BOARD OF DIRECTORS
For questions, contact leadership@suicidology.org.
Leeann Sherman, MPS, CAE
Board President
Leeann Sherman, MPS, CAE, serves as the President & Chief Executive Officer of the American Association of Suicidology (AAS). With over 25 years of experience in professional associations and mission-driven organizations, Leeann exemplifies strategic leadership and operational excellence. Under her guidance, AAS, a national leader in suicide prevention, delivers impactful training, education, research, and awareness programs aimed at understanding and preventing suicide.
As a visionary leader, Leeann has spearheaded the formation of several industry coalitions, driving mission-centric advocacy and fostering collaboration among key stakeholders. Her leadership extends across various levels of government, including federal, state, and local agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control, PA Department of Health, and the US Department of Transportation. Leeann’s adeptness at navigating complex regulatory landscapes and influencing public policy has significantly advanced AAS’s mission and broadened its impact.
Leeann holds a Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Management & Nutrition and a Master’s degree in Community & Economic Development from Pennsylvania State University. An active alumna, she contributes to initiatives that support the next generation of leaders. Her distinguished career has been recognized with the prestigious Scott Jackson Award for leadership from PASAE, marking her as a leading figure among association executives in Pennsylvania. Additionally, she holds the Certified Association Executive (CAE) credential, a testament to her comprehensive expertise and commitment to excellence in association management, a certification held by fewer than 4,500 professionals globally.
In her role as CEO, Leeann focuses on strategic growth, organizational sustainability, and enhancing AAS’s influence and reach. Her leadership is characterized by a forward-thinking approach, fostering innovation, and building resilient teams to navigate the evolving challenges in the realm of suicide prevention.
Tony Coder
Immediate Past Chair
Tony is the Executive Director of the Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation (OSPF). As ED, Tony leads the charge to support community-based efforts in Ohio to reduce the stigma of suicide, promote education and awareness about suicide prevention, provide training and development, and increase resources and programs that reduce the risk of lives lost to suicide. Prior to joining OSPF, Tony served as the Director of Programs and Services for the Ohio Association of County Behavioral Health Authorities, where he managed Recovery-Oriented Systems of Care, the Statewide Advocacy Network, and the Committee to Address Suicide for the organization. He has also served as the Director of State and Local Affairs for Smart Approaches to Marijuana and as legislative director for the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. Tony holds a bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Toledo.
Hudson Harris, JD, MBA, MA
Board Chair
Hudson Harris is dedicated to solving complex social challenges, particularly in mental health and community support. As a strategic systems builder, he innovates solutions that adhere to human-centered design principles, ensuring systems are tailored to community needs and widely accessible. Harris specializes in innovation and cross-sector collaboration with governments, schools, healthcare, and social service agencies to build better systems of care that integrate behavioral health and technology.
Since joining Deloitte in 2022, Harris has made a significant impact. His extensive experience in advising, designing, and innovating large-scale continuums of care, population health initiatives, and social service integrations has been instrumental in his role. At Deloitte, he leads efforts in redesigning behavioral health systems at both state and local levels, formulating sustainable strategies for homelessness, and pioneering new treatment and funding methods for behavioral health to increase accessibility and availability.
Before joining Deloitte, Harris served as a population health strategist in behavioral health services for San Diego County, where he was instrumental in leveraging human-centered design to enhance population health management. A licensed attorney in California, he holds an MBA in marketing and an MA in international business. Currently serving as the chair of the American Association of Suicidology (AAS) board, Harris is furthering his impact on mental health with a focus on inclusivity and accessibility while also playing a crucial role on the board of directors for Six Feet Over.
Charles Williams, MD
Board Vice Chair
Charles Williams, MD is the Chief Medical Officer at Lockheed Martin Corporation.
Dr. Williams received a Bachelor of Science in Medicine from Baylor University in Waco Texas, a Doctor of Medicine degree from The University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston and completed his residency training in Emergency Medicine at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center in Oklahoma City. Prior to entering corporate medicine, Dr. Williams amassed over 17 years of service in emergency medicine, crisis management, special operations medicine, consultancy in Public Health and terrorism threat mitigation. Dr. Williams spent over 20 years as a certified peace officer in Texas with a focus and subject matter expertise in special operations medicine and medical support in austere environments.
Dr. Williams serves as a Steering Committee Member on the National Safety Council’s Corporate Health Director’s Network and is a participating member of the International Corporate Health Leadership Council.
In his role as Chief Medical Officer for Lockheed Martin, Dr. Williams provides global oversight, governance and supervision related to corporate employee health services, on-site health care centers, occupational health services, work accommodation and all other business area and affiliate medical support services. Dr. Williams is the physician lead for the Corporate Crisis Management Team.
Brian Bender, CPA, MBA, CAE
Board Treasurer
Brian Bender, MBA, CPA, CAE, is a Partner and Team Leader, Trade Associations and Membership Organizations, at Withum, the 22nd largest public accounting firm in the country. He has dedicated his career to serving membership organizations, foundations, charities, and other nonprofit entities in public accounting and formerly served as a financial executive at several large trade associations and an international membership organization in Washington, DC.
A frequent writer and presenter at not-for-profit and leadership conferences and seminars, he has extensive knowledge of financial budgeting and reporting, internal controls best practices, policy and procedure development, tax, and political activity compliance. He has served on the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants’ (AICPA) Nonprofit Entities Expert Panel and has been an instructor in the AICPA Nonprofit Certificate Program.
Brian was a founding board member and treasurer of Hero Dogs, Inc., a Maryland 501(c)(3) non-profit that improves the quality of life of our nation’s heroes and enhances the services of community organizations by placing assistance dogs with customized training and lifetime support. He lives in northern Virginia with his wife and three daughters and also serves on the Board of the Pennsylvania Society of Association Executives and the Audit Committee of the Pittsburgh Foundation.
Gloria Workman. PhD, ABPP
Board Secretary
Dr. Gloria Workman is a board-certified clinical psychologist with a background in prevention, resilience, and health promotion. She is currently in an executive role within a federal agency and leads their Employee Resilience Unit. Dr. Workman’s career has been split between work as a clinical and research psychologist and in administration in government agencies and in the private sector. Her work history includes duties as a clinical psychologist, as a trauma expert, as a clinic director, as a university professor, as a writer, teaching, researcher, program evaluator and as an administrator over programs supporting members of the Armed Forces, DHS Headquarters, Veterans, and diverse patient populations in hospital settings.
Dr. Workman holds an undergraduate degree from Loyola University and a doctoral degree from DePaul University of Chicago. She serves as a member of the American Board of Professional Psychology participating as an expert panelist on board examinations. She is a member of the American Psychological Association and contributes to the community by providing educational presentations on resilience and mental well-being.
Bart Andrews, PhD
(Advisory Council)
As Chief Clinical Officer at Behavioral Health Response, Dr. Bart Andrews leads the training, leadership, and evaluation of clinical care services throughout the organization including phone, internet, and face-to-face crisis intervention. With over 25 years of experience leading BHR, he has driven continuous improvement of clinical outcomes, services, and data collection while ensuring the productivity and quality of our business centers.
Dr. Andrews’ goal is to prevent suicide and improve care for those fighting illnesses like depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and substance use disorders. With an emphasis on evidence-supported practice in intervention and supervision, he believes we can change the culture and language around mental health resources to be more positive, strong, and empowering.
Two additional vacant seats will be filled to begin December 2024.
AAS is an Equitable Organization
AAS believes in equity for our members and in our services. From the leadership team, the Board of Directors, to our staff and committees, equity is a priority from the top down. Read full statement.