Sri Chaitanya Krishna Akondy, BDS, MPH
Epidemiologist, Iowa Department of Health and Human Services

Dr. Akondy is an epidemiologist at the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, where he works on public health issues, including drug overdose. With a background in dentistry and public health from the University of Iowa, he strives to make a positive impact on community health through practical, data-driven approaches.

Angie Asa-Lovstad, MS, CPS, CTF
Capacity Coach and Trainer, Iowa Department of Health and Human Services

Ms. Asa-Lovstad is the founder of ASA Facilitation and a nationally recognized trainer and Iowa HHS capacity coach in substance use prevention. With over 25 years of experience supporting coalitions and prevention leaders, she specializes in ethical decision-making, facilitative leadership, and community engagement. Angie brings practical tools, real-world scenarios, and a grounded, relational approach to strengthening prevention practice.

Amy Croll, LMSW, CPS
Capacity Coach, Iowa Department of Health and Human Services

Ms. Croll has served as a capacity coach and a trainer for the state of Iowa for over 25 years, first as a trainer for the Iowa Collaboration for Youth Development and since 2012, as a coach and trainer for HHS. She is best known for her work in positive youth development, specifically through the non-profit she co-founded, Community Youth Concepts. Ms. Croll is currently the Chief Program and Operations Officer for the Young Women’s Resource Center in Des Moines and is a councilwoman serving on the Urbandale City Council.

Sabrina DeDore, LISW
Team Lead, Outpatient Therapist, Abbe Center for Community Mental Health – Unity Point

Ms. DeDore is a Licensed Independent Social Worker and mental health therapist at the Abbe Center in Iowa City. She also serves as Program Director and Family Education Provider for the FERST team, supporting clients experiencing their first episode of psychosis.

Sarah Desmarais, PhD
President and CEO, Policy Research Associates, Inc.

Dr. Desmarais is President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Policy Research Associates (PRA), a women-owned small business that leads the behavioral health field by creating positive social change. She joined PRA in 2021 and became CEO in 2022, setting the strategic vision for the organization and championing bold, evidence-informed solutions. Her direction has elevated PRA’s focus on bridging science and practice through world-class technical assistance and training services informed by rigorous research and evaluation. Through this reciprocal service model, PRA stands out as a national leader in service and system transformation, supporting individuals with behavioral health needs and contributing to stronger, safer, and more resilient communities.

Marissa Eyanson
Director, Division of Behavioral Health, Iowa Department of Health and Human Services

Ms. Eyanson is a healthcare and social services leader with a deep knowledge base related to mental health and disability services and systems. She is skilled in organizational leadership, the development of innovative solutions, and the management of Medicaid, Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS), Home and Community-Based (HCBS) waiver, and Behavioral Health teams and systems.

Abbey Ferenzi, LMHC
Senior Director of Behavioral Health Services, Iowa Primary Care Association

Ms. Ferenzi is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and the Senior Director of Behavioral Health Services at the Iowa Primary Care Association, where she plays a central role in advancing Iowa’s behavioral health system transformation. With over 24 years of experience dedicated to behavioral health services, she is deeply invested in collaborative, innovative approaches that strengthen Iowa’s behavioral health infrastructure and improve lives statewide.

Jo Freudenheim, PhD, MS, RD
SUNY Distinguished Professor and Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs, School of Public Health and Health Professions, Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, School of Public Health and Health Professions, University at Buffalo

Dr. Freudenheim was trained in Nutritional Sciences and Epidemiology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and then did postdoctoral training in cancer epidemiology with a focus on nutrition at the University at Buffalo. A major focus of her research has been on breast cancer epidemiology, using epidemiologic tools to understand the disease at the population, individual, tissue, and molecular levels to improve prevention and prognosis. With a long focus on diet and alcohol with regard to cancer, she was among the first to examine the interaction of folate with alcohol in relation to cancer risk. Recent research has focused on factors related to all-cause and cancer-specific mortality following a breast cancer diagnosis. Her research has also included research on the impact of the reduction or cessation of alcohol consumption on breast cancer risk. She has been part of national and international reviews of alcohol in relation to cancer, examining reduction and cessation of alcohol and risk, as well as the association of light and moderate intakes with cancer risk. She has held leadership roles in cancer epidemiology, including membership on editorial boards for major journals in cancer epidemiology (Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention, Cancer Causes and Control, Current Epidemiology Reports) and on advisory boards at the regional, national and international level (Board of Scientific Counselors of the National Cancer Institute, chair of the Molecular Epidemiology Group Steering Committee of the American Association for Cancer Research).

Heather M. Gray, PhD
Director of Academic Affairs Division on Addiction, Cambridge Health Alliance

Dr. Gray is the Director of Academic Affairs at the Division on Addiction at Cambridge Health Alliance and Assistant Professor of Psychology in the Department of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. She earned her PhD in social psychology from Harvard University and completed a post-doctoral fellowship with the Boston University Health and Disability Research Institute. Her research explores the role of interpersonal factors in the development of, and recovery from, addictive disorders. Her current research is exploring how the interpersonal consequences of problematic gambling contribute to suicidality, in hopes of finding ways to reduce this risk.

Justin Grodnitzky, PhD, F-ABFT
Criminalist, Iowa DCI Criminalistic Laboratory

Dr. Grodnitzky holds a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from Southwest State University in Marshall, MN. After college, he earned an MS and a PhD in Toxicology and Physiology from Iowa State University. Dr. Grodnitzky completed his Postdoctoral training at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, MD. He began working with the Iowa DCI Criminalists Laboratory in June 2007 as a Criminalist in the Toxicology section. Dr. Grodnitzky is currently the Technical Leader of the Toxicology Section and holds board certification as a Fellow of the American Board of Forensic Toxicology (F- ABFT).

Tracy Gryp, RCP, RCPF
Director of Corrections Recovery Program, Full Circle Recovery

Ms. Gryp is the Director of the Corrections Recovery Program at Full Circle Recovery. She brings lived experience, strong dedication, and a compassionate approach to her work. Ms. Gryp is also a graduate of the For Impact Leader program through the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines.

Emma Hall, MBA, MA
Director of System Navigation, Iowa Primary Care Association

Ms. Hall serves as the Director of System Navigation for Iowa Primary Care Association. She has more than a decade of experience in human services, including work within child welfare, behavioral health, and disability services, and crisis care coordination. She is a nationally certified Mental Health First Aid Instructor. Outside of her role at Iowa PCA, Ms. Hall is the founder and board president of a rural non-profit working to address food insecurity. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, Master of Business Administration, and a Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership from Waldorf University.

Courtney Hammond, PCI
Behavioral Health Coordinator, University of Iowa

Ms. Hammond is a Behavioral Health Coordinator and dedicated peer support professional with over five years of experience supporting individuals in recovery and navigating complex life challenges. Having been in long-term recovery for the past 6 years, she brings both professional expertise and lived experience to her work. Ms. Hammond is passionate about advocacy, building meaningful connections, and creating safe, supportive spaces that empower others to move forward with confidence and stability.

Ryan Hampton
Founder, Mobilize Recovery

Mr. Hampton is a national addiction recovery advocate and a person in sustained recovery from 10 years of active opioid use. He has worked with multiple non-profits and community organizing campaigns, including the nation’s top addiction recovery advocacy organizations. Mr. Hampton is a TIME100 Health Honoree, honoring the 100 most influential people driving global health in 2026.

Michaela Jens, LISW
Team Lead, First Episode Psychosis Program, Unity Point - Eyerly Ball

Ms. Jens is a solutions-focused resiliency-based practitioner who welcomes young adults experiencing their first schizophrenic episodes to wrap-around programming. She strives not only to return clients to baseline functioning but also to leverage their experiences to improve their quality of life.

Allison Jones, CCAR certification
Recovery Addict, Rise Recovery Center

Ms. Jones has been around Rise Recovery Center from the very beginning. She has watched it grow, and she has been part of saving so many lives. Ms. Jones aims to teach others about the Rise Recovery Center, believing it is a valuable resource for those unsure how to start or sustain recovery.

Diana Kelly, MSW, LCSW
Clinical Director, Master Trainer Consultant, Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation

Ms. Kelly is a clinician, educator, and Master Clinical Consultant at the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, where she leads and directs a team of ASAM Designated Trainers and provides national consultation on implementing The ASAM Criteria: Fourth Edition. She has supported four states in statewide ASAM implementation efforts, leading large‑scale training initiatives, designing and developing comprehensive ASAM curricula, and creating post‑evaluation processes to strengthen system-wide practice. Ms. Kelly’s clinical experience includes extensive work with Military Veterans and justice‑involved individuals. A passionate mentor and facilitator, she is dedicated to advancing equitable, trauma‑responsive care across diverse systems and communities. She is a graduate of the IU School of Social Work in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Jason Kilmer, PhD
Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine

Dr. Kilmer is a Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Washington (UW) School of Medicine and an Adjunct Professor of Psychology at UW. Throughout his career, he has worked in both student affairs and research. In each professional position he has held, his responsibilities have included research on reducing harms associated with substance use among college students and direct service and support to students and colleagues in divisions of Student Affairs or Student Life. At UW’s Center for the Study of Health & Risk Behaviors (CSHRB), Dr. Kilmer serves as an investigator on several studies evaluating prevention and intervention efforts for alcohol, cannabis, and other drug use by college students. In addition to research and teaching, he has worked extensively with college students and campus professionals on alcohol and other drug prevention programming at UW and on over 150 campuses nationwide.

Chuck Klevgaard, CSPS
Technical Assistance Provider, SPTAC

Mr. Klevgaard, a nationally recognized expert in substance misuse prevention and intervention, is a highly experienced designer and leader of training and technical assistance. He brings extensive experience in public health and behavioral health, effective collective impact approaches, and evidence-based alcohol, opioid, and substance misuse programs and policies.

Kelly Kruse, MD, MPH
Associate State Medical Examiner, Iowa Office of the State Medical Examiner

Dr. Kruse is an Associate State Medical Examiner at the Iowa Office of the State Medical Examiner. She is board-certified in anatomic, clinical, and forensic pathology, a fellow of the National Association of Medical Examiners, and a board member of the Iowa Association of County Medical Examiners. Dr. Kruse has been a Medical Examiner for the state of Iowa since 2018.

Laura Larkin, LMSW, MS 
Executive Officer 2, Iowa Department of Health and Human Services

Ms. Larkin has worked for Iowa HHS in behavioral health policy for 18 years, focusing on development and oversight of community-based behavioral health services, and is the Project Director for Iowa’s Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) Demonstration program. Ms. Larkin has over 30 years of experience in human services and mental health, and worked for 10 years as a mental health clinician across a variety of school, home, and clinic-based settings.

Jason LaRoche, Certified Peer Support Specialist, BA Psychology
Lead Crisis Response Peer Support Specialist, Heartland Family Service

Mr. LaRoche is part of Heartland Family Service’s Mobile Crisis Response team. They respond in-person to mental health crises in Southeast Iowa. When he is not working, he is watching a streaming service or at the rock-climbing gym.

Kellee McCrory, LMSW, MPH
Project Director - Iowa Peer Workforce Collaborative, The University of Iowa

Ms. McCrory is the Training Director at The University of Iowa School of Social Work, National Resource Center for Family Centered Practice (NRC). She is the Program Manager for the Iowa Peer Workforce Collaborative project. Ms. McCrory has managed projects that employ multiple methods across a broad range of public health, child welfare, substance abuse, and prevention research and evaluation grants. Ms. McCrory also provides training and technical assistance on focus groups, program evaluation, and evaluation.

Leslie McDonald-Gonzalez, LISW
Clinical Director/FEP Team Lead, Siouxland Mental Health Center

Ms. McDonald-Gonzalez is the Clinical Director and FEP Team Lead at the Siouxland Mental Health Center. Her therapeutic approaches include behavioral activation, cognitive behavioral therapy, motivational interviewing, solution-focused therapy, and other evidence-based modalities.

Sarah Mergenthaler, BS
Disease Surveillance and Investigations Manager, Black Hawk County Public Health

Ms. Mergenthaler is a public health professional with experience in disease surveillance, prevention, and quality improvement. As the Disease Surveillance and Investigations Manager at Black Hawk County Public Health, she leads a team that analyzes overdose and communicable disease data to guide prevention strategies for overdose, HIV, and viral hepatitis through a syndemic lens.

Buffy Peters
Director, Hamilton’s Academy of Grief and Loss, Hamilton’s Funeral Home

Ms. Peters is the Director of Hamilton’s Academy of Grief and Loss, a division of Hamilton’s Funeral Home in Des Moines, Iowa. For over a decade, she has been honored to provide support to children, teens, and adults grieving the death of a loved one. Some of this work includes: connecting them with appropriate grief support services; supporting schools through grief education and the facilitation of grief support groups; assisting with grief responses after a death; and overseeing Hamilton’s two children’s grief programs serving children ages 4 to 12. Ms. Peters is active in providing presentations, both locally and nationally, and is particularly passionate about educating on grief after a stigmatized death, such as suicide, homicide, and substance-related deaths. She has contributed to many grief resources, including the NACG’s GriefTalk toolkits, “Supporting Families after a Homicide” and “Creating Child-Friendly Spaces in Funeral Homes”.

Kayla Powell
Office of Youth and Family Engagement, Iowa Department of Health and Human Services

Ms. Powell is a nationally recognized systems leader and advocate who builds bridges between public systems and the youth and families they serve. Drawing from her own experience growing up in foster care, she now leads the Office of Youth and Family Engagement at the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, where she advances statewide strategies to integrate lived experience, healing-centered practices, and authentic partnership into public systems. Over the past decade, she has launched youth-led initiatives, shaped national policy reforms, and become a trusted voice on how systems can center the people they serve. Her leadership has been recognized by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, FosterClub, the Treehouse Foundation, the National Association of Counsel for Children, and her hometown of Ottumwa. 

Eric Preuss, IAADC, CCS
Consultant, 1187 Solutions, LLC

Mr. Preuss retired in September 2025 from his role as the Your Life Iowa (YLI) Project Director with the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, where he oversaw the YLI helpline, website, health promotion, and quality assurance activities. He is currently a consultant and owner of 1187 Solutions LLC. Mr. Preuss has spent 35+ years as an administrator, counselor, educator, and leader in the areas of homelessness, gambling, and substance use prevention, treatment, and recovery. He holds a Master’s degree from the Methodist Theological School in Ohio.

Katey Rascon, PRS, RCP
Center Manager Full Circle Recovery

Ms. Rascon serves as the Center Manager at Full Circle Recovery Community Center, where she supports community engagement and peer-driven recovery initiatives. She is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a concentration in addictions, combining academic knowledge with lived experience in long-term recovery. Ms. Rascon is passionate about strengthening recovery support systems, empowering recoverees, and advocating for families navigating the child welfare system. Her work is grounded in compassion, resilience, and a commitment to helping others build sustainable recovery and connection.

Ellen Schardt, BA, CPRS
Recovery Services Coordinator, NAMI, and Mobile Crisis Outreach Program Supervisor (F2) NAMI Dubuque, and Foundation 2 Crisis Services

Ms. Schardt has worked in the non-profit sector for 13 years in areas of community health education, substance use and suicide primary prevention, peer recovery support, jail support services, and crisis intervention services. She is currently employed part-time as a Peer Recovery Specialist at NAMI Dubuque and full-time as a Mobile Crisis Outreach Program Supervisor at Foundation 2 Crisis Services. Living well in long-term recovery, Ms. Schardt believes she has found purpose in supporting and advocating for vulnerable individuals and communities.

Jacqueline Seitz, JD
Deputy Director of Health Privacy, Legal Action Center

Ms. Seitz is a national expert on health privacy protections for sensitive health information, including substance use disorder treatment records and HIV-related information. She has advised and trained thousands of providers in all 50 states, and since 2018, she has been the Health Privacy Lead for the national Center of Excellence for Protected Health Information. Ms. Seitz is co-author and co-editor of the most recent editions of the Legal Action Center’s book on 42 CFR Part 2, Confidentiality and Communication (9th ed. forthcoming 2026). She is a graduate of New York University School of Law and the University of California at Berkeley.

Laura Semprini, PRS, MSc,
Mental Health Peer Recovery Specialist, Certified Yoga Instructor, Remote Peer Support Coordinator, NAMI Johnson County

Ms. Semprini began working at R Place Peer Recovery Center as a Peer Support Specialist in 2019 and started coordinating the Remote Peer Support Program in 2022. In addition to this role, she also writes grants and oversees new programming. She facilitates a virtual support group for Peer Support Professionals in Iowa and serves on the Iowa Primary Care Association’s District 7 Advisory Council. In 2010, Ms. Semprini received her bachelor’s degree in Economics and International Business from the University of Iowa, and shortly thereafter completed a master’s degree in Nonprofit Development from the London School of Economics and Political Science. From 2013-2015, she was the Director of Development for Horizons Social Services Agency in Cedar Rapids, and then lived abroad with her husband while serving in the Peace Corps in the Republic of Fiji from 2015-2017.

Amber Sheppard
Peer Recovery Specialist, CRUSH Recovery Community Center

Ms. Sheppard is a Peer Recovery Specialist and Program Coordinator at CRUSH (Community Resources United to Spread Hope) Recovery Community Center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. A mother in long-term recovery, she brings both professional training and powerful lived experience to her work supporting individuals and families impacted by substance use. After years marked by addiction and incarceration, she rebuilt her life, going from prison walls to building a home and a future for her children. Today, Ms. Sheppard is passionate about using her story to inspire hope and show that recovery and redemption are possible.

Marla Smith, LMHP, LMHC
Behavioral Health Practitioner II, Munroe Meyer Institute

Ms. Smith is a licensed mental health professional in Nebraska and Iowa with nearly 20 years of experience providing behavioral health services across the lifespan. She serves as a Behavioral Health Practitioner at the Munroe Meyer Institute and has led training and technical assistance initiatives on evidence-based practices since 2016, with a focus on serious mental illness and neurodevelopmental disabilities. Her work emphasizes connection, meeting individuals where they are, and using respectful, trauma-informed communication to support positive change. Ms. Smith holds a master’s degree in Youth and Family Services from Bellevue University and is committed to strengthening workforce capacity and improving outcomes for individuals with complex needs.

Aaron Todd, MHCDS, MPP
Chief Executive Officer, Iowa Primary Care Association

Mr. Todd has served as a senior leader of the Iowa Primary Care Association, INConcertCare, and IowaHealth+ since 2015 and as Chief Executive Officer since 2019. He leads a dedicated, innovative team working to support the evolution of a statewide, integrated, community-health-focused safety net system of care. Previously, Mr. Todd served in various roles in Iowa’s Executive and Legislative branches, including serving as a senior advisor on healthcare and behavioral health policy and funding. Before his work in healthcare policy and operations, his career focused on economic and community development, a passion he now pursues through service with nonprofit organizations and government commissions. Mr. Todd currently serves on the boards of directors of OCHIN, the National Association of Community Health Centers, Primary Care Leadership Council, and Greater Des Moines Supportive Housing. He earned a Master of Health Care Delivery Science from Dartmouth College, a Master in Public Policy from Rutgers University, and a Bachelor of Science from Iowa State University.

Joshua Trebach, MD, FAACT
Medical Toxicologist, Emergency Medicine Physician, Iowa Poison Control Center

Dr. Trebach is a medical toxicologist and emergency physician at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics (UIHC). He is also a Clinical Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine at UIHC and is the Associate Medical Director at the Iowa Poison Control Center. Dr. Trebach received his medical degree from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, completed his residency in emergency medicine at Johns Hopkins Hospital, and completed his medical toxicology fellowship training at New York University/New York City Poison Control Center. His interests include medical education, public health, clinical research, disaster preparedness, plants/mushrooms, and all things toxicology.

Patti Treibel-Leeds, MS
Independent Consultant/Trainer

Ms. Treibel-Leeds is an independent consultant/Trainer, with certifications in Compassion Fatigue/C3 De-Escalation/Trauma Informed Care. Ms. Treibel-Leeds is also a Motivational Speaker, speaking on topics including self-care, which is a top priority for her. She retired from Social Work after a 30-year career. The last 18 years were spent in County Government.

Mark Vander Weg, PhD
Professor and Head of the Department of Community and Behavioral Health, University of Iowa

Dr. Vander Weg is a faculty member in the Department of Community and Behavioral Health in the University of Iowa College of Public Health. His work focuses primarily on promoting health behavior change to reduce risks for cancer and cardiovascular disease, with a particular focus on promoting tobacco cessation.

Andrea Weber, MD, MME, FASAM, FACP
Associate Director, University of Iowa Addiction and Recovery Collaborative

Dr. Weber is a Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Iowa in the Departments of Psychiatry and Internal Medicine. She is board-certified in internal medicine, psychiatry, and addiction medicine and specializes in providing medical and psychiatric health care to people who use drugs. She is the Assistant Director of the University of Iowa Addiction and Recovery Collaborative (UI ARC) within the Department of Psychiatry, represents psychiatry on the Iowa Medical Cannabis Board, and is the current President of the Iowa Society of Addiction Medicine (IASAM). She has been the Principal Investigator on 4 federal service grants focused on novel educational curricula and healthcare delivery to address substance use disorders.

Jill Wright, MPH
ISTEP Program Manager and Community Health Consultant, Iowa Department of Health and Human Services

Ms. Wright is the ISTEP Youth Coordinator and Community Health Consultant within the Division of Behavioral Health in the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services. She has over eight years of experience working alongside young people. Her passions lie in youth-adult partnerships and youth leadership development. She finds joy in coaching and mentoring young people to gain the skills and confidence to become young leaders.