2023 Keynote and Plenary Speakers
Corrie Vilsaint, PhD
Associate Director of Recovery Health Equity
Recovery Research Institute
Harvard Medical School
Richard Bottner, DHA, PA-C, CPHQ, FACHE
Vice President of Clinical Excellence
Colorado Hospital Association
Noel Vest, PhD
Assistant Professor
Boston University
Session Speakers
Dinah Adames
Drug User Organizing Expert
NCSU Board Co-Chair
Drug User Human Rights Activist
Robert Ashford, PhD, MSW
Executive Director
Unity Recovery
Jacci Bainbridge PharmD, FCCP
Professor
Department of Clinical Pharmacy
University of Colorado – Skaggs School of Pharmacy
Gavin Bart, MD, PhD, FACP, DFASAM
Director of Division of Addiction Medicine
Hennepin Healthcare
Professor of Medicine
University of Minnesota Medical School
Katharine Bradley, MD, MPH
Senior Investigator
Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute
Ariel Brit, MSW
Associate Director, Addiction Research Institute / TxCOPE
Steve Hicks School of Social Work
The University of Texas at Austin
Kellie Burnam
Final Summit
Melanie Cheek
Director of Operations
Abilene Recovery Council
Melanie Cheek, PhD
Assistant Professor
The University of Texas at Austin
Steve Hicks School of Social Work
Lisa M. Cleveland, PhD, APRN, CPNP, IBCLC, FAAN
Professor
UT Health San Antonio School of Nursing
Frederic Courtois
Associate Director
TxCOPE
UT Steve Hicks School of Scoial Work
John De La Garza
Paramedic and MAT Team Lead
San Antonio Fire Department
Chuka Emezue, PhD, MPH, MPA
Assistant Professor
Rush University Medical Center
Andrew Estrada
Deputy Fire Chief
San Antonio Fire Department
Emergency Services
Aaron Ferguson, BSW
Community Outreach Manager – Leadership Team Member – Methadone Liaison
Community Medical Services – Urban Survivor’s Union
Brett Foster, PSS, RSPS
Recovery Support Services Program Manager
East Texas Council On Alcoholism And Drug Abuse
Gilbert Gonzalez
Final Summit
Jessie Higgins, MA, LPC, LMFT
Chief Mental Health Officer
City of San Antonio
Barbara Hood
Recovery Links Coach
Lifetime Recovery
Cynthia Humphrey
Executive Director
Association of Substance Abuse Programs
Niranjan Karnik, MD, PhD
Professor
University of Illinois Chicago
Adrienne Lindsey, DBH
Assistant Professor
Director, Center for Substance Use Training & Telementoring (C-STAT)
UT Health San Antonio
Amanda Lopez, JD
Director
Texas Opioid Abatement Fund Council
Lisa Marsch, PhD
Executive Director
Association of Substance Abuse Programs
Nancy McConnell, MSW, MCAP, CRPS
CEO/Co-Founder
Rebel Recovery
Jennifer McNeely, MD, MS
Associate Professor
Dept. of Population Health
New York University Grossman School of Medicine
Sarah Messmer, MD
Assistant Professor of Clinical Medicine and Pediatrics
University of Illinois at Chicago
David Miramontes, MD, FACEP, FAEMS, NREMTP
Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine
UT Health San Antonio
Jennifer Sharpe Potter, PhD, MPH
Vice President for Research
Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
UT Health San Antonio
Joe Powell, LCDC, PSS, RSPS
President / CEO
Association of Persons Affected by Addictions
Nikki Prince, RSPS, LCDC
Behavioral Health Services
Texas Health and Human Services
Barbara Robles-Ramamurthy, MD
Assistant Professor
UT Health San Antonio
Rev. Gavin Rogers
Executive Director, Corazon San Antonio
Associate Pastor, Travis Park Church
Carmen Rosa, MS
Scientific Officer
Center for the Clinical Trials Network
National Institute on Drug Abuse
Willa Rosen, LCSW, LCDC
Education Specialist
Education Service Center, Region 13
Melisa Simmons, MEd., RSPS
Recovery Support Services Director
Unity Recovery
Darrien Skinner, MS
Opioid Generalist
Texas Health and Human Services
Dennis Smithenry, PhD
Education Consultant
Javier Soto, PSS, RSPS
Program Coordinator of Peer Support and Recovery
Health and Human Services Commission
Kasey Strey
Director
Texas Targeted Opioid Response
Mental Health and Substance Use Programs
Behavioral Health Services
Douglas Thornton, PharmD, PhD, BCPS
Associate Professor
University of Houston
Carlos F. Tirado, MD, MPH, FASAM
Chief Medical Officer
CARMAhealth
Siddarth Wakhlu, MD
Professor of Psychiatry,
Clinical Director, Addiction Psychiatry Service
UT Southwestern Medical Center
Tara Karns-Wright, PhD, MS
Assistant Professor, UT Health San Antonio
Director of Clinical Science and Evaluation
Be Well Texas
Andrea Yatsco, PhD, CADC/LCDC, CCS
Assistant Professor / Associate Director
UT Health Houston – Heroes
Claire Zagorski, MSc, LP
Graduate Research Assistant
The University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy
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
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