The mission of the FHVC P.A.C.T. (Prevention, Awareness, Compassion, Training) Ambassador Program is to provide opportunities for trained individuals to connect with the community in promoting health, wellness, and suicide awareness. PACT Ambassadors receive training and mentorship in providing prevention and outreach services aimed at decreasing myths about seeking help, empowering and motivating others to make healthy life changes, and providing information to the community about resources in the area. 

The PACT Ambassadors will be assisting the FHVC Suicide Awareness Task Force in our mission or preventing suicide and raising awareness. Ambassadors would give suicide prevention training/presentations to local businesses and community organizations. 

The overall goal of the program is to reduce the numbers of death by suicide. 

Contact Julie Gibbs, RCHD Director, with questions: jgibbs@rileycountyks.gov

Samantha Brown

I have been a special education teacher for about 20 years. I have a lot of experience working with students who have emotional and behavioral disorders. I have seen the toll that mental health issues have taken on kids and their families. I am currently a Mental Health Liaison for USD383.

I joined this group to help spread the awareness of what resources are out there for people struggling with mental health. I wanted to learn more for myself as well. I want to be able to help the families I work with.

Katy Jordan-Busby

I am currently in working on my master’s in social work degree through Fort Hays State University and interning as a therapist at Endeavor Therapeutics. I plan to work there as a full-time therapist after I graduate this May because I love being able to help people with whatever struggles they may be going through in life.

I got involved with Pact because I am extremely passionate about mental health and suicide prevention/awareness. I have struggled with my mental health for most of my life and no one should ever feel alone or afraid to ask for help. It is so incredibly important to spread suicide awareness and educate people on how to help others in a crisis situation. The more we talk about suicide awareness then that can help reduce the stigma and taboo on talking about it. Mental health matters and so does everyone’s life.

Jan Cooper

I have worked with people of all ages throughout my career – a short time as a public school teacher and coach, as well as most of my career in customer service and human resources in utilities and manufacturing settings. I am currently in the final stages of obtaining my PMA certification through the ELCA.

Why get involved: I got involved with PACT because of my passion for working with people and especially bringing to light mental health awareness, which I have seen the need throughout the years of working with people. I am looking forward to continuing spreading the much needed word on mental health awareness and specifically suicide awareness.

Cara Horton
 
Cara is a sophomore at Wamego High School.
 
About 2 and half years ago, my mom wanted my sister and I to go to this training with other teens on how to know the signs and a general training on suicide prevention. At the time, I was about to go into my eighth grade year, and after the training, I immediately asked my mom if I could go to the next task force meeting. I’m now a sophomore in high school and actively working with my school to get a suicide prevention program started there while also trying to make a teen task force. I got involved originally because this was important to my mom, as she had lost a brother to suicide when she was sixteen, but I learned along the way how important this was for teens, especially teens who were like me.

Amelia Posligua

Amelia Posligua has served as the Breastfeeding Peer Counselor and Medical Interpreter for the Riley County WIC program and Health Department in Manhattan, Kansas since April 2022. She is passionate about mental health and decided to work as a BPC to help moms navigate through their postpartum stage while breastfeeding. She is also a resource for Spanish speakers that might need other services outside of the Health Department. Amelia moved to the United States in 2017 from Ecuador and has also lived in Spain. As a military spouse, she understands the challenges of navigating in a new community and advocates for families who need support. 

Nicole Shema
 
I have worked with a variety of people who struggle with different things in life for the last 8 years. I am a Crisis Case Manager/ Team Lead at the Crisis Stabilization for Pawnee Mental Health, and I have worked here for the last 4 years.
 
I got involved because I have a passion to help people. I love making people feel happy and reminding them that no matter if we know each other I care about them and care if they live. I joined PACT to be able to spread Suicide Awareness in different settings because no matter what you do in life or where you are, someone you encounter is going to struggle with this and everyone should have the proper tools in their toolbox to help.

Brad Starnes

I’ve served for the past 42 years as a private, public and parochial school teacher/coach/principal and superintendent at PK-college/university levels.  I also served as an athletic instructor at a maximum security prison.  Presently, I am the education coordinator for Associated General Contractors of Kansas/Build Up Kansas, that builds up vocational career and technical programs in schools.

We lost a son in 2003 to suicide, I want to be more than a man of words-I want to be a man of action-PACT provides me the opportunity to help prevent and make people aware of suicide.

Carolyn Tolliver-Lee

My passion has always been to work with families to provide prevention education. My Family Life Education and Consultation MS from KSU well prepared me to launch my career in human service. I have been fortunate to work with area families in both the civilian and Military communities. For over 25 years I facilitated parenting and relationship workshops for these neighborhoods. My 10-year participation with the U S Army Suicide Prevention Program (ASIST)  as a bronze level facilitator led me to my involvement in the P.A.C.T. program. Volunteering with the Flint Hills Volunteer Center has given me the opportunity to serve local residents in different capacities.

Amanda Yenzer, LMSW

Hello!  I’m Amanda Yenzer, Crisis Manager at Pawnee Mental Health Services. In my role, I serve as a crisis therapist for individuals of all ages and an outpatient therapist for youth while also providing leadership within the Crisis Department. I have a Master’s degree in Human Services, specializing in Social and Community Services, and am a licensed Master’s level Social Worker through the Kansas Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board.

I initially became involved with the Suicide Prevention program through the Flint Hills Volunteer Center in 2018. Through my current role as a Crisis Therapist, I see a huge need for sharing awareness and prevention education about suicide.