Danielle McGonigle

Danielle McGonigle (she/her/hers) is a graduate student at the University of San Diego pursuing a Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. She earned her Bachelors degree in Psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She aspires to use her education and training to help underprivileged and at-risk populations navigate life. Danielle worked as an early childhood education teacher at a cooperative preschool in Madison, Wisconsin for four years before she relocated to California. Since then, she has worked as a behavior therapist with special needs clients and as an employment specialist for Transition Age Youth with severe mental illness. Currently, Danielle is working as a graduate assistant at her university, focusing on mental health stigma within military populations. As the daughter of a veteran, this work is important to her. Her professional interests include trauma-informed care, post-traumatic growth, suicide prevention, and multicultural competency. Her leisure activities include tending to her GloFish, stand up paddle boarding, gardening, reading, softball, deliberate acts of self-care, and spending time with loved ones.

Throughout her educational and professional career, Danielle has spent countless hours giving back to her community. She believes that to enact change, one must be willing to do the work that they ask of others. Her efforts include but are not limited to the Special Olympics, Rachels’ Women’s Center, Transition Age Youth (TAY) Workgroup, Trauma-Informed Guide Team (TIGT), Suicide Prevention Council (SPC), and American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). Danielle’s father died by suicide in 2007. She has dedicated her time to fighting suicide and helping others help themselves out of the darkness. Danielle serves on AFSP San Diego Board of Directors and is responsible for outreach, volunteer recruitment/engagement, and is co-chair of the San Diego Out of the Darkness Walk. Simply put, Danielle is enamored with the human condition.

If you would like to discuss any aspect of AFSP San Diego Chapter and its activities, please contact Danielle at [email protected]