Rebecca is the Communications Manager for Forefront Suicide Prevention. Before joining Forefront, Rebecca co-founded and led a public school advocacy group in Washington state. Rebecca is an immigrant who started her career in the public sector in the UK, before moving to Seattle where she spent many years in tech, including stints at start-ups and Amazon, where she led worldwide customer service communications and business policy management during a period of explosive growth.

Emma Mallonée is the Training Manager for Forefront Suicide Prevention. Prior to joining Forefront, Emma worked at the Washington Poison Center conducting a statewide community needs assessment and providing community-informed recommendations for the organization’s public health strategy. She has also applied her public health skills in a wide range of settings, ranging from HIV test counseling in San Francisco to prenatal care and contraceptive education in Cochabamba, Bolivia. She is an advocate for community engagement in public health interventions and is passionate about transforming research into sustainable practice. Emma holds an MPH in Community-Oriented Public Health Practice from the University of Washington and a BA in International Studies from American University.

Jennifer Daniels has a background in operations, training and project/program management in industries ranging from higher ed to healthcare. She has an Organizational Communications degree from Miami University. As a parent to a brood of pre-teens and teenagers, she felt compelled to play a part in supporting youth mental health at a systems level, and is grateful to be part of that work at Forefront. Jennifer can also be found teaching dance fitness classes, hiking, camping and cheering on her kids in their numerous sports and performing arts pursuits! 

Michelle Flores joined Forefront Suicide Prevention as a School Mental Health Specialist in Spring 2023. She received her BA in Anthropology from California State University, Long Beach and her MA in Marriage, Couple and Family Therapy from Lewis and Clark College. She has worked professionally in independent schools, and her background involves work as a program director in student and residential life. Her work is further informed by her Project Management Professional (PMP) certification. 

Born and raised in Kennewick, WA, Nick received his Masters in Social Work from Eastern Washington University.  He comes to Forefront Suicide Prevention after living in Washington,DC since 2009 where he worked on a successful Presidential campaign and for the National Association of Social Workers.  He has extensive visual communications experience serving clients in the nonprofit, corporate, and academic sectors with his photography and video editing company.

Ambyr Leigh is the Training & Technical Assistance Specialist for Forefront Suicide Prevention. Prior to joining Forefront, she worked to develop and design interactive eLearning training courses to reduce barriers in various health topics including contraceptive counseling and comprehensive sexual education. As a Peace Corps Volunteer, Ambyr worked in rural Paraguay for 2.5 years as a community health educator. She worked with local community members to develop and implement several public health projects ranging from sexual education and leadership courses, to dental health and nutrition in the elementary schools. She also coordinated national youth camps focusing on peer education and healthy decision-making. Ambyr is committed to working toward health equity by fostering meaningful community connections to help stimulate change through capacity building. She received her Masters of Public Health in Community-Oriented Public Health Practice from the University of Washington and a BS in Biology from the University of Wisconsin – Madison.

Sam Pacampara is a School Mental Health Specialist with six years of school counseling experience in comprehensive high schools in Oregon and Washington. She holds her Masters of Education in School Counseling from Seattle University. Passionate about supporting schools in creating equitable and sustainable systems, she is an advocate for comprehensive mental health supports schoolwide so that all students can be their happiest, healthiest selves. She is honored to partner with school teams in meeting their unique and complex needs, whatever those may be on any given day. 

Connor Paulich is the Operations Specialist at Forefront. Prior to working at Forefront and for the UW School of Social work he worked for both the UW School of Medicine and the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance. He is a graduate of the University of Washington and is a Seattle native.

Megan Reibel is Forefront’s Director of School-Based Programs, directing a wide range of programing focused on comprehensive suicide prevention across the K-12 sector. She has over 15 years of experience working with young people and their families as a school counselor, coach, classroom teacher, and parent educator. Megan is passionate about increasing the capacity of individuals, schools, and families to effectively manage mental health challenges. Megan holds her Masters of Education in School Counseling and is certified as a Professional Educational Staff Associate in School Counseling. 

Rafaela is a School Mental Health Specialist with Forefront in Schools supporting programing focused on comprehensive suicide prevention across the K-12 sector. She has two decades of experience working in various roles within educational settings engaging with youth, staff, families and community partners. Rafaela is passionate about building and sustaining school systems that honor and support the social, emotional, mental health and well-being of its members. Rafaela is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, holds a Masters of Public Administration in Social Welfare Policy, a certificate in Educational Administration and is certified as a Professional Educational Staff Associate in Social Work.

Jeffrey Chen-Ning Sung, M.D., is a board certified psychiatrist at the Pioneer Square Clinic and Harborview and a UW Instructor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences.

Dr. Sung offers psychiatry consultation services and care to people facing homelessness, medical illness, substance use and psychiatric conditions.

Dr. Sung earned his M.D. at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. His clinical interests focus on psychotherapy. He has taught psychodynamic theory, suicide risk assessment and managing response to patient suicide.

Zoe Tapp is the Program and Evaluation Coordinator at Forefront. Zoe graduated from the University of Washington, School of Public Health, Community-Oriented Public Health Practice program with a Masters degree in June 2021. Most of her work in graduate school centered on service with a strong focus on social justice. Zoe conducted her capstone project with SHARE/WHEEL, a local homelessness organization in Seattle, helping them identify and map vacant property that could be used to provide shelter services. Prior to graduate school, she worked at Sea Mar Community Health Centers in the Behavioral Health Department. Zoe received her undergraduate degree from Western Washington University, where she designed her major in immigration, sociology and law. Zoe grew up in Seattle and loves living in the Pacific Northwest. 

Payton Bordley is an MPA student in the UW Evans School of Public Policy & Governance and a member of the Skokomish Tribe. Prior to joining Forefront as a Graduate Research Assistant, she worked as the Suicide Prevention Program Manager at the Skokomish Tribe, Racial Equity Liaison at the City of Seattle Office of Arts & Culture, and Assistant Language Teacher for the Japan Exchange and Teaching Program. She also serves on the Washington State Behavioral Health Advisory Council.

Katrina Handler is an avid and lifelong hiker & mountaineer, wildlife photographer & conservationist, amateur adventurer, artist, and professional trail guide & dog musher for the Trail Breaker Kennel just outside of Fairbanks, Alaska.  She holds a bachelor of fine arts degree from Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle and worked overseas in community development and wildlife conservation for African Impact in 2013 before accepting a position at Bellevue Gun Club as a certified Range Safety Officer.  While originally from Duvall, Washington, Katrina’s passion for the outdoors and adventurer’s spirit took her to Fairbanks, Alaska in 2017.  She joins the Forefront team as a research assistant in charge of re-contacting participants in the Safer Homes, Suicide Aware program.

Morgan Meadows is a Research Assistant specializing in data entry and management for the Safer Homes, Suicide Aware program. She is a student in the School of Public Health pursuing her MS in Epidemiology. Prior to working at Forefront and attending UW, she worked as a Food Scientist in eastern Washington. She is a graduate of University of Tennessee.

Sam Powers is the Director of Student Veteran Life at the University of Washington. She provides oversight and management of hiring, development of new programs, and centralization of existing services and resources available to UW student veterans. She provides outreach and collaborates with internal and external constituents. She is also a Program Coordinator for Safer Homes, Suicide Aware campaign.

Sam is a combat veteran of the U.S. Air Force Special Operations where she served as an Aircraft Maintenance officer on the C-130 Gunship Spectres. Sam served in Kuwait, Afghanistan, and Iraq during Operation Enduring Freedom. She began her post-military career in the field of higher education working in Facilities/Physical Plant Operations as an administrative manager. She has additional experience in Continuing Education and Customized Training. Most recently, she was the Director of the Washington State Veterans Training Support Center where she provided and delivered trainings on veteran-related topics in higher education, veteran best practices, and invisible wounds such as post-traumatic stress disorder to Washington State agencies. She volunteers for a number of veterans organizations in Washington State as a member and officer and is an adjunct professor at various higher education institutions across the state and nation.

Sam holds a B.A. in Military History from Virginia Tech, an M.A. in International Relations from University of Oklahoma and a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership from Old Dominion University.

Chris’ research centers on the study and prevention of suicide among under-served and under-studied populations, and the association between experiences of trauma and suicidality. He is currently a senior fellow in injury prevention at the Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center, and is involved in several projects focused on cultivating novel approaches to suicide screening, treatment, and prevention in high-risk prehospital, emergency department, and medical inpatient populations. Prior to completing his graduate training in Clinical Psychology at Idaho State University, Chris was employed as a full-time police officer, and was also certified as a firefighter/EMT. His experiences as a first responder continue to inform his research and clinical activities, and motivate his interest in addressing the intersection of violence victimization, psychopathology, and access to resources as predictors of suicidal behavior.