Professor Jeri Kirby earned her Ph.D. in Political Science from West Virginia University and is currently an Associate Professor of Criminal Justice and Chair of the Social Science Department at Fairmont State University in Fairmont, West Virginia. Dr. Kirby has a 20-year history of life and studies in incarceration, beginning with her own incarceration in the Federal Bureau of Prison from1992-1994. After Dr. Kirby’s release, she quickly began her education with the focus of understanding and changing correctional policy. Jeri is a Certified Instructor of the Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program, a Lead Trainer in the certification of prison facilitators, and the programs Federal Prison Coordinator. Dr. Kirby is also a member of the WV Advisory Board to the U.S. Civil Rights Commission and a member of the Convict Criminology group.

Kym Laube is the Executive Director of Human Understanding Growth Services, Inc., HUGS, Inc., located in Westhampton Beach, NY. In this position she brings over 33 years of substance misuse prevention knowledge and expertise. Since she took the role of Executive Director in 2002, she has been leading the organization to provide a full array of multidimensional prevention services and recovery supports, all while ensuring she is advocating for the field all along the continuum of care. Kym is a national trainer and speaker, working with notable leaders in prevention including CADCA, various state associations and corporate businesses.

Having participated in the HUGS, Inc. Teen Institute program in 1986 as a high school student, Kym understands firsthand, the profound impact, lifelong influence and workforce development the Teen Institute program provides to young people. From student leader to Executive Director in 2002, Kym’s mission has been to empower others to seek their full potential and become agents of change in the world. Kym offers dynamic, passionate and interactive keynotes, trainings and workshops for large and small groups with an uncanny ability to talk with and not at people. Annually, Kym presents to over 25,000 individuals, young and old across our great country.

Kym’s unwavering commitment to improving the lives of young people extends beyond her executive office and can be seen in the many leadership roles she holds. She is active on various local, state and national boards and task forces. She served on the NYS Governors Opiate Task Force creating statewide policy change in prescribing laws, increased treatment stays and policy and practice to help NY families to find hope and heal. Most notable is her personal recovery and commitment to push individuals to make the space better wherever they are. Her greatest joy is watching her two adult sons create live a life of choice as they forge their own course. She lives in Westhampton Beach with her husband, and way too many dogs.

Kristen Harper, M.Ed., is a Public Health Advisor in the newly established Office of Recovery at the
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA). Kristen began her SAMSHA
career in the Division of Targeted Prevention at the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP)
where she worked to support the division director in management and division operations while also
support the Harm Reduction grant program as a subject matter expert. As the Founding Director for the
Center for Addiction Recovery at Georgia Southern University’s JPH College of Public Health in 2008,
Kristen established one of the earliest collegiate recovery programs in the U.S. In 2011, Kristen joined
Texas Tech University's Collegiate Recovery Community team as a research associate in the College of
Human Sciences, where she focused most of her work on supporting the Collegiate Recovery
Community Replication project, funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration (SAMHSA) and the Department of Education (DOE). In 2013, Kristen joined the
Association of Recovery Schools (ARS) as Executive Director and helped communities create and sustain
recovery high schools across the U.S. and Canada.  In 2016, Kristen became Executive Director for the
Recovery Communities of North Carolina, a statewide recovery community organization which co-
managed the Access to Recovery (ATR) grant in collaboration with the State of North Carolina’s Division
of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Abuse Services. Additionally, during this
period, Kristen contracted with Transforming Youth Recovery (TYR), a private foundation, to manage a
technical assistance and grant program which supported 120+ collegiate recovery efforts across the
country. In 2017, Kristen joined C4 Innovations as a recovery specialist where she had the opportunity to
work on several projects, including, the Opioid Response Network (ORN) and SAMHSA's Bringing
Recovery Supports to Scale (BRSS TACS). She served on the National Advisory Council (NAC) for
SAMHSA’s Center for Substance Abuse Treatment from 2016 - 2021.  As part of the fall 2021 Innovation
to Impact fellows’ program at Yale University, Kristen learned how to bring an innovation to market
while also advocating for policy reform at the federal level. As the former Director of Recovery
Innovation at Faces & Voices of Recovery, Kristen enjoyed cultivating her passion, creativity, and subject
matter expertise to a diverse group of stakeholders nationally. Her greatest joy in life, however, is being
a wife to her brilliant husband and mother to her adorable kids who keep her on her toes constantly!

Joe is currently employed by Thomas Health in South Charleston, West Virginia as Business Development Liaison for Behavioral Health Services.
Mr. Deegan received his Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Social Work from West Virginia University. Joe is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) and is credentialed as an Advanced Alcohol & Drug Counselor/Supervisor (AADC-S) in West Virginia as well as Masters Addiction Counselor (MAC).
He has worked extensively in Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Treatment for over 40 years. Joe serves on the Boards of the WV Chapter of NASW, WVAADC - the Association of Addictions Professionals and the WV Medical Cannabis Advisory Board. Joe is also President-elect for the West Virginia Behavioral Health Providers Association.

Bumgarner is a filmmaker, scholar, and professor. She teaches narrative and documentary filmmaking at Marshall University. Since writing and directing her first feature film, Meadow Bridge, in 2017, she has co-directed and starred in the experimental short Becoming Annette (2020); co-created the web series Quarantine Life (2020); served as the 1st Assistant Director for Occupational Hazard (2021) directed by Ursula Ellis; co-wrote and directed the pilot episode of Her Hope Haven (2021); co-directed the short documentary Patchwork (2022); co-produced/directed/cinematographer on the feature documentary Picture Proof (2022) and served as a cinematographer for Small Town Universe (expected: 2023) directed by Katie Dellamaggiore.

Katelyn Fowler, MSW, is the Evaluation Coordinator for WV’s Strategic Prevention Framework for Prescription Drugs. Her previous roles include Lead Epidemiologist for the Collegiate Strategic Prevention Framework Partnerships for Success and coordinator for the Marshall University Garrett Lee Smith Campus Suicide Prevention grant. She began her career at the bachelor’s level with a focus on the justice system. She gained experience as a student working with Family Court in Northeastern Kentucky before working in community-based corrections for several years after graduation. As a reentry specialist, she worked with individuals, groups, and community agencies, such as probation and parole, reentry coalitions, and drug prevention task force in Southeastern Ohio. Katelyn then received her master’s degree in clinical social work from Marshall University and went on to work in outpatient mental health. During this time, she worked with individuals of all ages and backgrounds. She also has experience working with adults with intellectual and physical disabilities. Through her career, Katelyn has developed a passion for prevention and education. She has conducted numerous trainings on suicide prevention, assessments and screening tools, addressing student’s mental health needs, ACES and the impact of trauma, sexism and gender roles, Mental Health and LGBTQIA+ populations, and more. She is also currently a field faculty liaison for Marshall University’s MSW program, as well as the secretary for the Kentucky Suicide Prevention Group.

Dr. Jeremy Hustead, M.D., serves as an Assistant Professor and Medical Director of the inpatient Dual Diagnosis Unit at WVU Medicine’s Department of Behavioral Medicine & Psychiatry in Morgantown, West Virginia. Prior to joining the WVU faculty in 2020, Jeremy completed 4 years of General Psychiatry training there including being their Chief Resident during his final year. After residency graduation, he served as the first Addiction Psychiatry Fellow in program history and is now involved in training both Addiction Psychiatry and Medicine fellows. Throughout his career, Dr. Hustead has maintained a keen interest in educating various audiences including other physicians, medical students, nurses, APPs, and those in the criminal justice system. Jeremy has given over thirty formal lectures on various topics from medication assisted treatment of opioid use disorder to combating stigma in addiction treatment. He is currently serving as the President of the West Virginia Society of Addiction Medicine (WVSAM), the state chapter for the American Society of A ddiction Medicine (ASAM). In the future, he plans to continue to advocate for effective substance use treatment and to reduce the enormous of amount of stigma that follows those with the terrible disease of addiction.

Stephanne Cline Thornton is the Clinical Director for the West Virginia Judicial and Lawyer Assistance Program. She is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker and Master Addiction Counselor focusing on access to trauma and substance use disorder treatment to ensure the health and well-being of affected individuals. Recognizing the prevalent intersection of stress, substance use, and mental health conditions with some practitioners of the law, Stephanne believes in health, sustainability, and mindful practices to ensure those in the helping professions care for themselves to better care for those they are serving.

Stephanne earned a Master of Divinity degree from Emory University Candler School of Theology in the Honors Program, and a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Georgia. She has been clinically licensed as a social worker and addictions counselor since 2004 and additionally holds certificates as Certified Addiction Counselor Level III, Certified Clinical Trauma Professional, and Certified Sex Offender Treatment Provider. Stephanne’s clinical training background is in trauma, and she is on the Trauma-Informed Care Network Speakers Bureau and presents on trauma, substance use, and self-care across the state and at national conferences.

Stephanne is a West Virginia State Advisory Committee Member to the United States Commission on Civil Rights, Co-Chair of the Courts and Criminal Justice Populations Subcommittee to the Governor’s Council on Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment, and is a Board Member on the West Virginia Board of Social Work.

James “Wolf” Yoxall, MA, CSC and Ordained Minister, is the Spiritual/Wellness Director at Pavillon. Wolf provides spiritual direction, wellness counseling, spiritual group process, lectures on spirituality and mindfulness practices in SUD treatment. Wolf also facilitates spiritual wellness retreats and presents experimental lectures on the aspects of spirituality and wellness as it pertains to overall wellbeing. He is a published author and artist. Wolf is certified in Outdoor Education, Martial Arts and has worked extensively with diverse Indigenous cultures. Wolf has been guiding people in all walks of life spiritual guidance and practical wellness applications for over thirty-five years.

https://www.pavillon.org/

Beverly Sharp is a native of Charleston, West Virginia and a graduate of Stonewall Jackson High School. She earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in Law Enforcement and Corrections from Marshall University, minoring in Psychology, Sociology and English Literature. She has worked in the field of Law Enforcement and Corrections for
over 35 years. Most of her professional career was spent with the United States Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Prisons. She held several positions of increasing responsibility including Correctional Officer, Correctional Treatment Specialist, Correctional Program Manager, Employment Development Manager and Director of Human Resources and Training. Additionally, she held numerous collateral duty positions including EEO Counselor, Recruiter, Affirmative Action Chairperson, Firearms Instructor and Hostage Negotiator. After retiring from the Bureau of Prisons, she accepted a position with the U.S. Department of
Commerce as Manager of Recruiting and Training for 25 counties in Eastern Kentucky for the 2010 Census. After completion of the Census, she was hired as an independent contractor, serving as a Work Readiness Training Instructor with the Eastern Kentucky Concentrated Employment Program. She is currently serving as Program Coordinator of the Criminal Justice Department at Ashland Community and Technical College. Beverly has been certified by the National Institute of Corrections (NIC) in the following areas: Offender Employment Specialist, Offender Workforce Development Specialist (OWDS) Training and OWDS Certified Instructor. After completing these courses, she was granted her Global Career Development Facilitator (GCDF) Certification by the Center for Credentialing and Education. She has also completed her certification as a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) trainer in the DEA 360 program, providing Drug Education seminars for the community and schools. Currently, she is transitioning from being the Director of Reentry Initiatives for the West Virginia Council of Churches to Founder and Executive Director of The REACH Initiative, developing programs, initiatives and training to improve the opportunities for former offenders to successfully return to the community
as productive citizens, as well as to educate communities on the barriers faced by former offenders, in order to reduce recidivism and to Build Bridges to a Better Community.

Jim has worked in the Addiction and Behavioral Health field for over 55 years. He was a Charter
member of WVAADAC (now WVAAPP) in 1980 and served as president in 1983-1987. He has
served as President of WVCBAPP twice and currently serves on the Ethics Committee. He
continues to do clinical supervision with Acadia's Beckley Center.

Sheila Moran
Sheila holds the position of Director of Communications and Marketing at First Choice Services (FCS), a non-profit organization based in West Virginia that manages 15 helplines predominantly focused on behavioral health. Her responsibilities include overseeing the coordination of mass media campaigns, social media, and creative design strategy. Sheila has a particular talent for securing earned media, and her efforts have been instrumental in enabling FCS to provide support to over 175,000 help-seekers annually. In addition to her work at FCS, Sheila enjoys giving presentations on mental health resources, problem gambling, and outreach strategies for social service organizations. She holds a Master's Degree in Social Work, is a Licensed Social Worker, and is certified as an Internationally Certified Gambling Counselor.

Emily Birckhead is the executive director of the West Virginia Alliance of Recovery Residences, which has been tasked with implementing nationally accepted best practice standards and ethical guidelines for non-treatment residential recovery houses in the state. She graduated from WVU with her BS in Political Science and received her Master of Social Work Degree from Marshall University in 2020. She is certified as both a CCAR Peer Recovery Coach and 200-RYT (Registered Yoga Teacher). Emily has previously worked as a Recovery Coach with the Partnership of African American Churches and as an AmeriCorps VISTA with Try This WV. She has also supported the development of organizations like WVU’s Collegiate Recovery Program and WV Recovers, an integrated, statewide peer recovery network for people with mental health and substance use disorders. Emily serves on the Board of Directors for the Kanawha Pastoral Counseling Center (KPCC).

Dr. Stephen Loyd is an Internal Medicine/Addiction Medicine physician who graduated medical school and residency from the James H. Quillen College of Medicine at East Tennessee State University. He currently serves as the Vice-President of the Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners. Dr. Loyd was the Assistant Commissioner (Opioid Czar) for Substance Abuse Services in the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services in Governor Bill Haslam’s administration. He has served as an expert witness in more than twenty federal and state cases against physicians who were improperly prescribing controlled substances. Dr. Loyd was named an Advocate for Action by the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), an office of the President of the United States. He has delivered over five hundred educational lectures on addiction and treatment of opioid use disorder and proper prescribing of controlled substances. Dr. Loyd was an original member (still active) of the Treatment of Chronic Pain Guidelines Committee which defined pain treatment for providers in the state of Tennessee. He has worked as an Addiction Medicine Physician in both the inpatient and outpatient settings, specializing in the treatment of opioid dependent pregnant women. Dr. Loyd has served on multiple drug courts in Tennessee and remains an active participant in drug court in the 4th Judicial District under Judge Duane Slone. He has worked with multiple community level anti-drug coalitions from Johnson County to Shelby County and has worked with all levels of state law enforcement, mainly the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. Dr. Loyd was the inspiration behind Michael Keaton’s character in Hulu’s Emmy Award winning series Dopesick. He currently serves as Chief Medical Officer for Cedar Recovery in Tennessee and is the current Chair of the Tennessee Opioid Abatement Council appointed by current Tennessee Governor Bill Lee. Dr. Loyd has been in recovery from opioid and benzodiazepine addiction since July 8, 2004.

https://www.drstephenloyd.com/

Dr. Ronni Rittenhouse is retired (mostly) from a private practice in Wheeling, West Virginia. A therapist for more than 44 years, she holds a B.A. in speech pathology from Adelphi University, an M.S. in special education from Hunter College, City University of New York, a Ph.D. in Human Services and Counseling from Pacific Western University and a doctoral Certificate of Advanced Study in counseling from West Virginia University.

A Licensed Professional Counselor, Licensed Certified Social Worker, Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor, Dr. Rittenhouse serves on the Care Committee of the WV Medical Professionals Health Program and the Board of Directors of the WV Lawyer Assistance Program. She is the past president of the West Virginia Certification Board for Addiction and Prevention Professionals (WVCBAPP) on which she still serves as the Certification Chair, and has been on the Board of Directors of the West Virginia Association of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors.

Autumn McCraw has a wealth of lived experience in many areas, including domestic sex trafficking, substance use disorder recovery, and reentry after incarceration. She currently serves as the Certification & Community Engagement Coordinator for the West Virginia Alliance of Recovery Residences. She has become a leader in changing systems that personally impacted her life. Autumn was recently published as a contributor in the first national survivor study by Polaris, “In Harm's Way; How Systems Fail Survivors” in January 2023. Autumn is a WVBACPP certified PRSS and a facilitator for WVARRs Peer Recovery Coach Academy. After supporting the development of Pollen8 Inc, she now sits on their Board of Directors as their Secretary. She also serves as a member of the WV Human Trafficking Task Force and a steering committee member for the Hope In Action Alliance. She recently stepped down from Interim Director WV Families of Convicted People and now serves as a Senior Board Member. Of all these roles, Autumn’s most important title is Mom to her beautiful daughter and fur babies Nova and Sir Thomas.

David Best is the UK's first professor of Addiction Recovery and the Director of the Centre for Addiction Recovery Research. He is also Honorary Professor in the School of Regulation and Global Governance at the Australian National University and Honorary Professor in Eastern Health Clinical School at Monash University in Melbourne. He is the author or editor of eight books and more than 240 research papers, primarily about addiction recovery.

Stefanie Robinson is the Founding Executive Director of Hope Recovery Community, a Recovery Community Organization (RCO) in Medina County serving those impacted by addiction. She previously served as the Medina County Coordinator of Recovery PeerSupport Services at OhioGuidestone where she started a peer support program, oversaw a Level 3, ORH certified women’s recovery house, managed a weekly quick access MAT program and supervised a peer navigation team. Stefanie also works on special recovery support services projects for Ohio Citizen Advocates for Addiction Recovery (OCAAR), is a consultant for the Opioid Response Network, and is the Ohio Affiliate Director for the National Recovery Peer Alliance. Stefanie has over 15 years in recovery from drugs and alcohol, mental health and an eating disorder. She has served on the boards for the Ohio Citizen Advocates for Addiction Recovery and Eating Disorder Advocates of Ohio and currently serves on the Advisory Council for the National Peer Recovery Alliance. As the owner and CEO of Simply Bold, a communications company, Stefanie spoke professionally for 7 years. She shared her story of recovery with over 100,000 people through speaking engagements, TV appearances, radio interviews, and print publications. After seeing the addiction issues in her own community were not getting better but getting worse, Stefanie decided to focus on Medina County. She spent several years doing recovery peer support in the Medina County Drug Court, and in 2016 Stefanie was instrumental alongside the Medina County Adult Probation Department and the Medina County Court of Common Pleas in launching the Recovery Center of Medina County. In 2018 Stefanie organized and founded Medina’s first Recovery Community Organization, Hope Recovery Community. Hope opened its second location in May 2022 in Brunswick, Ohio, its third location in Wadsworth, Ohio in January of 2023, and has just launched a recovery run farm! Hope records over 5000 recovery touches per month through their multiple locations and recovery peer supporters integrated throughout the county. Stefanie has been doing peer support for over 8 years and has been certified in Ohio for over 6 years. She is a Peer Support
Supervisor and is part of both committees currently rewriting Ohio’s peer support training curriculum. She is an expert in peer integration into systems and recovery-
friendly language. Over the years, Stefanie has been acknowledged for her work in recovery. In 2017, she was awarded the Cleveland Clinic Medina County Community
Service Award for her leadership in the Medina County Recovery Community and in 2018 the Medina County ADAMH Board awarded Stefanie the Recovery Advocate of the Year Award for her work in tackling the opiate epidemic in Medina County. She was named OhioGuidestone Regional MVP in 2019, and in the spring of 2019 she was named OneStep Peer Supporter of the Year. In the fall of 2020, Robinson was awarded the State of Ohio Cares Award by the Ohio Association of County Behavioral Health Authorities under the category Champion of Recovery. She is married with 2 children and 2 dogs. She enjoys traveling and spending time with her family and friends.

Laurel is the owner and founder of Whole Brian Solutions, a group private practice in Morgantown, WV that specializing in working with stress and trauma based issues. She was introduced to EMDR during her graduate work at West Virginia University, and was immediately energized by the potential to integrate her love of neuroscience and belief that people are hardwired to survive and heal. She started Whole Brian Solutions in 2016, with the goal to help increase access to quality and inclusive mental healthcare in West Virginia. She now has 13 like minded clinicians that work with her to help increase awareness, access and community for healing. Whole Brain Solutions offer therapy, supervision, consultation and trainings all aimed to help people increase their adaptive neural networks and what they believe is possible.

Laurel is a senior faculty member for Kase & Co, where she helps facilitate EMDR Basic trainings. She has been instrumental in helping clinician’s in WV receive evidence based training in EMDR which is part of her goal to make EMDR accessible in every county of WV. Laurel’s passion for incorporating neuroscience into practice is felt by all that work with her. She enjoys creating safe spaces for learning and growing. Laurel is a firm believer that we are lifelong learners and that teaching is an bi-directional exchange.

Jeremy is the Traumatic Brain Injury Outreach Coordinator for the WVU Brain Injury Services Program. Jeremy is a Certified Athletic Trainer and graduated with a B.S. in Athletic Training from Alderson Broaddus University and earned an M.S. in Athletic Training from East Stroudsburg University of PA. He has over 13 years of experience managing concussions and brain injuries in the collegiate, high school, clinic, and hospital setting. Jeremy has written concussion management protocols for various settings. He previously served on the Executive Board for the West Virginia Athletic Trainers’ Association as Treasurer from 2021 to 2023. Jeremy also sits on the WV TBI Advisory Board as a staff member along with serving on two work groups for the National Association of State Head Injury Administrators (Workgroups: Opioid/Substance Use and Underserved Population).

I am the Substance Use Program Coordinator for Seneca Health Services, Inc. I have been in the SA field in WV since 1997. I am a past board of director member and past president of WVAADC. I currently serve on the Pocahontas County Criminal Justice Board and well as the Local Emergency Preparedness Committee in Pocahontas County. I have worked in various settings including corrections, residential programs, and behavioral health settings.

In accordance with CDC’s National Public Health Performance Standards Program (NPHPSP) plan, she has the expertise of identifying partners and community members in the public health system, engaging those partners in health assessment and improvement planning, while promoting improvement in agencies, systems and communities. As the Director of Great Rivers Regional System for Addiction Care within the Marshall Health Division of Addiction Sciences, she has built infrastructure and strengthen collaborations in the communities and neighborhoods hit hardest by the opioid epidemic in West Virginia. These include Cabell, Jackson Kanawha and Putnam counties. The components of the system that she coordinates include public health harm reduction programs offering syringe exchange with wrap around services, community-based ‘quick response teams” (QRTs) to visit individuals following overdose events, hospital programs to identify and link individuals with substance use disorders (SUDs) to treatment from the acute care setting, a community-based hub for comprehensive treatment and referral services, naloxone education and distribution, an enhanced capacity and infrastructure to effectively drive community engagement, prevention and education and a mechanism to coordinate all of these components as a true “System for Addiction Care”. Her responsibility is to help develop capacity and coordination for implementation and evaluation of the System for Addiction Care components in the above mentioned counties. This program is building and strengthening infrastructure to have measurable impact in saving lives and changing the course and future of individuals, children and families impacted by the opioid epidemic in the Great Rivers Region of WV. She has also previously partnered with Johns Hopkins University, WV University and Gilead Sciences to evaluate various aspects of the harm reduction program at Kanawha-Charleston Health Department. As a result of the gaps identified by Johns Hopkins and WV Universities, she co-authored the “Harm Reduction Syringe Services Program Procedure Manual” which was distributed nationally to assist entities in establishing harm reduction programs.

Christina Veselak, MS, LMFT, CN, is passionate about reducing relapse rates and overdose deaths in people recovering from substance use disorders by using targeted nutrition to address the biochemistry of addiction and recovery. With 40 years of experience working as a psychotherapist and mental health nutritionist in the addiction treatment field, she brings an unparalleled breadth of knowledge and a wealth of compassion and expertise. and has always been drawn to working with people experiencing chronic relapse, committed to identifying and helping them overcome the blocks to their recovery. Her own journey of recovery from PTSD, co-dependency and a myriad of health issues provides her with deep compassion, understanding, and personal experience of hope and transformation. She moved to West Virginia from Colorado in 2019, and lives in Wayne County.

As one of the few people in the country who understands how feeding the brain with the nutrients it needs to repair itself and function optimally provides people with a much-needed foundation to be successful in their recovery journey, she has positively impacted the world of treatment and recovery through her online school for professionals, The Academy for Addiction and Mental Health Nutrition and her non-profit organization, Eating Protein Saves Lives, Inc. She is a co-founder and former Executive Director of a non-profit organization founded in 2007, The Alliance for Addiction Solutions. Like her current organizations, the Alliance was created to let the public know that medication is not the only option available to address the biochemistry of addiction. Along with healing from trauma and community connection, people in recovery (like children in school) also need a well-fed and functioning brain to fuel their efforts. This research has been done since the '60s but has been buried.
Christina Veselak is a dynamic public speaker with an enthusiastic following. Her vision as a global changemaker is to make this life-saving information available to all people, from a kitchen in a mud-house in Africa to the White House.

Laurie Johnson-Wade is the Co-Founding Director of Lost Dreams Awakening (LDA) Recovery
Community Organization (RCO), a 501c3 non-profit in New Kensington, Pennsylvania. Laurie is
an Advanced Implementation Specialist (AIS) with the Opioid Response Network (ORN); a
Steering Committee Member for the Peer Recovery Center of Excellence Workforce
Development; an adjunct faculty member of Faces and Voices Recovery Training Institute (RTI).
Laurie is a Certified Behavioral Consultant (CBC), a Certified Recovery Specialist (CRS); a
Recovery Support Supervisor (RSS); a Forensic Peer Specialist (FPS); a Recovery Coach
Professional (RCP); and a Recovery Coach Professional Facilitator; and has a degree in Health Administration. Laurie brings over 32 years of
lived recovery experience (Established May 30, 1991), to the revolutionary and rewarding work
of Recovery Support Services and Recovery Coaching.
Laurie is a facilitator of the PA Family Support Alliance (PFSA) Recovering Families
Program, and the PROACT Family Education Series. Laurie was named the 2020 Recovery
Advocate of the Year by the Pittsburgh Recovery Walk. Ms. Johnson-Wade serves on the Board
of Directors of Faces and Voices of Recovery - Chairing the CAPRSS Committee, as well as
serving on the F&V DEI Committee. Laurie is a proud member of Black Faces Black Voices
(BFBV) and seeks to integrate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) within all systems of care -
spanning Prevention, Treatment, Recovery, and Harm Reduction.
Laurie is the founder of LDA Ubuntu Recovery and LDA Ubuntu Recovery Circles - a
community-based Recovery Pathway, based on the ancient African Philosophy of Ubuntu.

Katherine has over 20 years of experience as a social worker and psychotherapist. She has provided therapy in her private practice, Awaken Wellness Center for over sixteen years, where her clinical work has focused on crisis intervention, critical incident response, trauma, traumatic loss and grief counseling, deployment-related mental health issues and the assessment and treatment of moral injury and post-traumatic stress disorder. She has expert knowledge of military culture and military lifestyle both as a professional and as a prior military spouse. Three of Katherine’s grandparents served in the military providing a foundation and passion for military service. Katherine is dedicated to bringing best-in-class practices to the forefront of mental health issues affecting first responders, military members, their families, and the veteran community. She has conducted seminars for military service members, veterans, military families, first responders, mental health professionals, and community providers on Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, Suicide Prevention and traumatic loss and grief.
Katherine also currently works as a consultant for the non-profit SAFE Project providing her expertise with both Safe Solutions and the Veteran Program dedicated to connecting veterans, active-duty service members, their families, and caregivers to provided resources and programming to combat substance use disorder. Additionally, she has previously served as the peer support clinician for the District of Columbia Firefighters Association (local 36 Peer Support) providing consultation and education programming to first responders.
Katherine has also worked overseeing a Defense Health Agency Program inTransition for transitioning service members and veterans as a Defense contractor. The program is a free, confidential program that offers specialized coaching and assistance for active-duty service members, National Guard members, reservists, veterans and retirees who need access to mental health care when transitioning.
Additionally, she has served as the U.S. Army Reserve Psychological Health program director. In this role, she oversaw the program’s non-clinical consultation and outreach services to more than 205,000 geo-dispersed service members and their families as well as Command and Government Programs. She also served on the US Army Reserve Fatality review board to provide consultation on psychological autopsies post suicide.

JoAnna Vance has worked in Economic Justice since 2018; Developing and growing “people powered” projects that build on grassroots organizations, expand their capital, raise questions or alternatives, develop sound organizing strategies, recruit leadership, and facilitate trainings. Her experience includes organizing popular education and advocacy on Economic Justice, Recovery, and Decarcaration, with a special focus on impacted individuals, families, and communities, mobilizing for policy change at a federal and state level, highlighting voices of impacted people, organizing conferences, events, and trainings, and participating in coalition work. JoAnna’s current role is the Program Coordinator for the American Friends Service Committee, West Virginia Economic Justice Project. She serves on several sub committees of the Governor’s Council helping with the strategic planning and implementation of the state’s opioid response plan including Lived Experience and Public Education. She facilitates many trainings across the state including but not limited to Recovery Coach Academy, Ethics, Public Narrative, Stigma, and West Virginia Leadership Academy.

Ben Stevenson II currently serves as the Substance Misuse and Suicide Prevention Program Manager for Montgomery County, MD. He is a seasoned prevention professional who has been in the substance abuse prevention field for over 12 years working with thousands of youth, professionals and parents in various communities across the country.

Prior to his current role, Ben has served as Training Manager with CADCA (Community Anti Drug Coalitions of America) as well as served as a Training and Technical Assistance Associate with the SAMHSA’s CAPT (Center for the Application of Prevention Technologies) with the Southeast Resource Team working directly with states providing training and technical assistance. He has worked in various capacities across the continuum of care throughout his career working in treatment and recovery in addition to his prevention work. Ben enjoys developing and facilitating prevention programs for youth and adults. He is very passionate about prevention and its ability to impact communities by promoting healthy lifestyles.

I am originally from Winston-Salem, NC and graduated from North Carolina Central University in Durham, NC with at BA in Political Science and minor in History. He also holds a MS in Marriage and Family Therapy from Capella University. I was first Certified as a Substance Abuse Prevention Consultant in North Carolina and currently is a Certified Prevention Professional in Maryland. I currently served as the western region representative for MAPPA which is the Maryland Association for Prevention Professionals and Advocates. Ben has been acknowledged as a subject matter expert in the field of prevention through the IC&RC (International Certification &Reciprocity Consortium).

Sharon is the President and CEO of Intentional Beginnings Consulting & Training of Louisville, KY, a small non-profit with the mission of strengthening organizations and individuals serving those who experience substance use disorders, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and trauma. Sharon received her Bachelor of Science in Social Work from Southern Illinois University in 1981, and in 2011 completed a post-graduate Certificate in Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health from the University of Minnesota. For over 30 years Sharon has worked in Public Health and specialized in early childhood development, women’s health and addiction.
Her career has ranged from providing direct services to women through managing two sober living residences to designing and facilitating statewide and local collaborative initiatives that call on her skills in public policy, strategic planning, cross sector collaboration, program assessment and marketing.
She is a national trainer, Technology Transfer Specialist and facilitator for multiple organizations including the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, the Addiction Technology Transfer Centers (ATTC) and the Opioid Response Network. In 2018, Sharon took the lead in developing SUD specific training for Peer Support Specialists and Supervisors for the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
Sharon is passionate about reducing stigma associated with addiction and developing the capacity of communities, organizations and individuals to better meet the needs of individuals with substance use disorders. With her husband, Scott Hesseltine, she currently resides in Louisville, KY.

Susie Mullens is a licensed psychologist, licensed professional counselor, certified advanced alcohol & drug counselor, master addiction counselor & supervisor. She is the Treasurer for WVAAPP.

She has been working in the mental health & substance use disorder field for over 33 years and has worked in all aspects of the continuum of care. She is the program director for the WV Collegiate Recovery Network which is a project of the Alliance for the Economic Development of Southern WV housed at Marshall University Research Corp. to help expand collegiate recovery efforts in higher education in WV. She was formerly the Interim Director of the West Virginia Office of Drug Control Policy (ODCP). While at ODCP she was responsible for securing the seed money (100K) for 5 collegiate recovery programs in WV.

Prior to ODCP she was the Director of Operations for the Associate of Recovery in Higher Education, served as a Recovery Specialist helping establish the WVU Collegiate Recovery Program & Therapist at West Virginia University and was the Mid-Atlantic Regional Representative on the ARHE Board of Directors. She is also a past president of WVAADC, the state alcohol and drug counseling association.

Dawn Cottingham-Frohna MBA, CSW serves as Commissioner for the Bureau for Behavioral Health (BBH) Substance Use and IDD, under the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR). Commissioner Frohna brings a broad array of leadership experience from both a management and patient-centered
perspective. Throughout her career, She has achieved numerous accomplishments that demonstrate her leadership and impact in the field. Prior to joining DHHR, she was Interim Chief Operating Officer and Director of Business Development for Miramont Behavioral Health an inpatient psychiatric facility specializing in the treatment of chemical dependency and mental health disorders in Middleton, Wisconsin. Commissioner Frohna has also served as Manager of the Outpatient Psychiatry Department for SSM Health, Dean Medical Group, Director of Care Management, and the hospitalist program for Sauk Prairie Healthcare. She earned her Master's Degree in Business with an emphasis in Healthcare Management from the University of Phoenix and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. She has been a licensed social worker for 21 years.

Jamie Sisley is an Emmy Award-winning filmmaker who recently wrote and directed "Stay Awake," a narrative feature film that premiered at the 2022 Berlin Film Festival, where it won the AG Kino Gilde Auteur Award and was Honorable Mention for the Crystal Bear. Starring Chrissy Metz ("This Is Us"), Wyatt Oleff (“IT," Netflix’s “I Am Not Okay With This," Apple’s “City on Fire”), and Fin Argus (Max’s “Queer As Folk,” “The Other Two”), "Stay Awake" is a personal exploration of the roller coaster ride that families go on while trying to help their loved ones battle addiction. The feature is based off a short film of the same name that Jamie also wrote and directed. The short film premiered at the 2015 Berlin Film Festival, and won both the National Board of Review Film Prize and Slamdance Grand Jury Prize.

In addition, Jamie received an Emmy Nomination for his feature documentary, "Farewell Ferris Wheel." Shot over the course of six years, "Farewell Ferris Wheel" explores how the U.S. Carnival industry fights to keep itself alive by legally employing Mexican migrant workers with the controversial H-2B guestworker visa. The film won the Creative Promise Award from the Tribeca Film Institute, received an Imagen Award Nomination for the positive portrayal of Latinos in entertainment, and was nationally broadcast on PBS and Netflix.

Jamie’s work has been supported by the Sundance Institute, SFFILM, Tribeca Film Institute, Film Independent, ITVS, and The Smithsonian Institute. Prior to film, Jamie was an artist manager in the music industry at Red Light Management.

Jon Dower was born and raised in Morgantown, WV and is a graduate of West Virginia University. Mr. Dower holds several addiction related certifications including alcohol and drug counselor, substance abuse professional, and intervention professional. Mr. Dower current is the Director of Recovery Services for Ascension Recovery Services, an organization that provides turn-key substance use disorder treatment center development and direct SUD services to individuals and families. Jon also works as the Executive Director for West Virginia Sober Living, a 501 (c) 3, non-profit that provides recovery housing across the state of West Virginia, and peer recovery support services at a community-based level. Mr. Dower is an adjunct professor at WVU teach in the department of Counseling. He serves on several SUD related board of directors including the West Virginia Association of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors and as the Treasure for the WV Alliance of Recovery Residents. Jon is a person in long-term recovery.

My name is Sabel Meadows. I am pursuing my doctorate in clinical psychology (PsyD) at Marshall University and I'm working as a Pre-Doctoral Research Fellow for the Marshall University Research Corporation Center of Excellence for Recovery. My current research projects focus on behavioral health workforce development and retention, youth empowerment evaluation, substance use prevention, advocacy, and social determinants influencing help-seeking. My clinical interests include working with people who experience disordered eating, chronic health conditions impacting their mental wellness, and those who have experienced trauma.

Lacey is a West Virginia native who has a passion for serving Appalachian folks. She is a Provisionally Licensed Professional Counselor working at Whole Brain Solutions in Morgantown, WV where she offers EMDR therapy to clients in recovery. She is a Teaching Assistant Professor at West Virginia University for the Mental Health and Addictions Studies major within the College of Applied Human Sciences. Her teaching philosophy is aimed towards offering students unique experiences and stories that encourage them to increase compassion and decrease stigma towards folks with substance use disorders. Lacey believes in the power of AIP and EMDR both due to her own personal experience with the model as well as the changes she has witnessed within her clients with SUDs. She believes there’s a lot of beauty in the therapeutic relationship when adding in nature, connection, and laughter.

Rev. John R. Unger II is a social entrepreneur and spiritual coach utilizing an adaptive, servant-leadership approach through theology, asset-based community development (ABCD), restorative justice, and public service. A Rhodes Scholar, Pastor Unger worked with Mother Teresa in Calcutta, India, to provide care to the poorest of the poor and emergency relief for Kurdish refugees, orphanages, children's hospitals, senior care homes, and homes for the mentally disabled in Iraq during the wars. Pastor Unger is a pastor and priest of three historic Harpers Ferry Civil War churches of three denominations (Lutheran, Episcopal, and United Methodist). As a Recovery/Life Coach Professional / Master Facilitator and a WRAP I facilitator, Pastor Unger started in Appalachia the Greater Recovery and Community Empowerment (GRaCE) where he helped train over 4,000 recovery/life coaches and peer recovery support specialists who work to address trauma, addiction, and mental illness in their communities. He also serves as Senior Advisor to the White House Executive Office of the President (EOP) and Special Senior Advisor to the Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), engaging and coordinating international faith leaders in an international interfaith coalition to address the global synthetic drug threat and assisting rural communities on trauma, addiction, and mental health integrated approaches that save lives.

Tennysa Mace is currently the Viral Hepatitis Prevention Coordinator for the WV Bureau for Public Health. She has eighteen years of public health experience in various areas of impact, including hearing loss, mental health, HIV, and viral hepatitis. Tennysa strives to make systemic changes to benefit vulnerable and high-risk communities with a focus on cultural diversity, inclusiveness, and equal access to resources.

Dr. VonZell Wade is an Advanced Implementation Specialist (AIS) with the Opioid Response Network (ORN), and the Co-Founding Director of Lost Dreams Awakening (LDA) Recovery Community Organization in New Kensington, Pennsylvania. Dr. Wade is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and the owner of Luo Counseling Center.

Dr. Wade is a life-long resident of the community where he graduated from Valley High School, Seton Hill University, Greensburg, PA, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Human Services; and continued his education at Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA, where he earned his Master of Science in Education and his Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision.

Dr. Wade is a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP), a Recovery Coach Professional (RCP), a Recovery Coach Professional Facilitator (RCPF), and an adjunct faculty member of Faces and Voices of Recovery, Washington, DC.

Dr. Wade is also the co-developer of Pennsylvania’s Peer Recovery Support Workforce (PRSW) Program - a six-week curriculum developed in response to the Covid-19 crisis PRSW.

Keigan Aabel-Brown, MSW - Keigan has coordinated several initiatives directed at supporting the mental and behavioral health of historically exploited and economically disadvantaged communities in West Virginia including his role establishing the West Virginia Behavioral Health Equity Training Center. Keigan has coordinated education on stigma reduction, trauma informed practices, and advocacy for all people who live in West Virginia. Previous to his work in West Virginia, Keigan served as a training and technical assistance specialist for the Office for Victims of Crime and the Office on Trafficking in Persons, building capacity for systems that serve individuals who were victims of crime or have been impacted by human trafficking.

Marti Steiner Unger received her Bachelor of Arts in Education from Glenville State University. She is a Recovery Coach Professional, GRaCE Recovery Coach/Life Coach Master Facilitator, and a WRAP I facilitator. Marti is co-founder and Executive Director of Greater Recovery and Community Empowerment (GRaCE), a 501c3 nonprofit organization that, in conjunction with higher education, trains, empowers and connects Recovery/Life/Youth/Nurse Health Coaches (www.StrengthInGRaCE.com). She is an award winning film director, author, composer, the mom of five amazing people, and is the caregiver of 100,000 honeybees. Marti is a member of Mt Zion Episcopal Church, in Hedgesville WV, a graduate of the WV Iona Collaborative (Seminary of the Southwest) and currently a candidate for ordination for the Episcopal Diocese of WV.

Rachel Thaxton is the Interim Director of the West Virginia Department of Human Services Office of Drug Control Policy. Prior to joining DHHR, Rachel served as Director of Development and previously as Program Director for Recovery Point West Virginia. Her past experience includes serving as Support Team Leader at Harmony House. Rachel holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from West Virginia University.

Wendy Lewis currently serves as the Clinical Director of Behavioral Health Services for PAAC, Infinite Pathways. In her current position she provides mental health counseling services including assessment, intake, treatment plans, and evidence-based substance use disorder and mental health counseling. She is the director of Residential Services for a 44 bed men’s treatment facility and a Women’s ten bed sober living home. .
Dr. Lewis is an Adjunct Professor who served as the Program Administrator/Clinical Therapist-Opioid Addiction Medication Assisted Treatment Program at West Virginia University, Charleston WV Campus. She has filled many other relevant roles that contribute to her significant expertise in substance abuse and Medication Assisted Treatment.
She has a Master of Arts in Counseling from Marshall University and completed her Ph.D. in Counselor Education Supervision at Hampton University. Dr. Lewis’ research focuses on how people of color experience racial microaggression. Specifically, she examined areas of ethnic-racial microaggressions directed against African American helping professionals (counselors, psychologists, social workers) while in the workplace. She has also conducted research in the areas of racial disparities in health care. Dr. Lewis’ certifications include Licensed Professional Counselor and Advanced Alcohol Drug Counselor—WV.

Jay launched Seed Sower in 2020 after a diverse career history spanning over 25 years. He served for 10 years in the U.S. Army as a Russian linguist and signals intelligence specialist in a Military Intelligence unit. He spent the last 5 years of his military service assigned to the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, working in support of international chemical and biological arms control and weapons of mass destruction nonproliferation programs. He completed his military service as an instructor and Non‐Commissioned Officer in Charge of the Russian Arms Control Speaking Proficiency Course at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, Ca. Following his military career, Jay completed his MBA at West Virginia University in 2013. He has utilized his education and experience in civilian career paths within the Department of Defense, The Department of Veterans Affairs, and most recently as a senior financial management analyst with the Internal Revenue Service where he focused on internal auditing, and program and process improvement initiatives.

Jay has a deep passion for service to others, particularly marginalized and stigmatized populations suffering from substance use disorder. This passion led him to resign from federal service in 2021 and commit his time and energy to developing Seed Sower into a positive force in the fight against substance use disorder in West Virginia. Seed Sower operates 45 WVARR certified recovery beds in Raleigh, Fayette, and Greenbrier County, a Recovery Community Organization in Beckley, and a transportation service that provides transportation in a 5-county area of southern WV that focuses on recovery related transporation and transportation supporting workforce development.

Deb Harris is the lead transition agent with Jobs & Hope WV. In her role as the Lead Transition Agent for Jobs and Hope WV, Deb is part of a team that supports people in recovery and helps them to find employment. Her commitment to empowering others is evident as she talks about the statewide program that launched in 2019. She worked as an AmeriCorps VISTA as she attended Bridge Valley Community and Technical College, studying behavioral health addictions. Prior to her current position she worked as a peer counselor as she worked toward her Bachelor degree at West Virginia State. She continued to counsel students while finishing her Master’s degree. Her team of Transition Agents work statewide with other partners to identify people who can benefit from the Jobs & Hope program.

Brandon Whitehouse is from Ripley, WV, and currently resides in Princeton, WV. Brandon is
currently working with The West Virginia Collegiate Recovery Network as the PRSS at Concord
University, in addition to the QRT Outreach Coordinator for Community Connections. He has
worked as a recovery coach for 13 years in many different capacities. Brandon is a facilitator for
the WV Leadership Academy, Smart Recovery, DBSA, Smart Rx U, Campus Connection’s, State
Recovery Coach Trainer and PRSS Ethics. He is currently in the process of obtaining an ADC
certification through the state of WV and currently serves on the Board for the WV Association
of Addiction and Prevention Professionals. His past employers include Recovery Point WV, Gate
Way Homes Inc, Bomar Drop-N-Center. Brandon enjoys helping people, help themselves find a
pathway to recovery.

I am a proud Appalachian and first-generation college student. I am a senior Psychology and Business student at Concord University, and I am currently applying to Social Psychology PhD programs. I work as the Collegiate Strategic Prevention Framework Partnership for Success student leader and am a member of the Concord University Prevention and Recovery Organization. I am also a mentor for Camp Mariposa, a program that serves students ages 9-12 who have family members with Substance Use Disorder. I am very active on my campus and community as a youth in prevention, as well as being a participating member of various clubs and organizations.

Cynthia Parsons has a master’s degree Community Counseling with an emphasis in Addictions and Corrections. As a therapist Cynthia worked with adult and children with substance use disorders, serious emotional disorders, eating disorders, and veterans for over 13 years. Cynthia is the Director of Behavioral Health and Long-Term Care Services for the WV Bureau for Medical Services (also known as Medicaid) within the WV Department of Health and Human Resources

Dr. Matthew Christiansen, West Virginia First Foundation , Vice Chair
Dr. Christiansen also serves as an Associate Professor in the Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, Department of Family and Community Health where he practices primary care and addiction medicine. Before his appointment to the Office of Drug Control Policy, Dr. Christiansen was active in the treatment of addiction/dependence across the lifespan. He has lectured across the tri-state area on addiction issues from a public health and primary care perspective.

Dr. Christiansen earned an MD and MPH from Marshall University.

Teresa Warner, WVCRN Assessment and Special Projects Coordinator has worked in the Behavioral Health field for the last thirty years. Her career has centered around the assessment, intervention, and case management of adolescents and adults. She has worked with First Choice Services and Adaptive Telehealth in providing clinicians with telehealth education to assist with access to care, especially in rural communities. Teresa has served as the Administrator for the West Virginia Board for Addiction and Prevention Professionals and served as a committee member for the West Virginia Association of Addiction and Prevention Professionals. She is a former Certified Medical Review Officer Assistant and a 2012 recipient of the WVAADC Bill Perkins President's Award.

Mr. Shimer has more than 35 years of governmental, intergovernmental and private sector work with an emphasis in managing and running large insurance-related entities. He specializes in working with numerous clients on health care-related issues, especially in regard to the implementation of the West Virginia Health Insurance Marketplace. He also assists clients in increasing efficiencies and improving quality of care in health care delivery systems.
other work in West Virginia included several positions with the Bureau for Medical Services, including acting commissioner, which made him responsible for day-to-day operations of the Medicaid program. As the bureau's deputy commissioner, he designed and secured federal approval for the state's first Medicaid managed care program, Mountain Health Trust. He also secured federal approval for the state's initial Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and served as its director.
Phil served as deputy director of the Public Employees Insurance Agency, West Virginia's self-insured health plan for state employees.