Beverly Cobain

Beverly Cobain is a nationally recognized speaker, educator, and workshop leader on the issues of youth depression awareness and suicide prevention and intervention, as well as a registered nurse with certification in psychiatric and mental health nursing. She is a survivor of three family suicides, including the 1994 death of her cousin Kurt Cobain, the lead singer of the band Nirvana.

Kurt's death and her own struggle with depression ignited a passion to educate professionals, lay persons, and youth about depression and the significant public health issue of suicide. This desire to educate resulted in her writing the acclaimed book, "When Nothing Matters Anymore: A Survival Guide for Depressed Teens", published in 1998; and developing the Living Matters website to provide an additional avenue to share her knowledge and experience of youth depression and suicide.

Cobain has been presented with the Youth Suicide Prevention Award for the State of Washington by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention's Northwest Chapter. She has also been the recipient of the National Mental Health Association's Green Ribbon Award recognizing her efforts on behalf of youth depression awareness.

Cobain has served on the Kitsap County Drug and Alcohol Advisory Board; the Kitsap Suicide Prevention Task Force; and the Washington State Youth Suicide Prevention Committee. She is regularly consulted on appropriately depicting suicide during the creative process of media productions, providing insight on safe media coverage during the aftermath of public violence and/or suicide. Ms. Cobain has also worked on media projects with Time-Warner/Court TV, CNN, Fisher Broadcasting (KOTV), Oregon Public Broadcasting, and has appeared on numerous TV and radio broadcasts.