It's Okay Not to be Okay
Break The Silence was created to raise awareness for mental health, suicide prevention and recovery. We hope that together we can save lives by doing community events and starting the hard conversations.
Donate
Donations to Break The Silence help tremendously to increase the access to vital resources to our community and the overall mission of Break the Silence to breaking stigmas, raising awareness, and starting hard conversations.
Volunteer
Our organization thrives with the help of community partners and volunteers. From the annual Break The Silence festival to support groups, we always welcome volunteers.
Need Group Space?
We have a wonderful community space perfect for support groups, trainings and meetings. If you feel our space may be a good fit for your organization or group, fill out an interest form below and we will reach back out to you.
We are actively seeking new Board Members...
If you have a calling to help others and desire to volunteer your time towards the cause of helping others find help and resources who may otherwise feel very alone in this world, we would love to have you join our team. Apply below or reach out with any questions. Email: kelly@breakthesilenceinc.org
Kelly Paris
Director and Founder, QPR Certified
Kelly Paris has set out to tell her
personal story and show others that it
is “OKAY NOT TO BE OKAY” and
talking about issues saves lives. Kelly
believes that music is and always has
been an untapped influence that can
change the stigma on mental health.
We must talk about the issues that
individuals feel are isolated to
themselves, they are more common
than we realize. Kelly uses Break The
Silence not only to tell her story, but to
allow others to tell theirs. This
movement brings survivors and family
members together in hopes of reaching
others and helping to BREAK THE
SILENCE.
Our Team
Our dedicated board members volunteer their time and skills to help achieve our mission. They are a group of passionate and talented individuals.
Chaundra Jacobs
Board President
Chaundra brings a wealth of experience and a passionate commitment to her role as Board President of Break the Silence. With over five years of experience in running a nonprofit, she has proven herself to be a capable leader, adept at building a strong board of directors, successful fundraising, and creating impactful programming. Her expertise in grant writing has been instrumental in securing vital resources for the organization and resource center.
In addition to her nonprofit management skills, Chaundra has extensive experience in marketing, web development, and community organizing. Her multifaceted skill set has enabled her to effectively promote Break the Silence's mission and engage with the community in meaningful ways.
Chaundra's dedication to mental health advocacy is deeply personal and professional. She has served as a youth mentor at a local community mental health center, among other roles, always prioritizing a holistic approach to mental health and life. She believes in the importance of providing a listening ear and fostering an environment where individuals can feel supported and understood.
Living by intuition and pursuing what lights her up, Chaundra's life philosophy is reflected in her work and personal life. Her overarching goal is to cultivate a love for learning in her daughters and those around her, encouraging them to explore their passions and follow paths that truly inspire them and foster true expansion, rather than conforming to mainstream societal expectations.
Phoebe Baquera
Vice President
T-CBT, MRT, EMDR, CRAFT, QMAP
Phoebe is an accomplished behavioral health professional with extensive training and certifications, committed to fostering healing and growth within the community. With a foundational background in applied psychology focused on clinical counseling, Phoebe holds a degree emphasizing social science and equity. She is set to graduate in December with her Master of Arts in Clinical Counseling from a CACREP-accredited program, with a concentration in substance use disorders and offender-specific treatment, alongside her approval as a Domestic Violence Offender Management Board (DVOMB) treatment provider. Her next steps include pursuing licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor Candidate (LPCC) and taking the Master Addiction Counselor (MAC) exam to become a Licensed Addiction Counselor (LAC).
Phoebe brings an impressive range of certifications and skills to her role at Break The Silence. She is certified in Handle with Care Behavioral Management, CPR & First Aid, Seizure Care, and Trauma-Informed Mental Health First Aid. Her specialized training includes Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (T-CBT), Applied Behavioral Analysis, Moral Recognition Therapy (MRT), and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). Additionally, she has developed expertise in community-focused approaches such as Community Reinforcement and Family Treatment (CRAFT) and Love and Logic, while also achieving certification as a Safe Sitter Facilitator and QMAP for medication administration.
Dedicated to Break The Silence's mission, Phoebe is passionate about providing a supportive, safe space for recovery and personal growth. She believes that as long as there is a heartbeat, there is an opportunity for healing and change. Her work emphasizes advocacy, trauma-informed care, and cultural competency, complemented by her skills in non-profit operations, grant writing, and community outreach. With a vision of collaborative empowerment, Phoebe is a vital part of the Break The Silence team, committed to supporting individuals on their path to recovery and resilience.
Malibu James
Board Treasurer/ Secretary
Malibu is a dedicated foster care advocate with over 15 years of experience supporting children and families within the foster care system. Alongside his wife, Julie, and their seven children—two of whom were adopted from foster care—Malibu has created a loving and therapeutic environment for children with unique emotional and behavioral needs. Through their nonprofit foster closet, they have spent the past two years providing essential resources and support to foster families, kinship caregivers, displaced youth, and low-income families. Their mission is to unite the community and address critical gaps in care.
Bill Vaccaro
Board Member
Bill Vaccaro serves as an IT Manager and is passionate about using his experience, faith, and compassion to support others. Following the loss of his daughter, Lily, to suicide in 2018, Bill became committed to helping raise awareness around mental health, reducing stigma, and encouraging open conversations about hope, healing, and connection.
Bill believes that every person deserves to feel heard and valued, and he is honored to support Break the Silence in its mission to provide education, resources, and community for those facing mental health challenges. He is grateful for the opportunity to serve on the Board of Directors and hopes to help others navigate life's difficult seasons with compassion and encouragement.
Outside of his professional life, Bill enjoys riding motorcycles, participating in F3 fitness, and spending time with family and friends.
BobbySue Schrum
Board Member
BobbySue brings lived experience, compassion, and a strong desire to help others to her role with Break the Silence. She has faced major depression and suicidal ideation since childhood and has also supported a daughter through similar struggles.
Now 46, BobbySue is proud to have gone more than a year without suicidal thoughts. Her experiences have shaped her passion for connecting people with the right resources and support for their individual needs.
As a wife, mom, grandma, and aunt, BobbySue values family, community, and helping others feel less alone.
