Carol Skiljan is the Executive Director and one of the founding members (1997) of the Light for Life Foundation of Southern California.  She administers the Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program® (YRSPP®).  Light for Life Foundation of Southern California is a non-profit chapter of Light for Life Foundation International.  Ms. Skiljan is a certified YRSPP® trainer and presenter.  Locally and nationally, YRSPP® works to save and enrich lives through suicide prevention efforts using education, advocacy and support strategies.  These efforts encompass the entire community, are organized by the community and for the community with YRSPP's technical assistance.  In this way, high risk populations are addressed and sustainability for programming is built.  During the past eight years, LFLFSoCA has distributed nearly 420,000 Yellow Ribbon Lifeline Cards and has provided comprehensive suicide prevention education for over 130,000 middle/high school staff, students and parents in San Diego County.  In addition, YRSPP provides suicide prevention presentations and training for health classes, after-school programs, parent organizations, civic groups, service clubs, health and wellness fairs, and other community based organizations.

Ms. Skiljan represents YRSPP® on the CHIP (Community Health Improvement Partners) Suicide and Violence and Injury Prevention Committee.  YRSPP® has played a major role in the projects of this committee.  Among them are developing PSAs for a suicide and depression awareness media campaign, college-age signs of depression refrigerator magnet project with CSUSM, and two “sold-out” conferences (East County, 2001 and North Inland 2005) on Youth Suicide and the School Community titled, "Prevention, Intervention, and Postvention Issues".  In 2004, Ms. Skiljan and YRSPP® provided technical assistance to the San Diego Children’s Initiative project, "Results for Kids: Youth Suicide Prevention Toolkit".

Ms. Skiljan has been an active volunteer and advocate of public education for the past 20 years.  She has served on local and county level PTA boards and other parent foundation boards providing leadership in many capacities.  Ms. Skiljan was elected to the Encinitas Union School District Board (EUSD) of Trustees in 1992.  She has served as Board President, Vice-President and Clerk numerous times and represents EUSD on the City of Encinitas School Liaison Committee.  Ms. Skiljan has completed the California School Boards Association’s training, "Master in Boardsmanship and Master in Governance".  Ms. Skiljan is particularly proud of EUSD’s Preschool Learning Center which was recognized in 2004 with a California School Boards Association Golden Bell Award.  She is the immediate past President of San Diego County School Boards Association and Delegate to California School Boards Association.  She represents San Diego County School Boards Association on the County of San Diego's Health and Human Services Agency’s (HHSA) Children’s System of Care Council and on the Mental Health Services Act Children’s Workgroup.

Ms. Skiljan received an Associate of Arts degree from West Valley College and completed Sociology coursework at San Jose State University and San Diego State University.

Ms. Skiljan and her husband, Jeff, married for 33 years have two daughters, Jessie, 24, and Stefanie, 21. Carol is involved in some facet of K-12 issues on a daily basis, as a parent volunteer, elected official, educator or advocate. She appreciates the opportunity to expand her advocacy via the First 5 Commission of San Diego and embraces the vision: "Every child in San Diego County will enter school ready to learn".