Board of Trustees

As a former member of the Massachusetts State Police for 25 years, particularly as an investigator for the Berkshire District Attorney’s Office, I saw first hand the devastating effects incidents of suicide have on the families and communities impacted by such tragic loss. Additionally, as a member of the Department’s Crisis Negotiation Unit, I responded to incidents throughout the Commonwealth in which people were in crisis and in imminent risk of self injury and death. At those scenes, our team would engage the suicidal person and try to guide them to the help they desperately needed.

These experiences with suicide led me to join the Berkshire Coalition for Suicide Prevention in hopes of reducing incidents of suicide in our community. I have been active with the Coalition since 2009. Though I retired from the Department in 2021, I continue to rely on my training, experiences and valued professional relationships to support the efforts of the Coalition.

I’ve learned that death by suicide can be the easiest to prevent, but it is also the hardest to detect. I have been able to present programs aimed at suicide prevention such as Talk Saves Lives and Q.P.R. (Question, Persuade, Refer). Through education, we may be able to recognize the warning signs and understand how to confidently address the subject of suicide in order to save lives.

Prior to joining Community Access to the Arts (CATA), I worked for close to eight years, I have held professional administrative roles in the mental health field, first at the Brien Center, and currently at the Austen Riggs Center. In these roles, I have interacted with people who are struggling with suicidal ideation and who are recovering from suicide attempts; in some sad and unfortunate instances these individuals died by suicide.

Separately, friends of mine have struggled with suicide. I am not a mental health professional, but I have been able to offer guidance and point friends in the right direction to get professional help. While it is not easy, talking about suicide can help.

Three years ago, shortly after I began working at the Austen Riggs Center, I joined Riggs’ American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) Out of the Darkness Community Walk team, the Stockbridge Stompers. That same year, I was asked to assume the role of team captain, a role I still currently enjoy. Attending the walks, serving as team captain, and hearing such powerful stories made it clear to me that I wanted to do more!

While stigma related to talking about suicide persists, ignoring the signs or not talking about suicide will not make it go away. The more we talk about it, the bigger difference we can make and the more lives we can save.

I lost my father, brother, son and others to suicide. My experiences with suicide left me wanting to do something to change things. Through my involvement as a community volunteer, I realize that suicide can be prevented. I am a SafeTALK instructor and serve on the AFSP Western Massachusetts Board. Suicide prevention requires awareness, education, funding and advocacy.

Ericka has been active in the Berkshires for many years as a dedicated mom and community activist, following in the footsteps of her mother, Barbara Hanger. She was a cohort in the Blackshires Leadership Accelerator Program and is currently the Associate Director at Berkshire Theatre Group. She is an accomplished make up artist with many films and theater shows to her credit. She has volunteered for previous events of the Berkshire Coalition for Suicide Prevention. As a member of the BIPOC community, Ericka recognizes a need for more quality mental health equity for all. 

Annie Pecor has been an educator in Berkshire County for over 15 years, beginning as a middle school ELA teacher and then moving into elementary school administration as the Principal of Craneville Elementary School in Dalton. Currently, she is the Director of Adult Basic Education and Workforce Development in North County. She loves dancing, reading and writing and is passionate about ending the stigma around mental health. She is honored to be part of the Berkshire County Suicide Prevention Board to support their important mission.

Over many years as a Behavioral Health professional and resident of Berkshire County, I have felt the profound impact of suicide in our community and feel the need to do more.

In the Department of Psychiatry at Berkshire Medical Center (BMC), we have partnered with Berkshire Coalition for Suicide Prevention over the past 10+ years on different initiatives—Most notably the annual Suicide Prevention Conference. These partnerships have been very productive and fulfilling, but I couldn’t help but feel that by not being a more integral part of the Coalition—That we, in the Department of Psychiatry at BMC , are missing out on a valuable opportunity to contribute to this vital work.

Cheryl Puntil is the Chief Nursing Officer at the Austen Riggs Center. She has more than 30 years of psychiatric mental health (PMH) experience and has worked in specialty areas such as geriatric, medical, and adult psychiatric nursing. Cheryl has also been a member of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association (APNA) since the mid-1980s, serving on the APNA California Chapter as treasurer, member-at-large, and president-elect. She served on a task force for the APNA Education Committee to develop registered nurse (RN) competencies for the assessment and management of individuals at risk for suicide in the in-patient setting, which resulted in publication and curriculum course development (Advocates of Hope).

Cheryl is also a lead trainer in the APNA facilitator suicide prevention training. She has presented nationally on suicide prevention, ECT, counter-transference and transference (boundaries), and depression. While working in Hawaii, she was an active member of the Prevent Suicide Hawaii Task Force and served on the University of Hawaii's Suicide Prevention Committee.

Elizabeth Heller is a mindfulness expert, best-selling children’s book author, certified yoga instructor, podcast host, journalist, public relations professional, mom, and a super-journaler!

Elizabeth is the author of the Kids Super Journal and the Teen Super Journal – mindfulness-based journals that empower kids to self-manage wellness with the evidence-based tools of breathing, moving and journaling. In addition to her yoga certification, Elizabeth has over 200 hours of training in therapeutic and trauma informed yoga. She teaches yoga, meditation and journaling to kids from toddlers to teens and adults of all abilities. She has been breathing, moving and journaling her way to wellness since she was 8 years old. Elizabeth is a graduate of the EforAll Berkshire County business accelerator program and currently volunteers as an EforAll mentor. She has volunteered as a host at Tanglewood and is an artist liaison to the Pittsfield Cultural Plan.

Additionally, Elizabeth is the author/co-author of eight books for and about children, including a contributing author to four parenting books. She holds an MS in Broadcast Journalism and a BA in English. She moved to Pittsfield, MA at the end of 2021 after 35 years in Boston. She is continually awed and inspired by the healing power of the natural environment and the community of people that are Berkshire County.

During the past 40 years as a psychologist in various settings in the mental health field, I have worked with many individuals struggling with suicidal feelings. Through my experience as a clinician in in-pa&ent psychiatric units, residential treatment programs, community clinics, public schools, a mobile crisis team, a health resort and in my own psychotherapy practice, I’ve witnessed the despair people struggle with and how eec&ve treatment can keep them safe and help them regain control of their lives.

I have been touched by the pain of those contemplating suicide and their loved ones’ fears of losing them. I’ve witnessed the profound sadness and confusion suffered by families affected by suicide. I’ve also worked with many people who moved through suicidal periods and emerged from the darkness to and hope and live meaningful lives. I’ve seen how powerful the presence of a caring person who’s willing to listen can be.

I was also exposed to the impact of depression and suicide in my personal life. As a child I lost my piano teacher to suicide, and felt deep sadness and confusion around that incomprehensible loss. Three of my grandparents suffered from depression and were hospitalized during especially difficult times in their lives. While I feel sad for the pain they went through, I’m grateful for the life-saving help they received, and the family awareness that enabled them to get the help they needed.

I work with the Brien Center overseeing the after school program that serves youth in the North Adams area. I have been trained in ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training), SOS (Signs of Suicide) and Mental Health First Aid for Youth. The more we talk about suicide, are open to listening to survivors and their families, and educate others, the more opportunities we will have in saving lives.

I have worked in the field of mental health for the past 27 years as a clinical therapist, school adjustment counselor and currently as the Interventionist for Social Emotional and Behavioral Health for Central Berkshire Regional School District. I love working with children of all ages and their families to support and empower them to see their strengths and to overcome challenges.

Mental illness affects us all in some way and I am passionate about spreading awareness and understanding of mental illness so that people can reach out and feel safe enough to talk, to ask for help and to learn how to help and support others. I am honored to be a board member of the Berkshire Coalition for Suicide Prevention and to be able to take part in the important work that they do in our community.

After losing my brother to suicide and surviving my own struggles with major clinical depression, I committed to doing everything in my power to help others navigate the often difficult and confusing world of mental health treatment, support and suicide loss. During my tenure teaching psychology, I came to understand the power and necessity of having open, honest dialogue with students and adults about mental illness, self-harm and suicide. Holding space for people to share their experiences, thoughts and challenges builds community and saves lives.

I have been trained by Lifelines, a suicide prevention program for middle and high schools, as a survivor support group facilitator and a Healing Conversations volunteer by AFSP, and as a speaker by NAMI’s Survivor Voices program.

I have worked in counseling for more than 30 years, and I have been involved with BCSP since its inception. I am the Program Supervisor, Addiction Services in the Adult Outpatient Division of The Brien Center. It’s important to me that people feel they are able to speak with me without the fear of being judged or further stigmatized, whether it involves addictions, suicide attempts, serious illnesses or mental health concerns. I strive to come from a trauma-informed approach when working with people.

I lost my uncle to suicide back in 2011 It devastated me and my family. I always thought “how could he not know we were there for him?”

My friend from NJ told me about the Out of the Darkness walks, I knew this was my time to make a difference. My first walk was at Berkshire Community College, raise a goal of $250, and I never looked back. I’ve been doing the walks and raising money since.

I originally went to school to become a teacher, I was a Special Education paraprofessional for 7 years. I saw the effects of school and home life and how important it is to talk to someone about their feelings. It was an emotional roller coaster, there was nothing else I could do but be there for them. Then COVID hit and I changed my life path, I found my true passion in animals. I am not a vet assistant at a local veterinary hospital. Since I’ve been there I’ve learned that suicide in the Vet Med field is in the top five professions in the world. I just knew I had to do more to make a difference.

This cause is so near and dear to my heart. I want to advocate for everyone who isn’t here to advocate for themselves anymore.

A founding member of the Berkshire Coalition in 2008, Pam returns to join the Board after a ten year hiatus. She understands the devastating impact suicide loss can have on families and communities and works everyday to reduce stigma, connect individuals to support and prevent death by suicide, when possible. Honest conversations, normalizing struggle and increasing help-seeking behavior reduces stigma and allows others to come forward to share their story.

She has 23 years of experience as a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker at Berkshire Medical Center and currently serves as a School Counselor at Monument Mountain Regional High School in Great Barrington, MA. Pam is training her rescue puppy, O’Malley from Turks and Caicos to be a therapy dog in the Berkshire Hills Regional School District.

I lost my wonderful, talented, mentally ill brother, David C.K. McClelland to suicide in 1976, when he was 29 and I was 19. His loss has informed every aspect of my life. Although he died long ago, I think about him and miss him all the time.

I have had a much longer and stabler life than my brother had. I’ve married, had children, had a successful professional career, and tried to improve myself with professional help and spiritual disciplines.There have also been times when I no longer wanted to be alive.

I have found the solution to my personal difficulties in trying to be of service to others. I look back and see how much love and care I have received, and would like to do that as best I can in return. I welcome the chance to serve others by being a member of the BCSP.

I am a board member of the American Jewelry Design Council.

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