Beya Thayer

Beya Thayer is a systems advocate supporting enhanced collaborations among multi-disciplinary teams. Ms. Thayer works to develop and implement strategies that lead to the long-term and sustainable involvement of community institutions, organizations, and individuals within the intersections of justice and behavioral health addressing partnership and systems change.

With her current position as the Executive Director of the Yavapai Justice and Mental Health Coalition with the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office, and through her prior positions with the Regional Behavioral Health Authority, the Arizona Coalition Against Domestic Violence as the Domestic Violence Fatality Review Coordinator and coordinating the Coconino County Coordinated Community Response Team to Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, Ms. Thayer ‘s career has given her the opportunity to work with diverse communities, disciplines and agencies throughout Arizona and the Western Navajo Nation, creating partnerships and collaborations, to effect policy and change on both the micro and macro levels.

After being introduced to the Start by Believing campaign at a conference in 2012, Ms. Thayer realized the campaign message was the missing link needed to enhance the criminal justice training her team was creating to develop protocols and best practices for investigating domestic violence and sexual assault. This spark set the events in motion that ultimately led to Arizona becoming the first Start by Believing state.

To this day, Ms. Thayer continues to push the message of Start by Believing forward in her community and across the state.