2023 ARKANSAS PREVENTION SUMMIT

Caring for
Communities
JULY 11 & 12

MidSOUTH
College of Business,
HealtH, and Human serviCes
WELCOME!
Welcome to the 2023 Arkansas Prevention Summit! This year we chose Caring
for Communities as our summit theme because we know that communities
are at the heart of successful prevention. It takes all of us working together
to make impactful change in substance misuse across Arkansas - whether
the priority area to be addressed is alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, prescription
drugs, or methamphetamine.
As a state, we are dedicated to leading communities in the prevention of
substance misuse and the promotion of mental health and wellness. One of
the ways we do this is by supporting people with information and resources
they need to help mobilize their communities and neighborhoods. Our
schedule of local and national speakers was chosen to help do just that.
We know that reliable data is needed to guide prevention efforts, so we’ve
invited the Arkansas Statewide Epidemiological Outcomes Workgroup
(SEOW) and the UA Little Rock Survey Research Center that implements the
Arkansas Collegiate Substance Use Assessment to come and share data and
trend information they’ve collected this past year.
For the second day of the summit, we’ve partnered with Arkansas None for
Nine to bring state-wide awareness to Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD)
– a condition that results from alcohol exposure during a mother’s pregnancy.
The hope is that we can help prevent the number of children being born with
FASD by educating women and families about this danger.
Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to attend this informative
summit. Caring about prevention is what motivates us to do this important work.
 TOM FISHER

Arkansas State Drug Director Thomas Fisher

During the course of his career, Director Fisher was
responsible for conducting complex drug conspiracy
investigations, domestic and international money
laundering investigations, providing enhanced
undercover activities throughout multiple states
as a member of the Mobile Enforcement Team, and
coordinating large scale enforcement operations and
interstate investigations. For approximately eight
years, he conducted criminal and civil investigations
related to DEA registrants in coordination with state
oversight boards while part of the Tactical Diversion
Squad, which focused efforts on addressing the
overdose epidemic specific to illicit drug distributors
and negligent prescribers and distributors of
pharmaceutical controlled substances. Director Fisher retired from DEA in
December of 2021. Prior to assuming his responsibilities as Drug Director,
Mr. Fisher served as an Overdose Response Strategy Analyst for the Gulf
Coast High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA), an Office of National Drug
Control Policy (ONDCP) Overdose Response Strategy (ORS) initiative.

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 DAY 1

TIME SPEAKER LOCATION

9 - 9:15 a.m. Opening Remarks: Thomas Fisher, State Drug Director Main Stage

9:15 - 10:30 a.m. Keynote: Monte Stiles Main Stage

Why Education Works/Rediscovering Joy
10:30 - 10:45 a.m. Refreshment Break/Vendor Walk Lobby
10:45 - 11:45 a.m. General Session: Beverly Billie Main Stage
The Five Finger Agreement
12 - 1 p.m. Lunch Main Stage
Dr. Alison Oliveto and Dr. Austin Porter: Arkansas SEOW: Main Stage
Assisting Effective Substance Use Prevention Efforts Through
Monitoring Trends & Evidence-Based Practices
1 - 1:50 p.m. Dr. Derek Slagle: Arkansas Collegiate Substance Use
Assessment: Results & Case Study for Systematic Evaluation Breakout A
Dr. Rodney Wambeam: A Brief History of Prevention So Far:
Where We Started, Where We Have Been & Where We Are Going Breakout B
1:50 - 2 p.m. Refreshment Break/Vendor Walk Lobby
2 - 2:50 p.m. General Session: Dr. Patrycja Krakowiak Main Stage
Alcohol: The Roots of Addiction
2:50 - 3 p.m. Refreshment Break/Vendor Walk Lobby
Monte Stiles: Successful Strategies in
Combating Drug Normalization Main Stage
3 - 3:50 p.m. Joy Gray: Vaping and Marijuana Breakout A
Beverly Billie: The Power of Influence to Create Safety Breakout B

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 DAY 2

TIME SPEAKER LOCATION

9 - 9:10 a.m. Opening Remarks: None for Nine Main Stage
9:10 - 9:30 a.m. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Disorder (FASD)
Short Video: Dr. Ken Jones

9:30 - 10:30 a.m. Keynote: Kathleen Mitchell Main Stage

Creating A Circle of Hope for Women and
Their Families Living with Addiction and FASD
10:30 - 10:45 a.m. Refreshment Break/Vendor Walk Lobby

10:45 - 11:45 a.m.1 FASD Panel: Lived Experience Main Stage

Kathleen Mitchell, Amy Smith, and Tiffany Lepard
12 - 1 p.m. Lunch Main Stage

Kathleen Mitchell: Developing Resilience Main Stage

in Families Living with Addiction & FASD
1 - 1:50 p.m. Carol Rangel: Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Disorder Overview Breakout A
Olivia Bennett: The Role of Resilience Breakout B
in Substance Abuse Prevention
1:50 - 2 p.m. Refreshment Beak Lobby

2 - 3 p.m. General Session: David Deere Main Stage

FASD Prevention: Breaking the Cycle

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MONTE STILES DAY 1 SPEAKERS

Monte Stiles served for 29 years as a state and

federal prosecutor and 24 years as an Assistant
United States Attorney for the District of Idaho
where he supervised the Organized Crime/Drug
Enforcement Task Force. Monte’s speaking style
combines real-life experiences as a federal drug
prosecutor and his love of the outdoors. After life-
long exposure to the darkest aspects of society,
and the realization that these experiences affected
his ability to appreciate some of life’s simplest
pleasures, a growing interest in nature and wildlife
photography led to his rediscovery of everything
that is wonderful in life -- a world full of amazing
people, beautiful landscapes, fascinating creatures,
and boundless opportunities and adventures. At the
end of every presentation, Monte uses his images to illustrate the dramatic
difference that choices bring – either the darkness of a toxic and dangerous
drug culture or a life filled with beauty, joy, children, families, friendships, safe
communities, and healthy brains and bodies. In addition to his presentations,
Monte’s images have been featured on the cover of numerous magazines
and articles about the great outdoors.
Monte received his bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University and
graduated from J. Reuben Clark Law School in 1982. In his personal life, Monte
served for ten years as a commissioner on the Boise Parks and Recreation
Board; as a Scoutmaster, Varsity Scout Advisor, and Explorer Post advisor for
the Boy Scouts of America; a board member of the Boys and Girls Clubs of
America; a board member of Drug Free Idaho; a board member of Drug Watch
International; an associate editor of The Marijuana Report; and an adjunct
professor in the Criminal Justice Department of Boise State University.
In addition to speaking, Monte serves as a consultant for community drug
coalitions, youth organizations, law enforcement agencies, and corporations.
Monte and his wife Sandi live in Boise, Idaho. They are the proud parents of
five children and fourteen grandchildren.

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 BEVERLY BILLIE

Beverly Billie, CPSW, NCPS, offers contract

experiential services through her experiential
program Heart to Heart, which include facilitation,
presentation, experiential training, and consultation.
Beverly is Indigenous from the Pueblos of Acoma
and Taos, New Mexico; her knowledge in experiential
methods is extensive, and her underpinnings began
at the Santa Fe Mountain Center as lead facilitator in
Courage to Risk program for Survivors. Her passion
for working with vulnerable and marginalized
populations was planted with her work at SFMC.
Beverly is using her CPSW currently as a Recovery
Specialist working for Presbyterian Health with those
experiencing addiction and trauma.
Previously, Beverly has worked with the well-
established Tewa Women United, as Outreach/Training Coordinator in their
VOICES Program as an advocate and a group facilitator and continues her
work currently in the Grandmother’s Circle. Her Women’s work includes
leadership, empowerment, healing, development of support, and increasing
resilience and protective factors. Beverly is known for providing programs/
presentations for Suicide Prevention, Intimate Partner Violence & Advocacy,
Family Reunification, and Wellness. She has served the Nineteen Pueblos,
Navajo Nation, and Apache tribes, and both local and rural communities.
Beverly has strong therapeutic experiential facilitation skills that are often in
high demand and highly recommended. She is enthusiastic, energetic, and
passionate about her work, and dedicated to those she serves.

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ALISON OLIVETO DAY 1 SPEAKERS

Alison Oliveto, Ph.D., joined the Center for Addiction

Research faculty in 2004 in the Department of
Psychiatry at the University of Arkansas for Medical
Sciences and became its director in 2016. A
trained behavioral pharmacologist and addiction
researcher for over three decades, Dr. Oliveto has
primarily focused on research investigating potential
medications and evidence-based behavioral
interventions to improve treatments for opioid,
cocaine and/or methamphetamine use disorders.
Having become increasingly frustrated with the life-
long struggle drug use disordered patients face, as
well as the barriers many face to accessing treatment,
Oliveto started shifting some of her efforts toward
researching and disseminating effective treatment
and prevention strategies. She currently works with colleagues in the National
Institute on Drug Abuse Clinical Trials Network to investigate ways of translating
evidence-based treatments into effective clinical practice. Since 2019, Dr.
Oliveto has been partnering with the Arkansas Department of Human Services
and University of Arkansas at Little Rock MidSOUTH to expand the capacity of
the Arkansas Statewide Epidemiological Outcomes Workgroup or SEOW. The
SEOW helps guide pertinent, effective prevention activities in the state through
monitoring trends and risk/protective factors, researching and disseminating
evidence-based prevention practices and informational materials, and assisting
with promoting unified prevention messages. 

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 AUSTIN PORTER

Dr. Porter is an Assistant Professor in the Department

of Health Policy and Management at the Fay W.
Boozman College of Public Health, University of
Arkansas for Medical Sciences. He also serves as
the Deputy Chief Science Officer and Deputy State
Epidemiologist at the Arkansas Department of
Health (ADH). He began his career in public health
by serving as the injury epidemiologist for the
ADH. While at the ADH, he became very involved
in the development and evaluation of the Arkansas
Trauma System by serving on numerous committees,
publishing peer reviewed articles, and leading
several projects. Dr. Porter has more than 10 years
of research experience and 8 years of experience
in injury epidemiology. His research interests are in
the field of trauma/injury prevention, health policy evaluation, and health
systems evaluation. He earned his MPH and DrPH from the Fay W. Boozman
College of Public Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.
Recently, Dr. Porter has been very engaged in the COVID-19 pandemic
response in Arkansas. He works very closely with epidemiologists, physicians,
and public health practitioners to monitor the trends of COVID-19 cases in the
state. He served as a member of the Governor’s Post-Peak Medical Advisory
Committee and was appointed as the chair for the Governor’s Technology
Advisory Committee for former Governor Asa Hutchinson.

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DEREK SLAGLE DAY 1 SPEAKERS

Derek R. Slagle, Ph.D. is the Director of the School

of Public Affairs at the University of Arkansas at
Little Rock (UA Little Rock) and tenured Associate
Professor. He previously served as the Director of
the UA Little Rock Survey Research Center, the only
academic survey research center in the state of
Arkansas. He is an Arkansas Governor-appointed
Commissioner (2019-2022; 2022-2025) where he has
administrative and fiduciary oversight for Arkansas’
service and volunteer priorities (e.g., AmeriCorps).
Dr. Slagle has contracted with more than 25 local,
state, and federal agencies on funded contracts
and research. His consulting work with colleagues
in D.N.A. Organizational Consulting Services, L.L.P.
is internationally recognized for advancement of
management practices in the nonprofit sector. Dr. Slagle’s education and
training include a doctorate in public administration; a master’s degree
in health administration; a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry and cellular
and molecular biology, a fellowship with the American Society for Public
Administration; and, currently, he is enrolled in the executive program for
Public Service Leadership at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. His
academic research on public service education and scholarship, health policy,
higher education administration, occupational credentialing, and state and
local government can be found in various peer-reviewed journals, books, and
technical reports.

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 RODNEY WAMBEAM

Rodney Wambeam, Ph.D. is a Senior Research

Scientist at the Wyoming Survey & Analysis Center
(WYSAC) of the University of Wyoming (UW). He
is also an adjunct professor in the Department of
Political Science at UW. Dr. Wambeam completed
his Ph.D. at the University of Nebraska in 1999 and
served as policy advisor to Nebraska Governor Ben
Nelson. He was Director of the Evaluation Research
Department at the Nebraska Council to Prevent
Alcohol and Drug Abuse before moving home
to Wyoming in 2002. At WYSAC, Dr. Wambeam
oversees numerous substance abuse prevention and
treatment research projects in Wyoming, Oregon,
Nebraska, and Arkansas. He has presented more than
50 keynotes across the country on substance abuse
prevention with millennials and on the history of alcohol in America. His book
“The Community Needs Assessment Workbook” from Oxford University Press
came out in 2015.

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PATRYCJA KRAKOWIAK DAY 1 SPEAKERS

Dr. Krakowiak has been a biology teacher at the

Arkansas School for Math, Sciences and the Arts
(ASMSA) for the past 18 years. In addition to high
school, she has taught at undergraduate, graduate
and medical school levels. She earned a B.S. degree
in Chemistry with an emphasis in molecular biology
and a Ph.D. in Human Genetics. She is also both
state and nationally board certified in Science
Education at the Adolescence and Young Adulthood
(AYA) level. She has also been teaching teachers
for the past 11 years; most recently, as part of an
Arkansas Department of Education (ADE) grant,
she has co-directed the Advanced Biology PLUS
program which currently includes 50 districts in our
state. Dr. Krakowiak also teaches an online version
of the Science of Biology class to high school students as an adjunct at the
University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UA Little Rock). Finally, she co-direct the
Arkansas Summer Research Institute (ASRI) in collaboration with the Arkansas’s
NSF EPSCoR program geared towards underrepresented students that do not
have sufficient preparation to engage in independent research in college.
After studying birth defects at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) as a scientist,
Dr. Krakowiak shifted her focus to help develop innovative educational tools
and strategies for students and teachers. Because of her background as a
researcher, innovation is at the core of what she does every day. She tests
if new methods of engagement/retention improve student learning so she
can incorporate them into her classes and pass them on to teachers.
Dr. Krakowiak truly believes that the best way to elevate our educational
system as a whole to be more globally competitive is to innovate teaching
methods and make learning more engaging.

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 JOY GRAY

Joy Gray, TTS; Tobacco Prevention and Cessation

Branch Chief, Arkansas Department of Health.
 
As the Branch Chief of the Tobacco Prevention
and Cessation Program (TPCP) at the Arkansas
Department of Health, Joy Gray oversees all
tobacco control activities.  This includes the
statewide and community subgrantee programs,
the National Tobacco Control grant from the CDC,
as well as the prevention and cessation activities
unique to ADH.  Joy is one of the creators of Be
Well Arkansas, which is the only state-operated
tobacco quitline in the nation and is in its fifth year
of operation.  ADH also has Be Well Baby, which
is a program for pregnant smokers. Joy is one of
the writers and creators of Coral’s Reef, a brand-new anti-vaping prevention
program aimed youth in grades K-2.

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KATHLEEN MITCHELL DAY 2 SPEAKERS

Kathleen T. Mitchell, MHS, LCADC Senior Vice

President of FASD Prevention and Recovery
Services, FASD United
Kathleen served as Vice President and Spokesperson
for FASD United (formerly the National Organization
on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome-NOFAS) for 24 years.
She is a noted invited speaker on Fetal Alcohol
Spectrum Disorders (FASD), Women and Addiction
and Stigma and has presented for over three
decades both nationally and globally. She holds a
Master of Human Services (MHS) degree and is
a licensed clinical alcohol and drug counselor
(LCADC). She was the chief executive officer
of Montgomery County, Maryland addiction
contracted services overseeing detox, in-patient,
out-patient and programs for pregnant women with substance use disorders
and their children. She taught electives and health seminars on FASD and
Addiction at both Georgetown and Northwestern University Medical Schools.
She has authored/co-authored twenty-three published papers, and authored
handbooks, chapters and curricula on addiction, stigma and FASD. She
served as a FASD expert and advised the writers of NBC’s Law and Order;
Special Victims Unit to create an episode about FASD. She has been featured
in documentaries, news stories, television and other media including: The
Doctors (CBS), NBC’s Later Today Show, Self Magazine, Glamour Magazine,
BBC Radio, and National Public Radio. In 2004, she founded the international
birth mother mentorship program, the Circle of Hope (COH) and in 2020
founded Recovering Mothers Anonymous (RMA).
Ms. Mitchell is available for trainings, faculty or patient consultation, or
consultation on special projects. ktmitchellconsulting@gmail.com

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 VIDEO: DR. KEN JONES

Dr. Kenneth Lyons Jones is the former Chief of the Division of

Dysmorphology and Teratology at the Department of Pediatrics
at UCSD, Medical Director of the MotherToBaby California
Pregnancy Health Information Line, and co-Director of the
Center for Better Beginnings. He is a pediatrician by training,
specializing in the identification and treatment of birth defects.
He is actively involved in research, teaching, clinical work, and
University and public service. He is considered the leading
expert of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS), as he was one of two
doctors at the University of Washington who first identified FAS in the United States
in 1973.

FASD PANELISTS
Tiffany Lepard is Amy Smith is
a licensed genetic 40 years old and
counselor. She is an was diagnosed
assistant professor with FASD in June
and the assistant of 2020. Amy
director of the genetic loves cats, scary
counseling training movies, reading,
program at the and church.
University of Arkansas
for Medical Sciences.  She is a founding
member of the Specialty Diagnostic
Resource Center where she helps diagnose
individuals with FASD. Tiffany is a former
foster and adoptive mother and has two
children with FASD. Advocating for and
supporting people with disabilities and
their families is her passion.
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CAROL RANGEL DAY 2 SPEAKERS

Carol Rangel is an LMSW who has worked

extensively in social work, research, and project
management. The majority of her work over the
past 30 years has centered around research on
child development, children’s health and improving
outcomes for children and families affected by
truama. Advocating for children and families living
with special health care needshas been her primary
focus. For the past 14 years, her work has centered
around raising awareness about Fetal Alcohol
Spectrum Disorders (FASDs).
Carol currently serves as the president of Arkansas
None for Nine, a non-profit orgainization working to
support families living with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum
Disorders (FASD) and to raise awareness about
the dangers of drinking alcohol during pregnancy. The organization seeks
to educate and advocate for children, adults, and families living with Fetal
Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) in Arkansas.

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 OLIVIA BENNETT

Olivia Bennett, MPH, CHES®

Public Information Specialist, Northeast Region
Arkansas Department of Health
The Role of Resilience in Substance Use Prevention
Olivia Bennett is from Calico Rock, AR. She is married
with 2 children, Ian age 12, and Oliver age 10. She
graduated from Southern Methodist University with
bachelor’s degrees in Biology and Psychology in
2008. She received a Master of Public Health degree
from Louisiana State University at Shreveport in
2022. She recently passed the certification exam to
become a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES)
through NCHEC. She works as a health educator for
the Hometown Health Improvement branch of the
Arkansas Department of Health. This program delivers
prevention education to schools and communities throughout the state
and provide technical assistance and support for community prevention
efforts. She serves on the Board of Trustees for the Calico Rock Community
Foundation, and also serves as Secretary for the Izard County Hometown
Health and Prevention Coalition.

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DAVID DEERE DAY2 SPEAKER

David Deere, MSW, MTh

David Deere is a board member for Arkansas’ FASD
United Affiliate, None for Nine. For 15 years before
his retirement, he worked on FASD projects funded
by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration. He currently serves as the co-director
of the Specialty Diagnostic Resource Center, which
is the first clinic and resource center in Arkansas
devoted to children and adolescents suspected
of having an FASD. Mr. Deere retired as director of
the University of Arkansas’ Partners for Inclusive
Communities (Partners), the University Center for
Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD) for
Arkansas. He serves as the chair of the FASD Special
Interest Group for the Association of University Centers on Disabilities. He is a
social worker by training and a retired member of the United Methodist clergy.

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 LEARN THE EIGHT
DIMENSIONS OF WELLNESS
WELLNESS: CONNECTING ALL ASPECTS OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH

Each dimension of wellness can affect

overall quality of life. Through its Wellness
Initiative, SAMHSA encourages individuals,
organizations, and communities to work
toward longer, healthier, and happier lives,
particularly among people living with
behavioral health conditions. The Eight
Dimensions of Wellness take into account not
only an individual’s physical health, but all the
factors that contribute to a person’s overall
wellness.

To learn more about the Eight Dimensions

of Wellness, visit:
www.samhsa.gov/wellness-initiative

Source: Adapted from Swarbrick, M. (2006). A Wellness Approach.

Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal, 29(4), 311–314.

2016 SMA-16-4953
 MidSOUTH
College of Business,
HealtH, and Human serviCes