Welcome

I am incredibly excited to welcome Rachael Wakley to our GCSSPP team as our Program Support Specialist. Rachael joined our Coalition a little over a year ago as a mother, looking to raise awareness and increase prevention efforts in our community. She has done just that. I am incredibly excited to see her impact on our community, youth and families moving forward! If you see Rachael around, please give her a warm welcome!

Emily Rayburn

GCSSPP Director

For the past ten years, Rachael Wakley has called Gratiot County home. She is a proud graduate of the Portland High School class of 2002 in Portland, MI.

After a successful career as a multi-licensed claims adjuster for large accounts, Rachael felt a strong calling to switch paths and pursue a degree in Social Work. This decision was profoundly influenced by the tragic loss of her daughter, Addy, who died by suicide at the young age of 12 on January 3, 2023. This heartbreaking event inspired her to join the Gratiot County Substance and Suicide Prevention Coalition later in 2023, where she volunteered as a QPR gatekeeper. Through her compassionate nature, kindness and resilience, she has shared her grief journey and her dedication to connecting with other survivors of loss. In August 2024 her presentation at the 2024 Michigan Suicide Prevention Commission Summit solidified her important role in GCSSPP. Rachael was thrilled to accept the role as GCSSPP Support Specialist in November of 2024.

Outside of her professional endeavors, Rachael treasures her time with family and has discovered a talent for watercolor painting—a creative outlet that she found later in life, allowing her to express herself and share her artistic gifts with others.