The National Prevention Specialist Conference is sponsored in part by Family Service Agency, Inc.
More than 100 participants from 14 states were registered.
View the Schedule Handouts
Bobby Petrocelli- Speaker, Author, Educator, Coach
He will be presenting- “You Matter, IT DOESN’T leaving your IT BEHIND!” and “The POWER OF EVERY DECISION”.
B
obby Petrocelli’s story is one of personal triumph and hope following a devastating tragedy in his life. One night he went to bed in suburban America, a happy man with a loving wife. But when he woke up dazed in his kitchen, his wife was dead and his life forever changed. The pickup truck that crashed through his bedroom wall was driven by a man who was more than twice legally drunk. Bobby often shares how he fought through the darkness to triumph; how he drew upon his faith and friends; and how he came to love again. As a high school teacher and coach, his love for youth inspired him to take his dramatic story to audiences nationwide.
He has presented more than 6000 programs in the last 30 years to educational groups, professional athletes, social and civic groups, special needs organizations, corporations and authored and co-authored 18 books.
He is the author of several books, including 10 seconds Will Change Your Life Forever. He is now a motivational speaker who shares with people of all ages about the power of their decisions and how to build a strong foundation for their lives.
His coaching background and expertise with youth have made him one of the top communicators in his field.
Learn more about Bobby and book him for your event @ 10 Seconds
Susie Reece- Suicide Prevention Strategist, Speaker, Author, and Consultant
She will be presenting- “Suicide Prevention in the Day of Distancing” and “The Art of Safe Storytelling: Using Stories to Heal”.
Susie Reynolds Reece is proud to be known as THE Southern Fried Asian, as she was Southern raised with a crispy Korean coating. Reece is a seasoned suicide prevention strategist, speaker, and consultant. She is a published author with a robust collection of over ten training focused programs and two literary books. She is a national public speaker and an international mental health advocate. Reece is most sought after for her expertise in the area of suicide prevention. Reece is the Founder and Executive Director of Suicide Prevention Allies a nonprofit organization geared at preventing and educating around the issue of suicide. She is also the Founder and CEO of Speak Fearlessly Always a consulting and social issues awareness organization.
Reece is no stranger to the desperate need for suicide prevention having dealt with major depression stemming from multiple traumas suffered during her early childhood. Reece shares her story of childhood trauma and losses to inspire others to speak openly about our most difficult human issues.
Her next book which follows her personal journey through suicide prevention and public speaking is slated for release in mid-2021.Reece is best known for facilitating and implementing engaging trainings that expand team member capabilities and promote community improvement. She has and continues to work with government, civilian (including various special and high-risk populations), and corporate stakeholders across all sectors of the country to drive community and organizational program development, develop health-related resources, and promote education across fields.
She is an accomplished leader with an accelerated learning curve and a proven track record of effectively accomplishing a wide array of endeavors. Reece has coordinated numerous state level trainings and countless community level efforts geared toward developing, implementing , and sustaining effective changes. Reece has worked alongside hundreds of non-profits, community organizations, and with local to federal level government agencies. Reece has dedicated thousands of hours of her personal time along with her own resources to volunteerism and community service in order to ensure her efforts are successful and meaningful.
Beyond her systemic development skills, Reece is also an established public speaker, as well as author, and training program developer. She has expertise in the fields of prevention in the areas of alcohol and substance use and crisis prevention and intervention, with her specialty being in the field of suicidology. She is a natural in the areas of networking, communications, and policy implementation. Reece is often entrusted with confidential agency or organizational information due to her exceptional support, confidentiality, and ability to resolve critical operational issues which are all achieved while building long-lasting and trusted relationships.
Learn more about Susie and book her for your event @ Susie Reece
Sandra Del Sesto- former Prevention Committee Co-Chair of the International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium (IC&RC)
She will be presenting “Ethics and Social Media: An Advanced Course”
Sandra Puerini Del Sesto, M.Ed, ACPS, is the Vice-Chair of the Latino PTTC Advisory Board and the former Prevention Committee Co-Chair of the International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium (IC&RC), the international organization that certifies professionals in behavioral health, including prevention.
She is a consultant and master trainer who has provided community and strategic planning, program development, and capacity building in all areas of prevention practice throughout the United States. For 20 years she worked in this capacity for the US Center for the Application of Prevention Technology (CAPT). She was the founder and for 30 years the executive director of Initiatives for Human Development, a statewide, multi-service prevention program, and a founder of CODAC, RI’s largest non-profit treatment program.
She has worked extensively at both the community and state levels developing strategic prevention/behavioral health care plans, creating curriculum and programs for at-risk youth and families as well as instructional guidelines for substance misuse and mental health education. She has worked within the Latino community in RI for 20 years. In addition to her prevention work, she was the founding director of the Institute for Addiction Recovery at RI College and is board chair of RI’s largest statewide multi-service treatment program.
She is a member of the faculty and advisory board of the New England School of Addiction Studies, a member of the Advisory Board for the National Prevention Technology Transfer Center (PTTC), the National PTTC, and the New England PTTC. Sandra is a co-author of SAMHSA’s Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist Training (SAPST) and its Basic and Advanced Prevention Ethics as well as many other courses and webinars. Sandra received her Bachelor’s degree in psychology from Boston College (Newton), and her Master’s degree in counselor education from Rhode Island College. She also completed a certificate program in non-profit management through Brown University in Providence. Ms. Del Sesto is an advanced certified prevention specialist.
Jessica Andrews-Wilson- Executive Director at GUIDE, Inc.
She will be presenting “Tips & Tricks for Virtual Facilitation” and “The 5 Ps of Facilitation”.
Jessica Andrews-Wilson MS, ICPS is the Executive Director at GUIDE, Inc., a substance abuse prevention and positive youth development agency in Lawrenceville, GA. Jessica has volunteered and worked in various capacities with community mobilization, youth development and substance abuse prevention since her first year at GUIDE’s Georgia Teen Institute program in 1993 as a representative from Brookwood High School in Snellville. During her time at GUIDE, Jessica has held numerous positions, painted two different office spaces green, conducted more trainings and workshops than she can count and, on more than one occasion, spilled coffee on herself before a big meeting.
Some of Jessica’s career highlights (so far!) include helping to create the Georgia Afterschool and Youth Development (ASYD) Initiative (and continuing to co-lead this initiative), becoming an Internationally Certified Prevention Specialist through the Prevention Credentialing Consortium of Georgia, receiving the Ray Avant Excellence in Prevention Award and conducting trainings with some of the most talented and respected trainers this side of the Mississippi. Jessica earned her Master of Science degree in Organizational Development and Leadership from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and is believes wholeheartedly that she has the best job in the world.
GUIDE’s work focuses on community level change around issues including suicide prevention, underage drinking, prescription drug abuse and vaping prevention, youth development training, youth empowerment and leadership and all things that create safe and healthy communities.
Learn more about Jessica and GUIDE, Inc. @ GUIDE, Inc.
Alicia Rosas- Youth Engagement Specialist for TxSDY
She will be presenting “Establishing Effective Youth and Adult Partnerships” and “Effects of Alcohol on the Adolescent Brain”.
Alicia Rosas, B.A., has served as the Youth Engagement Specialist at Texans for Safe and Drug-Free Youth (formerly Texans Standing Tall) since 2018. In this role, she oversees a statewide youth leadership organization focused on preventing underage alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use in Texas. In addition, Alicia oversees the development of youth prevention programming, activities and events for the organization.
Alicia has served on various statewide substance use prevention teams over the past 9 years as a young adult volunteer, including Extreme Youth Leadership and TxSayWhat! (Students, Adults, and Youth Working Hard Against Tobacco). She received her undergraduate education in Community, Family, and Addiction Sciences and Youth Development from Texas Tech University and is currently pursuing a graduate certificate in Youth Program Management and Evaluation. Alicia is passionate about promoting health and wellbeing among herself and others in her community. She enjoys long-distance running, volunteering, and road-trips with her friends and family.
Marcia Baker- Owner of Third Coast Counseling and Wellness
She will be presenting “Behavioral Nutrition-What does that have to do with prevention?” and “Maintaining Wellness During the COVID-19 Pandemic”.
Marcia has a PhD in Psychology with a specialty in Health Psychology/Behavioral Medicine. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor, Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor, Master Addiction Counselor Advanced Certified Prevention Specialist and Registered Yoga Teacher. She is currently owner of Third Coast Counseling and Wellness where she is a practicing therapist. In addition, she is a college professor, yoga instructor for Lakeview Health and coordinator of a federal grant for mental health services with Santa Maria Hostel, Bonita House. She has developed programs and worked as a therapist in the substance abuse treatment, prevention and behavioral health field for over 30 years. She utilizes her education and experience to provide a holistic approach when treating emotional/physical health issues for all ages. Her research expertise is in psychosocial oncology with families of children that had cancer and substance use prevention. She is a trainer for Strengthening Families Training Certification, Towards No Drug Abuse Certification, Prevention Skill training program for substance abuse prevention professionals and teaches/ trains adjunct in the field of substance abuse, prevention and mental health for numerous colleges and educational institutions. She is a Registered Yoga Teacher and has been a Yoga practitioner for over 25 years.
Julie Stevens- Trainer and Consultant
She will be presenting “Core Competencies for Prevention Specialists” and “Social Determinants of Health” .
Julie Stevens is an Advanced Certified Prevention Specialist and was a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor for 20 years. She has served as Director of Prevention for the Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse, and Training Specialist for the University of Oklahoma’s Southwest Prevention Center, and most recently as Executive Director of LifeSteps Council on Alcohol and Drugs. She is currently Member At Large of the Board of the International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium. Ms. Stevens serves on the Texas Certification Board of Addiction Professionals and is chair of the Prevention Subcommittee. She has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Baylor University and a Masters of Prevention Science from the University of Oklahoma.
In addition, Ms. Stevens is an adjunct professor for the University Of Oklahoma College Of Liberal Studies.
Albert Gay- President of Albert Gay Incorporated
He will be presenting ” Prevention Practices to Reduce Disparities and Increase Positive Outcomes “
Albert Gay, MS, is a national trainer and consultant in the field of substance use prevention. He has worked with governmental agencies, as well as with Indiana University’s School of Public Health as an Education and Training Specialist and Research Associate with the Prevention Insights. In this position, he coordinates substance use and HIV prevention strategies and trainings. Nationally, he has trained the behavioral health workforce, the United States military, and diverse population groups and community coalitions in the Strategic Prevention Framework. Locally, Albert was the coordinator for a Communities That Care coalition; and currently, he is the chair of a county council and a key stakeholder for a city wide coalition (both of which are Drug Free Communities Coalitions). Besides prevention, his other areas of interest include youth work, faith-based initiatives, mental health promotion, social justice, cultural competence, historical trauma, organizational development and strategic planning.
Rudy Garcia
He will be presenting “Marijuana Myths”
Rudy Garcia, LCDC, CPS has been working in the field of Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment for the past 19 years. He is a Trainer of Trainers for Evidenced Based Curriculum Project Towards No Drugs and Strengthening Families. Rudy is also a trainer for SAPST, Ethics in Prevention, Opioid Prevention, and ATOD Specific. Rudy has also worked as Director of Substance Abuse Prevention and Adolescent Out-Patient Treatment.
“Rockin” Rudy is also the singer and guitar player for the Velvet Punch Band.
Michael Davis- GUIDE’s Associate Executive Director of Prevention
He will be presenting “Pushing Beyond Cultural Competency”
Michael W. Davis, Ph.D. serves as GUIDE’s Associate Executive Director of Prevention, where he oversight of all GUIDE’s prevention strategies, activities and campaigns. Prior to working at GUIDE, Michael’s career background was focused mainly on college students. Michael attended the National Conference on Race and Ethnicity (NCORE) and was on the planning committee for the Iowa State Conference on Race and Ethnicity (ISCORE). Michael holds a Ph.D. in Education from Iowa State University, a Master of Science degree in Professional Counseling from Georgia State University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Early Childhood Education from the University of West Georgia. Michael has presented on the local, state, and national levels on leadership, education, prevention and social justice issues.
Maura McGowan- Program Director of the NH Teen Institute
She will be presenting “How to Foster and Maintain Your Emotional Health”
Maura McGowan, CPS is the Program Director of the NH Teen Institute, a non-profit agency whose mission is to empower youth through personal leadership development and community engagement. Maura has worked in the field of prevention since 2002 when she began facilitating prevention education programs for youth and families through the Child Assault Prevention (CAP) Program, Active Parenting Series, and The Parenting Journey. Maura became involved with the NH Teen Institute in 2009 and began volunteering for programs and working on a curriculum updating and development board. In 2017, Maura became Program Director for the agency in charge of youth programming and volunteer engagement. Maura believes strongly in the importance of prevention and works to increase her own knowledge and skills while educating others.
Jonathan Edwards- Co-Founder & YP Program Director and Adam Barrera- Co-Founder, Outreach Engagement Officer & YP Program Coordinator of Hub City Outreach Center.
They will be presenting “Mental Health, Drug Use and Our Community”.
Jonathan Edwards, is PhD student in the Counselor of Education program at Texas Tech University. He has a MEd in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Texas Tech University and a BA from Lubbock Christian University. He is Licensed Professional Counselor Intern/Associate, a Certified Prevention Specialist and a certified Juvenile Supervision Officer. He is the Program Director and a co-founder of Hub City Outreach Center. Jonathan is also an author and Co-Founder of Eirenebros Publishing LLC.
He grew up in San Diego, CA reading crime, young adult and high-fantasy novels and wrote his first novel in 2013 during his junior year at Lubbock Christian University. He began the publishing company with the desire to address multi-cultural issues, and mental health through the stories and journeys experienced by the characters in books. With the help of his publishing company, he intends to open the door for youth to express themselves through the written word. Jonathan believes that exploring your passions and self expression are the building blocks for success. Jonathan has had passion for helping at risk youth and exploring the creative mind for many years. He has been a participant in the drug prevention field for 4+ years and in mental counseling for 2 years. His ultimate goal to impact the world and individuals from a holistic approach, whether that’s from words on page or education .
Adam Barrera has a Bachelors degree in Electronic Media and Communication from Texas Tech University. Adam is a Certified Community Health Worker in the State of Texas. He has had the pleasure of being the On-Air/Operations/News Director at KTXT-FM 88.1 The Raider. Adam also has years of experience in radio and television broadcast across the United States. He was the Program Director of the Prevention Resource Center and Interim Division Director at Managed Care Center. He also served as the Direct Care/House Parent at the Texas Boys ranch for 4+ years! Adam has organized many great fundraising activities that benefited the entire community.
Marissa Carlson- Executive Director of the NH Teen Institute
She will be presenting “Increasing Engagement across Sectors through Shared Risk & Protective Factors”.
Marissa, MS, CPS, is the Executive Director of the NH Teen Institute, a leadership development nonprofit working with middle & high school students from around NH & New England in a variety of areas including substance misuse prevention, peer mentoring, and creating positive school & community climate. As part of her role at TI, she oversees and facilitates training for both the youth participants and TI’s youth & adult volunteer program staff. She is a trainer for multiple workshops developed by the CAPT and ATTC systems, including the Substance Abuse Prevention Skills Training (SAPST) curriculum.
In addition, she is the President of the Prevention Certification Board of NH, the NH Prevention delegate to the IC&RC, and serves as the lead advisor of the Prevention Specialist credentialing committee. She serves on the NH Governor’s Commission Prevention Task Force, and sits on the advisory councils of the NH Training Institute on Addictive Disorders (NHTIAD) and SAMHSA’s New England Prevention Technology Transfer Center (PTTC).
Outside of her work with TI, Marissa is the Associate Artistic Director of Mill City Productions, a theatre company in Western Massachusetts. She graduated from Pomona College with a BA in Psychology, received an MS in Nonprofit Management from Bay Path University, and is a Certified Prevention Specialist.
Brent Blackburn- Executive Director of Extreme Youth Leadership
He will be presenting “Pulling Teeth or Working with Young People?” and “Managing Volunteers to Maximize Success”.
Brent Blackburn is a Certified Prevention Specialist that has many years of experience in alcohol, tobacco and other drug prevention. Brent has traveled the nation in pursuit of his passion to build youth and adult partnerships to solve community problems. Brent currently serves as the Executive Director of Extreme Youth Leadership, working to create connections in the community that will reduce substance misuse, engage young people to serve their schools and communities, and develop them into leaders.
Kendra Tapie
She will be presenting “The Importance of Understanding and Communicating Outcomes”.
Kendra Tapie M.Ed. ACPS, has dedicated herself to Prevention since 2007 and is the Region Director for Serenity House Impact Youth Prevention Program. She served for 5 years as the Chair for the Taylor Alliance for Prevention Coalition in Abilene, Texas that worked with the community to address environmental strategies.
She is passionate about training and using her experience to equip, refresh and encourage others to be more effective in the Prevention field. She obtained a bachelors degree in Public Speaking and ME.d in Counseling and Human Development. Kendra is an Advanced Certified Prevention Specialist.
Scott Gagnon, MPP, PS-C
He will be presenting “The Evolution of Marijuana Policies and Where Prevention Fits In”.
Scott Gagnon is a Certified Prevention Specialist, Associate Executive Director of AdCare Educational Institute of Maine, Inc., and Director of the New England Prevention Technology Transfer Center (PTTC). Scott serves as the chair of the national PTTC Network’s Marijuana Risk Work Group. Appointed by the Maine Speaker of the House, Scott serves as the public health representative on Maine’s Marijuana Advisory Commission. In addition, he chairs the Maine affiliate of Smart Approaches to Marijuana and has also served as Co Chair of the Prevention Task Force for the Maine Opiate Collaborative. Scott recently served on the SAMHSA, Center for Substance Abuse Prevention National Advisory Council.
Scott trains and presents in New England and nationally on marijuana science and policy, as well as on prevention workforce development. Scott’s work has been recognized with awards from multiple organizations, including the Maine Alliance to Prevent Substance Abuse, Healthy Androscoggin, and the Maine Public Health Organizations. In 2017, Scott was the recipient of the Patrick J. Kennedy Outstanding Advocate Award from Smart Approaches to Marijuana.
View the Schedule
More than 100 participants from 14 states were registered.
*** This training is not affiliated with TX HHSC/ DSHS ***