Meet the Utah Board
May 27, 2021 – 6 min read
Name: Amanda McIntosh
Preferred Pronouns: She/Her
City: Price (but I cover Carbon, Emery, and Grand Counties)
What year did you start on the Board? 2021
What is your heart connection to the cause? Lived Experience and a loss survivor.
Why do you volunteer? I volunteer in hopes of protecting other families from the pain of losing a loved one to suicide. I want my daughter to grow up in a world where stigma for mental health is eradicated, a world where everyone has access to quality mental health care, and ultimately, a world where suicide doesn’t exist.
What AFSP leadership roles do you have? I currently sit on the Education and Loss and Healing Committees!
What is your favorite AFSP memory? Long before joining the Board, I admired the passion and dedication of AFSP members and volunteers. I can’t wait to make long-lasting friendships and connections with my new AFSP family.
What's something about you we may not know? I was born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada and am a transplant to Utah. I have been a resident of rural Price, Utah for over 12 years. I lost my husband to suicide in July of 2014. I have an 8 year old daughter who is always and forever at the center of everything.
Name: Brandon Callor
Preferred Pronouns: He/Him
City: Cottonwood Heights
What year did you start on the Board? 2019
What is your heart connection to the cause? Lived experience and loss survivor
Why do you volunteer? I have hope in a prevention strategy that will eliminate suicide. I need the connection that being part of AFSP provides.
What AFSP leadership roles do you have? I am co-chair of public policy committee and Project 2025 champion.
What is your favorite AFSP memory? Attending Advocacy Forum in Washington D.C. in my first year of being on the board will forever be one of my fondest memories. I made so many excellent connections from across the country. It made me feel safe knowing that I was in the presence of so many people who felt the same way as me.
What's something about you we may not know? Although I am a forensic scientist by trade, I am an artist at heart. I play the saxophone and the piano. I am also an actor and enjoy getting into my roles even if it means growing an epic beard and mane.
Name: Brady Standley
Preferred Pronouns: he / him
City: Riverdale
What year did you start on the Board? 2017
What is your heart connection to the cause? Lost my oldest son David to suicide
Why do you volunteer? To connect with others who have lost someone
What AFSP leadership roles do you have? Treasurer
What is your favorite AFSP memory? AFSP Leadership Conference, Walks - getting to know so many wonderful people
What's something about you we may not know? I enjoy keeping my mind sharp, at least trying to with jigsaw puzzles, diamond painting, adult coloring, crosswords, reading, etc.
Name: Josie Jesse
Preferred Pronouns: She/Her
City: South Jordan
What year did you start on the Board? 2019
What is your heart connection to the cause? Lived Experience and a loss survivor.
Why do you volunteer? I want to be an active voice in helping stop suicide and ending the stigma around mental health. I would love to live in a world where suicide is erased and mental health is as commonly cared for as our physical health for care.
What AFSP leadership roles do you have? Co-Chair of the board. I am the Utah Coordinator for the Healing Conversations Program through which we bring comfort to those who have experienced a loss. Education Committee member, Loss & Healing Committee member, Public Policy Committee member. Social Media Coordinator.
What is your favorite AFSP memory? The night I met our area director Taryn. We were both speaking on a panel at Sundance Film Festival.
What's something about you we may not know? I am a proud Air Force veteran, as well a proud and outspoken transgender woman. I am originally from Montana and still claim that as home.
Name: Mary Lou Arveseth
Preferred Pronouns: She/Her
City: Salt Lake City
What year did you start on the Board? 2009. Became an official Board in 2010.
What is your heart connection to the cause? My amazing son, Jed, died by suicide in 2009.
Why do you volunteer? To help educate, to reduce stigma and do all I can to prevent another family from hurting like ours does.
What AFSP leadership roles do you have? Currently, the Nominations Committee chair.
What is your favorite AFSP memory? Soooo many! I loved watching our WALK develop from a few participants to over 8,000.
What's something about you we may not know? In 2016, I won the Invest in Others, Volunteer of the Year award and was awarded $20,000 for our Chapter. We used the money to start our billboard program and reach into many rural counties we had not been able to touch prior.
Name: Mindy Deeter
Preferred Pronouns: She/Her
City:Brigham City
What year did you start on the Board? 2020
What is your heart connection to the cause? Lived Experience
Why do you volunteer? I want to help bring hope and awareness to suicide and mental health
What AFSP leadership roles do you have? Board Member and Brigham City walk chair
What is your favorite AFSP memory? My first walk. It was cold and rainy but for a brief moment the clouds parted and the sun shone down on us as we did our walk.
What's something about you we may not know? I feel like I’m a pretty open book. What someone might not know about me though is that I love baseball! Ok just kidding everyone knows that!
Name: Rick Robbins
Preferred Pronouns: He/him
City: Vernal
What year did you start on the Board? 2014
What is your heart connection to the cause? Loss Survivor, Son, and many cousins, friends;
Why do you volunteer? To bring awareness to mental health, Reduce the stigma, and be able to have conversations about Depression, Anxiety. To live in a world where it's accepted and talked about as is our physical health.
What AFSP leadership roles do you have? Co-Chair of the board, Co-chair Fundraising committee, Healing Conversation committee member, Vernal walk chair.
What is your favorite AFSP memory? When I went to the Salt Lake Walk for the 1st time at Sugar house park 2013, and felt the support and love for lost survivors was very healing for me.
What's something about you we may not know? I enjoy chips and salsa, golf, spending time with my wife Anne, McKay Son, and the
Name: Cassidy Priest
Preferred Pronouns: She/Her
City: Salt Lake City
What year did you start on the Board? 2021
What is your heart connection to the cause? Lived Experience and Loss Survivor.
Why do you volunteer? I volunteer to bring the hope I received at a desperate time to others. I love getting out and meeting new people and communities, and introducing them to our mission and the resources we have.
What AFSP leadership roles do you have? I am the SLC Walk Chair, and I am on the Education and Public Policy Committee.
What is your favorite AFSP memory? Meeting with the Hope Squads, and building their confidence to help themselves and their peers.
What's something about you we may not know? I love doing concrete (flatwork, finishing) and playing all kinds of sports with my kids
Name: Becca Day
Preferred Pronouns: she/her/hers
City: Draper, Utah
What year did you start on the Board? 2022
What is your heart connection to the cause?
I have survived a loss, have lived experience and I'm the mother of a child who struggles with depression. Growing up terms such as suicide, therapy, depression, and mental illness were primarily whispered, considered shameful, embarrassing, or a sign of weakness. I have a passion to do all I can to help destigmatize those terms, to spread education about the importance of mental health, to help make mental healthcare more attainable, and to gain the tools to help all who struggle.
Why do you volunteer?
Each day my goal is to help people smile and feel seen, loved, and accepted. I love having the opportunity to talk with our community about skills for prevention, how to have an awkward conversation, and making sure they know the resources needed in a crisis. I volunteer to help save lives.
What AFSP leadership roles do you have? Volunteer Coordinator. Programs, Volunteer, and Public Policy Committee Member.
What is your favorite AFSP memory? Going up to the Capitol last February for State Capitol Day and having the chance to advocate for real change!
What's something about you we may not know? I was raised in California by Minnesotan parents so I love (real) Mexican food and Disneyland, and I also eat hotdish and I love to play cards!