St. Louis Building Trades Wellness Coalition Appoints 17-Member Advisory Board
Date Posted: October 22, 2026
Posted In: Discussion, What we are thinking about, Workforce,
The St. Louis Building Trades Wellness Coalition has appointed a 17-member advisory board representing organized labor, construction contractors, healthcare providers and community organizations as the industry confronts high rates of suicide, substance misuse and mental health challenges among its workforce.
The board, introduced October 9, includes representatives of AGC of Missouri, Guarantee Electrical, Millstone Weber, Washington University, Saint Louis University and several building trades unions.
The appointments come as the construction industry increasingly recognizes mental health and substance misuse as workforce safety issues, alongside the physical hazards traditionally associated with construction.
Research cited by the Coalition shows that suicide and overdose deaths among construction workers far outnumber fatalities from jobsite accidents.
Coalition Formed to Address Mental Health Crisis
Established in 2025, the St. Louis Building Trades Wellness Coalition is a labor-led initiative focused on reducing the stigma surrounding mental health and substance misuse, improving access to treatment and developing peer support networks within the trades.
David Scott serves as executive director, John Gaal, EdD, as chief learning officer, and James Pursell as director of peer development.
The Coalition’s approach emphasizes training construction workers to recognize signs of distress among coworkers and connecting those in need with professional assistance. It also works with unions, contractors and healthcare organizations to make support services more accessible to workers and their families.
The new advisory board will provide guidance on programs, partnerships, training needs and fundraising. It is expected to meet up to six times annually.
Advisory Board Members Named
The 17 members are:
- Jenny Armbruster, Executive Director, PreventEd
- Nick Dodson, Labor Liaison, United Way of Greater St. Louis
- Rene Dulle, Director, CEET, Saint Louis University
- Dave Gralike, Chief Construction Officer, Guarantee Electrical
- Brian Jennewein, Director, BAC Administrative District Council of Eastern Missouri
- Brenton Lane, Elevator Constructors Local 3
- Diana Marburger, Welfare Director, Greater St. Louis Construction Laborers Fund
- Shawna Norton, Wellness Manager, Ameren
- David Roberts, President, AllRise Elevator Company
- Davey Samples, Ironworkers Local 396
- Susan Werner, Employee Assistance Coach, Evernorth Health Services
- Aaron Walsh, Labor Recovery Specialist, STL LEAN
- Brandon Anderson, Vice President of Safety, AGC of Missouri
- John Clark, Labor Relations Manager, Millstone Weber
- Bradley Evanoff, Professor and Researcher, Washington University
- Kurt Schmidt, Founder and Executive Director, The Peer Network
- Don Willey, Retired Business Manager, Laborers Local 110; former Executive Board Member, Missouri and Kansas Laborers’ District Council
Training and Peer Support Programs Expanding
At its October 9 meeting, the Coalition also recognized six recipients of peer support training scholarships representing Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 562, Bricklayers Local 1, IBEW Locals 1 and 309, Ironworkers Local 396 and Elevator Constructors Local 3.
The organization is promoting training in suicide prevention, overdose response and peer support, along with educational programs addressing mental health issues affecting construction workers.
A November 6 program with Saint Louis University will focus on gambling addiction and mental health as part of the Building Resilience series.
Additional information is available at stlbtwellness.org.