Written by Elizabeth Smith Miller, Director of Marketing and Events, National Safe Place Network

Each month, we share a little something about your NSPN family as a way to help you get to know us better. Sometimes the posts include fun facts and sometimes the answers are pretty meaningful. This month, we asked the team, “What are you most thankful for?”

The answers are below—but before you take a look, we want to say on behalf of the entire team of National Safe Place Network, we are thankful for you. We are thankful for each and every person who believes in our vision of creating a world where all youth are safe—and supports our mission to ensure an effective system of response for youth in crisis through public and private partnerships at a local, state, and national level. We’re thankful for the time you spend with us, the time you dedicate to teach and learn from us, and all of the times you share us with people you know. Thank you for allowing us to meet your needs and be your network and for working with us—because, together we can.

“What are you most thankful for?”

• Laurie Jackson, President/Chief Executive Officer: “My family and friends.”
• Tammy Hopper, Chief Strategic Initiatives Officer: “My family and the unique relationship I have with each member.”
• Shauna Brooks, Principal Investigator: “My partner in life and love—Kimberly Brooks.”
• April Carthorn, General Specialist: “I’m most thankful for my life experiences.”
• Sherry Casey, Operations and Administration Manager: “My family.”
• Zach Elmore, Operations Specialist: “The support of friends and family. I would not be where I am without them.”
• Autumn Sandlin, Operations Specialist: "I try and be thankful for the good parts of my life. I graduated this year, and I’m thankful for my time interning at NSPN and their willingness to let me make this work my full-time job. My nephew is one of the best parts of my life, and I’m thankful for his curiosity and intuitiveness that he shares with me. My friends who show me support and love I might not know I need, as well as my mom and sister. And cute dog videos. Always cute dog videos."
• Kim Frierson, Training Specialist: “My beautiful bear and wonderful family and friends.”
• Susan Harmon, Director of Safe Place National Operations: “I’m thankful for family and friends.”
• Rachel Hurst, Development Associate: “My family, my faith, that I am healthy and whole, my dog Buddy.”
• Hillary Ladig, Communications Coordinator: “My family and my health.”
• Elizabeth Smith Miller, Director of Marketing and Events: “I’m fortunate and blessed to have a few good family members, but I was born with them. I don’t really know what it’s like without them—or their impact on my life. So, when I think about being thankful for something, I immediately connect it with something that I have personally developed true appreciation for. I’m most thankful for my job. I worked hard to earn the skills I have to do my job; I worked hard to get my job; and I work hard to keep my job. It’s something I have done on my own and I’m proud of what I do and the organization I work for. I continue to be thankful for my job on a daily basis because no one is indispensable. I also know what it’s like to work for a company that doesn’t have NSPN’s standards of ethics and dedication toward its members and mission.”
• Eric Tadatada, Technical Assistance Specialist: “I’m most thankful for my wife.”

Learn more about your NSPN family at https://nspn.memberclicks.net/our-team.