The SCSPC Board Members
John Potter
President
John Potter
John Potter serves as the Command Chaplain for the Kansas National Guard. He is the Adjutant General's staff advisor for all issues relating to religion, spiritual wellness, and the free exercise of religion.
Chaplain Potter has experience at the battalion, brigade, division, and Joint Force Headquarter levels. His oversea tours include Operation Iraqi Freedom, Iraq; Operation Enduring Freedom, Djibouti; Operation Inherent Resolve, Jordan; and Operation Enduring Freedom (Spartan Shield), Kuwait. He also has multiple tours supporting disaster and relief efforts stateside.
Chaplain Potter earned a Doctor of Ministry degree from Azusa Pacific Seminary, a Master of Divinity degree from Nazarene Theological Seminary, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science from Kansas State University.
John is also a civilian chaplain with Astra Mental Health & Recovery in Topeka, Kansas. He is an ordained pastor with the Evangelical Friends Church and serves on the Shawnee County Suicide Prevention Coalition Board of Directors.
Patrick Carroll
Vice President
Patrick Carroll
Patrick (Pat) has been involved in social services for the past 37 years. Ten of these working with adult individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and 27 years working with adults and children at local community mental health agencies. Pat currently works at Astra
Mental Health and Recovery.
Pat grew up in eastern Missouri and moved to Kansas with his family when he was 16 years old. He graduated from Washburn University. He has 5 adult children and 3 grandchildren. He enjoys spending time at home with his wife, gardening, traveling and continues to work on his woodworking skills.
He has been a part of the Shawnee County Suicide Prevention Coalition for approximately 5 years, a Board Member for 4 and is currently serving as Vice President.
Alyssa Schultz
Secretary
Alyssa Schultz
Alyssa is originally from Paola, Kansas, and now calls Topeka home. She is a Social Worker at Seaman High School, and with over 12 years of experience in human services, she is passionate about mental health and wellness, both personally and professionally. As an empath, Alyssa believes that mental wellness shapes our interactions and resilience, fostering healthier communities.
Alyssa is eager to expand her community involvement in Shawnee County. Some of her visions include youth-led initiatives through Shawnee County Mental Health Coalition for Youth and greater visibility for the Shawnee County Suicide Prevention Coalition through events. She believes today's youth are passionate, especially about the topic of mental wellness, and altogether as a community, we can create supportive environments where everyone feels empowered to prioritize their mental health.
In addition to her work in mental health, Alyssa also helps build community through the art of dance, creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for everyone. She runs the first adaptive dance program in Topeka - Abilities In Motion (AIM). This program provides a safe space for individuals with learning differences and a wide variety of diagnoses, recognizing how movement plays an integral role in brain function and overall well-being.
Misty Patel
Treasurer
Misty Patel
I'm Misty Patel, born and raised in Kansas. I'm a loved wife, daughter and friend to some really awesome people! I'm a Mortician with Penwell Gabel Funeral Home by trade and absolutely treasure serving my community in some of the most difficult times of their life. It brings a lot of value to my life in so many unexplainable ways. ❤️ In addition to my fulltime job, I own a small business called Misty's Sweet Treats Boutique, where I create fun, unique sweet treats for all occasions!
Although I serve the community through my profession, I also volunteer on the Lemon Aid Program for Kansas as a committee member. Their focus is to help families of those that have lost a loved one by suicide with financial assistance, grief therapy recommendations and so much more! I have been a board member on the Shawnee County Suicide Prevention Coalition for 3 years and served in different capacities throughout my time. Both of these organizations help my local community and state with suicide prevention and outreach efforts, something l'm very passionate about.
In my spare time, I enjoy reading, finding and homing new plants and Amazon shopping!
Annie Buckland
Annie Buckland
Annie Buckland is a dedicated and compassionate registered nurse with 16 years of experience, specializing in emergency and trauma care. She is deeply committed to improving patient outcomes and advancing the health and safety of the community in which she lives and works.
Annie currently serves as the Violence and Injury Prevention Coordinator with Trauma Services at Stormont Vail, where she works at the intersection of healthcare, prevention, and community engagement.
As an injury and violence prevention professional, she is also a community advocate focused on creating positive, sustainable change. Through education, collaboration, and advocacy, Annie works to uplift marginalized voices and address critical issues impacting community health and safety.
She is actively involved in numerous local and statewide coalitions and committees, contributing her clinical expertise and public health perspective to collaborative prevention efforts. Annie earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Washburn University and is a Certified Trauma Nurse.
Outside of her professional role, Annie is the parent of three young children, coaches two youth softball teams, and enjoys gardening whenever time allows.
Elaine Adair
Elaine Adair
Elaine is a community member who joined the coalition in 2011. She has served as a Board Member since 2020, Treasurer from 2021 to 2026 and stepped into the role of Chairperson for the annual 5K Fundraiser in 2017. Elaine has a background working the in mental health field, previously working at Menninger's Children's Hospital & Family Service and Guidance Center. For the past eleven years Elaine has been a Federal Contract Background Investigator. Elaine was raised in New Jersy, graduated from University of Delaware, and has been a Topekan for almost 40 years.
Elaine joined the coalition after losing her oldest son Matthew to suicide in 2010, wanting to help others through her experience. In her free time Elaine enjoys time with her husband Jeff, pups Betty & Luna, KU basketball, Chiefs football, and going to KC to see her son Ben, daughter in law Dani and grandson Wesley.
Vanessa Robinson
Vanessa Robinson
Vanessa Robinson joined the Shawnee County Suicide Prevention Coalition Board in January of 2026. The previous year, her son confided in her his thoughts of suicide. This was an extremely heart wrenching moment, one that sparked the need to seek efforts in making a change in youth mental health.
Vanessa is Topeka native, raised in the heart of historic North Topeka. She graduated from Fort Hays State University with a Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education and taught preschoolers at Quincy Elementary for 8 years. Currently, she works as an Administrative Coordinator at Parker-Price & Davidson Funeral Home, providing care and compassion to those who are grieving the loss of a loved one. Vanessa is also a board member on the North Topeka Business Alliance.
She is a mother of two wonderful children, Brock and Oakley. They enjoy spending time together outdoors; camping, geocaching and swimming at the lake. Vanessa's favorite activity is kayaking on the river. Vanessa has 2 cats, Jackie and Nova, but several "adopted" cats. Her animal loving heart can't help but feed the neighborhood stray cats when they visit her home.
Annie Diederich
Annie Diederich
Annie Diederich is a daughter, a wife/widow, a mother, a grandmother and an educator.
Each of these roles provides her the motivation to love and serve others. A native of Hays, Kansas, Annie graduated with a bachelor's degree in elementary education and a master's degree in educational administration from Fort Hays State University. She has spent 35 years in education. After losing her husband in 2015 and her father in 2021 to suicide, she knew that she needed to focus her service on suicide prevention. She currently trains the Topeka Police Department's officers on officer suicide as well as students and school personnel.
Annie also volunteers her time as a mentor at the Florence Crittenton House for young women who are receiving services. She has a strong desire to help young people navigate their mental health issues. Annie serves as a volunteer meal maker at the Ronald McDonald House in Topeka where she gets to share her love of cooking with families who need a meal. Using her time, talents and treasures to make a difference in the lives of others has always been important for Annie. She is looking forward to serving others as a board member for the Shawnee County Suicide Prevention Coalition.
Fletcher Turner
Fletcher Turner
Meet one of the Coalition's newest board members, Fletcher Turner! Fletcher joined the Shawnee County Suicide Coalition Board in 2026. Fletcher is a current resident in Topeka, Kansas and is originally from Overland Park, Kansas. Fletcher currently works as the Lead Investigator for the Shawnee County Coroner's Office in Topeka, Kansas and is deeply committed to providing as much compassion, clarity, and efficiency to families who are dealing with the loss of their loved one while on scene, as well as performing a thorough investigation to assist in providing answers to families.
Fletcher obtained his Bachelors in Criminal Justice from Washburn University in 2022, and his Masters of Science in Forensic Sciences from Oklahoma State University in 2025. He also currently serves on the Shawnee County Fetal Infant Mortality (FIMR) Review Board and is a certified Diplomate of the American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators.
His own mental health struggles, along with the nature of his work, are what has kept Fletcher passionate in wanting to assist/help those who are going through their own struggles. In his free time, Fletcher enjoys spending time with his cat (son) Leon, gaming with his roommate/friends, and traveling!