David Woods Bartley

Despite decades of hard work, deep commitment, and significant investment, suicide continues to devastate individuals, families, organizations, and entire communities. This is not a failure of dedication. It shows we must be willing to attack the problem from a totally different front. I am passionately committed to helping lead a shift from reactive suicide prevention to proactive Life Preservation: an upstream, human-centered approach focused on creating connection before a crisis occurs. Because connection creates hope, and hope preserves lives. As a globally recognized mental health advocate, three-time TEDx speaker, 2021 Steinberg Institute Mental Health Champion, and 2025 Speaker of the Year for Mental Health and Suicide, I draw from my deeply personal journey from mental “helln...