2023 Speakers

2023 Keynote and Plenary Speakers

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Corrie Vilsaint, PhD
Associate Director of Recovery Health Equity
Recovery Research Institute
Harvard Medical School

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Richard Bottner, DHA, PA-C, CPHQ, FACHE
Vice President of Clinical Excellence
Colorado Hospital Association

Noel Vest
POSTDOCTORAL SCHOLAR, ANESTHESIOLOGY, PERIOPERATIVE AND PAIN MEDICINE

Noel Vest, PhD
Assistant Professor
Boston University

2023 Session Speakers

Adames

Dinah Adames
Drug User Organizing Expert
NCSU Board Co-Chair
Drug User Human Rights Activist

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Robert Ashford, PhD, MSW
Executive Director
Unity Recovery

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Jacci Bainbridge PharmD, FCCP
Professor
Department of Clinical Pharmacy
University of Colorado – Skaggs School of Pharmacy

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Gavin Bart, MD, PhD, FACP, DFASAM
Director of Division of Addiction Medicine
Hennepin Healthcare
Professor of Medicine
University of Minnesota Medical School

Bradley

Katharine Bradley, MD, MPH
Senior Investigator
Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute 

Britt

Ariel Brit, MSW
Associate Director, Addiction Research Institute / TxCOPE 
Steve Hicks School of Social Work
The University of Texas at Austin

Aaron Ferguson

Kellie Burnam
Final Summit

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Melanie Cheek, PhD
Director of Operations
Abilene Recovery Council

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Kasey Claborn, PhD
Assistant Professor
The University of Texas at Austin
Steve Hicks School of Social Work

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Lisa M. Cleveland, PhD, APRN, CPNP, IBCLC, FAAN
Professor
UT Health San Antonio School of Nursing

Aaron Ferguson

Frederic Courtois
Associate Director
TxCOPE
UT Steve Hicks School of Scoial Work

Aaron Ferguson

John De La Garza
Paramedic and MAT Team Lead
San Antonio Fire Department

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Chuka Emezue, PhD, MPH, MPA
Assistant Professor
Rush University Medical Center

Aaron Ferguson

Andrew Estrada 
Deputy Fire Chief
San Antonio Fire Department
Emergency Services

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Aaron Ferguson, BSW
Community Outreach Manager – Leadership Team Member – Methadone Liaison
Community Medical Services – Urban Survivor’s Union

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Brett Foster, PSS, RSPS
Recovery Support Services Program Manager
East Texas Council On Alcoholism And Drug Abuse

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Gilbert Gonzalez 
Director of Bexar County
Department of Behavioral Health

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Jessie Higgins, MA, LPC, LMFT 
Chief Mental Health Officer
City of San Antonio

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Barbara Hood
Recovery Links Coach
Lifetime Recovery

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Cynthia Humphrey
Executive Director
Association of Substance Abuse Programs

Aaron Ferguson

Niranjan Karnik, MD, PhD
Professor
University of Illinois Chicago

Adrienne Lindsey

Adrienne Lindsey, DBH
Assistant Professor
Director, Center for Substance Use Training & Telementoring (C-STAT)
UT Health San Antonio

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Amanda Lopez, JD
Director
Texas Opioid Abatement Fund Council

Aaron Ferguson

Lisa Marsch, PhD
Executive Director
Association of Substance Abuse Programs

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Nancy McConnell, MSW, MCAP, CRPS
CEO/Co-Founder
Rebel Recovery

McNeely

Jennifer McNeely, MD, MS
Associate Professor
Dept. of Population Health
New York University Grossman School of Medicine

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Sarah Messmer, MD
Assistant Professor of Clinical Medicine and Pediatrics
University of Illinois at Chicago

David Miramontes

David Miramontes, MD, FACEP, FAEMS, NREMTP
Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine
UT Health San Antonio

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Jennifer Sharpe Potter, PhD, MPH
Vice President for Research
Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
UT Health San Antonio

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Joe Powell, LCDC, PSS, RSPS
President / CEO
Association of Persons Affected by Addictions

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Nikki Prince, RSPS, LCDC
Behavioral Health Services
Texas Health and Human Services

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Barbara Robles-Ramamurthy, MD
Assistant Professor
UT Health San Antonio

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Rev. Gavin Rogers
Executive Director, Corazon San Antonio
Associate Pastor, Travis Park Church

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Carmen Rosa, MS
Scientific Officer
Center for the Clinical Trials Network
National Institute on Drug Abuse

Aaron Ferguson

Willa Rosen, LCSW, LCDC
Education Specialist
Education Service Center, Region 13

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Melisa Simmons, MEd., RSPS
Recovery Support Services Director
Unity Recovery

Aaron Ferguson

Darrien Skinner, MS
Opioid Generalist
Texas Health and Human Services

SMITHENRY

Dennis Smithenry, PhD
Education Consultant

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Javier Soto, PSS, RSPS
Program Coordinator of Peer Support and Recovery
Health and Human Services Commission

Strey

Kasey Strey
Director
Texas Targeted Opioid Response
Mental Health and Substance Use Programs
Behavioral Health Services

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Douglas Thornton, PharmD, PhD, BCPS
Associate Professor
University of Houston

Carlos

Carlos F. Tirado, MD, MPH, FASAM
Chief Medical Officer
CARMAhealth

CUH-3nd Floor-Lobby, Job Number 1827, Patient Care Website, Sidarth Wakhlu MD

Siddarth Wakhlu, MD
Professor of Psychiatry,
Clinical Director, Addiction Psychiatry Service
UT Southwestern Medical Center

KarnsWright

Tara Karns-Wright, PhD, MS
Assistant Professor, UT Health San Antonio
Director of Clinical Science and Evaluation
Be Well Texas

Andrea Yatsco

Andrea Yatsco, PhD, CADC/LCDC, CCS
Assistant Professor / Associate Director
UT Health Houston – Heroes

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Claire Zagorski, MSc, LP
Graduate Research Assistant
The University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy

Speaker Disclaimer: The Texas Substance Use Symposium promotes academic freedom by convening professionals and community members to collaboratively identify substance use challenges and propose solutions to this public health concern. The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speaker(s) and do not necessarily reflect nor constitute an endorsement of the views, opinion or position of The University of Texas System, UT Health San Antonio, UT Austin or any of the entities they represent.

Annie Burwell

LBSW

Program Manager

Round Rock Fire Department

Andrea Yatsco

PhD, CADC/LCDC

Assistant Professor

UT Health Science Center at Houston

Brandon del Pozo

PhD, MPA, MA

Miriam Hospital/Warren

Alpert Medical School

Brown University

Cate Graziani

Co-Executive Director

Texas Harm Reduction Alliance

Crystal Walker

DMSc, PA-C

Director

MHMR County of Tarrant

Hildbrando Mireles III

PhD Candidate, LPC-S

Director

Tropical Texas Behavioral Health 

Jananie Ramesh

MD

Assistant Professor

Dell Medical School

Jennifer Papac

MD

Assistant Professor

UT Health Science Center San Antonio

Jessica Duncan Cance

MPH, PhD

Senior Research Public Health Analyst

RTI International

Julia Lechuga

M.A., PhD

Associate Professor

The University of Texas at El Paso

Jose Flores

LCDC

Recovery Support Services Lead

TXHHSC

Kasey Claborn

PhD

Assistant Professor

The University of Texas at Austin

Kasey Strey

ACPS

TTOR Director

TXHHSC

Kim Sue

MD, PhD

Medical Director

National Harm Reduction Coalition

Lindsey J. Loera

PharmD


PhARM Research Fellow

The University of Texas at Austin 

 

Lisa Cleveland

PhD, RN

UT Health San Antonio

School of Nursing

Lisa Ramirez

MA

Senior Policy Advisor

TXHHSC

Liz Castaneda

MHPS, LMSW

Program Specialist

TXHHSC

Andy Keller

Andy Keller

PhD

President and Chief Executive Officer

Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute

Richard Hamner

LMSW, RSPS, LCDC-I

Project Manager

UT Health San Antonio

Sidarth Wakhlu

MD

University of Texas 

Southwestern Medical Center 

 

Eli Cortez

MSW

Organizer and Training Coordinator

Texas Harm Reduction Alliance

Daniel Sledge

BA, LP

Williamson County Mobile Outreach Team

Mary Velasquez

PhD

The University of Texas at Austin

Christopher Velasquez

NREMT-P

City of San Antonio

Claire Zagorski

MSc, LP

PhARM Program Coordinator


The University of Texas at Austin

 

Anna Eisenberg

MPH

OSAR, Waitlist, and Capacity Coordinator

TXHHSC

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