Sherman Brings Decades of Experience in Non-profit Leadership and Advocacy to Role
WASHINGTON, DC, December 13, 2022 — Leeann Sherman, MPS, CAE, has been named President and Chief Executive Officer of the American Association of Suicidology (AAS) as of December 5. Sherman brings extensive non-profit experience with over 20 years in professional associations and community-driven, mission-based organizations to her tenure with AAS, a national organization that provides training, education, research and awareness programs to promote the understanding and prevention of suicide.
Best known as a world-leader in the development, implementation, and facilitation of accreditation, certification, and training programs, AAS programs are evidenced-based and use best practices to uphold standards of care for those impacted by suicide. The non-profit provides accreditation, certification, and training opportunities for crisis centers, organizations, and individuals.
“I am thrilled to be assuming this role in AAS,” Sherman says. “I have seen the true drive of the leadership, the board, our staff team and volunteers to make a real difference in the lives of individuals across the world, and I am looking forward to supporting and enhancing that goal by developing relationships.”
“Leeann brings a high level of non-profit leadership professionalism and a fresh focus on advocacy to our already solid organization,” says AAS Board Chairman Tony Coder. “We are excited to bring her strong, decisive leadership and expertise to AAS.”
Sherman has been a founding member of various industry coalitions to drive mission and advocacy forward, working with stakeholders and volunteers throughout her diverse career. She has worked with federal, state, and local government agencies including Centers for Disease Control, PA Department of Health, PA Department of Human Services, PA Department of Transportation, PA Department of Environmental Protection, Federal Highway Administration, US Department of Transportation, Pennsylvania’s Governor’s Office and federal legislators while also working closely on advocacy with the Pennsylvania Legislature.
The mother of both a 17-year-old and a 24-year-old, Sherman has seen and experienced the challenges our children and young adults face today as well as the ways in which technology has impacted societal problem-solving skills. After a personal tragedy caused Sherman to re-evaluate her priorities, she searched for a way to have genuine impact, and she found AAS. “When I saw this, it spoke to me. This is something I can give myself to and it can, in turn, give to other people. For me it represented the perfect opportunity to use my leadership skills, to partner with our media outlets, and to speak to Congressional leaders about putting information out there in various new ways that will make a difference.”
Sherman has served on various professional association and community organization boards and continues to be engaged to serve others. She provides mentoring and alumni networking to students at her alma mater at the Pennsylvania State University from where she has a baccalaureate degree in Hospitality Management and Nutrition and a master’s degree in Community & Economic Development. She also holds a CAE certification (CAE) credential, which is the highest credential of a committed association professional who has demonstrated the wide range of knowledge essential to manage an association in today’s challenging environment.
We’ll see you in Portland! AAS ’23, The American Association of Suicidology’s annual conference, will be April 19-22 at the Portland Marriott Downtown Waterfront. This is the largest annual gathering of the Suicidology community, including researchers, clinicians, crisis service professionals, public health and government officials and survivors.
About American Association of Suicidology
The American Association of Suicidology is the world’s largest membership-based suicide prevention organization. Founded in 1968 by Edwin S. Shneidman, PhD, AAS promotes the research of suicide and its prevention, public awareness programs, public education and training for professionals and volunteers. The membership of AAS includes mental health and public health professionals, researchers, suicide prevention and crisis intervention centers, school districts, crisis center professionals, survivors of suicide loss, attempt survivors, and a variety of laypersons who have in interest in suicide prevention. You can learn more about AAS at www.suicidology.org.
In 2020, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) listed suicide as among the top nine leading causes of death for individuals between the ages of 10 and 64. Experts agree that it’s a significant public health problem. Although anyone can be affected by suicide, some groups experience it at a much higher rate than the general population.
As with any public health concern, understanding the demographics of suicide and the broader social, economic, and cultural factors that can affect it is crucial to developing effective suicide prevention strategies. Here, we’ll review some important suicide statistics, including the groups affected by suicide at disproportionately high rates and why that’s believed to be the case.
Suicide and Gender
Men—particularly middle-aged men—experience suicide at a significantly higher rate than women. In 2020, the incidence of suicide among men was over three times higher than the rate among women. The reasons for this are complex, but harmful gender norms play a role, as do access to lethal means. In particular, firearms, which are more accessible in the United States than in many other countries, are used in three out of every five suicides.
As one 2019 BBC article pointed out, prevailing gender norms put pressure on men to appear strong, self-sufficient, and in control. Expressions of emotion or vulnerability are often discouraged or stigmatized as being weak. This emotional repression can cause serious mental health concerns for men and may make them more likely to engage in substance use, which has been associated with an increased risk of suicide.
Marginalized genders and queer individuals are also at a greater risk of suicide. This is reflected in the high rates within the LGBTQ community, who are four times more likely to attempt suicide than their non-LGBTQ peers. Suicide rates among trans people, in particular, are of great concern: according to a 2022 study, “82% of transgender individuals have considered killing themselves, and 40% have attempted suicide.”
Among LGBTQ populations, higher suicide rates are generally attributed to discrimination, harassment, family rejection, and compounding social-emotional factors impacting LGBTQ individuals.
Suicide and Age
Although older adults comprise only a small number of overall deaths by suicide, the rate of suicide among adults over age 75 is higher than any other age group (19.1 per 100,000). As a whole, elderly individuals are highly susceptible to social isolation and depression due to mobility and health issues.
Suicide and Race and Ethnicity
American Indians and Alaska Native (AI/AN) populations experience the highest rate of suicide, followed by white people. The incidence of suicide among AI/AN individuals is 23.9 per 100,000, making it the 9th leading cause of death for those populations. In addition, suicide rates among Black and Asian or Pacific Islander individuals have shown a dramatic increase in recent years. A 2021 study reported that for Black individuals, the suicide rate increased by 30% between 2014 and 2019; for Asian or Pacific Islanders, the suicide rate climbed by 16%.
As is the case with members of the LGBTQ community, suicide among racial minority populations is rooted in social and historical discrimination. For example, colonialism and racism continue to have a major impact on Indigenous individuals and communities alike. Intergenerational trauma, poverty, unemployment, alcohol abuse, and sexual violence tend to be present at higher than average rates in AI/AN communities, all of which are believed by experts to contribute to suicidal behavior.
Suicide and Veterans
Many veterans face a unique set of factors that may put them at greater risk for suicide. Data from 2020 placed the suicide rate for veterans at 57.3% higher than the rate for non-veterans in the US. Although suicide rates among veterans declined slightly between 2018-2020, prior to that, rates climbed steadily from 2000-2018.
Many veterans experience Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), which has been positively correlated with suicide, as a result of their military service. On top of that, the process of transitioning out of the military and back into civilian life is often stressful and isolating for veterans. These and other circumstances (such as disability, difficulty finding employment, and/or financial struggles) may contribute to mental health disorders such as depression and/or anxiety and substance abuse. Altogether, many veterans find themselves at the center of a network of severe risk factors for suicide.
Understanding the demographics of suicide is an integral part of suicide research.The American Association of Suicidology (AAS) is dedicated to promoting the understanding and prevention of suicide, as well as providing support, hope, and healing to those who have been affected by it. AAS promotes the study of suicide as a research discipline, public awareness programs, public education, and training for professionals and volunteers. AAS membership includes mental health and public health professionals, researchers, suicide prevention and crisis intervention centers, school districts, crisis center volunteers, survivors of suicide loss, attempt survivors, and a variety of lay persons who are interested in suicide prevention.
By joining the AAS, the largest and oldest suicide prevention membership organization in the U.S., you will be among the ranks of the world’s leading suicidologists and suicide prevention experts. Ready to join? Individual and Organizational Memberships are available!
