Red Star Foundation Welcomes Dr. Kent A. Corso to Board of Advisors as Suicidologist

The Red Star Foundation is proud to announce that Dr. Kent A. Corso, PsyD, BCBA-D, has joined the organization’s Board of Advisors as a suicidologist, bringing more than two decades of national and international leadership in suicide prevention, intervention, postvention, behavioral health integration, and military and veteran behavioral health.

Dr. Corso is a highly respected clinical psychologist, behavior analyst, U.S. Air Force veteran, and founder of PROSPER, which stands for Proactive Reduction Of Suicide in Populations via Evidence-based Research. PROSPER is an evidence-based suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention model that has been recognized by state and federal agencies and has been implemented across the United States, Canada, Asia, Australia, Europe, and other regions. According to his professional background, Dr. Corso has trained more than 250,000 people and helped achieve community suicide reductions ranging from 47% to 60% in several high-risk populations and communities.

“Dr. Kent Corso brings exactly the kind of proven, science-based leadership Red Star needs as we continue building a national model for suicide prevention and family support,” said Jerry Shaffer, Founder and CEO of the Red Star Foundation. “His experience working with service members, veterans, first responders, federal agencies, and communities across the country will help strengthen our programs, guide our strategy, and, most importantly, help save lives.”

Dr. Corso previously served as Special Advisor to the Commissioner for Behavioral Safety and Risk Management and Suicide Prevention Program Manager for U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the largest law enforcement organization in the world, with more than 45,000 law enforcement officers and over 64,000 total employees. In that role, he led suicide prevention efforts, advised senior leadership, developed policy, analyzed suicide trends, created training curriculum, and helped reduce CBP suicides by nearly half.

His background also includes extensive work with the Department of Defense, Defense Health Agency, National Guard Bureau, Defense Suicide Prevention Program Office, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, U.S. Air Force, Give an Hour, and other military-connected and behavioral health organizations. He has helped develop behavioral health programs serving hundreds of thousands of patients and has contributed to DoD-wide behavioral health integration efforts impacting more than two million patients.

For the Red Star Foundation, Dr. Corso’s addition represents a major step forward in advancing the organization’s mission to prevent suicide among service members, veterans, first responders, and their families, while also supporting the Red Star Families left behind after a suicide loss.

Red Star’s work includes the Red Star Service Banner, Red Star Service Pin, Red Star Voices, Roll Call, Code Red, peer-to-peer support, public awareness, family recognition, and suicide prevention initiatives designed to reach people before crisis becomes tragedy. Dr. Corso’s expertise will help guide the development, measurement, and expansion of these programs as Red Star continues building a national movement around connection, prevention, and support.

“Suicide prevention cannot be built on awareness alone,” Shaffer added. “It requires training, data, research, peer connection, early intervention, and a deep understanding of what families and communities need before and after a crisis. Dr. Corso has spent his career doing that work at the highest levels.”

Dr. Corso has published more than 50 peer-reviewed research papers, posters, and presentations in suicidology and behavioral sciences, and has authored a book and two book chapters on behavioral health integration. He has also served in numerous academic, advisory, and leadership roles, including work with the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences, the Association for Behavior Analysis International Military and Veterans Special Interest Group, the Collaborative Family Healthcare Association, and the Standard Celeration Society.

As a member of the Red Star Foundation Board of Advisors, Dr. Corso will provide subject matter expertise in suicide prevention strategy, program design, evidence-based training, community intervention, postvention support, and outcome measurement.

The Red Star Foundation is honored to welcome Dr. Kent Corso to its advisory team and looks forward to working with him to strengthen a national model that honors Red Star Families, supports those at risk, and helps prevent future suicide loss across the military, veteran, and first responder communities.