Robert Gebbia, Executive Director of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, joins the Ask A CEO Podcast to share his philanthropic journey, how he is helping communities fight against suicide, and his techniques of making organizations profitable.
Key Facts
- Robert’s LinkedIn
- American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s website
- Robert is serving as the Executive Director at American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
- Robert is a former member of the National Council for Suicide Prevention
- Robert is a former Board of Director for the National Health Council
- Robert is a former member of the National Lifeline Advisory Committee
- Rober is a former Public Health Advisor at United Way
- Robert started Out of the Darkness Walks to fight against suicide
Key Takeaways
- The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention started in 1987 to fight against suicide by assisting people with suicidal thoughts and their families using consultation and guidance. Alongside helping individuals, the AFSP also actively works to create awareness around the topic of suicide amongst different communuties
- Robert’s expertise in managing non-profit organizations helped him expand the AFSP’s operations to 50 states in the U.S.
- At the AFSP, Robert works on fundraising to create better avenues for strengthening the AFSP’s R&D into the reasons behind suicides, while also increasing their ability to educate communities and advocate for mental health fitness and suicide prevention for public
- Robert believes in a dissipating approach to spreading awareness. Dissipated awareness campaigns help organizations to spread rapidly and cater to a mass audience
- The AFSP has helped create legislation such as National Suicide Hotline Improvement Act, and introduced coaching programs for schools
- Robert launched a project called “Project 2025” that aims to significantly reduce the suicide rate in the United States by the end of 2025
- Robert shares that the AFSP invests about $500,000 annually into research and data collection to identify the high-medium-low risk areas of suicide rates
- In 2009, Roberts devoted his life to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention to grow its operations nationwide. He helped the AFSP to establish more than 70 chapters or hubs nationwide and raise their profits from $700,000 to $39 million, all of which has helped to support their mission of making AFSP the largest non-profit organization in the country
- Roberts says that creating communities and increasing networks containing like-minded people who believe in your organization’s mission helps you grow
- Robert believes that a CEO’s success lies in the cause they work for. This is what makes us all different
About Robert Gebbia, Executive Director of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, is leading the fight against suicide
Robert Gebbia serves as the CEO of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, which has become the leading suicide prevention nonprofit organization in the United States. Since joining AFSP, Gebbia has developed a nationwide network of more than 70 chapters and increased AFSP’s annual revenue from $700,000 to over $39 million in support of the mission. In the last five years alone, AFSP has initiated and funded one out of every five studies on suicide – making AFSP the largest private funder of suicide research in the world. In 2015, Gebbia announced AFSP’s bold goal to reduce the annual suicide rate in the U.S. 20 percent by 2025.
Gebbia collaborates with scientists, business, civic, and political leaders, and people personally impacted by suicide to develop and implement effective suicide prevention strategies. Under his leadership, AFSP has created public awareness campaigns and educational programs that have reached millions and established a network of support for friends and families affected by suicide.
Gebbia helped launch the Out of the Darkness Walks to raise awareness and funds for suicide prevention. The walks – now held annually in more than 400 locations across the country – have given millions of people a way to become involved and take action against this leading cause of death. In 2009, Gebbia led the effort to bring AFSP and the Suicide Prevention Action Network USA together to create AFSP’s Public Policy arm, which has 29.000 volunteer advocates and secured millions in government funding for mental health and suicide prevention at the state and federal levels.
Gebbia is a founding member of the National Council for Suicide Prevention, serves on the National Lifeline Advisory Committee, the Executive Committee of the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention, and is the past Chair of the Board of Directors of the National Health Council.
Gebbia has an extensive background in nonprofit management, strategic planning, fundraising, and program development. Prior to joining AFSP, Gebbia had a successful career with the United Way and served as a Public Health Advisor for the City of New York.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Hofstra University and a master’s degree in Sociology from the New School for Social Research. He completed the Harvard Business School’s Human Services Management Executive Program and IBM’s Leadership Commitment Program for nonprofit executives.
Gebbia collaborates with scientists, business, civic, and political leaders, and people personally impacted by suicide to develop and implement effective suicide prevention strategies. Under his leadership, AFSP has created public awareness campaigns and educational programs that have reached millions and established a network of support for friends and families affected by suicide.
Gebbia helped launch the Out of the Darkness Walks to raise awareness and funds for suicide prevention. The walks – now held annually in more than 400 locations across the country – have given millions of people a way to become involved and take action against this leading cause of death. In 2009, Gebbia led the effort to bring AFSP and the Suicide Prevention Action Network USA together to create AFSP’s Public Policy arm, which has 29.000 volunteer advocates and secured millions in government funding for mental health and suicide prevention at the state and federal levels.
Gebbia is a founding member of the National Council for Suicide Prevention, serves on the National Lifeline Advisory Committee, the Executive Committee of the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention, and is the past Chair of the Board of Directors of the National Health Council.
Gebbia has an extensive background in nonprofit management, strategic planning, fundraising, and program development. Prior to joining AFSP, Gebbia had a successful career with the United Way and served as a Public Health Advisor for the City of New York.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Hofstra University and a master’s degree in Sociology from the New School for Social Research. He completed the Harvard Business School’s Human Services Management Executive Program and IBM’s Leadership Commitment Program for nonprofit executives.