Tandra Rutledge
Director of Youth and Campus Programs
Tandra Rutledge is a seasoned mental health clinician, suicide prevention specialist, and youth ministry leader with over 30 years of experience in transformational leadership and results-driven outcomes. Widely recognized as a trusted thought leader, motivational speaker, and clinical consultant, she is dedicated to inspiring individuals, organizations, and communities to prioritize mental health and suicide prevention.
Tandra founded Avidity, LLC with a mission to integrate social justice, racial equity, and faith into suicide prevention and mental health efforts, advancing her vision of creating a just culture. She frequently speaks at conferences, facilitates workshops, and serves as a subject matter expert on suicide prevention for local, state, and national events, as well as on digital and streaming platforms. In 2020, she authored a chapter titled "Trust Your Gut" in the anthology Case Management: The Key to Patient-Centered Care, Volume 2.
Believing that a key strategy in suicide prevention involves reaching individuals where they live, work, learn, play, and worship, Tandra is a passionate advocate for the church to become a catalyst for positive change, offering hope and healing to those in need.
Tandra is featured in the multimedia video resource Healing the Healers Series 3: Youth Mental Health, which equips faith leaders with tools to address youth suicide within congregations. As a steward of the Word of God, she strives to strengthen and encourage others while promoting wellness and facilitating spiritual growth.
Committed to equipping and empowering leaders for ministry, Tandra believes strongly in a relational model of training. She is an active member of Jubilee Baptist Church in Bolingbrook, IL, where she plays key roles within the Christian Education Department, serves as a Small Group Leader for teen girls, and acts as the Volunteer and Teaching Coordinator for the Youth Ministry.
Demonstrating her unwavering commitment to mental wellness and suicide prevention, Tandra is deeply engaged in her community at local, state, and national levels. She serves as the board chair of Sista Afya Community Care, a Chicago-based nonprofit organization providing free, culturally centered mental wellness services for Black women. She is also a volunteer and former board member of the Illinois Chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and a member of the Illinois Suicide Prevention Alliance. Her expertise includes being a certified QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) instructor and a certified Adult Mental Health First Aid instructor.
Tandra resides in Downers Grove, IL, with her husband, Simon, and their two sons, Malcolm and Matthew. With her tireless passion for God and deep compassion for His people, Tandra is driven to promote mental wellness, facilitate healing, and spread hope in every facet of her life.
Tandra Rutledge
Director, Youth and campus Programs
Tandra Rutledge is a seasoned mental health clinician, suicide prevention specialist, and youth ministry leader with over 30 years of combined experience in transformational leadership and results-driven outcomes. She is widely recognized as a trusted and reliable thought leader, motivational speaker, and clinical consultant, dedicated to inspiring individuals, organizations, and communities to prioritize mental health and suicide prevention.
Tandra founded Avidity, LLC, with a mission to incorporate social justice, racial equity, and faith into suicide prevention and mental health. Through this organization, she aims to advance her vision of creating a just culture. She frequently speaks at conferences, facilitates workshops, and serves as a subject matter expert on suicide prevention for local, state, and national events, as well as on digital and streaming platforms. Tandra has also authored a chapter on suicide prevention titled "Trust Your Gut" in the 2020 anthology, "Case Management: The Key to Patient Centered Care: Volume 2."
Tandra believes that a key strategy in preventing suicide includes reaching individuals in the community where they live, work, learn, play, and worship. That is why she is a passionate advocate for the church to become a catalyst for positive change in preventing suicide, offering hope and healing to individuals in need.
Tandra is featured in the multimedia video resource "Healing the Healers Series 3: Youth Mental Health," which provides faith leaders with tools to address youth suicide within congregations. As a steward of the Word of God, Tandra strives to strengthen and encourage others, promoting wellness and facilitating spiritual growth.
Committed to equipping and empowering leaders for ministry, Tandra strongly believes in the relational model of training. She is an active member of Jubilee Baptist Church in Bolingbrook, IL, where she plays key roles within the Christian Education Department, serves as a Small Group Leader for teen girls, and acts as the Volunteer and Teaching Coordinator for the Youth Ministry.
Demonstrating her unwavering commitment to mental wellness and suicide prevention, Tandra is deeply engaged in her community at the local, state, and national levels. She serves as the board chair of Sista Afya Community Care, a Chicago-based nonprofit organization that provides free, culturally centered community mental wellness services for Black women. Tandra is also a volunteer and former board member of the Illinois Chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Additionally, she is a member of the Illinois Suicide Prevention Alliance. Tandra's expertise also includes being a certified QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) instructor and a certified Adult Mental Health First Aid instructor.
Tandra resides in Downers Grove, IL, with her husband, Simon, and their two sons, Malcolm, and Matthew. With her tireless passion for God and deep compassion for His people, Tandra is driven to promote mental wellness, facilitate healing, and spread hope in every facet of her life.