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.

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.

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

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.

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).

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.

Terrence D. Walton is executive director and chief executive officer of NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals. NAADAC equips, empowers, and represents its 14,000 members and more than 100,000 other addiction counselors, recovery professionals, prevention specialists, educators, and addiction-focused mental health and medical care professionals in the United States and abroad.
Prior to joining NAADAC, Walton spent ten years as chief operating officer for All Rise (founded as the National Association of Drug Court Professionals), where he led national and international initiatives to support addiction treatment and justice system professionals who work with individuals and families impacted by addiction and involved in the legal system.
Previously, Walton was director of treatment for the Pretrial Services Agency for the District of Columbia (PSA). During his 15 years at this Federal law enforcement agency, he directed the departments that provide substance use disorder and mental health assessment, treatment, and alternatives to incarceration and conviction. He also previously served as the director of what was then Washington, D.C.’s leading adolescent outpatient substance use disorder treatment center, Sasha Bruce Youthworks’ Necessary Interventions for Adolescents (NIA).
Walton holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Wright State University and a Master of Social Work degree with specializations in program administration and substance use disorder from the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee. He is an active member of the International Society of Substance Use Professionals (ISSUP) with a focus on developing the global addiction and prevention workforce. He was a certified drug and alcohol counselor for more than twenty years and has devoted his entire professional life to helping individuals, families, and communities impacted by addiction experience lasting healing, health, and happiness.

Jeremy is an individual who is passionate about and has worked in the field of SUD recovery for nearly
20 years, as a therapist, clinical supervisor, program director and program developer. Jeremy has a MA
in Counseling from Liberty University, with a specialization in Addiction and Recovery. Jeremy holds a
certification as an Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor (AADC) with the West Virginia Certification
Board for Addiction and Prevention Professionals (WVCBAPP), and is also the Immediate Past President
of the WVCBAPP, which oversees the certification and standards for all Substance Use Disorder
professionals and peers in the state of West Virginia. Jeremy is also a member of the National
Association for Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors (NAADAC).

Jennie Hill is the Executive Director of Laotong Yoga, Inc. a nonprofit yoga service organization in WV. Jennie recently served as the Assistant Director for the state certification agency for recovery housing, the West Virginia Alliance of Recovery Residences (WVARR). She shares her experience with yoga, mindfulness, meditation, and recovery in state correctional facilities and WVARR certified recovery residences. She has 12 years’ experience working in behavioral healthcare as a peer recovery professional. Her educational background is in Interior Design, with a BA in Art from West Virginia State University. She currently sits on the National Substance Use Disorder Strategic Advisory Panel for the Office of National Drug Control Policy and is an active member of the Criminal Law Reform Coalition. Jennie graduated from both the Kripalu School of Yoga and Om Seva School of Yoga and has over 400 hours of yoga and meditation teacher training. She envisions creating a recovery yoga teacher training school in WV.

Jo Anne McNemar is a graduate of the WVU School of Medicine with a degree in Community
Health Education and a BS Degree in Psychology. She is a certified Prevention Specialist II. With
over 30 years of behavioral health experience in crisis intervention, community development,
environmental change, youth leadership, and prevention education, she has served in various
roles in her career in local, state, and national capacities.
At the WV Bureau of Behavioral Health her passion for substance abuse prevention is shown as
she works to develop and increase the skills of others in the field. As a former member of the
Clarksburg City Council, she launched the Clarksburg Mayor's Youth Council program. She
served on the Clarksburg Park Board and has the distinction of being the first female to hold this
position.
Past awards received include the Excellence in Prevention award for model service and
dedication, the FBI Director's Community Leadership Award for WV, the US Attorney’s Award for
Outstanding Community Coalition and Mobilization, WV Women of Distinction, and Notre
Dame High School’s Outstanding Alumni award, Distinguished Italian American Woman,
Outstanding WV State Student’s Against Destructive Decisions Advisor, Outstanding
Citizen/Leader in Harrison County , WV Remarkable Women and honorable mention for Lifetime
Achievement.

Herb Linn is a Research Associate in the WVU Health Affairs Institute. Prior to joining the Office of Health Affairs, he worked as Program Director of Collaboration and Communication in the Health Research Center in the WVU School of Public Health. He initially joined WVU in 2011 as the Outreach Coordinator and later Deputy Director of the WVU Injury Control Research Center (ICRC). During his 13-year WVU career, he has been primarily engaged in efforts to address the opioid overdose epidemic in the state. He engaged and supported local and state partners in planning and implementing overdose education and naloxone distribution programs, and programs that provide peer recovery support services in local communities in high-risk WV counties while with the ICRC. More recently, he led an effort to plan and implement SUD programs in WV hospital emergency departments. Currently, he is working on an effort to assess and improve awareness and connections among organizations that deliver care and support services to individuals with substance use disorder (SUD) in Harrison County WV. Prior to joining WVU, Linn retired from a 25-year career in federal government which culminated in his role as the Associate Director for Communications for the Division of Safety Research of the CDC’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) in Morgantown. He also worked as a Claims Examiner for the Veterans Administration in Huntington, WV in the late 1970s. Mr. Linn has a BA in English from Fairmont State College (1976) and a MS in Industrial and Mining Safety from Marshall University (1986).

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.

I am an established executive with broad experience in external and governmental affairs, programmatic management,
substance abuse policy and operations, and recovery deployment and substance abuse mitigation, with an extensive history in
navigating large-scale projects. I have successfully led teams in state, federal, and community development as well as
technology and health engineering, and am known for maximizing productivity, efficient workflow management, budget
oversight, and superior project deployment and success. I am also well-versed in the creation and establishment of public and
private partnerships, state and federally supported projects, and the origination, authorship, and defense of agreements and
memoranda.
With extensive training in advanced public speaking techniques, storytelling, and audience engagement, I am a confident and
engaging communicator. I have a proven record of captivating audiences in diverse settings, from conference presentations and
stakeholder meetings to team briefings and media interviews.
I believe in fostering a working environment where team members are given the best opportunity to succeed; where individual
expertise shines, supported by a leader who removes roadblocks, elevates their voices, and celebrates their triumphs.

Nicole Augustine is an Advanced Implementation Specialist for the Opioid Response Network. With nearly 20 years of experience in the industry, Nicole is a seasoned strategist and advisor who has helped numerous companies across various sectors achieve their goals and grow their businesses. Her expertise includes business planning, strategic management, financial analysis, and organizational development, all while centering health equity and ensuring vulnerable communities have the resources they need to thrive. Nicole is a dedicated and driven leader who is passionate about helping her clients succeed. In addition to serving as an Advanced Implementation Specialist with the Opioid Response Network, Nicole manages a consulting firm she founded called RIZE Consultants, serves as a consultant to the Prevention Technology Transfer Center, and as a regional director for SAMHSA’s Strategic Prevention TA Center (HSS Region III/IV).

An assistant professor at the University of Charleston School of Pharmacy and is a native of South Charleston. She received her pharmacy degree from the University of Charleston School of Pharmacy in 2013 and completed a PGY1 residency in academia/ambulatory care also with the University of Charleston. Dr. Acree provides patient care in several clinics throughout the Charleston Area including the City of Charleston Wellness clinic and the Family Health Associates of South Charleston. She also trains in naloxone administration throughout the state of WV and manages several naloxone grants for the WVDHHR. In addition to clinical services, Dr. Acree co-coordinates the Lifestyles course in the first year that focuses on over-the-counter medication use. She also offers an elective to P2 students in Substance Use Disorders and teaches several courses in pharmacotherapy including substance use, tobacco cessation, asthma, medical marijuana and COPD.

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.

During over 37 years as a psychologist and psychotherapist in rural West Virginia, Dr. Don Worth has been on the frontlines helping families during the ADHD wave, the opioid crisis, and now the pandemic. He developed an in-school mindfulness meditation program for ADHD and conducted a study in a local middle school to demonstrate its efficacy in reducing symptoms of ADHD, wrote a self-help recovery guide presenting his new methods (Opioid-Free 1-2-3: A Self-Help Guide to Recovery), and recently edited an anthology documenting the human experience of the pandemic (Good News, Bad News, Who Can Tell? The Pandemic Reveals Wisdom: Stories, Poems, Essays, and Lyrics from the U.S. and India). He and his lovely wife, Neelam, own and operate the Family & Marital Counseling Center in Weston and Clarksburg, West Virginia.

He has presented on relationship recovery and recovery in the 21st century at the AMHCA conference and this year, he will be presenting on recovery in the future, a community recovery model he developed.

Emma Lardner Winn is a veteran of the United States Army who served eight years and received her instructor certification in 2009. She has a background in working with diverse populations on community projects as well as teambuilding. She is also a certified Peer Recovery Support Specialist with 4 and a half years in sobriety. Her recent experience with community projects comes from her work with the West Virginia Collegiate Initiative to Advance Healthy Campus Communities (WVCIA) as a Student Leader and with the Veterans of Foreign Wars as a Post Service Officer. She is a junior in the Communications program at Shepherd.

Dr. Pullen is a qualitative researcher with expertise in applying Critical Race Theory to understand the impact of systemic racism on the ability of people of color to attain recovery capital. She has designed integrated conceptual models to explore the intersection of race, poverty, geography, and substance use among people of color who use drugs (PoCWUD). She aims to establish political, social, economic, and health equity to support the recovery of PoCWUD. Her seminal work has been recognized by New York State OASAS, SAMHSA, the CDC, the New York City Dept. of Health & Mental Hygiene, Mt. Sinai/REACH, and other stakeholders in the fields of treatment, recovery, harm reduction, and prevention as a subject matter expert for racial justice, equity & inclusion. She is currently the founder & CEO of Let’s Talk SAFETY, Inc., which supports the recovery of PoCWUD through The PILLARS and the prevention of the onset of use for teens and youth through SAFE in Harlem. She is also the creator and developer of the Mixed Method Recovery Capital Assessment Tool (MRCAT). This digitized product is used to standardize the measurement of an individual’s attainment of recovery and negative recovery capital. The MRCAT is an organic extension of her research. Peers and industry leaders have recognized it as critical to supporting their engagement with PoCWUD and the development of collaborative recovery plans. Her expertise, advocacy, and activism have led to the delivery of health equity, positive peer engagement, racial justice in harm reduction, eradication of racialized drug enforcement policies, building recovery communities and outreach centers, and understanding the intersection of structural racism and addiction. Her work has led to advising researchers to apply theoretical approaches of cultural and racial responsivity to enhance practices. As a two-time appointee by NYC Mayors Adams and DeBlasio, she supports the NYC Dept. of Health and Mental Hygiene on strategies for the Municipal Drug Strategy Council and holds executive positions on the FOR-NY, Let’s Talk SAFETY and Baltic Street Wellness boards.

Kristina Canfield is the Executive Director for the Association of Recovery in Higher Education (ARHE).
After entering recovery during her time as an undergraduate student at Christopher Newport University,
she sought resources and support that would aid her in continuing her recovery. After transferring
during her junior year, Kristina established Ohio University’s Collegiate Recovery Community in order to
assist students in or seeking recovery from substance use disorders on campus.
Following graduation, she worked in an inpatient treatment facility where she continued to gain
valuable experience in the continuum of care for substance use disorders. Passionate about helping
those in higher education, Kristina also served as program coordinator for the Collegiate Recovery
Program (CRP) at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and as the Substance Abuse Prevention &
Recovery Coordinator for The University of Alabama at Birmingham. Prior to becoming the Executive
Director of ARHE, she was Conference Manager for the ARHE/ARS/AAPG Annual Conference, Secretary
of the Advisory Council, and Project Lead for two grant projects focused on advancing the field of
collegiate recovery.
Kristina’s vision is that one day, every institution of higher education will offer support for students in or
seeking recovery so that they feel supported, no matter their chosen path of recovery.

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.

Raj is the Lead Regional Coordinator for the WV Office of Drug Control Policy Action County initiative. He works for the Potomac Highlands Guild, in the 8 counties of Region-2. He has worked in Substance Use Prevention since 2015 on multiple Bureau for Behavioral Health and SAMHSA programs. He has a Masters of Public Health, and is a Fellow of the Royal Society for Public Health. Raj is certified as a WV Prevention Specialist II, and an Internationally Certified Prevention Specialist. He is also certified by the American Board of Artificial Intelligence in Medicine. As a Research Professor at Future Generations University, he enjoys innovation and also holds multiple patents in the Digital Health Technology space. He is a member of the Recovery Subcommittee of the Governor’s Council on Substance Abuse and Treatment, and is a Board member of the WV Clinical Translational Sciences Institute, and WV Local Health, Inc. Raj lives in Grant County, with his wife Barbie Masih. Importantly, he is a person in long-term recovery.

Ms Kelly has been working in WV Behavioral Health systems since her first job at Weston State Hospital
as a psych assistant in 1975. Since that time she has had National Certification as a School Psychologist
and independent licensure as a psychologist and school psychologist. She had a private practice for over
25 years performing assessments on adults and children. She has worked in three of the Comprehensive
Community Mental Health Centers, two state psychiatric hospitals, and been the clinical director for
Starlight Behavioral Health Services in Huntington. She is a retired state employee, having served as
Program Manager for the behavioral health division of OHFLAC, Assistant Commissioner in the Bureau
for Behavioral Health and Health Facilities, Health Care Analyst at the WV Health Care Authority and
Special Assistant to the Hartley Court Monitor for the WV Supreme Court. She is past President of the
WV Psychological Association, the WV Association of Professional Psychologists and the WV Behavioral
Health Provider’s Association. For the past nine years she has been working in Managed Care, originally
for Beacon Health Options, and more recently as the Behavioral Health Consultant to The Health Plan.

Emily Brammer earned her degrees in Communication Studies (MA), English (BA), and History (BA) from Marshall University and worked as a technical writer, adjunct professor, and grant writer before joining the West Virginia Grant Resource Center. Now, she uses the skills she has learned from her education and experience to help communities, organizations, and individuals in West Virginia develop their grant-writing capabilities.

Dr. Hall is a third-generation West Virginia physician originally from Clarksburg. He attended
college, medical school and family practice residency at WV University. After 15-years of private
practice in Bridgeport, WV, he became involved in the establishment of the WV Medical
Professionals Health Program serving as the Founding Medical Director. He has served as
President/Executive Director of the West Virginia Society of Addiction Medicine (WVSAM). He is a
Distinguished Fellow of the American Society of Addiction Medicine and is a Diplomat of the
American Board of Addiction Medicine. He is a certified Medical Review Officer by both the
American Association of Medical Review Officers and the Medical Review Officer Certification
Council. He is also a Board Registered Interventionist with the Association of Intervention
Specialists (AIS).
Nationally, Dr. Hall is a Board of Director and Past President of the Federation of State Physician
Health Programs. He has served on numerous committees and is currently Co-Chair of the
Accreditation Review Council in the establishment of the FSPHP’s Performance Enhancement and
Effectiveness Review Program (PEER) for Physician Health Programs and treatment centers. He
served on the Federation of State Medical Boards Impaired Physicians Committee in the updating
of the Impaired Physicians Policy in 2012 and the 2021 update on the Federation of State Medical
Board’s Workgroup updating the “Policy on Physician Illness and Impairment:
Towards a Model that Optimizes Patient Safety and Physician Health”. Dr. Hall has also served as
a member of the West Virginia Governor’s Advisory Council on Substance Abuse (GACSA).
Dr. Hall is a co-author of the Chapter on Physician Health Programs “Physician Mental Health and
Well-Being – Research and Practice. New York: Springer Publishing” and Absolute Addiction
Psychiatry Board Review Chapter on Professionals. Dr. Hall currently serves as Executive Medical
Director of the WV Medical Professionals Health Program; the licensure board(s) designated
Physicians Health Program and Past-President of the WV State Medical Association.
Dr. Hall is a husband, married to Marlene, and father to Rachel, Justin and Crystal and grandfather
to Dylan, Olivia, Clara and Grant, four dogs and five cats.

Dr. Schrecker completed his pre-professional curriculum at the University of Tennessee and received his Doctor of Pharmacy from the University of Tennessee College of Pharmacy. Prior to Aegis, Dr. Schrecker completed an American Society of Health System Pharmacists-accredited Post Graduate Year 1 Pharmacy Residency at Hospital Corporation of America. During his time as a pharmacy resident, Dr. Schrecker focused on both evolving as a clinical pharmacist as well as developing leadership skills within a corporate environment. He also received certifications through completion of advanced cardiac life support courses and the University of Tennessee Health Science Center’s Teaching and Learning Program.

Currently, Dr. Schrecker holds memberships in the Tennessee Pharmacists Association, the American Society of Health System Pharmacists, and is a board member of the Nashville Area Pharmacists Association.

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.

I am a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) who has a passion for assisting individuals in navigating life’s difficulties. I consider it an honor to hold space for people to work through some of the most intimate aspects of their lives. I believe mental health support is much more than focusing on a diagnosis. My approach is person centered as I truly focus on meeting people where they are in this moment of their lives and consider all aspects of the person (both the mental & physical) in efforts to assist them in finding the greatest relief as well as inner peace.

I am a Certified Employee Assistance Professional (CEAP) who is passionate about assisting individuals in maintaining successful employment and academic careers as well as providing support to leadership within the corporate and academic settings. As an Advanced Alcohol & Drug Counselor (AADC) I am also passionate about opportunities to assist people in achieving their substance use goals and assisting them in recognizing the roots of their substance use that go well beyond the actual use.

I believe that “issues live in the tissues” therefore I find that my background as a yoga teacher allows for the incorporation of somatic approaches (such as gentle movement and breathing exercises) as an additional resource for those who connect with such strategies. While talk therapy is something I often provide, I also recognize that talk therapy often isn’t enough for many especially when it is hard to put experiences and feelings into words. For this very reason I have been trained in Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR) as well as Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) as these approaches have proven to be very effective even when limited words are shared.

I strongly believe that each person is unique and deserves a plan that fits their unique needs. Through collaboration I work with my clients on creating plans that best meet their individual needs. Each client is the expert on their lives, and I simply get the privilege of navigating their therapeutic process.

J.K. McAtee (He, His) is a person in long term practice2 of resiliency. His involvement in the peer movement spans a quarter of a century. McAtee is passionate and engaged in his personal journey, seeking, and developing wellness tools to support his own wellbeing. He serves as the Coordinator for WV Recovers, the Statewide Peer Network. His guidance and leadership positions have supported peer support and peer led programming in WV, PA, KY, and WY. A 3-time grandfather, he has leveraged his lived experience to become happy and usefully whole.

Jenny Keener, a Summa Cum Laude graduate from West Virginia University and Frametown, WV native, is a beacon of community service and advocacy. With four terms in Americorps, she earned the prestigious President's Award for National Service. For 15 years, Jenny served as a caseworker during West Virginia's drug epidemic, specializing in at-risk families. Her versatility extends to being a behavior support specialist for children with disabilities.

Beyond her professional achievements, Jenny is an award-winning public speaker and artist. She is a 2023 WV Living Magazine Wonder Woman and a 2023 Hometown Hero. As the Volunteer and Community Outreach Coordinator for Heart+Hand Outreach Ministries, she has dedicated 7 years to eliminating poverty by fostering connections and managing resources. Jenny, a foster/bio/step mom to 9 children, resides in South Hills with her partner, Jason Parmer, an attorney for the Supreme Court of WV and their two youngest children. They have 1 dog, 3 cats, and a turtle.

Passionate about advocacy, Jenny is a member of the Community Re-Entry Council and actively supports persons with substance abuse disorder. Her commitment to social justice also reflects in her roles as a board member of West Virginia Families of the Incarcerated and a member of the Behavioral Health Planning Council. Through these engagements, she contributes to shaping effective strategies and supporting those affected by substance incarceration.

Jenny Keener's life is a testament to the power of community service and compassion. Her multifaceted contributions, from casework to artistic endeavors, showcase a remarkable individual making a lasting impact on the people and causes she holds dear.

Megan Dobbs has worked with the WV Collegiate Recovery Network since March 2023 from Bluefield State University. I am a state certified Peer Recovery Support Specialist. I am also a person living in long term recovery from SUD and enjoy assisting students in recovery navigating their way through higher education. I am a junior at Concord University working towards my bachelor’s degree in social work. I enjoy any opportunity I get to give back to my community and work towards reducing the stigma associated with SUD. I am a certified level 2 community health worker, and a HCV peer navigator working towards getting individuals HCV tested, as well as treated.
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Randy Landes is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker and Certified Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor with over 25 years in the field of Mental Health (MH) and Addiction. Randy has 18 + years of experience specific to the Veteran population through the Veterans Administration as a Therapist and Program Manager for a Psychosocial Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program (PRRTP).
Randy has attained many certifications and trainings including, but not limited to evidence based trainings such as Experiential Therapy, Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Dialectical Behavioral therapy (DBT). He has extensive expertise with mindfulness based strategies such as Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and a certification in Guided Meditation. In addition, Randy has gained experience with prolonged exposure (PE) and written exposure treatment (WET).
Randy has presented On Experiential Therapy, Addiction, Recovery Model of Care, Christian Based MH Services at institutions such as WVAAPP, WV LPC Conference, the Department of Corrections and various other organizations.
*Presentations by this provider does not represent the Department of Veteran Affairs or any related federal agency.*

Dr. Jared P. Dempsey is actively involved in neurological and physiological research in addiction.  Recent publications include preliminary evidence for a biological marker of addiction recovery, nonconscious emotional response to drug stimuli, and the influence of social anxiety on addiction treatment. Dr. Dempsey has also served as an expert reviewer for the Journal of Motivation and Emotion, Psychopharmacology, Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment, American Journal on Addictions, Addiction, Psychiatry Research, European Psychiatry, Nicotine and Tobacco Research, and the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs. Dr. Dempsey was the lead scientist behind the development of Trac9 Informatics, a comprehensive tool for substance use disorders and mental health treatment which provides evidentiary support for clinical monitoring, outcomes, supervision and success forecasting.

James H. Berry, DO, FAOAAM is Professor and Chair of the Department of Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry at West Virginia University School of Medicine’s Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute and the Director of Addictions. He is board certified in both General Psychiatry and Addiction Psychiatry. He received his medical degree from Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine, completed a General Psychiatry residency at West Virginia University, and an Addiction Psychiatry fellowship at the University of Hawaii. He and his colleagues at WVU have developed nationally recognized, innovative community-based treatment models in response to the addiction crisis in Appalachia. Additionally, they are actively engaged in novel neuromodulation research related to substance use disorders through WVU’s Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute including the nation's first trial of Deep Brain Stimulation and Low Intensity Focused Ultrasound for opioid use disorder which was featured in CBS News’ 60 minutes. Dr. Berry has been a dedicated clinician and enthusiastic educator in West Virginia since the early days of the addiction epidemic. He is the proud recipient of The Addiction Policy Forum’s Pillar of Excellence Award for Addiction Treatment, West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources’s inaugural Medical Provider Award for Advancement of Quality Addiction Care, and WVU School of Medicine’s Distinguished Teacher Award. Statewide, he serves as a member of the West Virginia Governor’s Advisory Council on Substance Use Disorders and the Medical Cannabis Advisory Board. Nationally, He chairs the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology’s Addiction Psychiatry Examination Committee and serves on the Academy for Integrating Behavioral Health and Primary Care’s National Integrational Academy Council, and the Addiction Policy Forum’s Scientific Advisory Board. He has enjoyed advocating on behalf of those suffering from mental illness and addiction before audiences as varied as local town hall meetings to testifying before the United States Senate. Dr. Berry’s work and opinions have led to interviews with local, state, and national media sources such as Politico, NPR, Psychology Today, and The Doctors television show. He and his patients were featured in the PBS NOVA documentary: Addiction which exposed a national audience to the science behind addiction and the humanity of those who suffer.

BIO
Mary Aldred-Crouch, MSW, MPH, LICSW, MAC, AADC
Mary grew up in Huntington where she spent earned BA degrees in Speech Pathology and Psychology from Marshall University. After beginning her personal journey in recovery in 1995, Mary went back to school at WVU … twice. She holds master’s degrees in both Clinical Social Work and Public Health. She is licensed as an Independent Clinical Social Worker and is certified as both a Master Addiction Counselor as well as an Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor. Mary has worked in licensed behavioral health centers, federally qualified health centers as well as in Day Report and Drug Court programs. Mary spent four years working for the Bureau for Behavioral Health and Health Facilities (DHHR) as the Director of Programs, working with mental health, substance abuse and intellectual and developmental disabilities services state-wide. Mary served as the West Virginia State Opioid Authority with the Federal Government for four years. She was also part of the original team that launched the Southwestern Regional Drug Court System and was the first Treatment Team Leader in Lincoln, Logan and Boone County Drug Courts. Mary has been very active in the West Virginia Association of Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Counselors and is a Past President of the organization. Mary started her career with Lincoln Primary Care in January of 2005 (for 5 years) and is now with Lincoln Primary again since September 2020. She provides behavioral health services in the Hamlin, Charleston and Logan sites.

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.

Beth Ann Welsh has been the Associate Director of Operations for Marshall University’s Joan C.
Edwards School of Medicine – Division of Addiction Sciences in the Department for Family and
Community Medicine since March of 2019. Beth has over 25 years of experience in behavioral
health care administration. In addition to utilizing her 25 plus years of experience in behavioral
health care leadership, Beth also provides direct oversight of several active grants associated
with substance use treatment and recovery. Beth is a graduate of Marshall University and the
University of Charleston. Beth believes strongly that the key to addressing substance misuse is
community collaboration.

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.

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.

Christina Mullins serves as the Commissioner for the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources, Bureau for Behavioral Health. She previously served as the Director of DHHR’s Office of Maternal, Child and Family Health and worked in a variety of maternal and child health programs.
In her nearly 20-year tenure with DHHR she has worked to establish West Virginia’s youth anti-tobacco campaign, collaborated with a multitude of partners to launch a surveillance system for neonatal abstinence syndrome, and co-authored the 2016 West Virginia Overdose Fatality Analysis. Christina graduated from Marshall University with a master’s degree in Clinical Psychology.

Tabitha Surface is a native West Virginian and former 4-H Agent. She is passionate about making a difference in Appalachia. With years of delivering and managing grant-funded programs, along with writing them, she understands the grant process from conception to delivery. She also understands the importance of storytelling and brings with her a background in creative writing to weave together the dream of a brighter, better Appalachia with the realities of delivering robust programming. She looks forward to collaborating with partners to bring their visions into focus and into funding.

Robert Albury, Jr., JD, LADC is the Executive Director of the West Virginia Supreme Court’s Judicial and Lawyer Assistance Program. Robert is a former practicing attorney and licensed healthcare professional with 40 years of experience in the legal profession & behavioral healthcare. Robert is also the former Executive Director of the Tennessee Supreme Court’s
Lawyer Assistance Program, as well as the past Program Director for Cumberland Heights Professionals and Extended Care treatment programs. Robert received his BS in Finance from Florida State University and his JD from the University Of Miami School Of Law.

Stephen Dilly is from Huntington, WV and is the Organizational Development Specialist for Lodestar Behavioral Health Center. Stephen Dilly is an experienced facilitator and is also an affiliated trainer for the Copland Center for Wellness and Recovery. Stephen Dilly facilitation background encompasses a diverse range of topics, including wellness, youth empowerment, mental health/SUD peer support and suicide prevention.

Tiffany Pittman is the School Mental Health Coordinator with the Marshall University SchoolHealth Technical Assistance Center, Division of Community Health. She earned an MA in Counseling at Marshall & is a WV LPC & AADC with20+ years’ experience related to school based mental health. She was the 2019 WVAADC counselor of the year. Tiffany provides consultationand technical assistance related to site needs assessment, program development, strategic planning, grant writing, selection of evidence-based programs, and training across a variety of topics. Current projects include work with Expanded School Mental Health, Substance useprevention & early intervention, WV AWARE, High Risk Youth, and more.

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.

Sierra Castedo de Martell is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow with the JEAP Initiative and
Lighthouse Institute at Chestnut Health Systems. She is a person in long-term recovery from
substance use disorder and her research focuses on economic evaluations of peer-driven
substance use interventions, making economic evaluation information more accessible, and peer
workforce development. She previously served as the director of a collegiate recovery program
and serves as a board member for a local recovery community organization. She earned her PhD
in public health behavioral sciences with a minor in health economics at the University of Texas
Health Science Center at Houston School of Public Health in 2023.

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.

Noel Vest, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor at the Boston University School of Public Health. As a formerly incarcerated scholar, Dr. Vest advocates for social justice issues and public policy concerning substance use disorder recovery and prison reentry. His research interests include mental health, substance use disorders, poverty, social justice, addiction recovery, and pain. He was recently awarded a K01 early investigator award through the National Institute of Drug Abuse to study collegiate recovery programs through an implementation science lens. He received his Ph.D. and Master’s degrees in Experimental Psychology from Washington State University. He recently finished a postdoc in the Department of Anesthesia at Stanford Medicine.