Meet the NCAC Leadership
8 min read
AFSP NCAC Board of Directors
Alex Kula, Board Chair & PR Ambassador
Alex is a communications professional in the Washington, D.C. metro area. She started volunteering with AFSP NCAC’s Out of the Darkness Walk and Public Policy committees in December 2018 before starting as the chapter’s Public Relations Chair in February 2021. In this role, Alex assisted in the development of the organization’s communication strategies, drafting media materials, establishing relationships with targeted media, and serving as a direct liaison between AFSP and the public. In January 2023, Alex was appointed as the Board Chair, providing guidance and support to the Board of Directors. Alex holds a bachelor’s degree in public communication from American University.
Email: [email protected]
Larita Goodwin, Secretary
Witnessing the impact of mental illness and suicidal ideation on a loved one in 2018-2019 ignited a fire in Larita, propelling her to volunteer at the AFSP National Capital Area Chapter's Out of the Darkness Community Walks. In 2020, she became more involved and had a specific interest in raising awareness and reducing stigma in communities of color. Today, Larita not only continues to support our Walks, but she is also a member of our chapter’s DEIA (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Accessibility) Committee as well as our Education Committee, and is a trained presenter of AFSP’s “More Than Sad” program for teens, parents, and educators.
Professionally, Larita is a corporate trainer for a regional staffing agency headquartered in the Washington, D.C. metro area. In her spare time, she is pursuing an advanced degree in Conflict Analysis and Resolution and enjoys swimming, yoga, attending shows/concerts, and trying new restaurants.
Email: [email protected]
Ally Bullian, Treasurer
Ally is a fundraising consultant at O'Brien Garrett in Washington, D.C. where she raises money for large, national non-profit organizations. Suicide prevention and education have been a passion for Ally for over a decade, first training as a volunteer hotline listener for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and now as an AFSP-NCAC Board Member. As a suicide loss survivor, losing her younger brother in 2021, Ally is excited to do her part to help educate about suicide prevention and support other loss survivors. In her free time, Ally loves going to live theater, is an avid reader, and is a huge fan of the WVU Mountaineers, Pittsburgh Steelers and the Dave Matthews Band.
Email: [email protected]
John Sener, Volunteer Chair
For almost 20 years, John ran an educational consulting practice focused on co-creating knowledge leading to positive change in education, learning, and society. He is committed to applying his experience, knowledge, and skills toward promoting more meaningful societal awareness and understanding of mental health and suicide. John discovered AFSP as part of his grief journey after losing his son Chris to suicide in 2017. He started his activities with AFSP as a participant/fundraiser in the DC Out of the Darkness Walk in 2018 and the National Out of the Darkness walk in Boston in 2019. John joined the AFSP NCAC board in November 2020, and he has also worked as a volunteer with NCAC’s Marketing and Loss & Healing Committees. In addition to his various volunteer activities, John enjoys spending time training for triathlons and other fitness pursuits, performing improv on a local indie team, dabbling with comedy sketch writing, and who knows what will come up next.
Email: [email protected]
Dr. Chelsea Van Thof, Public Policy Chair
Originally from New Hampshire, Chelsea earned a BS in Biology from the University of Massachusetts Amherst before going on to Tufts University to become a veterinarian. After working in mixed animal practice, Chelsea and her family moved to Washington, DC in 2020 so she could pursue a career in policy. Mental health advocacy in the veterinary field is a cause near and dear to her heart. In 2022, the death by suicide of her late partner, Dr. Peter Tripp, spurred her to successfully advocate for improved public safety measures in Washington, DC and she has been active in advocating for suicide prevention ever since. Chelsea enjoys singing, taking long walks with her Dalmatian, Hugo, and tending to her large collection of houseplants.
Email: [email protected]
Aileen Andres, Loss & Healing Chair
Aileen Andres is a Vice President at Fenton Communications, a social change agency, where she leads a portfolio of work championing global health initiatives, health equity, and other key progressive issues. She received her B.A. in International Relations from American University. Aileen first became involved with AFSP when she participated in an Out of the Darkness Walk alongside members of her suicide loss support group. Since then, she has worked on crisis support lines and has been a volunteer with AFSP's Healing Conversations team since 2019. Aileen lives in Washington, D.C. with her partner and their two rambunctious cats. A born-and-raised Pacific Northwester, she enjoys spending time outside as often as she possibly can, harvesting peppers from her garden, taking in comedy shows, and traveling.
Email: [email protected]
Meredith Glaze, Youth Engagement Chair
Meredith's passion for suicide prevention stems from her love for so many friends who have struggled with mental illness, thoughts of suicide, and suicide attempts. Meredith previously served as the chapter's Loss & Healing Chair, focused on supporting fellow survivors of suicide loss throughout the healing process. She now leads our Youth Engagement team, helping to connect AFSP programs and resources with local youth. Prior to joining the board, Meredith got involved with AFSP as a volunteer for the Washington, D.C. Out of the Darkness Walk and as a site lead for the International Survivors of Suicide Loss (ISOSL) Day event in D.C. By day, Meredith is an Elementary School Counselor for Prince William County Schools where she seeks to make mental health and suicide prevention a priority. In her spare time, you can find Meredith decompressing through yoga, rock climbing, playing piano, or reading a good book.
Email: [email protected]
AFSP-NCAC Leadership (Non-Board Positions)
Ali Walker, DHSc, PA-C, Bold Goal Chair
Ali Walker is a long-time volunteer and former Chair of the National Capital Area Chapter (NCAC) of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), a practicing Physician Assistant in Washington, D.C. in adult critical care medicine and clinical quality, and an adjunct instructor at the George Washington University School of Medicine & Health Sciences Physician Assistant program.
She has been actively engaged in community suicide prevention efforts for the past 14 years following the loss of a friend to suicide. Her early engagement focused on suicide prevention among college students at The Ohio State University, securing annual funding for the ongoing campus-wide suicide prevention event, “RUOK? Day”. In 2017, she joined the NCAC board and served as Chair from 2018-2022. In that time, she has overseen grassroots suicide prevention efforts across Washington, D.C. and Northern Virginia encompassing public education, engagement with local and federal elected officials, peer support for loss survivors, and fundraising for suicide-focused research.
Her current role is focused on bridging system-level gaps in healthcare systems, corrections facilities, and the firearms community through relationship-building and collaboration. Ali also serves on AFSP’s National Chapter Leadership Council and the Leadership Council for the Suicide Prevention Alliance of Northern Virginia. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, yoga, and spending time with friends and family. She lives in Alexandria with her husband Chris and their very spoiled dog Otie and cat Louie.
Email: [email protected]
Carolyn Mooney, Talk Saves Lives Program Lead
Carolyn Mooney is the subcommittee lead for AFSP's Talk Saves Lives: An Introduction to Suicide Prevention (TSL) program. She has a passion for education and a desire to help destigmatize mental health, starting with changing the way we talk about mental health. Educating people about what we have learned from research and what each of us can do to help those who may be struggling provides Carolyn with a sense of purpose and community. For Carolyn, it is being able to create an environment where people feel safe to share and do not feel alone that makes volunteering with AFSP so powerful and fulfilling.
Email: [email protected]
Marina Barbosa, It's Real Program Lead
As a fervent advocate for mental health awareness and a former psychiatric patient, Marina wholeheartedly believes in the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention's (AFSP) mission to save lives and bring hope to those affected by suicide. She endeavors to dismantle the barriers of stigma and shame associated with mental illness, channeling her passion into tangible action by educating and advocating for those who still suffer in silence. Marina's journey in mental health advocacy began in 2014 when she joined the AFSP's Orange County chapter. Transitioning to the East Coast in 2017, she extended her support to the National Capital Area Chapter. Marina holds an M.A. in Educational Psychology from Chapman University and an M.A. in Mental Health Counseling from NYU. She is a licensed professional counselor specializing in providing mental health support for stress, anxiety, and relational trauma in Washington, D.C.
Email: [email protected]
Peter C. Keefe, More Than Sad Program Lead
Peter C. Keefe has managed client portfolios at Avenir since 1991. Before joining Avenir, Mr. Keefe worked with Johnston, Lemon & Company, a New York Stock Exchange Member Firm, where he served in several capacities, including Director of Research. Mr. Keefe received a B.A. from Washington & Lee University in 1978, and formerly sat on its Board of Trustees. He is a CFA Charterholder, a former Director of the Washington Society of Investment Analysts, and a member of the CFA Society of Washington, D.C. He and his wife, Debbie, are parents of four children. Mr. Keefe also sits on the Board of Governors of St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School, and is a trustee for the Church Schools in the Diocese of Virginia.
Email: [email protected]
Sarah Kurtz, 2025 Washington, D.C. Out of the Darkness Walk Chair
Sarah has been participating in the Out of the Darkness Overnight Walks since 2012 as a way to honor and remember her dad who she lost to suicide. Since 2018, she has helped lead the National Capital Area Chapter's Hike for Hope, Loudoun Out of the Darkness Walk, and Loudoun International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day (Survivor Day) event. This year, Sarah is excited to serve as the Chair of the Washington, D.C. Out of the Darkness Community Walk. Professionally, Sarah works as an American Sign Language (ASL) Interpreter and volunteers as an ASL interpreter for many AFSP programs and events, improving our accessibility and helping us to better serve deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals and communities.
Email: [email protected]
Greg Merritt, 2025 Loudoun Out of the Darkness Walk Chair
Greg is a product manager at CARFAX and a passionate Virginia Tech alumnus who served on the Alumni Association National Board of Directors and was President of the local National Capital Region Chapter. He strives to apply his many years of volunteer leadership experience now as Chair for the Loudoun Out of the Darkness Community Walk. Greg stumbled on the Loudoun Walk event in 2021 and, as a loss survivor and someone who's had friends and family members who've struggled with thoughts of suicide, had an immediate connection to the AFSP's mission to save lives and bring hope to those affected by suicide. He joined as an AFSP-NCAC volunteer for the Loudoun Walk in 2022 and began serving as Chair in 2023. Through his efforts, Greg hopes to raise awareness and support for suicide prevention across Loudoun County.
Email: [email protected]
Regina Ham, 2025 Paws for Prevention Chair
Regina is a global business show producer for an international television station and a sports writer at Philly Sports Network. She first got involved with AFSP-NCAC in October 2021, volunteering at the Washington, D.C. Out of the Darkness Community Walk. Since then, Regina has channeled her passion for animals and suicide prevention by taking the reins as the first-ever chair for the Paws for Prevention fundraising event in June 2022. Through AFSP-NCAC, Regina hopes to save lives and grow Paws for Prevention to be one of the foremost events to raise awareness and funds in support of mental health and suicide prevention.
Email: [email protected]