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. 

Please reach out to press@suicidology.org for additional information. 

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.

Responsible reporting on suicide, including stories of hope and resilience, can prevent more suicides. Please visit the Media as Partners in Suicide Prevention: Suicide Reporting Recommendations for more details. For additional information, please visit SuicideReportingToolkit.com and Stanford University’s Media and Mental Health Initiative. For crisis services anywhere in the world, please visit FindAHelpline.org.