The Light Shines On
Sally Spencer-Thomas strives to save lives
Sally Spencer-Thomas was on the fast track to the career of her dreams. In 1995, she graduated with her Doctorate in Psychology from the University of Denver. As a clinical psychologist, Sally found work as a police psychologist, college counselor and then as the Director of Leadership Development at Regis University. Then in 2004, her life was altered forever when her younger brother, Carson J. Spencer, a brilliant and accomplished entrepreneur, took his own life after a difficult battle with bipolar disorder. In his obituary, he was described as a “bright star that burned out too quickly.” Life was forever changed, and there was no going back; she would keep his light shining.
From that day forward, Sally Spencer-Thomas dedicated her life and her heart to create a legacy for her brother – to both honor his life and the gifts that he brought to the world and to prevent what happened to him from happening to others. She’d work to ensure that no one had to experience the loss her family and his friends experienced, and that those who had, would know that a network of care still surrounded them. She returned to school, obtaining a Masters in Nonprofit management and learned about Social Entrepreneurship. She co-founded and served as CEO of the Carson J Spencer Foundation from 2005 to 2017, and currently sits on numerous local, national and international boards for suicide prevention. She's also an advocate and speaker.
Sally doesn’t do it alone. She believes that Carson walks with her in her mission to save lives. Together they help people young and old, and especially working-aged men like him, know they are not alone in their struggle and that there are many resources for help. They also support families recovering from the darkest of times. The emphasis is always on affirming life and embracing the good. Sally instills joy and fun in her own children, too. She’s a bright star and a beacon for happiness in a sometimes troubling world.
Changing the world
She’s also a powerful advocate, a workhorse in the media, and an innovator. Her mission is one to change the way the world perceives mental illness and to create an honest and open discourse about suicide. While suicide may be an uncomfortable, oft-avoided topic in American society, Sally works to change that through collaboration with other organizations and groups, pulling energy and momentum away from sadness and powerlessness to proactively address the root causes. Silence solves nothing, after all, and so Sally vies for change loudly and passionately.
An avid marathoner in her free time (she does two a year), Sally’s well-acquainted with the struggle in any journey, and with the perseverance necessary to succeed. Sally uses an allegory of “mile 17” to describe the moment when you’re exhausted from how far you’ve come, can’t turn back, and still have so far to go. Sally strives help people transcend their personal “miles 17” by building capacity for suicide prevention among businesses, community leaders, students, parents, faith communities and more. She does it so people facing their darkest times can know and embrace a “passion for life.”