The name for the Four Pines Fund was coined by Alan Gottesman, the founders’ son, whose life was lost to suicide in 2015.  Alan felt that the four pine trees that stand outside their Vermont home are a metaphor for their family of four. 

Four Pines Fund is a national family foundation established in 2023. Its founders Debra Lopez Gottesman and Bill Gottesman, both physicians, have had to reckon with the shortcomings of their professions while navigating the profound grief of Alan’s passing. Grounded in both science and lived experience, they found a path forward in dedicating themselves to improving suicide care in the United States, working to close the gap between what research shows is effective and the care people typically receive.

Time and again, new research has transformed how healthcare providers treat illness — prompting them to relearn, adapt, and improve care in ways that have saved millions of lives. The founders of Four Pines Fund believe it’s time to bring that same commitment to suicide care. The health of our families, loved ones, and communities depends on it.