.
She serves as Clinical Faculty at Cha Lab, advancing youth suicide prevention through research and training, and is a Content Development Consultant for the Yale Grief-Sensitive Healthcare Project, creating resources to support grief-sensitive care for healthcare professionals. Selin is the creator of the Pocket of Empowerment, a pocket-sized safety planning tool to help individuals regulate emotions, access coping strategies, and reconnect with personal strengths and cultural values during crisis. She also provides direct care through her private practice, Lycia Therapy, serving rural and underserved communities with trauma-informed, culturally responsive interventions that prioritize preventing unnecessary hospitalizations and delivering evidence-based care for youth, parents, and young adults.

Dr. Breanna Rodriguez, DBH, MBA
Moral Injury Specialist
Volunteers of America, Northern Rockies
Missoula, MT
Breanna Rodriguez, DBH, MBA, is a U.S. Navy Veteran and a Moral Injury Specialist with Volunteers of America Northern Rockies under the Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program. She provides veteran-centered suicide prevention and moral injury support across Montana and the surrounding region through peer-to-peer groups, community education, and trauma-informed outreach.
Breanna works closely with Veterans impacted by military sexual trauma (MST) and is committed to creating safe, supportive spaces where survivors can access compassionate care, build connection, and strengthen long-term recovery. Her approach recognizes that moral injury can affect identity, trust, relationships, and meaning, and may contribute to depression, substance use, isolation, and increased suicide risk when left unaddressed. Through both virtual and in-person programming, Breanna helps Veterans develop practical skills for resilience, emotional regulation, and values-based healing while reducing stigma around invisible wounds.
Breanna is known for her grounded, compassionate leadership style and her ability to build trust across diverse communities. She is passionate about strengthening protective factors—hope, belonging, peer connection, and purpose—while helping Veterans and communities move from survival mode toward healing, restoration, and long-term well-being.
Lucas Swensson is the 20-year-old Founder & Director of the I Love This Life Foundation and the CEO of HOLO Brand.
Lucas founded I Love This Life at age 13 and has presented his IMAGINE BELIEVE ACHIEVE school assembly program to over 80,000 students. Swensson launched the HOLO988 apparel line with the support of several NCAA Student Athletes in an effort to raise awareness around the Suicide and Crisis Hotline.
A published author or 'Create Your Great' and 'The Mental Health Playbook', both 52-week interactive journals giving students the tools to set goals, share positive milestones and become the best versions of themselves.
Lucas has presented at several regional conferences including SAM (Superintendents Association of Montana), WICON and FCCLA.
Katie K. May is a licensed therapist, author, speaker, and group practice owner. She founded Creative Healing, a multi-location teen support center in the Philadelphia area, and wrote the #1 Amazon best-seller You’re On Fire, It’s Fine.
With lived experience as a teen who turned to self-harm, Katie is one of a select few Linehan Board Certified DBT Clinicians in Pennsylvania, the gold standard treatment for self-harm and suicidal behaviors. She equips parents and clinicians with practical, trauma-informed tools to decode behavior as survival and create lasting change.

Karl Rosston
Suicide. Prevention Coordinator
Montana DPHHS
Helena, MT
Bio pending
The Venue
Montana Conference on Suicide Prevention 2026 will take place on the 3rd floor of the University Center (UC) on the University of Montana Campus, which can be accessed from every entrance to the building.
Accessibility: There are three entrances to the University Center. Accessible entrances are on the north and west sides and feature automatic exterior and interior doors.
There is an elevator in the center of the main floor atrium.

Conference Parking
If you plan to park on campus between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday-Friday, you must purchase hourly parking, a day pass or a semester parking pass.
We strongly recommend buying a day pass for the easiest most flexible conference parking. The process is simple and just requires your vehicle license plate number.
The rate to park on campus is $8/day and passes can be purchased in advance at the UM Parking Portal (click the Permits button and then the Guest Login).
You can also buy a daily permit in person at the Campus Security office located on Campus Drive at the base of Mount Sentinel and across the street from Washington Grizzly Stadium.
Hourly pay parking via the Passport Parking app is available in the following lots near the University Center:
Lot V, Lot F, Lot A, Lot R Parking Structure: Levels 1 and 3

Click here to enlarge Parking Map
Conference Sponsors
The Montana Conference on Suicide Prevention would not be possible without the invaluable partnership of our sponsors. Their financial commitment enables us to offer high-quality content and continuing education, free of charge to attendees, strengthening our collective fight against suicide.
Partners for Prevention
Collaborators for Healing
Advocates for HOPE
Thank you to our Conference Sponsors.
Interested in Sponsoring? Click here for details.
Sponsorship Opportunity
We're looking for sponsors whose work aligns with our vitally important mission. Help us continue to bring this high-quality content to Montana at no cost to attendees.
Why be a sponsor?
- Raise Awareness: Your sponsorship helps raise awareness about the issue and increase public education on the topic.
- Show Support: Sponsorship shows support for those who have been affected by suicide and demonstrates a commitment to suicide prevention efforts.
- Networking Opportunities: Network with other organizations and individuals who are dedicated to preventing suicide.
- Promote Products or Services: Sponsorship can also provide an opportunity for sponsors to promote their products or services that are related to behavioral health and suicide prevention.
- Demonstrate Corporate Social Responsibility: Your sponsorship demonstrates your company's commitment to corporate social responsibility and its dedication to making a positive impact on society.
- Strengthen Relationships: Strengthen relationships with stakeholders and partners in the behavioral health and suicide prevention communities.
- Advance the Field: By expanding the exposure and reach of expert knowledge, together we are advancing the field with more effective strategies for preventing suicide.
- All or part of your sponsorship may be tax deductible as a charitable contribution. AFSP's Tax ID# 13-3393329
- The conference provides FREE suicide prevention strategies to as many people from across the state. Attendance is free and continuing education units are also offered at no charge for Behavioral Health professionals, Registered Nurses, and Teachers.
- Feedback from attendees is always overwhelmingly positive.


















