Speakers
Lindsey Alley, MS, is a Research Associate and Project Manager at HealthInsight Oregon. Ms. Alley received her Master of Science in Applied Psychology at Portland State University, where she gained advanced training in the psychosocial facets of health behavior and health outcomes. Ms. Alley’s work involves a variety of qualitative and quantitative methods, including focus groups, semi-structured interviews, job shadowing, dyadic data collection and analysis, and survey design/distribution. Her research focuses on patient experiences and relationship implications (e.g., spouse-patient, provider-patient, and pharmacist-patient) regarding both treatment facilitation and adherence for individuals living with chronic illness and chronic pain. She has successfully coordinated seven research projects through which she has collected, analyzed, and disseminated data regarding psychosocial determinants of various health-related behaviors including Safe Patient Handling, exercise, drinking, obesity, work-related injuries, and psychological well-being. She is currently managing an AHRQ-funded project to develop and evaluate a toolkit aimed at community pharmacists to facilitate use of the Oregon Prescription Drug Monitoring Program and enhance supportive, effective communication between patients, pharmacists, and prescribers around opioid management.
Cassandra Andersen is the Manager of Strategic Partnerships with the City of Worcester, Massachusetts, Division of Public Health where she has been employed for over 4 years. The City of Worcester provides public health services to 7 communities in Massachusetts through the Central Massachusetts Regional Public Health Alliance with a combined population of over 283,000 residents. Before joining the City of Worcester she worked in diverse settings across Massachusetts focusing her career on community capacity building and partnership development including promotion of positive youth development, providing technical assistance on developing healthy community coalitions, CBO implementation of evidence based programs and ensuring community engagement in community-based participatory research. She is currently responsible for the management of Community Health staff, overseeing the implementation of grants and initiatives to improve community health and reduce substance misuse related morbidity and mortality across the Central Massachusetts Regional Public Health Alliance. Engaging academic and community partners and advising student research is also an essential component of her work. She is a recipient of the City of Worcester Eleanor Riik Service Excellence Award.
Jack Andrzejewski, MPH, ORISE Research Fellow,Division of Adolescent and School Health, National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Jack Andrzejewski is an ORISE Research Fellow in the Division of Adolescent and School Health at the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention. This fellowship focuses on research synthesis as he has undertaken
several literature review projects to help inform the Division’s work around various topics in
adolescent sexual health and substance use prevention. Jack received his Master of Public Health from
the University of Michigan in Health Behavior and Health Education. While completing his M.P.H., he
worked on a community based participatory research projected aimed at addressing structural level
factors to reduce STIs and HIV for sexual and gender minority youth in the Detroit metro area. Prior to
his graduate career, Jack worked for multiple community based organizations serving at-risk youth and
other vulnerable populations.
Disease Control and Prevention. This fellowship focuses on research synthesis as he has undertaken
several literature review projects to help inform the Division’s work around various topics in
adolescent sexual health and substance use prevention. Jack received his Master of Public Health from
the University of Michigan in Health Behavior and Health Education. While completing his M.P.H., he
worked on a community based participatory research projected aimed at addressing structural level
factors to reduce STIs and HIV for sexual and gender minority youth in the Detroit metro area. Prior to
his graduate career, Jack worked for multiple community based organizations serving at-risk youth and
other vulnerable populations.
James “Jim” Arnold, Chief, Policy & Liaison Section, Diversion Control Division, Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Department of Justice
Jim currently serves as Chief of the Policy and Liaison Section, Diversion Control Division, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) at DEA Headquarters in Washington, DC. Jim has also served as the Chief of the Policy Unit and the Chief of the Regulatory Unit at DEA Headquarters, as well as in various other investigative and supervisory positions at the DEA New Jersey Field Division, Newark, New Jersey. His efforts in the New Jersey Field Division focused on administrative, civil, and criminal investigations of DEA registrants and other individuals and organizations who were engaged in violations of the Controlled Substances Act and/or with other illegal activities with legitimate, and illegal, controlled substances and listed chemicals.
With over 28 years of experience with the DEA Jim has spoken nationwide on numerous regulatory subjects; has coordinated and spearheaded investigations on various regulatory issues of nationwide importance for DEA and the Department of Justice; was intimately involved with various investigations and prosecutions of DEA registrants at the height of the opioid prescription drug problem in south Florida in 2011 and 2012; and has been an Instructor at the DEA Justice Training Center in Quantico, Virginia, for Intelligence Research Specialists, Special Agents of Tactical Diversion Squads, and new Basic Diversion Investigator Classes since July of 1999.
Jim is a proud graduate of West Chester State University, and Drew University, where he received a Master’s Degree. Jim has been the recipient of numerous awards and commendations throughout his DEA career in recognition of many successful investigations and prosecutions, and for his leadership, performance and commitment to public service.
Kristin Ashford, PhD, WHNP-BC, FAAN, Assistant Dean of Research and Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner for the University of Kentucky College of Nursing
Kristin Ashford, PhD, WHNP-BC, FAAN, is the Assistant Dean of Research and Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner for the University of Kentucky College of Nursing. Her primary area of research is perinatal tobacco and substance abuse. She has been a nurse for 25 years and has particular interest in coordination of supportive services for perinatal women with substance use disorders.
Carmen Ashley, MPH, MCHES, Senior Advisor, Substance Use Prevention, Division of Adolescent and School Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Carmen Ashley is the Senior Advisor for Substance Use Prevention in the Division of Adolescent and School (DASH) Health at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In this role, she provides oversight and guidance for DASH’s strategic imperative to integrate substance use prevention into HIV/STD prevention efforts for teens. Carmen previously was a Lead Health Education Specialist in DASH, managing technical assistance and other program support offered to education agencies and non-governmental organizations on issues such as sexual risk behavior reduction and coordinated school health. Prior to her work at CDC, Carmen was the Associate Director for Programs and Operations in the applied public health department at Emory University. She has several years’ experience working for other public health agencies such as the American Cancer Society and the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control.
Deborah Augustine, Program Manager, Victim Witness Assistance Program, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Washington, D.C.
Deborah Augustine ensures agency compliance with victims’ rights laws by providing training, guidance, case assistance and support to DEA’s domestic and international offices. She coordinates victim issues with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies and collaborates with crime victim and prevention organizations. Deborah also served four years as the Acting Chief, Office of Congressional and Public Affairs, Demand Reduction Section, and worked with the staff on drug prevention outreach and educational efforts. She presents at conferences nationwide on the topics of children exposed to drug environments and drug crime victimization. Deborah represents DEA on a variety of working groups including the Federal Task Force on Missing and Exploited Children and the International Association of Chiefs of Police, Victim Services Committee. She also worked on the Safeguarding Children of Arrested Parents Advisory Working Group.
Grant T. Baldwin, Director, Division of Unintentional Injury Prevention, National Center, for Injury Prevention and Control (NCIPC), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, (CDC)
Dr. Grant Baldwin, PhD, MPH, is the Director of the Division of Unintentional Injury Prevention (DUIP) at the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (NCIPC) in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). He has served in this capacity since September 2008. Unintentional injuries are the leading cause of death for persons ages 1 to 44 years. DUIP is dedicated to reducing the number and severity of unintentional injuries through science-based programs and applied research. CDC is focused on preventing injuries and fatalities from motor vehicle-related crashes, older adult falls, prescription drug overdoses, and traumatic brain injuries. Dr. Baldwin joined the CDC Injury Center in November 2006 as acting Deputy Director. In this role, Dr. Baldwin assisted the NCIPC Director in providing overall leadership and direction for the Center. He began his career at CDC in September 1996. Dr. Baldwin received his PhD in health behavior and health education at the University of Michigan School of Public Health in 2003. He also received a MPH in behavioral sciences and health education from the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University in 1996. He currently adjunct Associate Professor at Emory in the School of Public Health and teaches two courses – Social Behavior and Public Health and Community Needs Assessment.
Michael C. Barnes, Esq. is a founder and the chairman of the board of directors of the Center for Lawful Access and Abuse Deterrence. Mr. Barnes is also a practicing attorney and the managing partner at DCBA Law & Policy in Washington, DC. Mr. Barnes has been a member of the advisory board for the National Rx Drug Abuse & Heroin Summit since 2012, has authored more than 10 scholarly articles, and presents frequently at conferences nationwide. He is a contributor to U.S. News & World Report and provides analysis for TV networks including CNBC, CNN, FOX Business, FOX News, and MSNBC. Mr. Barnes previously served as confidential counsel in the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy.
Andrea Grubb Barthwell, M.D., F.A.S.A.M., is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of the global health care and policy-consulting firm EMGlobal LLC and Director at Two Dreams Treatment Centers. President George W. Bush nominated and the United States Senate confirmed her to serve as Deputy Director for Demand Reduction in the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) from January 2002 to July 2004. As a member of the President's sub-cabinet, Dr. Barthwell was a principal advisor in the Executive Office of the President (EOP) on policies aimed at reducing the demand for illicit drugs. Dr. Barthwell received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Wesleyan University, and a Doctor of Medicine from the University of Michigan Medical School. Dr. Barthwell is a past president of the American Society of Addiction Medicine and in 2003, Dr. Barthwell received the Betty Ford Award, given by the Association for Medical Education and Research in Substance Abuse.
Margaret Baughman, PhD, MPA, Senior Research Associate, Begun Center for Violence Prevention Research & Education at the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences, Case Western Reserve University.
Since 2008, Dr. Baughman has served as the Principal Investigator for thirteen specialty-docket court research evaluations including the State of Ohio’s $5 million dollar Addiction Treatment Project, SAMHSA CSAT and BJA federally-funded Opiate Drug Court projects, Veteran’s Court, Human Trafficking Court and Mental Health Court
evaluations as well. Her research areas include addiction, mental health, criminal justice, community-based treatment, trauma and trauma-informed care. She holds a Ph.D. from The University of Akron in Public Affairs and Urban Studies with a specialization in Program Evaluation where she was an Adjunct Professor teaching
research methods, urban policy and program evaluation courses to graduate students.
Chris Baumgartner is the Drug Systems Director at the Department of Health. Prior to his appointment in 2015, he served in various capacities for 10 years, including working for the Department as the Prescription Monitoring Program Director and owning a consulting firm that provided training and technical services to federal and state governments. He also worked for the WA State Department of Social and Health Services as an IT Portfolio Analyst and managed the Prescription Monitoring Program for the State of Maine while with the Office of Substance Abuse. Mr. Baumgartner holds a Bachelor's of Science Degree from the University of Idaho in Computer Engineering with a Computer Science minor. In 2016 he completed a fellowship with the Informatics Training in Place Program overseen by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Paula Beverly, Investigator, Columbiana County Department of Job and Family Service, Ohio
Paula Beverly is a Tradition Response Investigator with Columbiana County Department of Job and Family Services. Columbiana County Department of Job and Family Services is located in the lower southeast part of Ohio, touching both Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Paula graduated from East Liverpool High School, then went on to further her education at Kent State University, in Kent Ohio. Paula graduated with a Bachelors of Science, majoring in Psychology. Paula is married to her husband Jim and has one son named Cameron. Paula has been employed with CCDJFS since 1990. Paula began her career with CCDJFS working in the Child Support division for nine years, then went on to work in Children Services in 1999. Paula began working in Children Services as the Single Parent Worker, but quickly moved into a Tradition Response Investigator position where she has been for 18 years.
Robert P. Bianchi, President and Chief of Scientific and Technical Affairs, Prescription Drug Research Center, Bradenton, FL
Robert Bianchi is currently the President and Chief of Scientific and Technical Affairs at the Prescription Drug Research Center, Bradenton, FL. He retired as a laboratory director for the Drug Enforcement Administration after 34 years of federal service, where he held increasingly responsible positions as an analytical chemist for the FDA and DEA to the chief of DEA's Laboratory Operations Section. Mr. Bianchi was also director of the DEA Special Testing and Research Laboratory where extractability experiments were conducted. Since 2005 he has been working with the pharmaceutical industry and FDA on developing in vitro protocols to evaluate abuse deterrent formulations and has been actively involved is sharing his experience with the regulatory, pharmaceutical and abuse community. Mr. Bianchi is also a Special Government Employee for participation in the FDA Anesthetic and Life Support Drugs Advisory Committee and the Drug Safety and Risk Management Advisory Committee meetings.
Mark D. Birdwhistell, MPA, Vice President for Administration and External Affairs for the University of Kentucky HealthCare.
Mark D. Birdwhistell currently serves as the Vice President for Administration and External Affairs for the University of Kentucky HealthCare. In this capacity, he provides executive leadership in administration and strategic direction across the clinical enterprise, collaborating effectively with physicians and other leadership of the healthcare team. Mr. Birdwhistell is also responsible for the development and oversight of UK HealthCare, clinical outreach and development initiatives including clinical co-management approaches. He provides direction and oversight to marketing and public relations initiatives and represents UK HealthCare at the local, state and national levels as a national speaker on healthcare policy and Medicaid reform efforts. Birdwhistell has spent the better part of 40 years working in a number of roles in healthcare administration. From 2003-2007, he served as the Secretary of the Cabinet for Health & Family Services under Kentucky Governor Ernie Fletcher and he has previously served as Chief Executive Officer of CHA Health and Director of the Kentucky Department for Medicaid Services. Most recently, he served as a policy adviser to Governor Matt Bevin during the drafting of a Section 1115 Medicaid Demonstration Waiver designed to innovate and transform Kentucky’s Medicaid program.provides executive leadership in administration and strategic direction across the clinical enterprise, collaborating effectively with physicians and other leadership of the healthcare team. Mr. Birdwhistell is also responsible for the development and oversight of UK HealthCare, clinical outreach and development initiatives including clinical co-management approaches. He provides direction and oversight to marketing and public relations initiatives and represents UK HealthCare at the local, state and national levels as a national speaker on healthcare policy and Medicaid reform efforts.
Daniel Blaney-Koen, JD, MFA, Senior Legislative Attorney, American Medical Association Advocacy Resource Center
Daniel Blaney-Koen, JD, MFA, is a Senior Legislative Attorney with the American Medical Association (AMA) Advocacy Resource Center (ARC). The ARC attorneys focus on working with state and specialty medical societies on state legislative, regulatory and policy advocacy. Working in concert with colleagues in the AMA’s public health, science and federal advocacy units, the ARC provides direct advocacy support regarding the nation’s prescription drug abuse, diversion, overdose and death epidemic. Last year, ARC initiatives began focusing on increasing access to naloxone as well as other legislative efforts to expand treatment and prevention of substance use disorders. In addition to his work in the ARC, Mr. Blaney-Koen has held several roles at the AMA, including serving as a public information officer, policy analyst and speechwriter. Prior to joining the AMA in 1999, he earned his Master of Fine Arts in poetry from Colorado State University, and his bachelor’s degree from the University of Arizona. He earned his law degree from the Loyola University Chicago School of Law.
Carla Blanton owns a public relations firm that assists corporations, associations, and nonprofits, including Operation UNITE. She creates Operation UNITE’s social media calendar and posts. Blanton helped coordinate with President Obama’s press office for his appearance at the 2016 National Rx Drug Abuse & Heroin Summit. Operation UNITE, which works in 32 Kentucky counties, pioneered a three-pronged approach to the drug epidemic that involves law enforcement, treatment, and education/prevention. Blanton, who is the former communications director for Governor Ernie Fletcher, also serves as chair of Commerce Lexington (chamber of commerce).
Mary Bono, a former United States congresswoman from California, served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1998-2013. Since leaving Congress, Mary has developed a robust practice advising businesses and other entities nationwide on legislative, regulatory and policy matters. In Congress, Mary was known for her skill and passion for building bipartisan consensus and developing win-win solutions that benefitted all parties. As a result, legislation she authored was signed into law by Presidents Clinton, Bush and Obama. At FaegreBD Consulting, Mary utilizes the same results-focused approach to help organizations achieve their policy objectives. She has particular expertise in the telecommunications, energy, health care, land management and water policy sectors.
Rebecca Boss, MA, Acting Director, Rhode Island Department of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities and Hospitals
Rebecca Boss, MA, was appointed Acting Director of the Rhode Island Department of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities and Hospitals in June 2016. She has more than 20 years’ experience working directly in the addictions treatment field as both a Clinical Supervisor and Program Director. In 2004, she joined BHDDH and became the Administrator for Substance Abuse Treatment Services. She also served as both National Treatment Network representative for the National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors (NASADAD) and as the State Opioid Treatment Authority. Most recently, Ms. Boss served as the Deputy Director of BHDDH and has broadened her oversight of programs to include the entire behavioral healthcare system. In collaboration with consumers, providers, and the State Medicaid Office, she submitted a State Plan Amendment for the creation of a Health Home designation for Opioid Treatment Providers. She has received two awards for the creation of that program – the 2016 National Treatment Network (NTN) Representative of the Year and the Women’s Health Council of Rhode Island honored her with the 2016 Karen Rosene Montella Spark Award for Innovation in Women’s Health in Rhode Island for her leadership in developing the Anchor ED Program.
I possess a strong background in pharmacist and student pharmacist education innovation, pharmacy-based public health projects, and advocating for regulatory and statutory changes to expand pharmacy practice. As former president of the Rhode Island Pharmacists Association (RIPA), I am well acquainted with the challenges community pharmacists and pharmacies face regarding opioid dispensing, opioid safety, overdose, and addiction. My research interests include expanding pharmacists' roles in public health, particularly in prevention of opioid drug overdose and death, infectious diseases prevention, expansion of immunization practice, and emergency preparedness. I have served as a consultant on a grant examining pharmacy staff attitudes and experiences of selling over the counter syringes to injection drug users and currently serve as an expert on a grant examining methods of connecting HIV positive patients with substance use disorders to pharmacies that dispense naloxone. I consult for prescribetoprevent.org, a website devoted to opioid overdose education and naloxone training. I help implement, expand, and study the outcomes of the Rhode Island Collaborative Pharmacy Practice Agreement for naloxone (CPAN), a partnership between the RI Department of Health, RI Board of Pharmacy, an addiction medicine provider and nearly every Rhode Island Walgreens and CVS pharmacy, totaling 88 pharmacies and almost 350 pharmacists. I am a co-investigator on a 3-year, $1.5 million federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) grant to innovate, test, demonstrate, and catalogue how to optimize pharmacy based naloxone in RI and MA.
Paula Braun, MS Analytics, Entrepreneur-in-Residence, National Center for Health Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Paula Braun is an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at CDC's National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). She offers a fresh look on how technology can inform and simplify the way mortality data are collected, analyzed, and reported across the United States. She is also a faculty member in public health informatics at Emory University. Prior to her role at CDC, she led complex analytics projects with a federal financial regulator client and prior to that she led large investigations of US Government wartime spending in Iraq and Afghanistan.
John T. Brooks, MD, Senior Medical Advisor to the Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Preventionl
Although his primary area of expertise is HIV infection, Dr. Brooks, has led teams during emergency responses to anthrax (2001), SARS (2003), Hurricane Katrina (2005), and Ebola (2014 and 2015). He served as Incident Manager for the 2015 HCV/HIV Outbreak. Dr. Brooks came to CDC as an EIS officer after completing a residency in internal medicine and a fellowship in infectious disease. Dr. Brooks graduated from Harvard Medical School in 1994, and completed post-graduate clinical training at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, MA 1994-1997. He continues to see patients at the Atlanta Veterans Administration Hospital’s HIV clinic.
Kris Brinkmeier has 20+ years’ experience working in healthcare, human/community service, and public health, with the past 8 years as an employee of the Roane County Anti-Drug Coalition (RCADC) working in the field of prevention. Through the RCADC she has worked with different sectors in the community such as healthcare, law enforcement, schools, and faith-based. She facilitates P3-Postive Peer Pressure Clubs in the middle schools in Roane. These are student leadership clubs focusing on substance abuse, using resources such as the SADD curriculum. She is excited to work within social media channels as much as possible to provide awareness on substance abuse.
Keith Brown joined the Katal Center for Health, Equity, and Justice in May 2016 as Project Director of Albany, NY’s Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) initiative after being an integral part of the stakeholder group that developed the project. He is the former Executive Director of Catholic Charities Care Coordination Services, a multi-faceted agency providing direct services to individuals impacted by HIV and other chronic illnesses, and prevention services for communities and individuals at-risk for HIV, Hepatitis C, and other conditions. The agency’s Project Safe Point Program, founded by Keith in 2010, works to address the complex health and prevention issues faced by people who use drugs, creating a vital link between the community and service continuum. Keith’s expertise in harm reduction, criminal justice reform, population health management and disease prevention has been sought by various groups and organizations working to address the growing epidemics of opiate use and overdose.
Dr. Krista Brucker is a faculty member at the Indiana University School of Medicine's Department of Emergency Medicine and works clinically in the Emergency Department at Eskenazi Health. Dr. Brucker's research focuses on mental health and substance abuse treatment in the Emergency Department setting. Her current work includes the design and implementation of Project POINT, a collaborative effort aimed at identifying, treating and linking patients with opioid misuse disorders to outpatient addiction services. Dr. Brucker completed her emergency medicine residency at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, IL where, in her final year of training, she served as a Chief Resident.
Anne L. Burns, RPh, Vice President, Professional Affairs, American Pharmacists Association (APhA)
Anne L. Burns, RPh, is Vice President, Professional Affairs, at the American Pharmacists Association (APhA). She is responsible for the Association’s strategic initiatives focused on advancing pharmacists’ patient care services in team-based care delivery models, as well as health care quality, pharmacy practice accreditation, and credentialing. She also works on APhA’s medication therapy management, medication safety, Rx drug abuse, and health information technology initiatives in addition to other key pharmacy practice issues. She has served on many medication therapy management and quality-related advisory councils. Ms. Burns joined APhA’s Education Department in 1997, and transitioned to the Professional Affairs Department in 1999 to focus on pharmacists’ patient care services and community pharmacy residency program accreditation. Prior to joining APhA, she served on the faculty at The Ohio State University (OSU) College of Pharmacy. She is a graduate of OSU and completed the Wharton Executive Management Program for Pharmacy Leaders.
Administrative Director Michael L. Buenger (BING-URR) is the sixth person to serve in the position established in the 1968 Modern Courts Amendment. He was hired Jan. 5, 2015. As the senior non-elected officer of the Supreme Court, he, along with the Chief Justice and Justices, the Ohio Judicial Conference, and the judges of the state, is responsible for developing and communicating the long-term vision, values, and direction of the Supreme Court and the judicial branch. He brought with him 25 years of experience in judicial administration, legislative affairs, intergovernmental relations, and operations management at several stops including the National Center for State Courts, as a senior rule of law adviser in Kosovo, and as Missouri’s and South Dakota’s state court administrator. His ties to Ohio are strong, having worked for the Second District Court of Appeals in Dayton as Judge Thomas J. Grady’s law clerk and as the administrator/staff counsel for the court following the clerkship. In between working with the courts, he served as an adjunct professor with the University of Dayton and Sinclair Community College and on the drafting team for the Interstate Compact for Adult Offender Supervision and the Interstate Juvenile Compact.
Scott Burris is a Professor of Law and Public Health at Temple University, where he directs Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Policy Surveillance and Policies for Action programs. He work focuses on how law influences public health, and what interventions can make laws and law enforcement practices healthier in their effects. Professor Burris is a graduate of Washington University in St. Louis (A.B.) and Yale Law School (J.D.).
Christopher Bush is a current graduate student at the University Of Michigan School Of Public Health in the Epidemiology Methods and Applications program. His public health research interests include prescription drug abuse, specifically among opioids, including intervention, prevention, and surveillance work. Throughout his graduate career he has been involved in prescription drug abuse research including an internship at the CDC's Division of Unintentional Injury Prevention within the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. Upon completion of his Masters he plans to either pursue his PhD in Pharmaceutical Outcomes, Research, and Policy or enter into the work force with the goal of continuing his work in opioid overdose research.
Alex Cahana, MD, MAS, FIPP, Affiliate Professor in Science, Technology, Education and Health Studies, University of Washington
Alex Cahana, MD, MAS, FIPP, is an Affiliate Professor in Science, Technology, Education and Health Studies; and has served as Chief of the Division of Pain Medicine at the University of Washington. Dr. Cahana has provided his expertise in pain management to the U.S. Department of Defense and the U.S. Veterans Administration. He is a decorated combat medical officer in the Israeli Defense Forces. Dr. Cahana obtained his medical degree from Tel Aviv University. He also holds degrees in Bioethics, Philosophy and Theology and recently received the University of Washington's Presidential David B. Thorud Leadership Award for "exceptional abilities to lead serve and collaborate with broad impact.” He has received the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organization's Best Practice Mention and Honorable Mention for Innovation in Health Care by the Association of American Medical Colleges.
Dr. Dan Calac has served as Chief Medical Officer of the Indian Health Council, Inc. located near San Diego, California since 2003. He was raised on the Pauma Indian Reservation and graduated from San Diego State University. He attended Harvard Medical School, and completed his internship and residency at the University of Southern California-Los Angeles County Combined Internal Medicine/Pediatrics Residency Program. He is board-certified in both Internal Medicine and Pediatrics. He also practices hospice/palliative care medicine and is board eligible in this field. He is a member of the Pauma Band of Luiseno Indians and is actively involved in his community. His professional interests include chronic disease and clinical research. Dr. Calac serves as the Principal Investigator for the California Native American Research Center for Health which is an National Institutes of Health funded project providing a platform for community based participatory research in American Indian communities. He is actively engaged in several research projects which aim to improve the health of American Indians and encourage students to pursue careers as scientists and/or health care professionals. Dr. Calac also serves on a variety of committees including the Health Research Advisory Council for the Dept of Health and Human Services, the Committee on Native American Child Health, Cal State San Marcos Foundation Board, and the governance board for the All Tribes American Indian Charter School. He also enjoys hiking, backpacking, spending time with his four children and wife Jacqueline of 24 years.
Deepa Camenga, MD, MHS, Assistant Professor, Departments of Emergency Medicine and Pediatrics, Yale School of Medicine
Dr. Deepa Camenga is an Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine and Pediatrics at the Yale School of Medicine and is board certified in pediatrics and addiction medicine. Dr. Camenga practices in primary care and addiction medicine specialty clinics. She precepts residents and students in the Yale -New Haven Hospital Primary Care Center and worked to include standardized screening for tobacco and other substance use for all adolescent well visits. Her research focuses on improving primary care practices around the identification and treatment of tobacco and substance use disorders in adolescents and young adults, and understanding how youth use electronic cigarettes. She completed her medical education and residency training at the University of Rochester, and fellowship in health services research through the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Clinical Scholars Program at Yale.
Melinda Campopiano, MD, Chief Medical Officer, Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
Dr. Campopiano is chief medical officer of the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment which is part of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Her activities have included development of SAMHSA’s Opioid Overdose Prevention Toolkit, Brief Guides on Medication for the Treatment of Alcohol Use Disorder and the Clinical Use of Extended-Release Injectable Naltrexone in the treatment of Opioid Use Disorder, and the recent Advisory: Sublingual and Transmucosal Buprenorphine for Opioid Use Disorder. She served as chairperson for the Treatment and Recovery Committee of the National Heroin Taskforce in 2015.
Originally from Iowa, Dr. Campopiano is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh School of
Medicine. She is board certified in Family Medicine and Addiction Medicine. She provided primary care and buprenorphine services in her solo practice in Pittsburgh and was medical director of Western
Psychiatric Institute and Clinic’s Opioid Addiction Treatment Program prior to coming to SAMHSA.
Medicine. She is board certified in Family Medicine and Addiction Medicine. She provided primary care and buprenorphine services in her solo practice in Pittsburgh and was medical director of Western
Psychiatric Institute and Clinic’s Opioid Addiction Treatment Program prior to coming to SAMHSA.
Neely C. Carlton is a Senior Counsel at Butler Snow, LLP. Ms. Carlton began her 20+ year legal and political career in 1994 when she made history at age 25 and became the youngest ever-elected State Senator representing counties Bolivar, Washington, and Sharkey, Mississippi (1996-2004). She has served in all three branches of state government. In 2010, Ms. Carlton led efforts to address internet pharmacy diversion in Mississippi. In 2011, working with the MS Bureau of Narcotics, Ms. Carlton helped coordinate a legislative coalition to require a Rx for Pseudoephedrine in order to stop meth labs. And from 2012-2014, she worked with stakeholders to host a Rx Drug Summit addressing the epidemic of prescription drug abuse, served as an advisor to the MS Prescription Monitoring Program, and helped establish requirement for prescribing continuing education. Ms. Carlton was General Counsel and Chief of Staff at the MS State Medical Association (2009-2014) and in this capacity served as General Counsel to the MS Professionals Health Program. Ms. Carlton routinely advocates for People in Recovery personally and assists advocacy organizations by developing public policy strategies and coalitions for engaging the public and policy makers. Ms. Carlton is an Advisor to the Mississippi ReEntry Council.
Mattie Castiel, MD, was appointed as the City of Worcester’s Commissioner for Health and Human Services in September of 2015. She oversees the divisions of Public Health, Youth Services, Human Rights and Disabilities, Veterans Affairs, and Elder Affairs, and Homelessness along with advancing important new initiatives that fall under the scope of youth violence and the current opioid crisis. Dr. Castiel has worked in the Worcester community as a board certified internist for over 26 years. She has worked at UMass Memorial Medical Center and Family Health Center of Worcester and also as an Associate Professor of Internal Medicine, Family Medicine and Psychiatry at UMass Medical School. In 2009, Dr. Castiel founded the Latin American Health Alliance (LAHA), a nonprofit organization in Worcester dedicated to combating homelessness and drug addiction. LAHA’s programs consist of the Hector Reyes House and Casa Reyes, a substance abuse treatment facility and transitional house for Hispanic males. Last year, LAHA opened Café Reyes on Shrewsbury Street, an innovative jobs training program for the residents at Hector Reyes House and Casa Reyes. At present she continues to serve as its Medical Director.
Quintin T. Chipley, MA, MD, PhD, Counseling Coordinator, Medical Student Affairs, University of Louisville School of Medicine
Quintin T. Chipley was born in Memphis, Tennessee. He answers best to the nickname, Quinn. He earned his B.A. in Houston, Texas with a double-major in history and Russian language. Thereafter he served as a volunteer English teacher for several years in Kenya, which location afforded him the opportunity to learn Kiswahili. Upon return to the U.S, he next earned the M.Div. with emphasis in biblical languages and church history, then the M.A. in clinical psychology, later the M.D. degree, and lastly a Ph.D. with the interdisciplinary dissertation, “William Faulkner and Alcoholism: Distilling Facts and Fictions.” He has served ten years in the profession of psychology as the Counseling Coordinator for students at the Health Science Center Campus, University of Louisville. In summer 2016, he volunteered for five weeks as language-liaison for U of L medical clinic teams in the Mufindi region of Tanzania. Over the last ten years, he has served as a volunteer board member on several different non-profit agencies dedicated to restoring people who suffer from alcoholism and/ or addiction to lives of sober health.
Dan Ciccarone, MD, MPH, Professor of Family and Community Medicine, University of California, San Francisco
Daniel Ciccarone, MD, MPH, is a Professor of Family & Community Medicine at the University of California at San Francisco. In addition to being a researcher he is a primary care physician and medical educator. Dr. Ciccarone has been principal or co-investigator on numerous NIH sponsored research projects in the areas of public health and HIV/AIDS prevention. His population-based studies, utilizing both quantitative and qualitative methodologies, aim to deepen our understanding of HIV and related disease and risk-taking among socially marginalized groups, e.g., injection drug users. Dr. Ciccarone’s recent NIH/NIDA-funded Heroin Price Purity and Outcomes study explored the medical consequences of distribution and use of the two main source-forms of heroin in the U.S. (Mexican-sourced “black tar” heroin and Colombian-sourced powder heroin). He is currently leading the Heroin in Transition study with its integrated multidisciplinary – ethnographic, epidemiological, economic and statistical modeling – aims to examine the recent rise in heroin use and the expanding diversity of heroin source-forms and illicitly-made synthetic opioids (e.g. fentanyls) and their relationship to sharp increases in illicit opioid-involved morbidity and mortality. His publications have appeared in JAMA, NEJM, AJPH, IJDP and PLoS Medicine and he is currently Associate Editor for the International Journal of Drug Policy.
With a background in philosophy, psychology and the study of addiction, Mr. Clark is a senior research associate at Brandeis University and serves as the Clearinghouse Manager of the Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP) Center of Excellence. He has extensive experience in PDMP project management, evaluation and research. His interests include PDMP best practices, innovative uses of PDMP data in a broad range of applications, and developing the evidence base for PDMP effectiveness.
Dr. Kelly Clark has focused her career on issues of addictive disease, evidence informed behavioral health care, and payment reform. She is Chief Medical Officer of CleanSlate Centers, a multi-state medical group currently treating over 6,000 opioid addicted patients with medication management which has received a SAMHSA Science to Service Award for Office Based Opioid Treatment and a Center of Excellence Award from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. She is active on the Association of Managed Care Pharmacy’s Addiction Treatment Advisory Group and as a member of the American Psychiatric Associations Integration Work Group; served on the writing committee of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health’s recent policy document, “The Prescription Drug Epidemic: An Evidence Based Approach” ; as expert to the National Safety Council, the United States Comptroller General, and the US Attorney General’s office in Kentucky, where she is past president of the Kentucky Society of Addiction Medicine; and led the workgroup on Health Systems and Reimbursement at SAMHSA’s Buprenorphine Summit. Dr. Clark earned an MBA from The Fuqua School of Business at Duke University and her medical degree from the University of Wisconsin. She continues her work as a founding member of the Advisory Board of the National Rx Drug Abuse and Heroin Summit.
Heather Clayton, PhD, MPH, Health Scientist, Survey Operations and Dissemination Team, Division of Adolescent and School Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Heather is a Health Scientist in Division of Adolescent and School Health at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As a scientist on the Survey Operations and Dissemination Team, she is focused primarily on the dissemination of data from the three surveillance systems conducted by DASH: (1) the Youth Risk Surveillance System, (2) the School Health Policies and Practices Study and (3) School Health Profiles. As a scientist, Heather conducts research on substance use and sexual risk behaviors among youth. Heather has a Ph.D. in Public Health (concentration – Maternal and Child Health) from the University of South Florida, College of Public Health. She also has an M.P.H. in Epidemiology from San Diego State University, and a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Health from the University of California, Irvine. She was a member of the 2010 Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) class.
Trent Coffey, BA, CPS II, is Executive Director of Schools Together Allowing No Drugs (STAND), a community-based coalition organized to combat youth drug and alcohol abuse. He holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Tennessee and has been a strong partner for change in Eastern Tennessee prevention for more than seventeen years. He is a charter member of the Tennessee Certification Board, which brought recognition and certification to prevention professionals throughout the state of Tennessee.
Angela Colistra, PhD, CAADC, CCS, LPC, Assistant Clinical Professor, Behavioral Health Department, College of Nursing and Health Professionals, Drexel University
Dr. Angela Colistra is an Assistant Clinical Professor at Drexel University in the Department of Behavioral Health Counseling. She has sixteen years of combined experience as a counselor, Substance Use Disorder (SUD) counselor, clinical supervisor, researcher, and academic. Algela has worked with individuals managing co-occurring disorders in a variety of treatment settings. Her work in Kathmandu, Nepal and Beijing, China, under the direction of the late Dr. David Powell, focused on the training and certification of the substance use disorder workforce and gained her recognition from the United States Embassy. Angela has presented her work nationally and internationally on numerous topics which include: multicultural competence in clinical supervision, advanced group work skills for counselors, spiritual well-being of substance use disorder counselors, the intersect between addiction and poverty, motivational interviewing, and ethics. Dr. Colistra’s research focus and recent publications are focused on best practices in substance use disorder treatment, developing an opioid intervention and prevention training, addiction related cognitive impairment, multicultural competence in clinical supervision, group counseling techniques, the relationship between SUD counselor’s spiritual well-being and burnout. She is an editorial review board member for the Counseling and Values Journal and the Journal of Addictions and Offender Counseling.
Tammy L. Collins, PhD, Certified Prevention Specialist, Vice President of Research and Program Design, WestCare Foundation
Tammy L. Collins, PhD, a certified prevention specialist, is Vice President of Research and Program Design for WestCare Foundation, a national behavioral health nonprofit. She brings more than 20 years of experience in translating research into practice and policy in the fields of substance misuse, mental health, justice, and education to her role. Dr. Collins also serves as a subject matter expert for national projects including prevention credentialing and as a consultant for statewide and local program development. Her doctorate of philosophy in human development and family science with a cognate area of adolescent behavioral health risk and protective factors was earned from Ohio State University, and she holds a master of arts in counseling and bachelor of arts in journalism/public relations from Marshall University. Prior to her position with WestCare, Dr. Collins led administrative and applied research teams at Ohio and West Virginia state agencies and universities.
Captain Juan Colon is a 23 1/2 year veteran of the New Jersey State Police. Most of his career has focused on the intelligence function, and he has extensive experience with street gangs and organized crime. As an intelligence collector targeting these groups, he managed numerous informants and has conducted several undercover operations. He is currently assigned as a drug policy advisor for the New Jersey Attorney General under the Office of Drug Addiction Control, and he also maintains oversight of the Drug Monitoring Initiative. As the architect of the Drug Monitoring Initiative, he is involved in several state working groups developed by the Attorney General’s Office to drive State level counter-drug initiatives. He has received several awards and was nominated for Trooper of the year in 2014. His undergrad degree is in public administration from Fairleigh Dickerson University.
Wilson Compton, MD, MPE, Deputy Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), National Institutes of Health
Wilson M. Compton, MD, MPE, is Deputy Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) of the National Institutes of Health. NIDA supports most of the world’s research on health aspects of drug abuse and addiction related to preventing drug abuse, treating addiction and addressing serious health consequences of drug abuse, including related HIV/AIDS and other conditions. Dr. Compton received his undergraduate education at Amherst College and his medical education at Washington University in St. Louis. Over his 25 year career, Dr. Compton has achieved multiple scientific accomplishments. He is author of more than 150 articles; is an invited speaker at multiple high-impact venues, and has received multiple awards. Of note, Dr. Compton received the Health and Human Services Secretary’s Awards for Meritorious Service in 2013 and Distinguished Service in 2014.
LeShaundra Cordier, MPH, CHES, is the Communications Team Lead for the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Injury Prevention and Control's Division of Unintentional Injury Prevention (DUIP). In this role Ms. Cordier provides guidance on the planning, implementation and evaluation of health communication and marketing activities for the division. Previously, she has worked as a health communication specialist at CDC with the National Center for Environmental Health, Division of Laboratory Sciences, and with the Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response in the Division of Emergency Operations. Ms. Cordier has a bachelors in psychology and a minor in mass communications from the University of Georgia, and researched non-verbal communication. She also hold a master's of public health with a specialization in maternal and child health from the University of Georgia.
Dr. Agatha Critchfield is an Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Kentucky and is board certified in general obstetrics and gynecology and maternal-metal medicine. She is a native of Lexington, Kentucky, and completed her medical school training at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine. She then went on to complete ob-gyn residency at Brown University and fellowship in maternal-fetal medicine at Tufts University. She has a clinical and research interest in perinatal substance abuse and serves as the medical director of PATHways – a University of Kentucky-based multidisciplinary substance abuse program for pregnant and newly parenting women in the Eastern Kentucky region. Dr. Critchfield is involved in several research projects related to this subject and has spoken regarding the treatment of perinatal substance abuse both locally and nationally.
Chad C. Corum, PharmD, Pharmacist, Rite-Aid Pharmacy, and Member, Kentucky Pharmacists Association Board of Directors and Operation UNITE Board of Directors
Chad Corum is a 2012 graduate of the University Of Kentucky (UK) College Of Pharmacy. At UK, Mr. Corum was elected as Class President and received the “Outstanding Graduating Man” award from the college. As a student, Mr. Corum served on various committees, including Student Advisory Committee and the Honor Code Committee for both the UK College Of Pharmacy and UK’s healthcare colleges. He was chosen to serve on the college’s Curriculum Review Committee as both a student and a first-year practitioner. Upon graduation, Mr. Corum went to work in the community pharmacy setting co-owning an independent pharmacy in his hometown. Mr. Corum currently works as a pharmacist at Rite-Aid Pharmacy of Manchester, KY. Mr. Corum was elected to the Kentucky Pharmacists Association (KPhA) Board of Directors in June of 2015. He has served as the co-chair of the KPhA Professional Development Committee and currently serves on the Membership Engagement Committee as well as the Provider Status Workgroup. His long-term career goals involve pharmacy legislative advocacy, community pharmacy advocacy, and strengthening inter-professional collaboration among the various healthcare professions. He has served as a Board Member for Operation UNITE since January 2016.
Robin Cruise is a behavioral health project manager for BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee. She is responsible for managing behavioral health improvement projects related to all lines of business including the BlueCare Tennessee state government business and the BCBST commercial business. Prior to joining BCBST in 2008, she was program director at a transitional housing program for homeless women with co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders. She has also worked as a clinician at various organizations including an outpatient substance abuse treatment facility, a residential substance abuse treatment facility, and the Louisiana Correctional Institute for Women, a prison housing 1000+ female felony offenders.
