Jennifer A Waltmon National Suicide Prevention Conference 2025

Jennifer A Waltmon

I’m someone with passion and dedication across mental health, suicide prevention and wellbeing. I have a lived experience of previous suicide ideation, and I am bereaved by the suicides of 3 people in my life over a 3-year period. I also have living experience of depression and anxiety, and I’m a carer and support person to several family members and friends that have lived and living experience of suicide. Professionally, I have 20+ years of extensive experience in learning & development. I then pivoted into working full-time across mental health and suicide prevention, and have been for 4 years. I feel lucky to have joined Suicide Prevention Australia (SPA) as the Lived Experience Lead in 2023. In this role, I ensure that lived experience voices and leaders are heard and amplified across policy, services, support and strategy across SPA, as well as within the wider suicide prevention sector. I also continue to advocate for improvements to mental health, suicide prevention and community engagement through committees membership with the: LGBTIQ+ Health Australia Peer Expert Advisory Group, Eastern Suburbs Mental Health Service Consumer Advisory Group & Committee (NSW Health); and the Central and Eastern Sydney Primary Health Network Community Council, and through Lived/Living Experience Advisory work at the Black Dog Institute and ARTD Consultants. I find that my journey which began in crisis and moved through to recovery, now enables me not only to use my voice, but to also advocate for lived/living experience communities – which is something I aim to do throughout my life.