Biography

Shari Sinwelski, MS, EdS, LPCC is a nationally recognized leader in suicide prevention, crisis intervention, and behavioral health systems, with over 30 years of experience advancing programs at both local and national levels. She has dedicated her career to developing, implementing, and overseeing high-quality clinical services for individuals in acute behavioral health crises and suicide specialized care.  She currently serves as Vice President of Crisis Care at Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services, where she leads the strategic growth, integration, and quality of comprehensive suicide prevention and crisis care initiatives, managing a portfolio exceeding $25 million.  Her work is grounded in compassionate, evidence-based care and a deep commitment to meeting people where they are—in their most vulnerable and critical moments.

Shari began her career in frontline crisis services and has held progressive leadership roles across multiple organizations, including rebuilding critical hotline and disaster response systems in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. She has consistently demonstrated a commitment to innovation, quality improvement, and expanding access to life-saving services.  Throughout her career, she has played a pivotal role in building and scaling critical behavioral health infrastructure. During her tenure with Vibrant Emotional Health, Shari provided clinical and operational oversight to one of the largest crisis response systems in the country, including the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, Disaster Distress Helpline, and Veterans Crisis Line partnership.  Shari helped expand national crisis programs from a $10 million operation to a network exceeding $250 million.  She was instrumental in shaping the vision and foundational framework of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, including establishing clinical best practices, key performance indicators, volume, budget and staffing forecasts and national service delivery standards.

A trusted expert in the field, Shari has provided consultation to organizations including SAMHSA, state governments, crisis hotlines and international behavioral health organizations. She is a sought-after speaker and trainer, having educated thousands of individuals in suicide prevention and mental health care, and frequently shares her work through national media and conference presentations. Her expertise extends to program development, grant writing, systems integration, and clinical oversight of large-scale, 24/7 crisis operations handling millions of contacts annually.  She developed and has facilitated specialized support groups for suicide attempt survivors, collaborated on publications demonstrating the effectiveness of these groups, written a manual and training for facilitating the groups and trained hundreds of people in the curriculum nationally and internationally.

In addition to her leadership roles, Shari is an accomplished author and contributor to the field, with publications focusing on suicide prevention, recovery, and crisis care best practices. Her work includes national guidance materials for suicide attempt survivors and peer-reviewed research in the field.  Shari has significant experience supporting those affected by suicide loss, bringing a trauma-informed and grief-sensitive approach to care. She understands the complexity of suicide and works to create safe, nonjudgmental spaces where individuals and families can find meaning, process loss and begin healing.

Shari holds both a Master of Science and an Educational Specialist degree in Counseling and Human Systems from Florida State University, where she graduated magna cum laude and as a member of Phi Beta Kappa. She is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor and a National Certified Counselor.

What sets Shari apart is her ability to combine national-level expertise with a deeply human, client-centered approach. Whether working directly with individuals in crisis, supporting survivors in their recovery journey, or guiding systems of care, she brings empathy, clinical excellence, and a steadfast belief that recovery and healing are always possible.

Publications

Legacy in Practice: J. William Worden’s Connection to Suicide Prevention, Published in the journal Death Studies (2026), p1-11.  https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/07481187.2026.2629173

Manual for Support Groups for Suicide Attempt Survivors First and Second Edition, 2014 and 2021.  Download Your Suicide Prevention Manual | Didi Hirsch.

The Way Forward:  Pathways to hope, recovery, and wellness with insights from lived experience, 2014.  https://theactionalliance.org/sites/default/files/the-way-forward-final-2014-07-01.pdf

Journey Towards Health & Hope: Your Handbook for Recovery After A Suicide Attempt, 2015.  A Journey Toward Health and Hope.

Stalking: The Constant threat of violence. Published in Afflia, Vol. 16 No. 1 Spring 2001 p46-65.  Stalking: The Constant Threat of Violence – Shari A. Sinwelski, Linda Vinton, 2001.

Certification

Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor

National Certified Counselor

Education

Educational Specialist

Counseling and Human Systems, Florida State University, May 1998

Master of Science

Counseling and Human Systems, Florida State University, May 1998

Bachelor of Science

Psychology, Florida State University, April 1996 (Magna Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa)