🌟 Meet Our Directors

Collect;bles for Change Foundation™️ is guided by a dedicated board of directors united by one belief:
youth mental health is a community responsibility.

Our leadership team brings experience in advocacy, nonprofit work, crisis support, lived experience, creative fundraising, and community partnerships. Together, we work to expand awareness, support families, and push for urgently needed youth mental health and substance-use resources in Tippecanoe County.

⭐ Joni Bertram — Founder & Executive Director

Joni Bertram is the Founder and Executive Director of Collect;bles for Change Foundation™. She established the organization after witnessing firsthand how often families seeking help for their children are dismissed, placed on long waitlists, or told no youth-specific services are available. Her lived experience—combined with a strong commitment to local families—inspired the creation of a community-centered approach to early mental-health support.

Joni is a member of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), a Volunteer Advocate with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), a member of Drug-Free Coalition of Tippecanoe County, and a financial supporter of The Trevor Project. Her work is grounded in evidence-informed prevention principles, community mobilization, and the belief that every young person deserves timely, compassionate access to support close to home.

She leads mission strategy, public education efforts, partnership development, youth-focused outreach, and advocacy initiatives for the foundation. Her vision is clear and unwavering:


When teens want mental health or substance use treatment, we should have local, affordable, trauma informed practitioners, programs, and facilities ready. Mental health crisis is equally important as a physical health crisis. Our teens are in widespread crisis and it is our responsibility as adults to help.



⭐ Sheady Kyle — President, Board of Directors

Sheady Kyle is the co-founder of Conquering Mountains Together, a nonprofit focused on building mental resilience and supporting individuals affected by trauma, life stressors, substance misuse, and suicidal thoughts. Through CMT, she has supported widows and families in crisis, distributed essential items to Veterans, assisted households in emergencies, constructed Little Free Food Pantries, and partnered with community organizations across Indiana and Tennessee.

Her trauma-aware insight, crisis-support experience, and established community partnerships bring powerful depth to the board. As Board President, Sheady strengthens governance, enriches mission accountability, and provides invaluable perspective on serving vulnerable populations.

 

 

⭐ Echo Harrington — Director & Secretary

Echo serves on the Board of Directors and contributes her perspective and experience in support of the Foundation’s mission.

Her creativity, organizational insight, and commitment to youth advocacy inform the Foundation’s work and help guide its community-focused efforts.


⭐ Bill Bertram — Founder & Director 

Bill provides essential behind-the-scenes support, including logistics direction, event staffing, setup, and tear down. His reliability and practical skillset keep the foundation’s operations running smoothly and efficiently.

 

⭐ Laura Blaydes — Independent Director

Laura serves on the Board of Directors, contributing her experience and judgment in support of the Foundation’s mission.

She brings a professional background in law and a strong commitment to ethical governance, providing insight and guidance when appropriate.


⭐ Chantel Harris — Independent Director

Chantel Harris just completed her final semester of college in mental health studies and is currently interning at community mental health centers. She brings emerging professional experience, a youth-informed perspective, and active involvement in real-world mental health settings.

As an Independent Director, Chantel contributes to strategic planning, advocacy efforts, and community engagement. Her hands-on experience ensures the foundation remains aligned with the needs and challenges facing today’s adolescents.

💛 United by Purpose

Together, our board represents a powerful combination of advocacy, lived experience, community service, crisis support, creativity, and developing professional expertise.

We are united in one mission:

To build immediate, local, and compassionate mental health and substance-use resources for the youth of Tippecanoe County — because they cannot wait any longer.