Mallory O’Brien is an associate scientist in the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She is trained as an epidemiologist and has worked in the field of violence and overdose prevention for the past 25-plus years. She has a long history of working at the intersection of public health and public safety cross-sector collaboration. Dr. O’Brien has led local, state, and national efforts that focus on violence and overdose prevention, homicide reviews, overdose fatality reviews (OFRs), sentinel event reviews, and public health and safety interventions. In early 2019, she began the development of the national OFR training and technical assistance, a partnership with the Bureau of Justice Assistance and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.   

Marissa Fariña-Morse is a behavioral health professional with more than 20 years of experience. She has consistently delivered innovative services to individuals who have mental health and substance use disorders. Her diverse experience spans community settings, correctional facilities, and specialized residential living programs.

In her previous position, as a division director for Diversion First in Fairfax County, Virginia, Ms. Fariña-Morse played a pivotal role in enhancing service delivery for justice-involved individuals. She fostered partnerships with the court system, law enforcement, community providers, and peer-run organizations. Her collaborative approach contributed to the development of effective programs and initiatives engaging diverse stakeholders.

Ms. Fariña-Morse’s expertise goes beyond traditional settings; she has been instrumental in developing specialty treatment courts and innovating services for individuals with opioid use disorder transitioning from correctional settings. She directed and supervised a multidisciplinary clinical team, operating across the Sequential Intercept Model, and directed and supported programs such as Intensive Community Treatment, Medication-assisted Treatment, Jail-based Care, Jail In-reach, Peer Recovery, and more.  

Furthermore, Ms. Fariña-Morse’s expertise extends to building and sustaining effective employee teams. She previously served as a deputy director of the Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility within the Office of Personnel Management, showcasing her commitment to public service and organizational excellence. She remains dedicated to driving positive change through her multidimensional skills and ongoing commitment to service excellence in her evolving professional journey.

Ms. Fariña-Morse holds a comprehensive professional background as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC), and a National Certified Counselor (NCC). In addition, she holds a graduate certificate in nonprofit management from the University of Central Florida and recently completed her juris master degree at George Mason University Law School. She earned a master of education degree and an education specialist degree in mental health counseling from the University of Florida, as well as a bachelor of psychology degree from the same institution.

Grant Baldwin, PhD, is the director of the Division of Overdose Prevention at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. He leads the division in monitoring trends in the drug overdose epidemic and other emerging drug threats, identifying and scaling up prevention activities to address the evolving drug crisis, and supporting local drug-free community coalitions. Prior to this appointment in October 2019, Dr. Baldwin served as the director of the Division of Unintentional Injury Prevention for 11 years, where he helped raise the profile of motor vehicle injury prevention, advanced work in older adult fall prevention and traumatic brain injury prevention, and established the initial CDC response to the prescription opioid overdose epidemic. As the scope, scale, and complexity of America’s drug overdose epidemic changed, the Division of Overdose Prevention was created to serve as a necessary and essential focal point to the CDC’s more expansive and diversified work in the area. Dr. Baldwin has served at the CDC for more than 26 years. He has given keynote addresses and provided remarks at more than 150 state, national, and international conferences and meetings; has authored or coauthored more than 80 peer-reviewed publications; and has received awards of excellence for his leadership and teaching. Dr. Baldwin earned his doctor of philosophy degree in health behavior and health education at the University of Michigan. He earned his master of public health degree in behavioral sciences and health education from Emory University and is currently an adjunct faculty member at Emory University. 

Julius Dupree is currently a policy advisor with the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), where he is responsible for overseeing and managing projects that provide financial and training and technical assistance (TTA) resources to the criminal justice field. The initiatives within his portfolio provide assistance to states, localities, and federally recognized tribes to strengthen justice system capacity, protect public safety, and rehabilitate justice-involved individuals. Areas of focus include the Tribal Justice System Infrastructure Program; Tribal Reentry TTA; Tribal Community Supervision TTA; Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Use Program (COSSUP) Tribal TTA; Overdose Fatality Review TTA; Suicide Overdose Fatality Review TTA, and the Prison Industry Enhancement Certification Program. Prior to working for BJA, Mr. Dupree was a program manager with the Office of Justice Programs, Drug Courts Program Office. In 1996, he began working for DOJ as an employee with the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services. Mr. Dupree holds a bachelor of arts degree in criminology and criminal justice from the University of Maryland in College Park.

Melissa Heinen is a senior research associate/manager with the Institute for Intergovernmental Research (IIR). She works on the Bureau of Justice Assistance’s (BJA) Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Use Program (COSSUP). She provides day-to-day oversight of staff members and programmatic activities including coordination and provision of support to overdose fatality review (OFR) teams and information sharing/privacy issues, as well as assistance with overseeing the field-initiated suicide fatality review grant, document development, project evaluation, and provision of training and technical assistance to COSSUP grantee sites. Ms. Heinen has expertise in facilitating meetings; data analysis; program design, implementation, and evaluation; strategic planning; grant writing; and training and technical assistance delivery.

Mallory O’Brien is an associate scientist in the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She is trained as an epidemiologist and has worked in the field of violence and overdose prevention for the past 25-plus years. She has a long history of working at the intersection of public health and public safety cross-sector collaboration. Dr. O’Brien has led local, state, and national efforts that focus on violence and overdose prevention, homicide reviews, overdose fatality reviews (OFRs), sentinel event reviews, and public health and safety interventions. In early 2019, she began the development of the national OFR training and technical assistance, a partnership with the Bureau of Justice Assistance and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.   

DJ Gering is a public health analyst for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Foundation supporting the overdose response strategy in the state of Kansas. He has 6 years of public health experience specializing in data visualization and mapping. Mr. Gering is passionate about using data to address health equity and promoting the use of social determinants of health data to empower local organizations to make decisions. 

Sonia Berdahl is a public health advisor with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Division of Overdose Prevention. She works on understanding effective cross-sector partnerships between public health and public safety and implementing interventions to prevent overdose and reduce related harms. Prior to working in overdose prevention, Ms. Berdahl worked as the special assistant to the CDC Deputy Director for Public Health Service and Implementation Science and was in the CDC’s Public Health Associate Program assigned to the Indiana Department of Health Epidemiology Resource Center. 

Laura M. Mercer Kollar, PhD, is the health equity officer/senior health scientist of the Division of Overdose Prevention (DOP) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. As the DOP has continued to celebrate successes and address ongoing challenges related to overdose prevention and harm reduction efforts, Dr. Kollar collaborates across the DOP and beyond to further tailor efforts to address social determinants of health and health equity. 

Melissa Heinen is a senior research associate/manager with the Institute for Intergovernmental Research (IIR). She works on the Bureau of Justice Assistance’s (BJA) Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Use Program (COSSUP). She provides day-to-day oversight of staff members and programmatic activities including coordination and provision of support to overdose fatality review (OFR) teams and information sharing/privacy issues, as well as assistance with overseeing the field-initiated suicide fatality review grant, document development, project evaluation, and provision of training and technical assistance to COSSUP grantee sites. Ms. Heinen has expertise in facilitating meetings; data analysis; program design, implementation, and evaluation; strategic planning; grant writing; and training and technical assistance delivery.

Mallory O’Brien is an associate scientist in the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She is trained as an epidemiologist and has worked in the field of violence and overdose prevention for the past 25-plus years. She has a long history of working at the intersection of public health and public safety cross-sector collaboration. Dr. O’Brien has led local, state, and national efforts that focus on violence and overdose prevention, homicide reviews, overdose fatality reviews (OFRs), sentinel event reviews, and public health and safety interventions. In early 2019, she began the development of the national OFR training and technical assistance, a partnership with the Bureau of Justice Assistance and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.   

Laura M. Mercer Kollar, PhD, is the health equity officer/senior health scientist of the Division of Overdose Prevention (DOP) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. As the DOP has continued to celebrate successes and address ongoing challenges related to overdose prevention and harm reduction efforts, Dr. Kollar collaborates across the DOP and beyond to further tailor efforts to address social determinants of health and health equity. 

Rose Hefferon is currently a data analyst fellow in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Division of Overdose Prevention, where she supports the utilization of the overdose fatality review data system, assists with analyses, and aims to advance health equity research. She has experience in various community settings as a public health professional, both locally and abroad, on a spectrum of programs focused on HIV/AIDS mitigation, environmental exposures, and quantitative applications. Ms. Hefferon holds a master of public health degree in global environmental health from Emory University and a bachelor of science degree in public health from the College of Charleston. 

Cortney Yarholar is a highly experienced social worker dedicated to addressing the critical issues of reducing youth suicide rates and eliminating behavioral health disparities within American Indian communities. As the visionary founder of Evergreen Training & Development, LLC, Mr. Yarholar leads initiatives that offer comprehensive training, coaching, and facilitation services tailored to indigenous communities. His mission is to empower professionals and organizations to adopt strengths-based practices, enhance organizational capacity, and cultivate culturally relevant,  meaningful, and healthy narratives that contribute to the overall well-being of these communities. Through innovative training, coaching, and facilitation, Mr. Yarholar is unwavering in his commitment to driving positive change in American Indian communities.

Laura M. Mercer Kollar, PhD, is the health equity officer/senior health scientist of the Division of Overdose Prevention (DOP) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. As the DOP has continued to celebrate successes and address ongoing challenges related to overdose prevention and harm reduction efforts, Dr. Kollar collaborates across the DOP and beyond to further tailor efforts to address social determinants of health and health equity. 

Carissa Miller is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the state of Indiana. She provides clinical services in a nonprofit practice that is designated as a safe provider for LGBTQIA+ individuals. Ms. Miller serves as the coordinator for the local coordinating council, Coalition to Eliminate the Abuse of Substances (CEASe) of Scott County, and coordinates the suicide and overdose fatality review board through this role. 

Wendy Hetherington is the chief epidemiologist for Riverside County, California, Public Health and is responsible for leading the Epidemiology and Program Evaluation Branch, which includes the Health Equity Program and the Riverside Overdose Data to Action Program. Ms. Hetherington manages a team of epidemiologists and research specialists who analyze data, prepare reports and presentations, and use statistics and a geographic information system to guide program and policy development, as well as a team of program coordinators and health education assistants who use the data to collaborate with community partners to advance health equity. 

Alison Proctor, with more than 10 years of experience in public health and public safety, specializes in overdose prevention and harm reduction, managing key initiatives like the Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Use Program (COSSUP) and the HEALing Communities Study. Her expertise encompasses developing training and technical assistance strategies to address substance use disorders, particularly opioid overdoses, enhancing harm reduction efforts through data-driven solutions and collaborations with diverse stakeholders.LinkedIn

Mahjida Steffin is the supervisor of injury prevention at the Toledo-Lucas County, Ohio, Health Department. Over the last 4 years, she has lead various overdose prevention strategies, including targeted naloxone distribution through several funding opportunities, community collaborations and coalition building, and overseeing Northwest Ohio Syringe Services. 

Allison Bilton has been with the Berkeley County, South Carolina, Coroner’s Office for 8 years and currently is the community outreach coordinator. Prior to her current position, she worked for 10 years as a probate court-appointed guardian for incapacitated adults struggling with substance use disorder. Ms. Bilton serves on multiple prevention and mental health boards, as well as volunteers for the homeless. She currently is the facilitator for the Berkeley County Overdose Fatality Review, and this will be her second year attending the National Forum on Overdose Fatality Review. Ms. Bilton earned her bachelor’s degree in sociology, with a focus in education, from the University of South Carolina. 

Talia Wahl currently is the project coordinator at the Ernest E. Kennedy Center, in Berkeley County, South Carolina, under the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)-funded grant Partnership for Success, where she focuses on preventing prescription drug misuse and opioid overdoses in Berkeley County. Ms. Wahl currently is the data manager for the Berkeley County Overdose Fatality Review and is passionate about improving accurate research and data collection, as they are essential to improving local policy and legislative response. This will be her first year attending the National Forum on Overdose Fatality Review.  Ms. Wahl earned her master’s degree in public health from UNC Chapel Hill and her bachelor’s degree in public health from Elon University. 

Megan Broekemeier works as a forensic epidemiologist in the Utah Office of the Medical Examiner (OME) at the Department of Health and Human Services. She works to improve fatal drug overdose surveillance in Utah. In addition to improving epidemiological data on fatal overdose, Ms. Broekemeier has implemented a new data collection system at the OME to gather valuable information that informs prevention efforts, including in-depth demographic information, physical and mental health histories, substance use histories, and other factors that lead to more targeted, meaningful prevention work. This is achieved through interviews with drug overdose loss survivors. 

Amy Parry is a program manager at Medical College of Wisconsin, where she provides training and technical assistance to overdose fatality review teams in Wisconsin, collaborates with colleagues to analyze nonfatal overdose and drug death data, and facilitates the Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, Overdose Public Health and Safety Team. Ms. Parry earned her master of public health degree with a focus on epidemiology from the Joseph J. Zilber School of Public Health at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. 

Victoria Wright is a social worker at the Medical College of Wisconsin. She is embedded at the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s Office. Ms. Wright focuses on providing bereavement support and next-of-kin interviews to families with an overdose loss. She has worked in the social work field for more than 25 years, providing support, crisis intervention, and community resource connections. Ms. Wright earned her master of social work degree at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. 

Constance Kostelac, PhD, is an assistant professor with the Institute for Health & Equity, Division of Epidemiology & Social Sciences, at Medical College of Wisconsin and director of the Division of Data Surveillance and Informatics for the Comprehensive Injury Center. She has more than 20 years of academic and applied analysis and research experience on a variety of topics and is now working at the intersection of public health and public safety. Her current interests focus on implementation, research, and evaluation activities for violence and overdose prevention and the impact of alcohol on health outcomes. Dr. Kostelac serves as part of the training and technical assistance team for overdose fatality review in Wisconsin. She also has an emphasis on data sharing across sectors to support prevention and intervention activities, including leading the efforts of DataShare, an integrated data system in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 

Melanie Gibboney is the senior community outreach coordinator at Hamilton County, Ohio, Public Health. Before joining the Harm Reduction Division at HCPH, she worked as a program analyst in overdose prevention at the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO). Ms. Gibboney is currently leading and facilitating the overdose fatality review monthly meetings as well as the newly established suicide fatality review meetings. She also works on various harm reduction projects within the division around prevention, advocacy, and education. Ms. Gibboney earned a master of public health degree from DePaul University and a bachelor of science degree in dietetics from the University of Dayton. 

Kaitlyn King is an injury surveillance epidemiologist at Hamilton County, Ohio, Public Health (HCPH). In this role, she analyzes and reports data related to fatal and nonfatal drug-related overdoses. This data is used to inform programming efforts with the aim to prevent drug overdoses in the community. Prior to joining HCPH, Ms. King worked as a research assistant for the Mechanisms Affecting Relationships, Stress, & Health (MARSH) Lab, a research lab at Miami University that studies how personal relationships can affect an individual’s health. Ms. King earned her master of public health degree from the University of Cincinnati.

Melissa Heinen is a senior research associate/manager with the Institute for Intergovernmental Research (IIR). She works on the Bureau of Justice Assistance’s (BJA) Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Use Program (COSSUP). She provides day-to-day oversight of staff members and programmatic activities including coordination and provision of support to overdose fatality review (OFR) teams and information sharing/privacy issues, as well as assistance with overseeing the field-initiated suicide fatality review grant, document development, project evaluation, and provision of training and technical assistance to COSSUP grantee sites. Ms. Heinen has expertise in facilitating meetings; data analysis; program design, implementation, and evaluation; strategic planning; grant writing; and training and technical assistance delivery.

Gregory Gallo is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with more than a decade of experience in community health care and currently serves as the community engagement and prevention coordinator with the Dutchess County, New York, Department of Behavioral and Community Health. He has worked as a clubhouse generalist, employment coordinator, shelter social worker, psychotherapist, and supervisor at a behavioral health center and as a psychotherapist in private practice. Mr. Gallo currently helps coordinate Dutchess County’s fatality review and opioid task forces. 

In 2020, Flynn D. Broady, Jr., desired to make a broader and more significant impact in the criminal justice system. He successfully ran for the office of Cobb County District Attorney. He was sworn into office on December 11, 2020, and took office in January 2021. Mr. Broady has implemented and is currently working on several initiatives that promote his mission to have a more progressive approach to public safety. In 2021, the Cobb County District Attorney’s Office successfully prosecuted the men that murdered Ahmaud Arbery. Mr. Broady’s office also opened up the first Second Chance Desk in Georgia, in cooperation with Georgia Justice Project, to help Georgia citizens eligible to have their criminal records restricted or sealed. His office also received federal grant funds to initiate a Family Advocacy Center in Cobb County to help victims of family and sexual violence. Mr. Broady was recognized as District Attorney of the Year by the Georgia Association of Black County Officials for the programs and work of the Cobb County District Attorney’s Office.  

Daniel Spinney began his personal recovery journey in July 2016. He has worked at The Zone, a recovery support organization, in Marietta, Georgia, since September 2019. He celebrates 7½ years of continued sobriety from substance use and shares his experience, strength, and hope with others in recovery or those seeking to be in recovery. Mr. Spinney’s responsibilities include recovery coaching; providing street outreach to the homeless in Cobb County, Georgia; leading recovery support meetings; crisis intervention; and supervising the program services offered by The Zone. He trains other recovery coaches using the Connecticut Community for Addiction Recovery (CCAR) method and is also certified as a Mental Health First Aider. Mr. Spinney is a former graduate of the Cobb County Drug Treatment Court and the only participant to date to graduate without sanctions. He is part of the Community Assistance Referral and Education Services (CARES) team with Cobb County Fire and Rescue Teams, going out weekly to offer services to recently overdosed community members.

Ryan K. Buchanan was nominated by President Joseph R. Biden, Jr., on November 15, 2021, and confirmed by the U.S. Senate on April 27, 2022. As the chief federal law enforcement official in the Northern District of Georgia, Mr. Buchanan oversees the investigation and litigation of all criminal and civil cases brought in the district on behalf of the United States. He leads an office of approximately 250 prosecutors, civil litigators, and support personnel in its mission to enforce federal criminal law, advocate for the victims of crimes, and represent the United States’ interests in federal court—including in matters involving domestic and international terrorism, organized crime, gang violence, public corruption, cybercrime, narcotics trafficking, civil rights violations, whistleblower actions, and financial and health care fraud. The district serves more than seven million people.  

Melissa Heinen is a senior research associate/manager with the Institute for Intergovernmental Research (IIR). She works on the Bureau of Justice Assistance’s (BJA) Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Use Program (COSSUP). She provides day-to-day oversight of staff members and programmatic activities including coordination and provision of support to overdose fatality review (OFR) teams and information sharing/privacy issues, as well as assistance with overseeing the field-initiated suicide fatality review grant, document development, project evaluation, and provision of training and technical assistance to COSSUP grantee sites. Ms. Heinen has expertise in facilitating meetings; data analysis; program design, implementation, and evaluation; strategic planning; grant writing; and training and technical assistance delivery.

As a program administrator in the Office of Population Health Improvement with the Maryland Department of Health, Brooke Holmes coordinates four federally funded grant programs provided to 24 jurisdictions aimed at implementing data-driven, evidence-based strategies to prevent first use, misuse, and fatalities resulting from use of alcohol and other licit or illicit substances. She guarantees the Administration’s compliance with federal grant policies and regulations by providing grants management, authoritative program oversight, and training and technical assistance to the 24 local health authorities and other organizations conducting prevention activities in the state of Maryland. Ms. Holmes serves as program manager of the Overdose Fatality Review Program, which uses the mortality review process to identify potential system-level changes to prevent future death. Lastly, she supervises a team of staff members who assist with the oversight of grants to the local health authorities. Ms. Holmes previously worked with the Montgomery County, Maryland, Coalition for the Homeless, where she coordinated services for formerly homeless, single adults experiencing various mental health disorders, of which substance misuse was one.

Nicole Ramey is the overdose prevention coordinator for the Cecil County, Maryland, Health Department. She has been the chair and facilitator for the overdose fatality review team for the past 2.5 years. In her role, she also manages the Naloxone Distribution program and the Community Outreach program. Previously, Ms. Ramey was a care coordinator with the health department working in justice-involved settings, including the county detention center and the Cecil County Adult Drug Court program.

Lisa Fields is currently the fatal overdose review team coordinator for the Anne Arundel County, Maryland, Department of Health. She has more than 13 years in the health care administration field and advocating on behalf of traumatized youth. Her journey is marked by a deep commitment to helping others with mental health. Ms. Field’s passion to gain a deeper understanding in mental health led her to continue her education for a master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling. She holds a master’s degree in psychology and a bachelor’s degree in health administration.

Morgan Kramer is a project coordinator for the Center of Child and Family Health at the Michigan Public Health Institute (MPHI), where she has worked since June 2020. Originally from Michigan, Ms. Kramer started in public health because of her passion for health equity and social justice and was excited to see that as a core value at MPHI. Her role at MPHI includes coordinating the Overdose Fatality Review (OFR) program and piloting and providing technical assistance to 12 and growing county-level OFRs. Before coming to MPHI, Ms. Kramer completed her master of public health degree in maternal and child health from The George Washington University and her undergraduate degree in health sciences from Purdue University.

Angela Van Slembrouck is a project coordinator for the Center of Child and Family Health (CCFH) at the Michigan Public Health Institute. Her career has been spent working with various communities around the United States on substance use disorder and overdose prevention initiatives by utilizing harm reduction techniques, coalition facilitation, and promoting system-level change. Her role at CCFH includes co-coordinating the Overdose Fatality Review program and supporting the Child Death Review and Fetal Infant Mortality Review programs. Ms. Van Slembrouck has a formal education in sociology and criminal justice from Central Michigan University and is a prevention specialist certified by the Michigan Certification Board for Addiction Professionals.

Mallory O’Brien is an associate scientist in the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She is trained as an epidemiologist and has worked in the field of violence and overdose prevention for the past 25-plus years. She has a long history of working at the intersection of public health and public safety cross-sector collaboration. Dr. O’Brien has led local, state, and national efforts that focus on violence and overdose prevention, homicide reviews, overdose fatality reviews (OFRs), sentinel event reviews, and public health and safety interventions. In early 2019, she began the development of the national OFR training and technical assistance, a partnership with the Bureau of Justice Assistance and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.   

Stephanie Noblit is an associate senior legislative attorney with the Legislative Analysis and Public Policy Association (LAPPA). LAPPA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to conduct legal and legislative research and analysis and draft legislation on effective law and policy in the areas of public safety and health, substance use disorders, and the criminal justice system. Ms. Noblit was the lead drafter for LAPPA’s Model Overdose Fatality Review Teams Act. LinkedIn

Jessica Atkinson is the New Jersey Department of Health’s project director of overdose fatality review teams. She has more than 10 years of experience working in state and local public health. Ms. Atkinson graduated from St. Joseph’s University with a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary health services and healthcare ethics. After graduating college, she participated in a volunteer corps program through AmeriCorps, serving in Savannah, Georgia, as a program coordinator for a hospital-run community center. She truly believes in the power of public health to create meaningful and lasting change for the communities in which we all live, work, and play.

Sam Robertson is a public health professional with 12 years of experience in the fields of substance use and HIV prevention at local, state, and national levels. He has provided direct harm reduction services, including syringe access, naloxone distribution, and HIV testing, in Minneapolis, Minnesota; coordinated state overdose prevention efforts, including overdose fatality review (OFR) and harm reduction, in Minnesota; and supported national technical assistance efforts on OFR and harm reduction. Mr. Robertson works as an HIV program assistant at Rainbow Health in Minneapolis, a community-based organization that responds to the health needs of Minnesota’s LGBTQ+ and HIV-affected communities. 

Joshua T. Barnett, PhD, is the behavioral health data scientist for the Pinellas County, Florida, Human Services Department and project director of the Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Use Program (COSSUP) grant for Pinellas County. He is also an adjunct professor in the health service administration and public health graduate degree programs at the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine and a guest lecturer for graduate degree programs in the College of Behavioral and Community Sciences at the University of South Florida and Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Barnett has 15 years of public health administration experience, having served as a health administrator to two counties in Florida (Manatee and Pinellas), chief executive officer of a federally qualified health center, a clinical and policy consultant for a U.S. Department of Justice-appointed court monitor and the Delaware Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health, and a behavioral health nonprofit administrator in Delaware and Pennsylvania. Dr. Barnett holds a doctor of philosophy degree in behavioral and community sciences from the University of South Florida, with a focus on supporting localities with community health needs planning, policy evaluation, and stakeholder engagement; a master of arts degree in thanatology (study of death, dying, grief, and bereavement) from Hood College in Maryland; and a master of health sciences degree, with a focus on psychiatric epidemiology, from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. 

Seth Dewey has been an advocate for recovery, harm reduction, and social change since 2017, when his own journey of chaotic substance use ended on his personal path to recovery. He is a cofounder of the Kansas Recovery Network, a grassroots harm reduction coalition that started in 2018. In 2020, he was hired by the Reno County, Kansas, Health Department. Mr. Dewey was recently appointed to the Kansas Governor’s Behavioral Health Services Planning Council in March 2023 and serves on a variety of boards and advisory committees. His greatest passion lies in the health and human rights of people who use drugs and doing outreach as a peer navigator while also improving systems and policies in place to ensure a society where people have equitable access to services and less barriers to live the lives they want and deserve. Mr. Dewey is currently pursuing his bachelor of science degree in organizational leadership from Fort Hays State University. 

Carol P. Gordon is a senior research associate with the Institute for Intergovernmental Research (IIR).  She is currently the project lead for Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention’s (OJJDP) Opioid Affected Youth Initiative, in which IIR provides technical assistance in support of more than 40 sites across the country impacted by the opioid epidemic. Ms. Gordon has also worked as a consultant with the National Gang Center.  Prior to joining IIR, Ms. Gordon worked on the national, state, and local levels to support initiatives on behalf of the American Correctional Association (ACA), the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), OJJDP, the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC), the Florida Office of the Attorney General (OAG), and Communities In Schools.

Carina Havenstrite currently serves as the director of program management at the Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, District Attorney’s Office. Over the last 4 years, she has effectively developed the Lackawanna County Overdose Fatality Review (OFR) Team, which is now a designated OFR mentor site, as well as several other grant initiatives. Prior to her current role, she gained experience working in case management, harm reduction, grant management, and innovative program implementation in the HIV field. 

Kelsey Tambasco currently serves as the data and fiscal analyst for the Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, District Attorney’s Office. She brings a young, fresh energy and perspective to the various innovative initiatives that the team is implementing throughout the local community. Ms. Tambasco has previous experience in data and finance, which she is leveraging to improve and maximize the efficiency of these initiatives, particularly the recommendations being generated and implemented by the Lackawanna County Overdose Fatality Review Team. 

Precia Stuby is the executive director of the Hancock County, Ohio, Board of Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services (ADAMHS), a position she has held since 1997. Ms. Stuby holds a master’s degree and a bachelor’s degree, both in social work, from Ohio State University. 

Tyrina Taylor is a behavioral health technical assistance specialist in Altarum’s Community Health practice area. She has 12 years of experience in public health, all of which include health promotions and leading community-based partnerships to decrease drug overdoses, with a special emphasis on harm reduction among intravenous drug users. She also has expertise in sexual and reproductive health, managing the implementation of public health programs to improve awareness, education, prevention, and screening to reduce health disparities for high-risk ethnic communities disproportionately impacted by HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis C. Ms. Taylor holds a master of public health degree from Mercer University and a bachelor of arts degree in sociology from Valdosta State University. 

Jennifer Skolaski currently serves as the project manager of the Winnebago County, Wisconsin, Overdose Fatality Review, which is a multidisciplinary team that works to prevent overdose deaths through systems change and collective impact work. She also is the owner of Community & Nonprofit Leadership Consulting, LLC (www.canpl.com). Ms. Skolaski has been involved with a variety of nonprofits, including organizations and collaborations that focus on environment, education, health care, safety, youth, domestic violence, substance use, and poverty. She has taught at both the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh and the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. She has played various roles in nonprofits over the years, including staff member, board member, intern, and volunteer. These experiences have inspired her to continue working in the nonprofit sector to bring results through working collaborations and making an impact in the community. Ms. Skolaski continuously looks for opportunities that use her skills, strengthen her personally and professionally, and strive to meet her life goal of making a difference in communities. LinkedIn

Trevor Fenrich is a person in long-term recovery as well as the executive director for Solutions Recovery, Inc., in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The progressive recovery community at Solutions Recovery offers a wide range of services and opportunities for individuals and families to get involved in the recovery process. From sober living, peer support, childcare, and family-friendly events to supporting and creating space for more than 25 support meetings per week, Solutions Recovery has placed itself on the map as the “hub” for recovery in Winnebago County, Wisconsin. LinkedIn

Paul Fuentes is a project coordinator at the National Criminal Justice Training Center (NCJTC) of Fox Valley Technical College, where he plays a pivotal role in providing comprehensive support to grantees of the NCJTC’s Bureau of Justice Assistance-funded programs. These programs include the Tribal Justice System Planning Process Training and Technical Assistance (TTA) Program and the Tribal Responses to Alcohol and Substance Misuse TTA Program. Before his current role, Mr. Fuentes made significant strides with the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes as the director of grants and research, where he led efforts to secure vital grant funding, raising millions for tribal projects and economic development. His earlier position as acting tribal court administrator saw him overseeing critical programs, ensuring the effective operation of the tribal justice system. Mr. Fuentes’ notable achievements include securing funding and overseeing the construction of a 9,000-square-foot tribal justice center in 2018, highlighting his commitment to enhancing tribal justice infrastructure. His dedication to improving tribal communities and justice systems is evident in his extensive career, marked by positive impacts. Mr. Fuentes holds a master’s degree in education and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Southwestern Oklahoma State University.

Kevin Mariano (Acoma/Laguna) is the project coordinator of the National Criminal Justice Training Center of Fox Valley Technical College (NCJTC–FVTC). Prior to joining the NCJTC–FVTC, Mr. Mariano served as the chief of police with the Pueblo of Isleta, New Mexico, Police Department. He has more than 20 years of law enforcement experience capitalizing on supervisory experience, operational management, staff development, administrative and finance management, motivational leadership, and decision making. He served as the liaison among the Pueblo of Isleta, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and surrounding law enforcement agencies to build relationships and on matters related to community safety. He has worked closely with diverse teams to successfully receive federal grant funding, implement memoranda of agreement, develop policy and procedures, and implement and manage the Sex Offender Registry Program. As chief of police, Mr. Mariano implemented innovative approaches to tribal and community policing, and prior to retirement, he initiated a movement to merge reentry and tribal law enforcement. He also created a case worker position within the tribal police department to better serve tribal community members experiencing mental health crises and struggling with addiction to get them better connected to appropriate services, including treatment or a reentry caseworker if appropriate.

Emily Godfrey has worked as the Michigan Overdose Response Strategy’s public health analyst at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Foundation for more than 2 years. She partners with many organizations, including the Michigan High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. Within her role, she enjoys building relationships with those working within the overdose prevention field. Ms. Godfrey graduated with her master of public health degree from Grand Valley State University. 

Kaitlyn Silagyi is the deputy director of the Monmouth County, New Jersey, Division of Behavioral Health. She oversees all substance-use-related activities, including the overdose fatality review team. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Licensed Clinical Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LCADC), and Disaster Response Crisis Counselor (DRCC). Ms. Silagyi’s primary goal is to spread education and awareness regarding substance use to increase prevention efforts, combat stigma, and decrease the impact on individuals, their families, and the community. 

Reyna Maybloom is the senior manager of Data & Analytics at the RWJBarnabas Health Institute for Prevention and Recovery (IFPR), in New Jersey. She is trained in public health and epidemiology and specializes in quantitative research methods. She conducts prevention and recovery research at IFPR, with a focus on health equity and social determinants of health, substance use prevention, and recovery support services. Ms. Maybloom serves on the executive committee for the Monmouth County, New Jersey, Overdose Fatality Review Team. 

Kimberly Reilly is a Licensed Professional Counselor for New Jersey and has been working in public health for the past 13 years. Ms. Reilly oversees the Department of Substance Abuse, Addiction, and Opioid Dependency at the Ocean County, New Jersey, Health Department. 

Melissa Heinen is a senior research associate/manager with the Institute for Intergovernmental Research (IIR). She works on the Bureau of Justice Assistance’s (BJA) Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Use Program (COSSUP). She provides day-to-day oversight of staff members and programmatic activities including coordination and provision of support to overdose fatality review (OFR) teams and information sharing/privacy issues, as well as assistance with overseeing the field-initiated suicide fatality review grant, document development, project evaluation, and provision of training and technical assistance to COSSUP grantee sites. Ms. Heinen has expertise in facilitating meetings; data analysis; program design, implementation, and evaluation; strategic planning; grant writing; and training and technical assistance delivery.

Cat Gangi is a senior program specialist with the Institute for Intergovernmental Research (IIR). She works on the Bureau of Justice Assistance’s (BJA) Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Use Program (COSSUP). Her primary focus is within the overdose fatality review (OFR) team. Her role is to lead strategic planning, create systems that streamline information between OFR programs, and provide Smartsheet support to the team. She acts as a project manager for the annual OFR National Forum and other convenings for the OFR team. In addition, she provides customer service within the technical assistance lane and through salesforce, VFair, and website updates.

Paul Fuentes is a project coordinator at the National Criminal Justice Training Center (NCJTC) of Fox Valley Technical College, where he plays a pivotal role in providing comprehensive support to grantees of the NCJTC’s Bureau of Justice Assistance-funded programs. These programs include the Tribal Justice System Planning Process Training and Technical Assistance (TTA) Program and the Tribal Responses to Alcohol and Substance Misuse TTA Program. Before his current role, Mr. Fuentes made significant strides with the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes as the director of grants and research, where he led efforts to secure vital grant funding, raising millions for tribal projects and economic development. His earlier position as acting tribal court administrator saw him overseeing critical programs, ensuring the effective operation of the tribal justice system. Mr. Fuentes’ notable achievements include securing funding and overseeing the construction of a 9,000-square-foot tribal justice center in 2018, highlighting his commitment to enhancing tribal justice infrastructure. His dedication to improving tribal communities and justice systems is evident in his extensive career, marked by positive impacts. Mr. Fuentes holds a master’s degree in education and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Southwestern Oklahoma State University.

Kevin Mariano (Acoma/Laguna) is the project coordinator of the National Criminal Justice Training Center of Fox Valley Technical College (NCJTC–FVTC). Prior to joining the NCJTC–FVTC, Mr. Mariano served as the chief of police with the Pueblo of Isleta, New Mexico, Police Department. He has more than 20 years of law enforcement experience capitalizing on supervisory experience, operational management, staff development, administrative and finance management, motivational leadership, and decision making. He served as the liaison among the Pueblo of Isleta, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and surrounding law enforcement agencies to build relationships and on matters related to community safety. He has worked closely with diverse teams to successfully receive federal grant funding, implement memoranda of agreement, develop policy and procedures, and implement and manage the Sex Offender Registry Program. As chief of police, Mr. Mariano implemented innovative approaches to tribal and community policing, and prior to retirement, he initiated a movement to merge reentry and tribal law enforcement. He also created a case worker position within the tribal police department to better serve tribal community members experiencing mental health crises and struggling with addiction to get them better connected to appropriate services, including treatment or a reentry caseworker if appropriate.

As director of the National Deflection Technical Assistance Center at Treatment Alternatives for Safe Communities’ (TASC) Center for Health and Justice (CHJ), Hope Fiori provides training and technical assistance (TTA) and strategy development for public safety and public health agencies, focusing on deflection and pre-arrest diversion, alternatives to incarceration, and linkages to care for individuals with behavioral health conditions. She also serves as CHJ’s project lead for the Bureau of Justice Assistance’s Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Use Program (COSSUP) deflection TTA center. 

Precia Stuby is the executive director of the Hancock County, Ohio, Board of Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services (ADAMHS), a position she has held since 1997. Ms. Stuby holds a master’s degree and a bachelor’s degree, both in social work, from Ohio State University. 

Sherry Sexton, MSPH, Public Health Educator, Facilitator OFR, the Erie County Health Department in Ohio employed since August 2022. Manage Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulate and Substance Use Program grant. Awarded the Above and Beyond award 2023. Her career includes twenty-three years in social work and public health: nine years at Ohio Department of Health that included acknowledgment by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention MMWR for investigation of H3N2V and promoted to Health Planning Administrator. 

Melissa Heinen is a senior research associate/manager with the Institute for Intergovernmental Research (IIR). She works on the Bureau of Justice Assistance’s (BJA) Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Use Program (COSSUP). She provides day-to-day oversight of staff members and programmatic activities including coordination and provision of support to overdose fatality review (OFR) teams and information sharing/privacy issues, as well as assistance with overseeing the field-initiated suicide fatality review grant, document development, project evaluation, and provision of training and technical assistance to COSSUP grantee sites. Ms. Heinen has expertise in facilitating meetings; data analysis; program design, implementation, and evaluation; strategic planning; grant writing; and training and technical assistance delivery.

Rose Hefferon is currently a data analyst fellow in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Division of Overdose Prevention, where she supports the utilization of the overdose fatality review data system, assists with analyses, and aims to advance health equity research. She has experience in various community settings as a public health professional, both locally and abroad, on a spectrum of programs focused on HIV/AIDS mitigation, environmental exposures, and quantitative applications. Ms. Hefferon holds a master of public health degree in global environmental health from Emory University and a bachelor of science degree in public health from the College of Charleston. 

Melissa Heinen is a senior research associate/manager with the Institute for Intergovernmental Research (IIR). She works on the Bureau of Justice Assistance’s (BJA) Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Use Program (COSSUP). She provides day-to-day oversight of staff members and programmatic activities including coordination and provision of support to overdose fatality review (OFR) teams and information sharing/privacy issues, as well as assistance with overseeing the field-initiated suicide fatality review grant, document development, project evaluation, and provision of training and technical assistance to COSSUP grantee sites. Ms. Heinen has expertise in facilitating meetings; data analysis; program design, implementation, and evaluation; strategic planning; grant writing; and training and technical assistance delivery.

Julius Dupree is currently a policy advisor with the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), where he is responsible for overseeing and managing projects that provide financial and training and technical assistance (TTA) resources to the criminal justice field. The initiatives within his portfolio provide assistance to states, localities, and federally recognized tribes to strengthen justice system capacity, protect public safety, and rehabilitate justice-involved individuals. Areas of focus include the Tribal Justice System Infrastructure Program; Tribal Reentry TTA; Tribal Community Supervision TTA; Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Use Program (COSSUP) Tribal TTA; Overdose Fatality Review TTA; Suicide Overdose Fatality Review TTA, and the Prison Industry Enhancement Certification Program. Prior to working for BJA, Mr. Dupree was a program manager with the Office of Justice Programs, Drug Courts Program Office. In 1996, he began working for DOJ as an employee with the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services. Mr. Dupree holds a bachelor of arts degree in criminology and criminal justice from the University of Maryland in College Park.