Author and Advocate for Mental Health
Sue Klebold is the mother of Dylan Klebold, one of the two gunmen responsible for the Columbine High School shootings of April 20, 1999, in Littleton, Colorado. Dylan and his friend killed 12 students and a teacher, and wounded more than 20 others before taking their own lives.
In the aftermath of the tragedy, Klebold remained out of the public eye while struggling with devastating grief and humiliation. Her search for understanding would span over 15 years during which she volunteered for suicide prevention organizations, questioned experts, talked with fellow survivors of loss and examined the crucial intersection between mental health problems and violence. As a result of her exploration, she emerged a passionate advocate, dedicated to the advancement of mental health awareness and intervention.
From her memoir, "A Mother’s Reckoning: Living in the Aftermath of Tragedy" (Crown, 2016), Klebold is donating all author profits to organizations that promote mental wellness, brain research and suicide prevention. She is a member of the National Loss and Healing Council of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Consumer-Survivor Subcommittee. She has participated in presentations, co-chaired conferences at the state and national levels, and written about the experience of surviving a loved one’s murder-suicide. She has a master's degree in education from Cardinal Stritch College. She was an instructor and administrator in the Colorado Community College System for over 20 years.