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On October 4, 2016, the trajectory of Jeff’s life changed with one phone call. Prior to that day, Jeff was living the American Dream. He had a great family, was a successful entrepreneur running a financial services firm in Iowa, and was seemingly coasting through life. The morning of October 4, 2016 Jeff received the

phone call that is every parent’s worst nightmare. His oldest son, Seth, had died from fentanyl poisoning. He was 23 years old.

Jeff soon realized that he had two options. He could go down a road of anger and despair and become bitter, or he could use his situation as motivation to become better. He chose the latter. Jeff decided to take a step back from his career as a financial advisor and focus his attention toward making a difference. He became an

advocate for bringing awareness to substance use and addiction in teens and young adults. He began speaking at high schools and community events, and joined the

board of a local treatment facility that Seth spent time at before his death.

In 2020, Jeff founded his own non-profit, the Living Undeterred Project with the aim of changing the narrative on mental health and substance use disorder. That same year, he wrote his first book, “This One’s For You: An Inspirational Journey Through Addiction, Death and Meaning” and started the Living Undeterred Podcast. In 2021 the project got even more personal for Jeff when he lost his wife, Prudence, to

alcoholism. In 2022, Jeff completed a 95-day trip across the United States to raise awareness, build connections, explore new ideas, and end the stigma surrounding mental health and substance use disorder. He is currently working on a new mental

health project, Brightn, geared toward Gen Z.

 Sybil is a dance specialist, a TEDx Speaker and a single mom of 2 incredible boys.  She is the owner & instructor of Dance Therapy with Sybil, Inc. She travels to schools, studios, on location and virtually to share her enrichment program she developed from her education in Psychology from the State University of New York Old Westbury, her life experiences, dance expertise & passion for positivity.

Sybil is a former NFL cheerleader for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and is currently a member of the NFL Alumni. She is a youth mentor, mental health advocate & community partner with multiple organizations including: HCADA, CFBHN and NAMI. Sybil is also a patch partner with Girl Scouts of West Florida. She participates in community work with James A Haley Veteran Hospital, DEA Youth Summits, Drug Free America Foundation, and American Lung Association. She was a panelist with NAMI Pinellas for Woman’s Mental Health Awareness and was awarded the 2022  IRIS Award as a Peer Support Professional for NAMI for her commitment in improving recovery in the community.

Sybil has faced significant challenges in her life that she overcame. She is a survivor of a childhood traumatic accident, anorexia eating disorder, opiod addiction & domestic violence. She has a backstory that guarantees to inspire & warm the heart of all that hear it.

 Herbie Mack is the dynamic host of the Just Believe Show, where he shares stories of resilience and transformation. His journey from the harsh Bronx to becoming a beacon of hope involves:

- Surviving multiple suicide attempts.

- Overcoming depression.

- Battling functional alcoholism.

- He ultimately dedicates himself to suicide prevention as a certified SafeTalk Trainer and Suicide Interventionist.

His mission is to share his story, raise awareness for suicide prevention, and inspire hope and healing for multiple suicide survivors and those on their journey of self-discovery.

 Mars is a Sophomore in High School currently enrolled in a specialty medical academy. Mars serves as a Regional Officer of HOSA (Health Occupation’s Students of America). 

At the age of 11 Mars began to display severe signs of depression and impulsive behavior which led to 3 suicide attempts and 3 inpatient behavioral health stays. With the support of her family Mars was provided care that helped her manage her mental health condition. 

Her experience with various providers and facilities opened her eyes to her passion to become a Nurse Practitioner so she could help other children in crisis. 

 Ashley Grimes is the Interim Executive Director of NAMI Florida. NAMI, The National Alliance on Mental Illness.

She is also a member of the Project Management Institute, the Institute of Managerial Accountants, and the Society for Human Resource Management. Ashley has held multiple non-profit leadership positions, including the President of the NAMI Florida Board of Directors and the Treasurer for the Volusia Recovery Alliance. 

Ashley is a native Floridian born in Daytona Beach. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Project Management and recently obtained a Master of Business Administration with a Healthcare 

Concentration.  She is a Project Management Professional (PMP), a Society for Human Resource Management Certified Professional (SHRM-CP), and a Certified Recovery Peer Specialist Adult and Family(CRPS-A,F).  She is also the mother of two teenage daughters, Alyssa and Brianna. 

Ashley lives as a person in long-term recovery from co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders. She found recovery in 2017 after an incomplete suicide. She strives to model that recovery is possible and that people in recovery can thrive and add tremendous value to their communities. 

 Debbie L. Proulx is the Executive Director of NAMI Pasco. She also sits on several local committees and is part of Leadership Pasco's Class of 2024.

She holds a Master's Degree in Criminal Justice, a Bachelor's in Business, and several other certifications in nonprofit management and other related fields. 

In recent years she has become certified at both local and national levels in wellness coaching, personal training, and nutrition. She is an advocate for whole-person wellness and has worked and continues to work on creating whole-person offerings for her community.

She believes strongly in seeing everyone as equals in the mental health world and has created a micro-community of support for her affiliate’s participants. She herself lives with a mental health condition.