Dr. Kelly is the Elizabeth R. Spallin Professor of Psychiatry in Addiction Medicine at Harvard Medical School - the first endowed professor in addiction medicine at Harvard. He is also the Founder and Director of the Recovery Research Institute at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), the Associate Director of the Center for Addiction Medicine (CAM) at MGH, and the Program Director of the Addiction Recovery Management Service (ARMS). Dr. Kelly is a former President of the American Psychological Association's (APA) Society of Addiction Psychology, and is a Fellow of the APA and a Diplomate of the American Board of Professional Psychology. He has served as a consultant to U.S. federal agencies and non-federal institutions, as well as foreign governments and the United Nations. Dr. Kelly has published over 200 peer-reviewed articles, reviews, chapters, and books in the field of addiction medicine, and was an author on the U.S. Surgeon General's Report on Alcohol, Drugs, and Health. His clinical and research work has focused on addiction treatment and the recovery process, mechanisms of behavior change, and reducing stigma and discrimination among individuals suffering from addiction.

Director, WV Office of Medical Cannabis 2018-present
• Director from office inception
• Responsible for all aspects of statewide program implementation
• Lead, Bureau of Public Health Workforce Development

Sazha Alexandra Ramos is Navy veteran, social worker & woman in recovery. When she is not educating on veteran's cultural competence or addiction recovery. Her passion in life is bringing yoga, meditation & spiritual teachings into spaces for people to activate their whole being, mind-body spirit. She teaches daily on the Breathe Network-- a global virtual community for people to use to heal and begin again and is stream-lived in 14 countries.

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.

L. Douglas Houck, LPC, NCC, AADC
Doug is a National Board Certified Counselor and he is a Licensed Professional Counselor an Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor in the state of West Virg inia. He obtained his undergraduate RBA degree, with a concentration in Psychology, from Shepherd College and his Masters degree in Counseling from West Virginia University. During his twenty-five years of clinical experience, he has worked in the community, hospital and private sectors providing mental health and addiction services. His past experiences include working as the clinical director of a 24-bed adult addictions rehabilitation facility, serving as the administrator of a county-wide mental health clinic, coordinating a hospital-based intensive outpatient program, and practicing as a private practice clinician in Martinsburg, WV for six years. Prior to entering the mental health and addictions field in 1989, Doug worked for Mack Trucks for seventeen years as a Materials Test Engineer. Doug is a native of Martinsburg and he and his wife live locally.

Education
West Virginia University: MA

License, Certifications & Awards:
Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)
National Board Certified Counselor (NCC)
Advanced Alcohol Drug Counselor (AADC)
Internationally Certified Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor (ICAADC)

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.

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. Heather Chapman is a clinical psychologist, a National Certified Gambling Counselor and Board Certified Clinical Consultant for the National Council on Problem Gambling, and a member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers. She is an Associate Professor of Psychiatry at Case Western Reserve University, Deputy Director of the Veterans Addiction Recovery Center and the Director of the Gambling Treatment Program at the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center, the only residential and leader of gambling treatment for the VA and Department of Defense. Dr. Chapman has been helping people struggling with gambling for over 25 years, developing interactive, and dynamic tools to help her clients begin and maintain change.

Jim Cowser has interest in both direct clinical practice and the effective development and improvement of clinical systems. Cowser embraces a clinical framework, which allows for the flexible use of standardized and evidence-based curricula to address the complex challenges of implementation across settings and various levels of care. These implementation strategies can quickly lead to implementation practices within sustainable treatment delivery systems. Cowser has experience with implementation in diverse service settings, including corrections, community supervision, integrated primary care and inpatient and outpatient specialty care. His focus on person-centered approaches and the integration of all effective treatment methods and modalities results in flexible, realistic, effective plans. Jim is passionate about integrated care rooted in dignity and respect, multiple pathways of recovery, family systems engagement and the integration of Medication into addiction treatment settings.

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.

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.

Rebecca Hogamier is newly retired from the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, as a Program Director for Maryland’s first Day Reporting Center. Prior to accepting the position with the Sheriff’s Office in 2016, Rebecca worked for the State of Maryland, Department of Health and Mental Hygiene for 38 years. She served as Director for a comprehensive behavioral health care system for 20 years. Rebecca specializes in the field of Behavioral Health in the public sector. Rebecca holds a Master's in Business Administration and is a Licensed Clinical Alcohol and Drug Counselor. In 2013, under her leadership the Division of Behavioral Health received the SAMHSA Science to Service Award for Office-Based Opioid Treatment. Her work in the field of medication assisted treatment within the detention center was featured in The Washington Post Magazine in March 2015. In 2019, the Day Reporting Center program was identified by the Governor’s Office as best practices in treating justice involved individuals.

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.

John is a person in stable recovery from Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD). He champions recovery support services that measurably enhance recovery outcomes. Grateful for opportunities to collaborate with thought-leaders, academic research scientists, and recovery advocates across the globe, over the years, John has testified to members of United States Congress, Florida Senate and House of Representatives and other government entities.
Most importantly, John resides in Greenacres, Florida with his wife Donna and is the proud father of four adult children and "Pop-Pop" to eight remarkable grandchildren.

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.

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. I have worked in various settings including corrections, residential programs, and behavioral health settings.

Heather Sharp is a native of Nicholas County West Virginia. She has worked in outpatient settings for 16 years. She started her career working with youths of addicted families and has since had various jobs within the substance abuse field. She is currently working as Behavioral Health Director for Camden Family Health, a School-Based Health Center.

Heather obtained a Bachelor’s degree from Glenville State College in 1997 and Master of Social Work degree from West Virginia University in 2006. She holds ADC and CCS Certifications.

On June 28, 2021 Dr. Lee became the eighth president and CEO of the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation and the fifth president of the Hazelden Betty Ford Graduate School of Addiction Studies. As the medical director for Hazelden Betty Ford's youth services the past 11 years, Dr. Lee has established himself as a thought leader on matters related to all matters related to addiction, mental health and recovery. A triple-boarded physician, he completed his Adult Psychiatry residency at Duke University Hospital and his fellowship in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry from Johns Hopkins Hospital. He is a diplomat of the American Board of Addiction Medicine and is a member of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry's Substance Use Disorder Committee.
Dr. Lee's experience with families from across the country and abroad provide him with an unparalleled perspective on emerging drug trends, co-occurring mental health conditions, and the ever-changing culture of addiction. Given his unique degree of specialization and powerful messaging, Dr. Lee has been featured in numerous media venues and national academic conferences alike. He is the author of Recovering My Kid: Parenting Young Adults in Treatment and Beyond, which provides an honest guide for parental leadership in times of crisis.

Emily Chilko describes herself as a West Virginian by birth and by choice. In a time where there are increasing numbers of young people leaving West Virginia for opportunities elsewhere, Emily is grateful to have returned home to West Virginia to dedicate her life to serving the state and its people. Serving West Virginia amidst the third wave opioid epidemic has unsurprisingly led Emily to her career as an addiction counselor and educator.

Prior to enrolling in WVU’s MSW program in 2011, Emily worked as a counselor in a residential treatment setting for at-risk youth, and in a short-term detox and crisis stabilization facility. In 2013, Emily completed her MSW, and has since worked as a full-time clinician for WVU Medicine. She has worked in various clinical roles and programs at WVU Medicine, but her primary area of practice is in the clinical treatment of substance use disorders.

In 2016, Emily obtained her independent clinical social work license (LICSW). In 2020, Emily obtained her Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor (AADC) certification.

Emily began teaching MSW students in 2015 for the WVU School of Social Work. She has taught courses relating to substance use disorder, direct clinical practice, and social justice. Emily also teaches undergraduates pursuing an Addiction Studies minor for the WVU College of Education and Human Services.

Dr. Campbell has decades of experience in outcomes measurement and systems integration efforts. He has lead interdisciplinary behavioral health teams and championed grants and research to explore evidence-based approaches to change and he has extensive publications in these areas. His passion for recovery, patient-centered care and measurable changes in integrated systems that yield success in negotiated change.

Dr. Mary C. Roary is a knowledgeable and motivated public health epidemiologist who has experience in infectious and chronic diseases, with a focus on research methodology, biostatistics, public health advising, business and policy. Dr. Roary is currently the Director of Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Office of Behavioral Health Equity. There she coordinates SAMHSA’s efforts to reduce disparities in mental and/or substance use disorders across diverse and underserved populations. Dr. Roary was the former Program Officer for the IDeA States Network / ECHO Opportunities and Infrastructure Fund. Also Dr. Roary was a Program Director for the NIH NINR. There she was responsible for overseeing the Health Promotion, Disease Prevention, Environmental Influences, and Health Disparities portfolios. Dr. Roary’s analytical expertise substantially contributed to the past efforts to advance Office of Minority Health’s (OMH’s) contributions to developing, formulating, implementing, and monitoring data provisions in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Prior to coming to DHHS, Dr. Roary worked on medical and mental health disease management and cost modeling contracts at the Lewin Group and was Co-PI for multiple chronic disease community-based participatory research grants and contracts at Johns Hopkins University and the University of Arizona. Dr. Roary has designed questionnaires, managed research teams and large medical and pharmaceutical grants and contracts, and has taught graduate level courses in epidemiology and statistics. Her doctoral studies, which focused on community-based strategies to decrease diabetes disparities in minority (US-Mexico Border) underserved communities, was published as a book. Additionally, she has been responsible for developing FOA, writing grants, identifying funding sources, preparing papers and reports, and disseminating and presenting analytical results to various governmental and non-governmental stakeholders, state, and local groups. She received her undergraduate from Morgan State University; several master’s degrees from Johns Hopkins University, and her doctorate from the University of Arizona where she was an epidemiology and biostatistics CDC fellow.

Peter J. Callahan, LICSW, ADC-S, MAC, CCFC, ICADC is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker, Licensed in West Virginia and Virginia. Peter is an Alcohol and Drug Counselor and is an active member of the WV Certification Board of Addiction and Prevention Professionals (WVCBAPP). Peter is also a Clinically Certified Forensics Counselor through the American College of Forensic Counselors. He has been appointed to the West Virginia School of Medicine as a Clinical Instructor.
Peter has developed numerous community-based programs and continues to work with local and state agencies. He sits on several state committees to improve the quality of care for those in need. Peter has worked with many schools in the area as well as with a variety of authors in the mental health and addictions field.
Peter has served on the West Virginia Certification Board of Addiction and Prevention Professionals (WVCBAPP) in many capacities, including, President, Treasurer, and Certification Chair. Peter has also served proudly on the International Certification & Reciprocity Committee (IC&RC) Board. The IC&RC is the over sighting body of the WVCBAPP. Peter served on the Executive Committee of the IC&RC Board as the Finance Chair member. Peter is also on the Berkeley County Adult Drug Court Advisory Committee. Peter recently joined the Board of the West Virginia Association of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors.

Education
West Virginia University: MSW

License, Certifications & Awards:
Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW)
Alcohol Drug Counselor (ADC)
Clinically Certified Supervisor (CCS)
Internationally Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (ICADC)
Master Addiction Counselor (MAC)
Clinically Certified Forensic Counselor (CCFC)
2014 Distinguished Service Award from the West Virginia Association of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors (WVAADC).

Professional Act ivities and Memberships
WV Certification Board of Addiction and Prevention Professionals (WVCBAPP) (Past President)
WV Association of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors (WVAADAC)

International Certification & Reciprocity Consortium (IC&RC) Past Finance Committee Chair and former member of the Executive Committee

Dan McCawley is an internationally certified peer recovery support specialist, a certified intervention professional and, most importantly, a person in recovery. He is currently the director of operations for West Virginia Sober Living. Through the last few years, Mr. McCawley has been at the forefront of creating and sustaining peer recovery support services across West Virginia and around the United States.

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.

Kristen Lillvis is a Professor of English and Director of Digital Humanities at Marshall University, where she teaches courses on digital humanities and contemporary American and African American literature. Her research explores issues of identity in diverse texts across a range of media, including works of electronic literature.

Committed to community outreach and social justice, Kristen has 15 years of successful leadership experience in community engagement across professional, academic, and volunteer settings.

https://www.lillvis.site/

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.

Emily Jung is a Certified Peer Specialist through the Missouri Credentialing Board. She began her work in
the behavioral health field at Assisted Recovery Centers of America (ARCA) and Queen of Peace Center.
At Queen of Peace Center, she worked as an EPICC (Engaging Patients in Care Coordination) Recovery
Coach providing direct peer services.
Emily’s current position is as the CEO/COO of ARCHway Institute, a 501(c)3 that helps those impacted by
substance use and co-occurring mental health disorders. The organization connects individuals, families,
and communities to treatment and recovery resources, provides financial assistance to increase access
to these resources, and provides education to increase awareness and diminish stigma. Emily recently
published a book called Igniting Hope: The Story of a Community Lighting the Way to Recovery about
ARCHway’s work to bring hope to all those impacted by substance use disorders.
In addition, Emily is the founder of two peer coalitions: MO-PROS (Providing resources, opportunities,
and service to Missourians in Recovery) and The National Peer Recovery Alliance (NPRA). MO-PROS is a
state-wide peer coalition in Missouri. It serves as a network of peers and offers support, access to
resources, and educational opportunities. The coalition advocates on behalf of those in and seeking
recovery, so they receive the highest quality care and on behalf of the peer workforce. NPRA is a
National peer coalition with a focus on the sustainability and development of the peer workforce.
Emily is passionate about this work because she has experienced the impact of substance use on
families. She believes all people should have access to resources that allow them to truly thrive in
recovery and live lives they never dreamed imaginable.
Emily has a Bachelors in English Education from Southeast Missouri State University and a Masters in
Curriculum and Instruction from Missouri Baptist University. She taught for six years in the Parkway
School District in Missouri. As a previous educator and through her own experience, she sees the need
for open and honest communication about addiction and mental health. She believes these
conversations need to happen in schools, homes, and the public to bring awareness and understanding,
to prevent overdoses and future use, and to bring knowledge of the resources and treatment
opportunities that are available.

Garrett E. Moran is a clinical psychologist, a former State commissioner for behavioral health, and has nearly 45 years of experience in behavioral health care services research and implementation. He is the Associate Director of Services and Policy Innovation at the WVU Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute and a Professor of Health Policy in the School of Public Health at West Virginia University.
His primary role is to provide leadership to efforts to address the opioid and addiction epidemic in the State. Dr. Moran is principal investigator (PI) for WVU on the State Opioid Response Grant Professional Development project, charged with enhancing the knowledge base and relevant skills of those in the educational pipeline and professionals practicing throughout West Virginia. He was also
PI for a grant from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services that is to develop strategies and a plan to improve the availability and quality of services for Medicaid enrollees with mental or substance use disorders. In addition, Dr. Moran is the PI and previously served as project director for the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)-supported Academy for Integrating
Behavioral Health and Primary Care. In that role he provided leadership for technical assistance efforts to AHRQ grantees working to implement medication assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid use disorder (OUD) in rural areas of five states. Before returning to WVU in 2018, Dr. Moran was the primary author of an AHRQ report, “Implementing MAT for OUD in Rural Primary Care: An
Environmental Scan.” He also completed a study of the “Optimal Utilization of Psychosocial Support in Medication Assisted Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder” for the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation in the Department of Health and Human Services. His major areas of substantive expertise include public policy and financing issues related to people with
substance use or mental disorders, integrated health care delivery, and health information technology.

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.

Stephanie Klemp is a state-certified Peer Recovery Support Specialist and Peer Mentor in Morgantown West Virginia. She successfully completed a long term, peer-driven recovery program where she served as a peer leader and polished skills in peer accountability, conflict resolution and time management. Currently employed at West Virginia Sober Living, she works with the Quick Response Team, Chess Health, WVU Medicine, and many other community partners engaging individuals and helping them along a path of wellness. Ms. Klemp is in the process of acquiring a degree in Social Work at West Virginia University with minors in addiction’s studies and human services. Stephanie has dedicated her life to long term recovery and is an active member of the recovery community in Morgantown.

Dan Meloy is a proven leader who has viewed and battled the opioid epidemic in multiple roles – from a beat cop and police chief on the front lines, to his service as an appointed community administrator, and now as a consultant and advocate for effective solutions. As an originator of the quick response team model, Dan uniquely understands what works to engage addicts, victims and their families; the right data and technology to facilitate recovery and the importance of visionary leadership.

Robin Pollini, PhD, MPH, is an Associate Professor in both the Department of Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry in the School of Medicine and the Department of Epidemiology in the School of Public Health. Dr. Pollini's research focuses on injection drug use, related morbidity and mortality, and access to health services for people who inject drugs (PWID). She has served as a Principal Investigator on grants funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) examining the implementation and impact of policies designed to reduce drug-related harms including fatal overdose, HIV, and hepatitis C. Her studies generally employ community-based, mixed method approaches that use both quantitative and qualitative data to characterize health services delivery from the perspectives of both providers and intended recipients. In West Virginia, Dr. Pollini provides technical assistance to organizations across the state regarding the delivery of harm reduction services to PWID. Dr. Pollini received her PhD (Epidemiology) and MPH degrees from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Tammie L. Smith, Psy.D., Licensed Psychologist, Licensed Professional Counselor/ALPS, ICGC1, CAADC, CCJAP, MAC. Dr. Smith has a private practice and provides consultation services to other agencies. She has worked in the addiction and mental health fields for a long time and works with co-occurring disorders with adults and adolescents. She received both her doctoral and master's degrees in Clinical Psychology from Marshall University.

Gary Seech worked in the addiction and recovery field for 35 years. Passionate about helping addicts and alcoholics be restored to not only sanity but living life to its fullest on life’s terms. Mixing personal stories and facts about Abstinence Based Recovery. Unique style of presenting that will touch your heart and make you laugh.

Lindsey Chadwick (She/hers), MA, LPC, has worked for the Hazelden Betty Ford Children’s Program in Aurora, Colorado since 2008. She began working at HBFF after completing her undergraduate degree in Sociology at Colorado State University. She completed her master’s degree in Couple and Family Therapy at the University of Colorado Denver in 2013. Lindsey has over 12 years of experience working with children, adolescents, adults, couples and families in individual and group settings.

Sheila is Director of Communications and Marketing for First Choice Services (FCS), a West Virginia-based non-profit that operates 14 helplines, most of which focus on behavioral health. She coordinates strategy and creative design for mass media campaigns, which has resulted in FCS reaching over 50,0000 help seekers per year. She enjoys presenting on topics related to mental health resources, problem gambling, and outreach strategies for social services organizations.

She has a Master’s Degree in Social Work and is a Licensed Social Worker. She is also an Internationally Certified Gambling Counselor.

Bridget Crumley is a certified Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor with more than 15 years clinical experience. She has worked as a credentialed alcoholism and substance abuse counselor in a large regional hospital counseling patients with a broad range of substance use disorder, addiction, and behavioral health issues. Bridget is currently employed at CHESS Health as Manager of Customer Success team, responsible for customer implementations, advocacy, and support.

Jesse Forbes was appointed by the Governor to West Virginia’s Medical Cannabis Advisory Board in 2017 following passage of the State’s Medical Cannabis Act, filling the attorney position on the board. Jesse has extensive experience in criminal, civil, and administrative law, and has handled cases involving cannabis for many years. Jesse’s practice routinely involves serious litigation including the representation of crime victims and child abuse survivors. In 2020, he was part of a legal team that recovered what is believed to be a state record settlement of $52 million dollars for former students of a West Virginia boarding school after bringing shocking allegations of abuse at the school. Jesse has represented victims of abuse against perpetrators in churches, schools and other groups; the State of West Virginia in cases against the credit card industry; victims of civil rights violations, and West Virginia’s largest local government entities during a chemical spill affecting the region’s water supply and in claims against involving the opioid industry. Before turning 30, Jesse obtained a jury verdict of $3 million dollars. Jesse also handles serious criminal cases, including murder cases, state and federal drug cases, and cases involving administrative rules and procedures. Though based in West Virginia, Jesse’s legal cases often make regional and national news including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Court TV, CNN, MSNBC, and Viceland. Among his successes, Jesse was a special assistant attorney general recovering more than $18 million dollars for West Virginia consumers. Jesse previously served as Mental Hygiene Commissioner for West Virginia’s largest County, and has been a Guardian Ad Litem for hundreds of abused children. Jesse is a member of the West Virginia Supreme Court’s Juvenile Justice Commission, West Virginia’s largest County’s Community Corrections Board and that County’s Deputy Sheriff Civil Service Commission. He is also a member of the WV State Bar’s character committee conducting character interviews of West Virginia Bar applicants. Jesse lives in Charleston, WV with his wife and two children and is the managing member of Forbes Law Offices, PLLC.

Marvin D. Seppala, MD, is the chief medical officer of the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation and a national expert on addiction treatment and the integration of evidence-based practices. A psychiatrist, he oversees all interdisciplinary clinical practices and standards of care at Hazelden Betty Ford. Dr. Seppala also serves as adjunct Assistant Professor at both the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science in the department of psychiatry and the Hazelden Betty Ford Graduate School of Addiction Studies. He is responsible for Hazelden Betty Ford’s Comprehensive Opioid Response with the Twelve Steps (COR-12), an innovative effort launched in 2012 to integrate medication-assisted treatment with clinical therapies and Twelve Step-based and other peer support to treat opioid use disorder in a specialized addiction treatment setting—work that is influencing other providers nationally. The author of several books on addiction treatment, opioids and pain, Dr. Seppala served as a board member of the American Society of Addiction Medicine for a number of years.

As a person who has been in long-term recovery since age 19, Dr. Seppala brings both the latest science and the wisdom of lived experience to his clinical work and national thought leadership. He is a graduate of Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, and obtained his M.D. at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science in Rochester, Minn., serving his residency in psychiatry and a fellowship in addiction at University of Minnesota Hospitals in Minneapolis. His background also includes past work with the Native American Rehabilitation Association of the Northwest in Portland, past service as a member of the Governor’s Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse Programs under Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber, and current service on the boards of Central City Concern (which helps people struggling with both homelessness and substance use disorders) and the Oregon Recovery High School Initiative. His research includes a six-month outcome study of COR-12 that was published in September 2019 in the Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment and an exciting five-year collaboration launched in 2019 with Mayo Clinic to search for pharmaco-omic markers of response to the drug acamprosate, which has been shown to help people with alcohol use disorder stay sober.

Dr. Seppala has testified before Congress, spoken to audiences across the country, and appeared as a guest on CBS's The Early Show, CNN, and National Public Radio, among many other broadcast news outlets. He also has been quoted in The New York Times, The Washington Post, USA Today, Newsweek and The Wall Street Journal.

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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.

As Program Coordinator for WVU Collegiate Recovery, Andrew Caryl is dedicated to providing a recovery-supportive community for students at WVU. He received a M.S. in Clinical Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling (CRMHC) from WVU in 2019, while working as a graduate assistant with WVU Collegiate Recovery. He is also passionate about helping to educate and train future mental health providers, and he has served as Adjunct Faculty in the Addiction Studies Minor and CRMHC programs at WVU.

Susan Bissett, Ph. D. is the president of the newly formed West Virginia Drug Intervention Institute, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization located in Charleston, West Virginia. Bissett is a higher education professional with roots in academic and student affairs who is fiercely committed to public health and health education. Her professional experiences have included: teaching communication, pharmacy, and social science courses; developing curriculum for pharmacy and scholarship programs as well as first year programs; assisting with the development of learning outcomes and rubrics for pharmacy, communication, and writing courses; implementation of a digital portfolio for pharmacy education and assessment; and implementation and design of living learning communities. She has also implemented and developed opioid prescription and medication safety programs aimed to educate young people and the public about the dangers of prescription and illicit drug use/misuse. Dr. Bissett has written over 100 articles to date with her most recent publications focusing on metrics for pharmacy student success, harm reduction programming, medication safety, and increasing the pipeline of health care professionals in Appalachia.

Dr. Stuyt is a board-certified Addiction Psychiatrist and has worked in the addiction/behavioral
health field since 1990. She was the Medical Director for the Circle Program, a 90-day inpatient
treatment program, funded by the state of Colorado, for persons with co-occurring mental illness
and substance abuse who have failed other levels of treatment from 1999 to 2020. She retired
from this position in May 2020 in order to spend more time attempting to educate as many
people as possible on the un-intended consequences she has seen from the commercialization of
marijuana in Colorado, focusing primarily on the deleterious effects of high potency THC on the
developing brain and mental health.

Matt Boggs is the CEO and co-founder of Ryker Douglas which provides consulting for the creation of synergistic treatment and recovery systems across the nation, including property development and acquisition. He has worked in various leadership roles throughout the substance use disorder treatment and recovery field, including as the Executive Director of a statewide nonprofit recovery service provider and Community Relations representative for a biopharmaceutical company. Mr. Boggs is also a founding member of the West Virginia Alliance of Recovery Residences, a NARR Affiliate, and secured state funding to support their mission of improving standards across the state.

Mr. Bogg’s work in the substance use treatment and recovery field has been recognized throughout, including being named one of the “West Virginians of The Year” by the Charleston Gazette and one of WV Executive Magazine’s “Young Guns” for his volunteerism and work for the betterment of all West Virginian’s. He has spoken on national platforms, educating on the importance of creating a recovery-oriented system of care, and has written multiple guest columns for national publications. His passion for developing meaningful treatment systems that include authentic recovery support services is deeply rooted from his personal experience of finding recovery from substance use. Since finding recovery in 2012, Matt found his voice, advocating at the local, state, and federal level for policies that create opportunities for people in recovery. Matt was instrumental in the passage of multiple pieces of legislation related to recovery housing, criminal justice reform, and recovery services. He was appointed in 2018 by current WV Governor Jim Justice to serve on the Governor’s Advisory Council for Prevention and Substance Use, chairing the newly established “Lived Experience Subcommittee,” which developed a statewide strategic plan to address substance use in communities.

Mr. Bogg’s has extensive experience in managing state, federal, and foundation grant awards that include direct services, housing, and workforce development. He served as a STR-TA Recovery Service Consultant for BRSS-TACS/Center for Social Innovation, was a member of the SAMHSA Region 3 Workforce Development Committee, and has served on multiple local, state, and national advisory committees.

Matt currently lives in Pinellas Park, FL with his wife, Megan, daughter Peyton, and their three dogs.

Born in Charleston, raised in Nitro, Rusty Williams is an artist, musician, audio & video production engineer, and a cancer survivor turned cannabis activist.

For the last decade, he has worked tirelessly to end the prohibition of the flower that saved his life. He played a pivotal role in building the grassroots movement that was ultimately responsible for the passage of the WV Medical Cannabis Act. In 2017, Rusty was appointed to the WV Medical Cannabis Advisory Board by Governor Jim Justice, where he continues to serve as patient advocate.

In 2018, Rusty helped create a wildly successful graduate-level advocacy program through the WVU Department of Public Administration where he currently works as a co-instructor.

In August 2021, Rusty will be launching “In the Weeds”, a podcast focused on giving Appalachians a platform to tell their own stories in their own words.

Hallie Mason has over 20 years of government and lobbying experience in West Virginia. As the principle lobbyist for Mason Consulting, she advocates for client interests in a variety of fields, particularly health care, information technology, child welfare, disaster preparedness/recovery, and higher education.

Hallie has extensive experience with the state budget process. She served as a budget analyst with the West Virginia House of Delegates Finance Committee for nine years. She also served as Governor Earl Ray Tomblin’s Director of Public Policy for four years where she was point staff for the budget, education, and healthcare matters. Hallie was appointed by the Governor to chair the Governor’s Taskforce on Natural Gas Vehicles in 2012.

Hallie actively serves her community as an office volunteer at George Washington High School and on the school board of Bible Center School.

Hallie is married to Grant Mason, a dentist in Charleston, and has three teen-aged children.

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.

Frankie Tack is a Clinical Assistant Professor and Coordinator of the Mental Health and Addiction Studies bachelor’s degree program and the Addiction Studies and Human Services minors in the Department of Counseling and Learning Sciences at West Virginia University. She has worked and taught in the addiction field for twenty-five years, with special interests in women and families affected by addiction, tobacco use disorder, and the LGBTQ+ population. Frankie is a West Virginia certified advanced addiction counselor, a certified clinical supervisor, and a certified tobacco treatment specialist.

Mark Drennan has served as Chief Executive Officer of the Association since 2011. He holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology and a Master of Social Work from West Virginia University. In September of 2017 Mark was appointed to the West Virginia State Senate by Governor Jim Justice. Prior to coming to the Association Mark served as Chief Strategy Officer for the Children’s Home Society where he spent the majority of his career in various positions. He also served as the Executive Director for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Kentucky based in Louisville. He has served on various boards including Chair of the Development Committee for the Children’s Home Society of America. Mark served on Governor Tomblin’s Substance Abuse Advisory Council, the Medical (WV Medicaid) Services Fund Advisory Council, National Governor’s Council Three Branch Initiative in partnership with the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Recovery Point of Huntington Advisory Council and past chair of the Association’s sponsored health plan.

Mark lives in Teays Valley with his wife Sarah and sons Alec and Connor.