Paul Johansen, MA, grew up in Amherst and earned a BA in Biology at Yale College. As a UMass Medical student he interviewed psychiatric patients at Worcester State Hospital. He worked in the Psychiatric Epidemiology Unit at the Massachusetts General Hospital, focusing on the Stirling County Study. After earning an MA in Biostatistics from the Boston University School of Public Health he spent a decade in the pharmaceutical industry researching vaccines, novel treatments for HIV and rare genetic diseases. He has lived in the Berkshires for nearly two decades, primarily teaching math at Berkshire Community College (BCC).  His non-profit, Elis for Rachael, won a landmark settlement with Yale in August, 2023 to modernize their student mental health policies. This January he began studying nursing at BCC.

Emma Lenski, LMHC (she/they), is the Director of Education and Outreach at Berkshire Pride and a clinician with Collaborative Endeavors. A Licensed Mental Health Counselor with a Master's degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Emma has spent more than a decade advocating for LGBTQIA+ individuals and working to make the Berkshires a more inclusive and affirming community. Emma began volunteering with Berkshire Pride in 2017 and played a key role in the organization's transition to nonprofit status. In their current role, Emma facilitates Safe Space Certification trainings for businesses, schools, and community organizations, helping to expand understanding and create more inclusive environments across the region. They have presented locally and statewide on LGBTQIA+ rights, inclusion, and mental health, and are passionate about fostering belonging, resilience, and hope among young people and their communities.

Lance Swenson, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Psychology at Suffolk University, where he specializes in suicidality, non-suicidal self-injury, socioemotional development, and developmental psychopathology. He earned his PhD and MA in Psychology from the University of Missouri and completed both his clinical psychology internship and postdoctoral fellowship at Brown University, including advanced training at the Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies. Dr. Swenson's research focuses on suicide risk, self-injury, adolescent mental health, and the social and developmental factors that influence emotional well-being. His scholarly work has examined topics including suicidal ideation, non-suicidal self-injury, youth relationships, social connectedness, and the mental health experiences of marginalized populations. A dedicated educator, researcher, and clinician, Dr. Swenson brings more than two decades of experience advancing the understanding of youth mental health and suicide prevention. His work bridges research and practice, helping professionals better understand the developmental, interpersonal, and psychological factors that contribute to suicide risk and resilience among young people.

Brenda Butler, MD, is Board Certified in General and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.  She is The Medical Director of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry for Berkshire Medical Center and The Brien Center and Training Director for Berkshire Medical Center’s Psychiatry Residency. In 2015 Dr. Butler was the recipient of a Massachusetts Department of Public Health and SAMHSA grant dedicated to the prevention of suicide in youth. The grant lasted until 2021 and resulted in the implementation of system wide best practices in suicide prevention at Berkshire Medical Center.  At the conclusion of the grant, recognizing the continued need to support youth in our community, Dr. Butler advocated with the health care system to start an Intensive Outpatient Program for youth. Dr. Butler moved to Massachusetts seventeen years ago from Philadelphia.  She completed her medical school training, general psychiatry residency, and child and adolescent fellowship at Medical College of Pennsylvania. She also completed training in Psychodynamic Psychotherapy at the Philadelphia Psychoanalytic Center. Dr. Butler is deeply committed to improving the lives of children in The Berkshires and beyond.  

Brian Berkel has been volunteering with the Berkshire Coalition for Suicide Prevention since its inception and served as the President of its Board of Directors from 2023-2025. In 2021, he retired from the Massachusetts State Police as a Detective Lieutenant. During his 25 year career, Brian investigated deaths by suicide throughout Berkshire County during his assignment with the Berkshire District Attorney's Office. He also served on the Department's state-wide response Crisis Negotiation Unit. He has taught and presented on the warning signs of suicide risk and the responses to such risk and preventative measures. Brian helped form and now coordinates the Berkshire County LOSS (Local Outreach for Suicide Survivors) Team, which is based on the national model, for which he was awarded the MCSP 2024 Leadership in Suicide Prevention Award on behalf of BCSP. Among other volunteer and board positions, he serves on the Board for The Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires. Brian has worked for the Berkshire County Kid's Place since 2023, formerly as the CSEC (Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children) Coordinator, and currently as a Forensic Child Interviewer and the Community Outreach & Education Coordinator bringing Internet safety presentations to Berkshire county youth and parents