Liza Long KHS, BA, MA, EdD

Liza is a writer, educator, mental health advocate, and mother of four children, one of whom has bipolar disorder. She started her blog, The Anarchist Soccer Mom, in 2007, where she first published the essay, “I Am Adam Lanza’s Mother” in 2012 when her family’s personal tragedy intersected with the public tragedy of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings. This launched her journey as a mental health advocate. Liza spoke at TEDx San Antonio in October 2013, testified to the U.S. Congress about the importance of mental health reform, and appears in the 2014 PBS documentary "Mind of a Rampage Killer" and the 2018 HBO documentary "A Dangerous Son." Her 2014 book, The Price of Silence: A Mom's Perspective on Mental Illness, won the "Books for a Better Life" award.

Liza's essays have also been published in USA Today, Huffington Post, Psychology Today, Time.com, MariaShriver.com, MindBodyGreen.com, ParentMap.com, and TheMighty.com. Her 2016 doctoral dissertation explored leadership strengths and personality styles of family member and peer mental health advocates. She is a full-time English instructor at the College of Western Idaho and a past president of NAMI Boise. Liza is passionate about ending stigma and providing real solutions for children and families.