The People Behind
the Light
Be The Light, Speak Up, Speak Out was built by people who believe that mental health matters and that no one should struggle alone. Behind every program, event, and conversation are individuals who show up because this mission is personal. Each story shared here reflects a reason for choosing compassion, advocacy, and hope, even when the work is hard.
Gentle Note: The stories on this page include personal experiences with mental illness, suicide, and loss. Please read at your own pace and take care of yourself. Support resources are available at the bottom of this page.
The People Behind The Light
Founder - Julie Wright
Life is precious, and every person matters. I lost my brother to suicide when I was eleven years old. He was sixteen. Smart, kind, gentle, and full of potential. He was fighting a battle no one could see, and no one will ever know what the final breaking point was. What I do know is the sound of the gunshot. I know the moment I found him. I know the shock, grief, and pain that followed. No one should ever have to experience that.
That loss is why I do this work. I want to spare others from having to ask why. I want people surrounded by darkness to recognize their worth, to see even the smallest glimmer of light, and to hold onto it long enough to seek help and keep going. I have also walked through my own dark season, where surviving meant taking life minute by minute. That experience taught me that asking for help should never come with shame or judgment.
Through Be The Light, Speak Up, Speak Out, my mission is to change the conversation around mental health. To speak openly. To educate. To create safe spaces where people feel seen, supported, and heard. Mental health deserves the same care and urgency as physical health. I will continue this work for as long as I am here. And when my time is done, I hope I helped bring light into places that once felt hopeless and honored my brother by helping others choose life.
Paige Fortner - Board Member
Mental health has always been deeply personal to me. I have faced my own struggles and learned how isolating it can feel to battle something invisible. I have also watched family and friends struggle in silence, often prevented from seeking help because of stigma or lack of resources. Being part of Be The Light gives me purpose and healing. It allows me to turn pain into action and help create a community where people feel supported, understood, and never alone.
Mike Barbur - Board Member
I do this for the people who believe there is no other option. I want them to know they are not alone and that someone is willing to help. Sometimes that means simply listening. Sometimes it means helping them find professional support. If being part of this organization helps someone stay another day for the people who love them, then this work matters.
Betty Hanes - Board Member
In memory of my late husband, Everett Hanes, I hope to make a difference by helping others find solutions for life and understanding rather than death. By working to help prevent suicide, I pray this work becomes a path of healing for others and for our family.
Amanda Barbur - Board Member
Be The Light is important to me because I lost my grandfather to suicide when I was four years old. I want to help make a difference so another family does not have to experience a preventable loss. Being part of the Smoke Your Butt Off BBQ committee has also helped me find some of my own light again after losing my father to cancer in 2024. We are all works in progress.
Angie Ayers - Board Member
Being part of this organization helps create a culture of support and understanding around mental health in our community. Making connections with like minded people who care deeply and want to make an impact fulfills my heart. Knowing that our work helps reduce stigma and support those in need is why I continue to be involved.
Paige Dennis - Board Member
Suicide prevention and mental health awareness are deeply personal to me. I have experienced loss and watched friends and family struggle. I believe everyone deserves to feel supported, loved, and understood. Mental health affects us all, and I want to be part of a community that spreads hope, raises awareness, and reminds people they are not alone.
Patricia D. Qvern - Board Member
I have been a close friend of the founders of Be The Light for over twenty years and have witnessed this organization grow from an idea into a thriving nonprofit. My involvement is about standing beside people I deeply respect and believe in while setting an example for my children and grandchildren about the importance of giving back. Supporting Be The Light reflects my belief in compassion, community, and the power of showing up for others.