Cindy Swartzwelder
Vice President of Training and Implementation
C.E. Mendez Foundation
Cindy Swartzwelder is the Vice President of Training and Implementation at the C.E. Mendez Foundation, Inc., a Florida nonprofit foundation that specializes in the field of drug and violence prevention education. In addition to delivering the Too Good programs in local schools, she also designs and facilitates the national training program for the Too Good programs. In the 10 years she has been with the foundation, Swartzwelder has trained more than 6,500 teachers and facilitators at more than 400 training events nationwide. She presents at state and national conferences about the impact of social emotional skill development on risky behavior and how to develop those skills in children and adolescents. Swartzwelder holds a bachelor's degree from the University of South Florida and has volunteered with both the No More Orphans and I Matter Too (mentoring/tutoring) programs. She currently serves as a Guardian ad Litem for children in dependency court in Hillsborough County and resides near Tampa.
Effective Early Primary Prevention for Rx Drug Abuse
Vice President of Training and Implementation
C.E. Mendez Foundation
Cindy Swartzwelder is the Vice President of Training and Implementation at the C.E. Mendez Foundation, Inc., a Florida nonprofit foundation that specializes in the field of drug and violence prevention education. In addition to delivering the Too Good programs in local schools, she also designs and facilitates the national training program for the Too Good programs. In the 10 years she has been with the foundation, Swartzwelder has trained more than 6,500 teachers and facilitators at more than 400 training events nationwide. She presents at state and national conferences about the impact of social emotional skill development on risky behavior and how to develop those skills in children and adolescents. Swartzwelder holds a bachelor's degree from the University of South Florida and has volunteered with both the No More Orphans and I Matter Too (mentoring/tutoring) programs. She currently serves as a Guardian ad Litem for children in dependency court in Hillsborough County and resides near Tampa.
Effective Early Primary Prevention for Rx Drug Abuse
David Tapp
JD, MS, Judge
28th Judicial Circuit of Kentucky, and Member, National Rx Drug Abuse & Heroin Summit Advisory Board
Judge David A. Tapp serves as a Circuit Judge in the 28th Judicial Circuit of the Kentucky Court of Justice, a position which he has held for 12 years. He previously served as a limited jurisdiction judge. Tapp has devoted a substantial portion of his judicial career to the development of effective substance abuse and community treatment programs. He is responsible for Kentucky’s successful implementation of a high-risk probation supervision program modeled on Hawaii’s HOPE probation and was responsible for implementing Kentucky’s first use of medically assisted treatment within the Commonwealth’s drug courts. In 2015, the National Association of Drug Court Professionals (NADCP) awarded Tapp’s drug court with the Community Transformation Award. In 2011, he received the All Rise award from the NADCP for his efforts involving funding issues for substance abuse courts. Currently, Tapp chairs Kentucky’s Circuit Judges Education Committee and serves as a member of the Governor’s Criminal Justice Policy Assessment Council and the U.S. Coordinating Council for Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. He is a frequent speaker and author on a wide variety of justice-related issues and formerly was an adjunct professor at the University of Louisville Brandeis School of Law. Tapp received his Juris Doctor in 1993 from the University of Louisville Brandeis School of Law, a master's degree in criminal justice administration from Chaminade University of Honolulu in 1991, and a bachelor's degree from Morehead State University in 1983. Tapp is a member of the National Rx Drug Abuse & Heroin Summit Advisory Board.
JD, MS, Judge
28th Judicial Circuit of Kentucky, and Member, National Rx Drug Abuse & Heroin Summit Advisory Board
Judge David A. Tapp serves as a Circuit Judge in the 28th Judicial Circuit of the Kentucky Court of Justice, a position which he has held for 12 years. He previously served as a limited jurisdiction judge. Tapp has devoted a substantial portion of his judicial career to the development of effective substance abuse and community treatment programs. He is responsible for Kentucky’s successful implementation of a high-risk probation supervision program modeled on Hawaii’s HOPE probation and was responsible for implementing Kentucky’s first use of medically assisted treatment within the Commonwealth’s drug courts. In 2015, the National Association of Drug Court Professionals (NADCP) awarded Tapp’s drug court with the Community Transformation Award. In 2011, he received the All Rise award from the NADCP for his efforts involving funding issues for substance abuse courts. Currently, Tapp chairs Kentucky’s Circuit Judges Education Committee and serves as a member of the Governor’s Criminal Justice Policy Assessment Council and the U.S. Coordinating Council for Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. He is a frequent speaker and author on a wide variety of justice-related issues and formerly was an adjunct professor at the University of Louisville Brandeis School of Law. Tapp received his Juris Doctor in 1993 from the University of Louisville Brandeis School of Law, a master's degree in criminal justice administration from Chaminade University of Honolulu in 1991, and a bachelor's degree from Morehead State University in 1983. Tapp is a member of the National Rx Drug Abuse & Heroin Summit Advisory Board.
Stephen Taylor
MD, MPH, FASAM, Chief Medical Officer, Behavioral
Pathway Healthcare, LLC
Stephen Taylor, MD, MPH, FASAM, is a quadruple-board-certified psychiatrist, educator and presenter who provides education and specialized care to adolescents and young adult patients and their families afflicted with drug and alcohol addictions and general psychiatric disorders. Taylor is board certified in general psychiatry, child/adolescent psychiatry and addiction psychiatry, has a master of public health degree, and is a certified medical review officer. Taylor is a fellow of the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM), and a member of the American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and the International Society of Sports Psychiatry. Currently, he is completing his 11th year as the medical director of the Player Assistance/Anti-Drug Program of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA).
Treating Co-Occurring Disorders in the Substance Use Disorder Patient: Depression, Anxiety and Sometimes Pain - Hosted by Pathway Healthcare
MD, MPH, FASAM, Chief Medical Officer, Behavioral
Pathway Healthcare, LLC
Stephen Taylor, MD, MPH, FASAM, is a quadruple-board-certified psychiatrist, educator and presenter who provides education and specialized care to adolescents and young adult patients and their families afflicted with drug and alcohol addictions and general psychiatric disorders. Taylor is board certified in general psychiatry, child/adolescent psychiatry and addiction psychiatry, has a master of public health degree, and is a certified medical review officer. Taylor is a fellow of the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM), and a member of the American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and the International Society of Sports Psychiatry. Currently, he is completing his 11th year as the medical director of the Player Assistance/Anti-Drug Program of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA).
Treating Co-Occurring Disorders in the Substance Use Disorder Patient: Depression, Anxiety and Sometimes Pain - Hosted by Pathway Healthcare
Brian Taylor, MD
MD, Medical Director, Adult Services and ADP
Ventura County (California) Behavioral Health
A Diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, Dr. Brian S. Taylor graduated from Stanford University School of Medicine in 1991, completed his internship in general surgery at University of California, San Francisco, and then returned to Stanford University Hospital to train in psychiatry where he served as Chief Resident. In addition to his private practice, Taylor is the current Behavioral Health Medical Director for Ventura County Behavioral Health (VCBH), Secretary of Sterling Care Psychiatric Group, Inc. and Past Chief of Staff at Ventura County Medical Center (VCMC). He has previously served as Quality Medical Director at VCBH, Medical Director for both Hillmont House MHRC and Anka-Ventura Crisis Residential Treatment center, and, for four years, VCMC Department of Psychiatry Chief. Taylor is a recipient of the prestigious 2015 David Fainer, MD, and Leo Tauber, MD, Behavioral Health Professional of the Year Award and has also been recognized by the Consumers' Research Council of America as one of America's Top Psychiatrists 2015.
Safe Alprazolam Prescribing and Benzodiazepine Monitoring Program
MD, Medical Director, Adult Services and ADP
Ventura County (California) Behavioral Health
A Diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, Dr. Brian S. Taylor graduated from Stanford University School of Medicine in 1991, completed his internship in general surgery at University of California, San Francisco, and then returned to Stanford University Hospital to train in psychiatry where he served as Chief Resident. In addition to his private practice, Taylor is the current Behavioral Health Medical Director for Ventura County Behavioral Health (VCBH), Secretary of Sterling Care Psychiatric Group, Inc. and Past Chief of Staff at Ventura County Medical Center (VCMC). He has previously served as Quality Medical Director at VCBH, Medical Director for both Hillmont House MHRC and Anka-Ventura Crisis Residential Treatment center, and, for four years, VCMC Department of Psychiatry Chief. Taylor is a recipient of the prestigious 2015 David Fainer, MD, and Leo Tauber, MD, Behavioral Health Professional of the Year Award and has also been recognized by the Consumers' Research Council of America as one of America's Top Psychiatrists 2015.
Safe Alprazolam Prescribing and Benzodiazepine Monitoring Program
Hubb Test
Sue Thau
MCRP, Public Policy Consultant
Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America
Sue Thau is a Public Policy Consultant representing Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA). She is nationally recognized for her advocacy and legislative accomplishments on behalf of the substance abuse prevention field. She has an extensive background in public policy and has held high positions at the federal, state and local levels. She was a Budget Examiner and Legislative Analyst at the Office of Management and Budget, in the Executive Office of the President for over 10 years. Thau was a driving force behind the passage, reauthorization and full funding of the Drug-Free Communities Act. In addition, she has worked to save and enhance funding for all federal substance abuse prevention and treatment programs over the last two decades. She is highly respected as an expert on demand reduction issues by members of Congress and staff on both sides of the aisle on Capitol Hill. Thau has an undergraduate degree from Cornell University in human development and family studies and a master's degree in city and regional planning from Rutgers University.
Marijuana: Reading Between the Lines and Understanding the Impact
Stop Them Before They Start
MCRP, Public Policy Consultant
Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America
Sue Thau is a Public Policy Consultant representing Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA). She is nationally recognized for her advocacy and legislative accomplishments on behalf of the substance abuse prevention field. She has an extensive background in public policy and has held high positions at the federal, state and local levels. She was a Budget Examiner and Legislative Analyst at the Office of Management and Budget, in the Executive Office of the President for over 10 years. Thau was a driving force behind the passage, reauthorization and full funding of the Drug-Free Communities Act. In addition, she has worked to save and enhance funding for all federal substance abuse prevention and treatment programs over the last two decades. She is highly respected as an expert on demand reduction issues by members of Congress and staff on both sides of the aisle on Capitol Hill. Thau has an undergraduate degree from Cornell University in human development and family studies and a master's degree in city and regional planning from Rutgers University.
Marijuana: Reading Between the Lines and Understanding the Impact
Stop Them Before They Start
Kim Thierry English
MEd, NCAC II, MAC, Public Health Advisor, Center for Substance Abuse Treatment
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
Kim Thierry English has been a Public Health Advisor with the Center for Substance Abuse, Division of Services Improvement, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) since 2007 and has been in the behavioral health/substance use disorder field for over 30 years. Currently, she is Program Lead for the MAT-PDOA (Medication Assisted Treatment- Prescription Drug Opioid Abuse) Program and is an assigned Government Project Officer for Opioid STR grants. She has many years of clinical work in substance use disorders and mental health, and she has worked extensively in community outreach, business development, strategic planning and grant writing. She has worked as a peer reviewer with SAMHSA on various grant initiatives. She is the Founding President of the District of Columbia Addictive Disorders Services Providers Consortium and has served on the Board of Directors for the Center for Creative Non-Violence in Washington, D.C. She attended St. Gregory’s College in Shawnee, Oklahoma, graduated with a bachelor's degree in Sociology from Cameron University, in Lawton, Oklahoma, completed coursework toward a master's degree in business administration at Oklahoma City University Meinders School of Business, and received a master's degree in education in counseling from Boston University. Additionally, she has NCAC II and MAC Certifications.
SAMHSA Opioid STR: State-Specific, Evidenced-Based Approaches to Prevention, Treatment and Recovery Support to Reduce Opioid Related Deaths
MEd, NCAC II, MAC, Public Health Advisor, Center for Substance Abuse Treatment
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
Kim Thierry English has been a Public Health Advisor with the Center for Substance Abuse, Division of Services Improvement, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) since 2007 and has been in the behavioral health/substance use disorder field for over 30 years. Currently, she is Program Lead for the MAT-PDOA (Medication Assisted Treatment- Prescription Drug Opioid Abuse) Program and is an assigned Government Project Officer for Opioid STR grants. She has many years of clinical work in substance use disorders and mental health, and she has worked extensively in community outreach, business development, strategic planning and grant writing. She has worked as a peer reviewer with SAMHSA on various grant initiatives. She is the Founding President of the District of Columbia Addictive Disorders Services Providers Consortium and has served on the Board of Directors for the Center for Creative Non-Violence in Washington, D.C. She attended St. Gregory’s College in Shawnee, Oklahoma, graduated with a bachelor's degree in Sociology from Cameron University, in Lawton, Oklahoma, completed coursework toward a master's degree in business administration at Oklahoma City University Meinders School of Business, and received a master's degree in education in counseling from Boston University. Additionally, she has NCAC II and MAC Certifications.
SAMHSA Opioid STR: State-Specific, Evidenced-Based Approaches to Prevention, Treatment and Recovery Support to Reduce Opioid Related Deaths
Mae Thompson
Student, Board Member
Rise Above Colorado
Mae Thompson serves on the Board of Directors for Rise Above Colorado. Her role is to provide youth voice and input through the cultivation of youth-adult partnerships. For the past five years Thompson has been an advocate for youth voice, in various capacities, at both local and state levels. Most recently she served two years as the Youth Partner for Rise Above Colorado where she focused on youth engagement across the state. She is passionate about creating environments where young people feel comfortable to speak up and share their opinions in order to create a more informed community. Thompson is currently a student at the University of Denver, graduating June 2018 with degrees in International Studies and Strategic Communication.
#IRiseAbove: Social Media and Engagement Strategies for Youth Substance Misuse Prevention
Student, Board Member
Rise Above Colorado
Mae Thompson serves on the Board of Directors for Rise Above Colorado. Her role is to provide youth voice and input through the cultivation of youth-adult partnerships. For the past five years Thompson has been an advocate for youth voice, in various capacities, at both local and state levels. Most recently she served two years as the Youth Partner for Rise Above Colorado where she focused on youth engagement across the state. She is passionate about creating environments where young people feel comfortable to speak up and share their opinions in order to create a more informed community. Thompson is currently a student at the University of Denver, graduating June 2018 with degrees in International Studies and Strategic Communication.
#IRiseAbove: Social Media and Engagement Strategies for Youth Substance Misuse Prevention
Sally Thoren
CADC, Executive Director - Chicago
Gateway Foundation
Sally Thoren has dedicated her career to the substance use disorder treatment field. She holds a bachelor's degree in political science from Carleton College, and she studied law at DePaul University in Chicago. Thoren has served in many direct care roles during her career, and she now serves as the Executive Director for Gateway’s services in Chicago. Additionally, she manages relationships with many institutional funders in Illinois, including the Division of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse, HFS Medicaid and many local funders. Thoren notes how caring for those with substance use disorders has evolved over the past 35 years, from a fragmented, hierarchical “behavior modification” approach early in her career to our current person-centered, trauma-informed, medication-assisted, multidisciplinary approach. She has been a strident advocate for the field and client advocacy, earning her the Vince Bakeman Memorial Advocacy Award in 2010. In collaboration with the Medical Director, Thoren introduced Suboxone and medication assisted treatment to her agency when it was first available. Later, she proposed and implemented training all direct care staff in the use of naloxone at Gateway, a first in Illinois.
Project Warm Hand Off: From Rescue to Treatment
CADC, Executive Director - Chicago
Gateway Foundation
Sally Thoren has dedicated her career to the substance use disorder treatment field. She holds a bachelor's degree in political science from Carleton College, and she studied law at DePaul University in Chicago. Thoren has served in many direct care roles during her career, and she now serves as the Executive Director for Gateway’s services in Chicago. Additionally, she manages relationships with many institutional funders in Illinois, including the Division of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse, HFS Medicaid and many local funders. Thoren notes how caring for those with substance use disorders has evolved over the past 35 years, from a fragmented, hierarchical “behavior modification” approach early in her career to our current person-centered, trauma-informed, medication-assisted, multidisciplinary approach. She has been a strident advocate for the field and client advocacy, earning her the Vince Bakeman Memorial Advocacy Award in 2010. In collaboration with the Medical Director, Thoren introduced Suboxone and medication assisted treatment to her agency when it was first available. Later, she proposed and implemented training all direct care staff in the use of naloxone at Gateway, a first in Illinois.
Project Warm Hand Off: From Rescue to Treatment
Alice Thornton
MD, Professor of Medicine, University of Kentucky College of Medicine
Chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases, Medical Director, Bluegrass Care Clinic, University of Kentucky Medical Center
Dr. Alice Thornton completed her medical degree at Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia. She completed her residency at Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Internal Medicine. She then completed her fellowship training with the Division of Infectious Diseases at Indiana University Purdue University, where she studied the pathogenesis of chancroid. She was recruited to assist in the development of an Infectious Diseases Fellowship Program at the University of Kentucky in 1998. Thornton has successfully acquired four grants funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) – Ryan White Part B, C and D and the Local Performance Site grant of the Southeast AIDS Training and Education Center. She serves as Medical Director of the Blue Grass Care Clinic. She is Principal Investigator of the National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded Reprieve Study – Randomized Clinical Trial to Prevent Vascular Events in HIV. Thornton is a clinical site visitor for HRSA, and also serves as a grant reviewer for HRSA, NIH and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). She recently was elected to the HIV Medicine Association Board of Directors. She is a Professor of Medicine in the University of Kentucky Department of Internal Medicine and Chief of the UK Division of Infectious Diseases.
Do the Next Right Thing: A Family-Centered and Multidisciplinary Approach to Substance Use Disorder Treatment among Perinatal Women
MD, Professor of Medicine, University of Kentucky College of Medicine
Chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases, Medical Director, Bluegrass Care Clinic, University of Kentucky Medical Center
Dr. Alice Thornton completed her medical degree at Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia. She completed her residency at Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Internal Medicine. She then completed her fellowship training with the Division of Infectious Diseases at Indiana University Purdue University, where she studied the pathogenesis of chancroid. She was recruited to assist in the development of an Infectious Diseases Fellowship Program at the University of Kentucky in 1998. Thornton has successfully acquired four grants funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) – Ryan White Part B, C and D and the Local Performance Site grant of the Southeast AIDS Training and Education Center. She serves as Medical Director of the Blue Grass Care Clinic. She is Principal Investigator of the National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded Reprieve Study – Randomized Clinical Trial to Prevent Vascular Events in HIV. Thornton is a clinical site visitor for HRSA, and also serves as a grant reviewer for HRSA, NIH and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). She recently was elected to the HIV Medicine Association Board of Directors. She is a Professor of Medicine in the University of Kentucky Department of Internal Medicine and Chief of the UK Division of Infectious Diseases.
Do the Next Right Thing: A Family-Centered and Multidisciplinary Approach to Substance Use Disorder Treatment among Perinatal Women
Vennela Thumula
PhD, Policy Analyst
Workers Compensation Research Institute
Dr. Vennela Thumula is a policy analyst at Workers Compensation Research Institute whose research focuses on pharmaceutical use in the workers’ compensation system. She is the author of several studies evaluating prescribing patterns of opioids, drug formularies and physician dispensing. She is conducting research examining the self-reported outcomes of injured workers, including recovery of health and functioning, speed and sustainability of return to work, and access to care. Thumula received her doctorate from the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy.
Workers’ Comp: Opioid Use Trends and Effective Population Health Management
PhD, Policy Analyst
Workers Compensation Research Institute
Dr. Vennela Thumula is a policy analyst at Workers Compensation Research Institute whose research focuses on pharmaceutical use in the workers’ compensation system. She is the author of several studies evaluating prescribing patterns of opioids, drug formularies and physician dispensing. She is conducting research examining the self-reported outcomes of injured workers, including recovery of health and functioning, speed and sustainability of return to work, and access to care. Thumula received her doctorate from the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy.
Workers’ Comp: Opioid Use Trends and Effective Population Health Management
Douglas Tieman
President and Chief Executive Officer
Caron Treatment Centers
Douglas Tieman has been the President and CEO of Caron Treatment Centers since 1995. Under his direction, Caron has taken leadership roles in treating addiction in young adults and adolescents, sponsoring research, and participating in national conferences on addiction and recovery. Tieman has spent 30 years in the addiction treatment field in treatment center and industry leadership positions. He began his career with the Hazelden Foundation, and has served as Chairman of the National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers and a member of the American College of Addiction Treatment Administrators. He is currently a board member of the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence and the American Foundation for Addiction Research, and serves on the Behavioral Healthcare Editorial Advisory Board.
Long-Term Recovery: The Essential Roles of Families and Addiction Treatment Providers
President and Chief Executive Officer
Caron Treatment Centers
Douglas Tieman has been the President and CEO of Caron Treatment Centers since 1995. Under his direction, Caron has taken leadership roles in treating addiction in young adults and adolescents, sponsoring research, and participating in national conferences on addiction and recovery. Tieman has spent 30 years in the addiction treatment field in treatment center and industry leadership positions. He began his career with the Hazelden Foundation, and has served as Chairman of the National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers and a member of the American College of Addiction Treatment Administrators. He is currently a board member of the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence and the American Foundation for Addiction Research, and serves on the Behavioral Healthcare Editorial Advisory Board.
Long-Term Recovery: The Essential Roles of Families and Addiction Treatment Providers
Kris Tremaine
Senior Vice President
ICF
Kris Tremaine has 25 years of experience providing strategic communications, public relations, marketing and digital solutions to government, nonprofit, and private sector clients. She served in chief operating officer and executive vice president roles at Washington-based PR agencies prior to coming to ICF, where she now leads an integrated team of more than 600 professionals focused on marketing and communications; digital transformation; IT modernization; and organizational research, learning and performance. Her team's largest clients include various Government agencies, including the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the U.S. Department of Transportation, U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U. S. Department of Energy, and many other Federal agencies.
What You Say Says It All: Federal Perspectives on Effective Opioid Epidemic Messaging and Engagement Strategies - Hosted by ICF
Senior Vice President
ICF
Kris Tremaine has 25 years of experience providing strategic communications, public relations, marketing and digital solutions to government, nonprofit, and private sector clients. She served in chief operating officer and executive vice president roles at Washington-based PR agencies prior to coming to ICF, where she now leads an integrated team of more than 600 professionals focused on marketing and communications; digital transformation; IT modernization; and organizational research, learning and performance. Her team's largest clients include various Government agencies, including the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the U.S. Department of Transportation, U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U. S. Department of Energy, and many other Federal agencies.
What You Say Says It All: Federal Perspectives on Effective Opioid Epidemic Messaging and Engagement Strategies - Hosted by ICF
Tanner Turley
Research Analyst
Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services
Tanner Turley is a Research Analyst II with the Bureau of Health Care Analysis and Data Dissemination within the Department of Health and Senior Services for the State of Missouri. He’s been in his current position since April 2017, but has been with the state of Missouri since January 2016, having worked as a Research Analyst I with the Department of Economic Development on the Occupational Employment Statistics program. In his current role, Turley abstracts various data elements from Coroner/Medical Examiner Narratives, toxicology reports and death certificates for deaths that are ruled as opioid overdoses. He enters that information into a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention web-based application as part of the Enhanced State Opioid Overdose Surveillance program.
I’ve Got 99 Problems and a Centralized Medical Examiner System Isn’t One: Partnering with C/MEs
Research Analyst
Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services
Tanner Turley is a Research Analyst II with the Bureau of Health Care Analysis and Data Dissemination within the Department of Health and Senior Services for the State of Missouri. He’s been in his current position since April 2017, but has been with the state of Missouri since January 2016, having worked as a Research Analyst I with the Department of Economic Development on the Occupational Employment Statistics program. In his current role, Turley abstracts various data elements from Coroner/Medical Examiner Narratives, toxicology reports and death certificates for deaths that are ruled as opioid overdoses. He enters that information into a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention web-based application as part of the Enhanced State Opioid Overdose Surveillance program.
I’ve Got 99 Problems and a Centralized Medical Examiner System Isn’t One: Partnering with C/MEs
Tom Valentino
Senior Editor
Addiction Professional and Behavioral Healthcare Executive
Tom Valentino has more than 13 years of experience in the newspaper and communications industries. In his two years with the Institute for the Advancement of Behavioral Healthcare, he has covered major news and trends most relevant to the work of mental health and addiction treatment providers. Prior to joining the Institute, Valentino covered sports and breaking news in addition to leading a department as Business Editor of a suburban daily newspaper. He has extensive B2B and B2C marketing and public relations experience, creating content for print, digital and multimedia platforms, and hosts a weekly podcast in his spare time. Valentino is a graduate of the Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in communications with a specialization in news writing and editing.
Senior Editor
Addiction Professional and Behavioral Healthcare Executive
Tom Valentino has more than 13 years of experience in the newspaper and communications industries. In his two years with the Institute for the Advancement of Behavioral Healthcare, he has covered major news and trends most relevant to the work of mental health and addiction treatment providers. Prior to joining the Institute, Valentino covered sports and breaking news in addition to leading a department as Business Editor of a suburban daily newspaper. He has extensive B2B and B2C marketing and public relations experience, creating content for print, digital and multimedia platforms, and hosts a weekly podcast in his spare time. Valentino is a graduate of the Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in communications with a specialization in news writing and editing.
Robert Valuck
PhD, RPh, Director
Colorado Consortium for Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention
Dr. Robert J. Valuck is a Professor in the Departments of Clinical Pharmacy, Epidemiology, and Family Medicine at the University of Colorado Schools of Pharmacy, Public Health, and Medicine at the Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora, Colorado. He is Director of the Colorado Consortium for Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention, created by Gov. John Hickenlooper to address the Rx drug abuse problem with a collaborative, statewide approach. The donsortium has evolved over the past four years to include 10 work groups, with over 450 members across the state, focusing on key areas relating to education, prevention, intervention, treatment and recovery. The consortium has gained recognition as a model for the development of collaborative, coordinated responses to the opioid overdose epidemic in the United States.
United We Stand: Georgia’s Comprehensive Plan and Colorado’s Collective Impact Model
PhD, RPh, Director
Colorado Consortium for Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention
Dr. Robert J. Valuck is a Professor in the Departments of Clinical Pharmacy, Epidemiology, and Family Medicine at the University of Colorado Schools of Pharmacy, Public Health, and Medicine at the Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora, Colorado. He is Director of the Colorado Consortium for Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention, created by Gov. John Hickenlooper to address the Rx drug abuse problem with a collaborative, statewide approach. The donsortium has evolved over the past four years to include 10 work groups, with over 450 members across the state, focusing on key areas relating to education, prevention, intervention, treatment and recovery. The consortium has gained recognition as a model for the development of collaborative, coordinated responses to the opioid overdose epidemic in the United States.
United We Stand: Georgia’s Comprehensive Plan and Colorado’s Collective Impact Model
Julia Vieweg
MPA, Senior Analyst
U.S. Government Accountability Office
Julia Vieweg is a Senior Analyst at the Government Accountability Office (GAO). Starting at GAO in 2009, she has worked on a number of different issues spanning the federal government and currently works in GAO’s Homeland Security and Justice team on a project that is assessing U.S. efforts to combat illicit synthetic opioids. In addition to her current work, she has contributed to a number of projects on the federal prison system, border security and management of the Department of Homeland Security, among others. Prior to joining GAO, Vieweg worked as a teacher in Fairfax County (Virginia) Public Schools, an intern at the State Department’s Office of International Religious Freedom and as an AmeriCorps member serving in areas affected by Hurricane Katrina. She graduated with a bachelor's degree in politics and government, with an emphasis in international relations from the University of Puget Sound in 2005, and a master's degree in public administration, with a concentration in human rights and social justice from Cornell University in 2008.
Federal Efforts to Combat Synthetic Opioids
MPA, Senior Analyst
U.S. Government Accountability Office
Julia Vieweg is a Senior Analyst at the Government Accountability Office (GAO). Starting at GAO in 2009, she has worked on a number of different issues spanning the federal government and currently works in GAO’s Homeland Security and Justice team on a project that is assessing U.S. efforts to combat illicit synthetic opioids. In addition to her current work, she has contributed to a number of projects on the federal prison system, border security and management of the Department of Homeland Security, among others. Prior to joining GAO, Vieweg worked as a teacher in Fairfax County (Virginia) Public Schools, an intern at the State Department’s Office of International Religious Freedom and as an AmeriCorps member serving in areas affected by Hurricane Katrina. She graduated with a bachelor's degree in politics and government, with an emphasis in international relations from the University of Puget Sound in 2005, and a master's degree in public administration, with a concentration in human rights and social justice from Cornell University in 2008.
Federal Efforts to Combat Synthetic Opioids
Louise Vincent
MPH, Executive Director
Urban Survivors' Union
Louise Vincent, MPH, is a harm reductionist who has worked in the substance use and harm reduction fields for the last 10 years. She intimately understands the consequences of ineffective traditional drug treatment programs. She was treated in 2005 for HCV and has worked in a number of roles and capacities, including Program Director, Outreach specialist, Naloxone Consultant, Health Education Facilitator and Counselor. She assisted in the development and implementation of North Carolina's first harm reduction, hepatitis education, testing and linkage-to-care program and is a North Carolina certified HIV and Hepatitis C Counselor. She has been at the forefront of the harm reduction response to illicit drug use in North Carolina and is committed to preventing blood-borne virus transmission and drug-related deaths and improving the health of people who use drugs.
Drug Checking: A Novel Evidence-Based Strategy for Preventing Overdose
MPH, Executive Director
Urban Survivors' Union
Louise Vincent, MPH, is a harm reductionist who has worked in the substance use and harm reduction fields for the last 10 years. She intimately understands the consequences of ineffective traditional drug treatment programs. She was treated in 2005 for HCV and has worked in a number of roles and capacities, including Program Director, Outreach specialist, Naloxone Consultant, Health Education Facilitator and Counselor. She assisted in the development and implementation of North Carolina's first harm reduction, hepatitis education, testing and linkage-to-care program and is a North Carolina certified HIV and Hepatitis C Counselor. She has been at the forefront of the harm reduction response to illicit drug use in North Carolina and is committed to preventing blood-borne virus transmission and drug-related deaths and improving the health of people who use drugs.
Drug Checking: A Novel Evidence-Based Strategy for Preventing Overdose
Joshua Vinciguerra
JD, Director of Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement
New York State Department of Health
Joshua Vinciguerra is the Director of the Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement at the New York State Department of Health. He is a member of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Task Force to Combat Heroin. He currently serves on the Executive Committee of the National Association of State Controlled Substance Authorities and is a member of the National Alliance for Model State Drug Laws Resource Group on Novel Psychoactive Substances. Vinciguerra is a former federal prosecutor in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York. He has served as an Assistant Attorney General in the New York State Attorney General’s Criminal Enforcement and Financial Crimes Bureau and as an Assistant District Attorney in the New York County District Attorney’s Office under Robert Morgenthau, where he prosecuted narcotics and weapons crimes in the Office of Special Narcotics and white-collar crime in the Frauds Bureau. He clerked in the New York State Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Fourth Department, in Rochester, New York. He is a volunteer firefighter.
Advancing Science Into Action: Enhancing PDMPs and EHRs
JD, Director of Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement
New York State Department of Health
Joshua Vinciguerra is the Director of the Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement at the New York State Department of Health. He is a member of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Task Force to Combat Heroin. He currently serves on the Executive Committee of the National Association of State Controlled Substance Authorities and is a member of the National Alliance for Model State Drug Laws Resource Group on Novel Psychoactive Substances. Vinciguerra is a former federal prosecutor in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York. He has served as an Assistant Attorney General in the New York State Attorney General’s Criminal Enforcement and Financial Crimes Bureau and as an Assistant District Attorney in the New York County District Attorney’s Office under Robert Morgenthau, where he prosecuted narcotics and weapons crimes in the Office of Special Narcotics and white-collar crime in the Frauds Bureau. He clerked in the New York State Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Fourth Department, in Rochester, New York. He is a volunteer firefighter.
Advancing Science Into Action: Enhancing PDMPs and EHRs
Alana Vivolo-Kantor
PhD, MPH, Behavioral Scientist
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Dr. Alana Vivolo-Kantor is a Behavioral Scientist on the Overdose Epidemiology and Surveillance Team in the Division of Unintentional Injury Prevention at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) working on the Enhanced State Opioid Overdose Surveillance (ESOOS) grant. She serves as a Science Officer for several funded state health departments; manages the Emergency Department data delivery (including coordination and partnership with CDC’s NSSP/ESSENCE); and leads ESOOS dissemination efforts. Prior to coming to DUIP, she was a Behavioral Scientist in CDC’s Division of Violence Prevention in the Research and Evaluation Branch, where she focused on measurement, surveillance, etiologic research, and program evaluation activities for youth violence, bullying and teen dating violence.
Faster Data: The CDC-Funded Enhanced State Opioid Overdose Surveillance Program
PhD, MPH, Behavioral Scientist
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Dr. Alana Vivolo-Kantor is a Behavioral Scientist on the Overdose Epidemiology and Surveillance Team in the Division of Unintentional Injury Prevention at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) working on the Enhanced State Opioid Overdose Surveillance (ESOOS) grant. She serves as a Science Officer for several funded state health departments; manages the Emergency Department data delivery (including coordination and partnership with CDC’s NSSP/ESSENCE); and leads ESOOS dissemination efforts. Prior to coming to DUIP, she was a Behavioral Scientist in CDC’s Division of Violence Prevention in the Research and Evaluation Branch, where she focused on measurement, surveillance, etiologic research, and program evaluation activities for youth violence, bullying and teen dating violence.
Faster Data: The CDC-Funded Enhanced State Opioid Overdose Surveillance Program
