About Us
Jon’s letter asked to raise the awareness about the signs of depression to help others avoid the same path.
Chris Allard, Jon’s brother, took Jon’s request seriously as he took the first step of creating The Tenth Man organization.
“The Tenth man” is a reference to “Devil’s Advocate” or alternative voice which is a role Jon played at the State’s Attorney’s Office when he provided an alternative voice to the direction in which a case was going to be tried. Apparently being their main murder trial and heinous crime expert took a toll on him. What became apparent after Jon’s death was that he was the one who need a “Tenth Man”.
Chris leads this organization and speaks frequently to other organizations and schools to help achieve The Tenth Man’s mission.
The Tenth Man’s Mission
The Tenth Man’s mission is to save lives by raising awareness and offering immediate and confidential assistance to anyone who finds themselves on the path towards suicide.
Board of Directors
Chris Allard
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Chris Allard is the Founder and Executive Director of The Tenth Man Foundation, a suicide prevention organization he started in honor of his brother, Jon Allard Jr, who died from suicide in September 2018. The term “Tenth Man” is a reference to “Devil’s Advocate” or alternative voice, which is what the organization provides to those who have started down the path toward suicide. Their focus is to raise awareness about depression and suicide prevention, as well as to provide immediate and confidential help to individuals in need of counseling.
Chris became a member of the St. Clair County Suicide Prevention Alliance which led to his involvement with AFSP, initially as a volunteer at various awareness events, and then as the Chairperson for the St. Clair County AFSP Out of the Darkness Walk. He became a member of the Board of Directors in 2023 and hopes to expand AFSP support in Southern Illinois.
Chris has enjoyed an over 30-year career in oil and gas logistics, working for several global corporations. Much of his career has focused on business process improvement and change management, which are skills he has been able to apply to the work he does with The Tenth Man and AFSP.
Colleen Chance
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TBD
David Sink
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TBD
Sharon Nikrant
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TBD
Jeff Watson
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Kenny Kuhn
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Kenny Kuhn is Board Member of The Tenth Man Foundation and the Director of Marketing & Communications.
Kenny was a high school classmate and friend of Chris. We both served on Belleville High School West’s Student Council years ago. He was also acquainted with Jon and last spoke with Jon while he attended my band’s performance in the park with his father and Chris just prior to Jon dying from suicide.
Kenny jumped at the opportunity to help The Tenth Man Foundation, based on personal experiences with loved ones struggling with mental health and suicide concerns.
Kenny has focused his attention on promoting The Tenth Man Foundation via the website, organizing local events and managing targeted communication efforts.
Kenny has spent the last 30 years as a senior marketing research executive in the Technology, Agriculture and Healthcare industries. He has spent his career devising marketing research strategies/data analytics solutions for Fortune 100 organizations and utilizing data-driven decisions/insights to influence strategic discussions and drive value for customers and the organization. Kenny utilizes these experiences to help lead The Tenth Man Foundation’s initiatives.
Alice Kaufman
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