gail griffith

About Gail Griffith

For most of her career, Gail Griffith has applied her advocacy, public relations, and fundraising skills designing and implementing international humanitarian programs and cause-related campaigns.

Throughout the 1990s she worked for the campaign to ban landmines, which won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1997. As part of her efforts on behalf of the landmine campaign, she assembled renowned musical artists and produced concerts throughout the U.S., Canada, and Europe to lobby for a landmine ban. She helped to craft rehabilitation programs on behalf of Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation to address the needs of civilian victims of war in Southeast Asia and Africa, and ran foreign policy-making and executive training programs for international leaders for Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service for over fifteen years.

Since her adolescent son's near-lethal suicide attempt in 2001, she has devoted herself to advocacy on behalf of persons with mental illness and to writing about teen depression. She is a frequent commentator and guest speaker on issues related to adolescent mental health and depression.

Gail is a member of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, and a board member of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. In 2004, she was appointed to serve as the patient representative to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's scientific advisory committee charged with investigating the possible link between antidepressant medication and suicidal thinking in young people. In 2006 she was invited to review the proposed research models on suicide and treatment options for the National Instiute of Mental Health and in 2007, she was named as the consumer representative to the FDA's psychopharmacolical drugs advisory committee for a four year term. Gail Griffith is listed in the 2005-2006 National Register of Who's Who in administrative and executive leaders.

Gail Griffith is a graduate of University of California, Berkeley, and holds a graduate degree from Georgetown University. She lives in Washington, D.C. with her husband, architect Jack Brady. She is the author of Will's Choice: A Suicidal Teen, a Desperate Mother and a Chronicle of Recovery, published by HarperCollins in May, 2005; Will's Choice was a finalist for the 2005 Suze Orman First Book, "2005 Books for a Better Life Award." In June 2006, she received the "Tipper Gore: Remember the Children Award," bestowed by Mental Health America (formerly the National Mental Health Association.)

"Though Griffith is quick to point out that there's hope for the seriously depressed--a cocktail of cutting-edge antidepressants combined with cognitive behavioral therapy has proved particularly effective--her book never stoops to platitudes or easy answers...her lucid, honest prose keeps the reader engaged...[and] her story provides concrete advice to concerned parents."
--Nashville Scene

"Gripping, grueling and entrancing...A knowledgeable guide's revelatory report on a disturbing phenomenon."
--Kirkus Reviews

"[Griffith has] an incredible gift for words, drawing readers in and making them care about not just Will but all those who bravely combat depression."
Cleveland Plain Dealer

"As an advocate for depressed teens and their families, Griffith educates and empathizes. With the story of Will's choice-life-she gives hope to families in crisis.""
Washington Post Book World

See an interview with Gail on KCBS

Hear an interview with Gail on the Diane Rehm Show

Article by Gail: "The Fear of No Right Answer" [.doc]

© Sunday, November 9, 2003, Washington Post

Article by Gail: "The Choice of Life"

Part 1, Part 2 [.pdf]

© Tuesday, May 17, 2005, Washington Post

Recent news

  • 2007 Special Needs Bestseller by LibraryJournal.com

    Will's Choice listed as a 2007 Special Needs Bestseller by LibraryJournal.com

  • Newsweek Magazine, July 16, 2007, "Trouble in a 'Black Box,"

    Gail is quoted in this Newsweek article which suggests that the black box warning on antidepressants for teens and young adults may have had an adverse effect on prescribing practices. Griffith says, "If" I had known how much the label would rattle parents, I wouldn't have voted for it [the black box warning]." In December 2006, the FDA's psychopharmacological committee voted 6 to 2 to extend the black box labelling to young persons up to twenty-four years of age. Griffith voted against extending the label to include this larger constituency, siting the extraordinary vulnerability of this population and the disastrous consequences of failing to treat depression.

  • FDA names Gail griffith consumer representative to the Psychopharmacologica Drug Advisory Committee

    In August 2007, Gail was named consumer representative to the Food and Drug Administration's Psychopharmalogical Drug Advisory Committee for a four year term.

  • Will's Choice reviewed on American Association of Suicidology website, Summer 2007

    Will's Choice: A suicidal teen, a desperate mother, and a chronicle of recovery by Gail Griffith (2006) Reviewed by Judy R. Kletter. Go to: http://www.suicidology.org/ and click on "bookstore" AAS reviewed books.

  • Keynote spaker at 2007 American Psychiatric Nurses Association Annual Meeting

    On October 3, Gail will deliver the keyntoe address to the American Psychiatric Nurses Association, meeting in Kissimmee, Florida. She will recount how her family came to terms with the suicide attempt of her teenage son.

  • Radio interviews 2006

    Over the course of the summer, Gail was interviewed about teen depression and Will's Choice for the following live radio programs: What's Going On? June 9th WLYU- Vidalia, Georgia Jeff Brucculeri Show, June 21st KAKC-AM - Tulsa, Oklahoma Kris McGregor, June 22nd Spirit 88.9 FM KVSS - Omaha, Nebraska Greg Berg Show, June 23rd WGTD-FM - Madison, Wisconsin Ron Thulin Show, June 27th KAHL San Antonio KGAB, Wyoming, Friday, July 7th North Dakota Public Radio on "Access to Healthcare Issues" interviewed September 23, by Sarah Morrau.

  • Suicide Prevention Action Network

  • 2006 Tipper Gore Remember the Children Award

    Gail was honored with the "Tipper Gore: Remember the Children Award," given by the National Mental Health Association at their annual meeting in June. For pictures of the ceremony, or details about NMHA's annual meeting, please visit their website, www.nmha.org.