Speakers

PLENARY SPEAKERS

Robert Childs

joseph_telfairPlenary Speaker, Robert Childs, MPH, will speak about reducing drug overdoses through harm reduction programs and law enforcement partnerships in Thursday’s Plenary Session. Mr. Childs specializes in harm reduction practice, overdose prevention and response initiatives, drug policy advocacy and reform, law enforcement assisted diversion (LEAD) and law enforcement occupational safety & drug overdose response. He is currently Technical Expert Lead at JBS International where he provides technical assistance on rural overdose prevention projects. Prior to joining JBS, he served as North Carolina Harm Reduction Coalition’s (NCHRC) Executive Director from 2009-2018. While there, Robert helped develop the largest syringe exchange network in the southern US, a successful community and law enforcement-based naloxone distribution program, and advocacy campaigns that led to the passage of comprehensive overdose prevention, syringe decriminalization, bio-hazard collection and syringe exchange legislation. Childs’ has spoken before the United Nations, US Congress, FDA and multiple state legislatures about his work, which has been featured in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, the Daily Beast, Fox News, NBC News, ABC News, Human Rights Watch, NPR, The Huffington Post and other publications.

Donnie Varnell

joseph_telfairPlenary Speaker, Donnie Varnell, is a special law enforcement projects consultant with North Carolina Harm Reduction Coalition and an active member of the Dare County Sheriff's Office in North Carolina. Donnie helped NCHRC set up its first Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) program and currently conducts law enforcement organizing and trainings. Prior to joining NCHRC, Donnie was with the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation for 24 years, most recently serving as the Special Agent In-Charge for the Bureau’s Diversion and Environmental Crimes Unit (DECU) where he developed policies and conducted and supervised investigations dealing with prescription narcotics and environmental violations.



Kathy Pearson

joseph_telfairPlenary Speaker, Kathy Pearson, PhD, is a strategist, Systems Thinking expert, and one of the foremost authorities in decision making today. Dr. Pearson’s engaging style and timely presentation, Leading in an Environment of Uncertainty, is sure to energize and motivate conference attendees.

Kathy is President and Founder of ELS, a firm focused on executive development and learning across industries. Currently a Senior Fellow at the Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, University of Pennsylvania, Kathy previously served as an adjunct Associate Professor in the Operations and Information Management Department at The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. An award-winning educator, Kathy works extensively with mid to senior level executives across a wide range of industries - health care and life sciences, financial services, professional services, technology, consumer products, energy and manufacturing – where she teaches a variety of topics such as Executive Decision Making, Strategic Agility, Change Managing and Execution using real world applications. Her client list includes Cardinal Health, Children’s Miracle Network, Chubb Group of Insurance Companies, Coca-Cola, Comcast, The Estee Lauder Companies, Glaxo-SmithKline, India Ministry of Finance, McKesson, Merck, Novartis, Novo Nordisk, Royal Bank of Scotland, Schneider Electric, UnitedHealth Group, Westpac Bank Australia, the World Bank and many others throughout the world.

SPEAKERS




Wednesday, September 11, 2019

WORKSHOP 1.1 | Meeting Room 1 | 2:30pm - 3:30pm

Exercise is Medicine (Part 1): Essentials to Physical Activity Promotion for Creating a More Active, Healthier Tennessee!

Mark Stoutenberg, PhD, MSPH, Associate Professor & MPH Program Director, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

1534496253_Sarah Melton.pngDr. Mark Stoutenberg earned his PhD in Exercise Physiology (2008) and Master of Science in Public Health (2011) from the University of Miami. His early work involved leading clinical trials investigating the use of exercise training as a part of stimulant abuse treatment programs. He has also conducted physical activity interventions in cancer survivors, Hispanic-serving institutions, and as part of large, community-based programs. Dr. Stoutenberg is a leader with the international program ‘Exercise is Medicine,’ an initiative that strives to integrate physical activity as a standard in health care and connect patients to community-based physical activity resources. Here in Tennessee, Dr. Stoutenberg is the Program Director of the Public Health program at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC), which welcomed their first cohort of graduate students in the fall of 2018. The UTC Public Health program has a focus on chronic disease prevention and control with a highly experienced faculty in the fields of physical activity and nutrition.



WORKSHOP 1.2 | Meeting Room 2 | 2:30pm - 3:30pm

Alpha Gal Allergy and Public Health

Cosby Stone, MD, MPH, Physician- Scientist Instructor in Allergy/Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center

1534496253_Sarah Melton.pngDr. Cosby Stone, Jr. MD, MPH, Physician-Scientist and Instructor in Allergy/Immunology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center grew up in rural Crossville, Tennessee and went to college at Vanderbilt University where he enjoyed studying languages, literature, mathematics, and science. He completed medical school at the University of Alabama in Birmingham, with additional training in public health focused on epidemiology. He served as an NIH Fogarty Scholar from 2008-2009, living abroad in Tanzania and doing research in nutrition, HIV, and health education. He completed his residency/chief residency at Yale-New Haven Hospital in the combined internal medicine and pediatrics residency program. He is happy to have returned to Tennessee as first a clinical fellow, then a research fellow, and finally a faculty member in allergy/immunology at Vanderbilt. His main area of research focuses on medication allergies, specifically immediate hypersensitivity reactions to antibiotics and to inactive ingredients such as alpha-gal and polyethylene glycol. He is currently funded by the Learning Healthcare System at Vanderbilt via a K-12 career development award to study how the implementation of a validated strategy to remove low risk penicillin allergies affects inpatient antibiotic utilization and patient outcomes. He is also a published poet.


WORKSHOP 1.3 | Franklin | 2:30pm - 3:30pm

Corrections and Reentry of Vulnerable Populations

Stacy Oakes, Associate Warden of Treatment, Tennessee Department of Corrections

1534496253_Sarah Melton.pngStacy Oakes, a 23-year veteran of the Tennessee Department of Corrections, started his career in 1996. Mr. Oakes has worked in different positions at Taft Youth Center, Bledsoe County Correctional Complex, Tennessee Correction Academy, Office of Investigation and Compliance and is currently the Associate Warden of Treatment at Turney Center Correction Complex. Mr. Oakes attended Motlow State Community College and Bethel University where he studied Criminal Justice and Police Administration. He has also attended several Leadership programs for mid-level managers and supervisors offered through the department.






WORKSHOP 1.4 | Williamson | 2:30pm - 3:30pm

The Big “O” Weighing in on Obesity and Ocular Health

Gregory S. Wolfe, OD, MPH, FAAO, FNP, Associate Professor, Southern College of Optometry

1534496253_Sarah Melton.pngGregory Wolfe, OD, MPH, FAAP, FNP received his Doctor of Optometry from the Pennsylvania College of Optometry and completed a residency in ocular disease & low vision rehabilitation. Additionally, Dr. Wolfe earned his MPH in Health Policy & Administration from University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health. He served as the Clinical Director of the Michael Reese Hospital Eye Clinic in Chicago, IL and as the optometry residency coordinator for the Southern Arizona VA Health Care System. Currently, Dr. Wolfe is an Associate Professor at Southern College of Optometry. Dr. Wolfe has held various leadership appointments. He is a past-chair of both the American Public Health Association (APHA) Vision Care Section and the American Optometric Association Health Promotion Committee, as well as a member of the National Eye Institute's National Eye Health Education Planning Committee. Currently, he serves on the Evidence Based Clinical Guideline Development Committee of the American Optometric Association.



WORKSHOP 2.5 | Meeting Room 1 | 3:45pm - 4:45pm

Exercise is Medicine (Part 2): Essentials to Physical Activity Promotion for Creating a More Healthier, Active Tennessee!

Mark Stoutenberg, PhD, MSPH, Associate Professor & MPH Program Director, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

1534496253_Sarah Melton.pngDr. Mark Stoutenberg earned his PhD in Exercise Physiology (2008) and Master of Science in Public Health (2011) from the University of Miami. His early work involved leading clinical trials investigating the use of exercise training as a part of stimulant abuse treatment programs. He has also conducted physical activity interventions in cancer survivors, Hispanic-serving institutions, and as part of large, community-based programs. Dr. Stoutenberg is a leader with the international program ‘Exercise is Medicine,’ an initiative that strives to integrate physical activity as a standard in health care and connect patients to community-based physical activity resources. Here in Tennessee, Dr. Stoutenberg is the Program Director of the Public Health program at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC), which welcomed their first cohort of graduate students in the fall of 2018. The UTC Public Health program has a focus on chronic disease prevention and control with a highly experienced faculty in the fields of physical activity and nutrition.



WORKSHOP 2.6 | Meeting Room 2 | 3:45pm - 4:45pm

Technology Tools: Navigating the Continuum of Care in Addiction Treatment

Brian M. Wind, PhD, CBSM Vice President and Chief of Clinical Operations, JourneyPure

1534496253_Sarah Melton.pngBorn and raised in Richmond, VA, Dr. Brian Wind earned a Bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Virginia, and a Master’s degree in clinical psychology at Middle Tennessee State University. He obtained a PhD in clinical psychology from Palo Alto University in Palo Alto, California. He completed post-doctoral training in the fields of Sleep Disorders and Behavioral Medicine, and for many years served as the Director of Clinical Sleep Medicine at a large interdisciplinary sleep disorders practice with multiple locations around Nashville, TN. Dr. Wind holds a board certification in Behavioral Sleep Medicine from the American Board of Sleep Medicine, and is a contracted speaker in the neuroscience/insomnia division of Merck and Company Pharmaceuticals. Since the beginning of his career, Dr. Wind has specialized in the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of addiction. In 2014, he launched NOVOS Behavioral Health Solutions, LLC, a clinical consulting company with an emphasis on the treatment of addiction and co-occurring mental health disorders. In this position, Dr. Wind served as a clinical consultant with multiple healthcare facilities, and developed innovative healthcare related software applications. Dr. Wind has served as co-chair of the American Psychological Association’s Advisory Committee on Colleague Assistance, with an emphasis on furthering the national movement of professional wellness. He holds the position of Executive Director of the Tennessee Colleague Assistance Foundation, Tennessee’s state-contracted peer support program for mental healthcare providers, in addition to serving as an adjunct faculty member in Vanderbilt University’s Department of Psychology. In 2015, Dr. Wind joined JourneyPure, where he serves in the role of Vice President of Clinical Operations. He currently lives in Murfreesboro, TN with his son, and spends his free time enjoying music, golf, reading, and travelling.


WORKSHOP 2.7 | Franklin | 3:45pm - 4:45pm

Outbreak! Tennessee’s Fight to Stop Hepatitis A

Michelle Fiscus, MD, FAAP, Medical Director, Immunization Program, Tennessee Department of Health

1534496253_Sarah Melton.pngDr. Michelle Fiscus joined the Tennessee Department of Health’s Division of Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness as Medical Director of the Tennessee Immunization Program in January 2019. She previously served as the Deputy Medical Director of the Department’s Division of Family Health and Wellness, primarily overseeing the Division’s chronic disease prevention, health promotion, injury prevention, tobacco control and prevention, and comprehensive cancer programs. Dr. Fiscus is a board-certified pediatrician and, prior to joining the Department, was the co-founder of Cool Springs Pediatrics in Franklin, TN, where she practiced general pediatrics for 17 years. Dr. Fiscus is an associate clinical professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt. She is a past-president of the Tennessee Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (TNAAP) and is the immediate-past District IV representative and chair of the National Nominating Committee for the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Dr. Fiscus is a proud Hoosier, having graduated from Indiana University, Indiana University School of Medicine, and having completed her residency in pediatrics at the James Whitcomb Riley Hospital for Children at Indiana University Medical Center in Indianapolis. However, she has spent the past 21 years as a resident of Tennessee and considers it home. She is married to her transplanted Hoosier husband, Brad Fiscus (Director of Next Generational Ministries for the United Methodist Church of Middle TN), and together they are surviving life with their two teenagers and three Labradors.

Cassandra Jones, MPH, Epidemiologist, Immunization Program, Tennessee Department of Health

1534496253_Sarah Melton.pngCassie Jones has worked as a vaccine-preventable disease epidemiologist in the Immunization Program at the Tennessee Department of Health since she received her MPH in 2016. In 2018, she became the Vaccine-Preventable Disease Team lead and has been the Incident Commander and Epidemiology lead for the current hepatitis A outbreak since it was identified in May 2018.



Jana Tolleson, RN, BSN, AEMT, Emergency Preparedness Nurse Consultant, Mid Cumberland Regional Office

1534496253_Sarah Melton.pngA Tennessee Native, Jana has always been interested in promoting the health and well-being of her community. Jana graduated from Austin Peay State University in 2010 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing and began a career as an emergency department nurse. Through that experience, she gained an interest in infectious disease control and emergency management of outbreak situations. In 2015, she transitioned into public health as a clinic nurse at a local health department and, just over a year later, accepted a Disease Intervention Specialist position in the that same county working with communicable disease investigations. In 2017, she moved to the Mid-Cumberland Regional Office to serve as the Communicable Disease Supervisor over the 12 counties in that region. In that role, she continued to assist with local investigation as well as manage outbreaks including the ongoing Hepatitis A outbreak. Recently, Jana has shifted to the EP nurse consultant role to further her training and knowledge in disease investigations and management, as well as emergency management. In her spare time, Jana is an avid reader and loves to spend time with her husband and two children.

Leslie Waller, MPH, Epidemiologist, Metro Public Health Department

1534496253_Sarah Melton.pngLeslie has served as an epidemiologist with the Bureau of Communicable Disease and Emergency Preparedness at the Metro Public Health Department in Nashville since March 2016. She works on disease outbreak investigations and responses, infectious disease surveillance, and program quality improvement for multiple communicable disease programs. She loves the fast-pace of emergencies and investigations and connecting programs with data. Her true loves in public health are waterborne and zoonotic diseases, although she can’t resist a good outbreak of any kind. She has over 8 years of experience in the field of public health, and is a graduate of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health.





WORKSHOP 2.8 | Williamson | 3:45pm - 4:45pm

Building Strong Brains Tennessee: Becoming a Trauma Informed State

Richard Kennedy, Executive Director, Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth

1534496253_Sarah Melton.pngRichard Kennedy was appointed to be TCCY executive director beginning June 16, 2018. Kennedy began with the agency in 2000 as an ombudsman, and he served as the associate director of the Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth since January 2011. He was promoted to director of field operations before becoming associate director. Kennedy has spent his entire professional career working directly with and advocating for children and youth. Prior to joining state government, Kennedy worked with the Davidson County Community Services Agency, Camelot, Hermitage Hall and the Greater New Orleans Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America. A native Middle Tennessean, Kennedy holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Lambuth University in Jackson, Tennessee, and a Master of Arts degree in counseling from Trevecca University in Nashville, Tennessee. Kennedy is an alumnus of LEAD Tennessee, Tennessee Government Management Institute and Tennessee Government Executive Institute. He is an inaugural member of the Tennessee Government Leadership Council. His involvement in the community includes having recently completed his final term on the board of directors for Prevent Child Abuse Tennessee, where he served as board chair in 2015-16. He has also volunteered as a Big Brother with Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Nashville.


WORKSHOP 2.9 | Clydesdale | 3:45pm - 4:45pm

Be SMART: Safe Gun Storage Saves Lives

Linda McFadyen-Ketchum, MS, Volunteer Legislative Lead, Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America

1534496253_Sarah Melton.pngLinda McFadyen-Ketchum is the volunteer Legislative Lead for Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America/Tennessee. Moms Demand Action is a grassroots movement of American mothers and fathers fighting for public safety measures that respect the Second Amendment and protect people from gun violence. As Legislative Lead, she works with other Tennessee Moms to pass common sense gun laws in Tennessee and to defeat guns bills that would endanger Tennesseans. Before taking on the Campaign Lead role, Linda served as Chapter Leader for 5 years. She started Moms Demand Action groups in Nashville, Memphis, Chattanooga, Knoxville, Tri-Cities, Williamson County, Murfreesboro, and Cookeville. Until 2013, Linda worked as a political consultant specializing in Davidson County races. She has a special interest in identifying, encouraging, and electing talented women to public office. A native of North Carolina, Linda holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in special education from Peabody College of Vanderbilt University. She taught Davidson County children and young people with severe behavioral disorders and autism for twenty-five years. She also served in supervisory/administrative positions and trained new staff and student teachers. Linda and her husband, Dr. Steve McFadyen-Ketchum, have been married for 45 years. They have two adult children and two granddaughters. In her spare time, Linda enjoys hiking, identifying wild flowers, and choral music.


WORKSHOP 2.10 | Appaloosa | 3:45pm - 4:45pm

Academic Section Meeting

Thursday, September 12, 2019

WORKSHOP 3.11 | Meeting Room 1 | 9:45am -10:45am

Cross Sector Collaboration- Public Health Working across Sectors

Leslie Meehan, MPA, AICP, Director of Primary Prevention, Tennessee Department of Health

1534496253_Sarah Melton.pngLeslie Meehan oversees the Office of Primary Prevention in the Commissioner’s Office of the Tennessee Department of Health. The Office serves as a hub for upstream, primary prevention policies and strategies that impact social influencers of health. Her work includes increasing physical activity through the built environment to positively impact social, emotional and physical health. Previously, Ms. Meehan served ten years as the Director of Healthy Communities for the Nashville Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) in Tennessee. At the MPO, she focused on the intersection of transportation and health, specifically transportation’s impact on physical activity, air quality and injury. Her work has been recognized nationally and internationally, most recently by the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (2018 Vision Award), the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors (2017 Joseph W. Cullen Excellence Award) and the Institute of Transportation Engineers (2017 Transportation Achievement Award for Planning). Ms. Meehan is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners, the Institute of Transportation Engineers, the Association of Bicycle and Pedestrian Professionals, the League of American Bicyclists and the Tennessee Public Health Association. She is co-author of the Transportation Sector of the National Physical Activity Plan, served as expert advisor on the U.S. Department of Transportation and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Transportation and Health Tool, was appointed by Transportation Secretary Peters to the National Safe Routes to School Task Force and has presented at a White House event on transportation and health. She currently serves as a panel member on the National Cooperative Highway Research Program’s Research Roadmap for Transportation and Health and the Guidebook for Communications between Transportation and Public Health Communities. She is a member of the Transportation Research Board Taskforce on Arterials and Public Health.

Karin Valentine Goins, MPH, UMass Worcester Prevention Research Center, UMass Medical School

1534496253_Sarah Melton.pngKarin Goins combines public health practice and research with a focus on community-level transportation and land use to support active living. She currently conducts physical activity policy research as part of the UMass Worcester Prevention Research Center housed at UMass Medical School. Her projects include building capacity of public health stakeholders to improve physical activity opportunity by engaging in transportation and land use decision making and developing decision support tools for use by transportation practitioners and policy makers. She previously provided technical assistance on active transportation to the Division of Public Health for the City of Worcester, MA. A longtime walking and biking advocate, Ms. Goins co-founded WalkBike Worcester and serves on the City of Worcester Transportation Advisory Group (responsible for Complete Streets implementation) and the Advisory Committee of the Central Mass Metropolitan Planning Organization.



WORKSHOP 3.12| Meeting Room 2 | 9:45am -10:45am

‘Slippery When Wet’ and Other Lessons Learned from Tennessee’s Community Reception Center (CRC) Exercise

Robert Goff, MPH Emergency Response Coordinator, Tennessee Department of Health

1534496253_Sarah Melton.pngRobert Goff, MPH, is an Emergency Response Coordinator with the Tennessee Department of Health. He has held this position since 2004. He is responsible for public health emergency planning for 10 counties in Southeast Tennessee, including public health's role in Radiological Emergency Preparedness (REP) planning for two nuclear power plants located in his region. This includes training public health personnel in population monitoring and decontamination in addition to performing these duties during annual exercises, which are evaluated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. In February 2017, Mr. Goff coordinated a community reception center (CRC) exercise that processed and timed 40 individuals through monitoring and simulated decontamination. This event was a precursor for a functional full-scale CRC exercise held in April 2018, which was also be conducted in cooperation with the CDC and NACCHO. Over 100 observations took place for which time measurements were collected, including over 30 showers. This data will be used to inform and improve local, regional, and state response plans and is expected to be used in the development of national planning guidance. Mr. Goff has also served in multiple leadership roles for THPA, including serving as President from 2010-2011.

Casey Morrell, MPH, Epidemiologist, Tennessee Department of Health

1534496253_Sarah Melton.pngCasey Morrell, MPH, is an epidemiologist with the Tennessee Department of Health. She is responsible for disease surveillance in the 10 counties in the Southeast Region as well as assisting in outbreak responses and emergency preparedness activities. Ms. Morrell’s emergency preparedness involvement includes assessing the vulnerabilities of populations in the Southeast Region, developing population monitoring databases, and providing data for exercise planning and evaluation. She developed a database and coordinated data collection and entry elements for Southeast Region’s full-scale exercise in April 2018.





WORKSHOP 3.13 | Franklin | 9:45am -10:45am

Creating a Trauma Informed Community

Andrea Clements, PhD, Professor and Assistant Chair, Department of Psychology East Tennessee State University

1534496253_Sarah Melton.pngAndrea “Andi” Clements is professor and assistant chair in the Department of Psychology at East Tennessee State University. Her main areas of research are in religiosity, health, and trauma-informed care, particularly with regard to addressing addiction. She is leading two funded projects. The first project, funded in large part by a HRSA grant, is being done in collaboration with multiple community partners and Duke University’s Theology, Medicine, and Culture Initiative. It seeks to mobilize churches in a 22 county area of Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia to address addiction. The second project is in collaboration with Becky Haas, Trauma Informed Administrator with Ballad Health, with whom she has worked for almost four years training thousands of individuals in trauma-informed care and ACEs science. They are now creating a toolkit to guide communities to build community-wide systems of trauma-informed care.

Rebecca Haas, Trauma Informed Administrator, Ballad Health

1534496253_Sarah Melton.pngBecky Haas is currently serving as the Trauma Informed Administrator for Ballad Health. In this role, she is developing and implementing Trauma Informed Care programming throughout the 21 counties of Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia served by Ballad Health. This programming is aimed at reducing the effects of adverse childhood experiences, which can be a significant risk factor for drug addiction and other life and health disparities. Prior to working at Ballad Health, Becky was employed by the Johnson City Police Department first as the Director of an $800,000 grant funded Targeted Community Crime Prevention Program (TCCRP) which later expanded to overseeing Crime Prevention Programs in 2016. During her tenure at the police department Becky first heard about Trauma-Informed Care and ACEs science. Living amidst rural Appalachia, which has seen the devastating effects of the opioid epidemic, Becky felt this was a message that urgently needed to be shared within her community. Partnering with faculty from the East Tennessee State University Psychology Department in 2015, and receiving technical assistance from the SAMHSA funded, National Center for Trauma Informed Care, they trained over 4,000 professionals in less than 3 years and created a growing Trauma Informed System of Care which has over 40 affiliated organizations. In September of 2018, SAMHSA officials recognized their work as a community model for other cities to follow. She is a seasoned public speaker addressing both professional and faith based audiences. In August of 2017 she published her first book, “Your City is Waiting on You” based on her experiences working at the police department and how she invited the local faith community to hear the conversation of city-wide needs and how they responded to become a greater resource in meeting these needs. Becky has been married to Jonathan for 34 years and their greatest joys in life are their two sons David and Christopher, along with their wives Katie and Stacy and two grandchildren, Paisley and Cayden.



WORKSHOP 3.14 | Clydesdale | 9:45am -10:45am

Warmer, Safer, Drier= Healthier: A Wholistic Approach to Healthcare and Housing

Nicole Intagliata, Director of Programs, Appalachia Service Project

1534496253_Sarah Melton.pngNicole is the Director of Programs with the Appalachia Service Project (ASP). While this role completes a variety of tasks, her main responsibilities are to manage department staff, facilitate the creation of new programs within the home repair ministry, and plan, develop, and execute the two- week intensive training for 150 college-age staff. Nicole has worked with ASP since 2011 with previous roles as Program Manager and Director of Staff Resources. She graduated from Augustana College in Illinois with her Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration and Economics in 2010.

Paula Masters DrPH, MPH, HCMC, Vice President of Health Programs, Department of Population Health, Ballad Health System

1534496253_Sarah Melton.pngPaula Masters received her BS in health services administration, MPH with a concentration in health services administration and certificate in health care management, and her DrPH in community health from the College of Public Health at East Tennessee State University. Masters is the former president of the Tennessee Public Health Association and a recipient of the association’s Doris Spain Award for Distinguished Service.





Abraham McIntyre, Vice President of Strategic Partnerships, Appalachia Service Project

1534496253_Sarah Melton.pngAbraham McIntyre is the VP of Strategic Partnerships with the Appalachia Service Project (ASP). Very simply, his role is to bring resources to the table so ASP is able to serve more families by repairing or replacing their homes. Abraham has a passion for serving others, creating opportunities for others to enjoy the outdoors, and being a positive impact in his community with his incredible wife and son.






WORKSHOP 3.15 | Williamson| 9:45am -10:45am

CBD: A Public Health Exploration

Paula Collier, MS, Health Promotion Manager, Hamilton County Health Department

1534496253_Sarah Melton.pngPaula Collier has an extensive background in teaching, wellness coaching and health education. She taught in a university setting for 11 years and regularly presents to professionals, workplaces, and communities. She was the Tobacco Prevention Coordinator for Hamilton County for 6 years and the staff support for the Hamilton County Regional Health Council Addictions and Dependency Committee and Tobacco Free Chattanooga Coalition. She is currently the Health Promotion Manager at the Hamilton County Health Department.





COMMISSIONER’S ADDRESS | Ballroom | 12:30pm – 1:30pm

Lisa Piercey, MD, MBA, FAAP, Commissioner, Tennessee Department of Health

1534496253_Sarah Melton.pngLisa Piercey, MD, MBA, FAAP, was honored to join Governor Bill Lee’s cabinet upon his inauguration in January 2019, as the 14th Commissioner for the Tennessee Department of Health. Preceding her public service, Dr. Piercey spent a decade in health systems operations, most recently as Executive Vice President of West Tennessee Healthcare, a public, not-for-profit health system with over 7,000 employees servicing 22 counties. Her executive responsibilities included oversight of five rural acute care hospitals, two inpatient rehabilitation hospitals, a behavioral health hospital and eight community mental health centers, and the system’s population health initiatives. Prior to this role, she served as the Vice President of Physician Services, managing the 17 clinics and approximately 90 providers of the West Tennessee Medical Group. Dr. Piercey is board certified by the American Board of Pediatrics in both General Pediatrics and in the specialty field of Child Abuse Pediatrics. She has remained active in evaluating children for suspected abuse and neglect and serves in a volunteer capacity as Medical Director for the Madison County Child Advocacy Center and faculty member at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. Additionally, Dr. Piercey is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives, where she has been the President of the Mid-South Healthcare Executives chapter, as well as the National Chairman of the Management Series Editorial Board. In addition to volunteering on multiple community and non-profit boards, Dr. Piercey has served on the American Hospital Association’s Small and Rural Hospital Governance Council, the Joint Commission Critical Access Hospital Advisory Group, and the Tennessee Center for Health Workforce Development Board, as well as was appointed by Governor Haslam in 2017 to the State of Tennessee Healthcare Facilities Licensing Board. Professional awards include Senior Healthcare Executive of the Year (2016), Rural Healthcare Executive of the Year (2017), and the WestStar Make-a-Difference Award (2018). She received her B.S. in Chemistry from Lipscomb University, her M.D. degree and Pediatrics residency training from East Tennessee State University Quillen College of Medicine, and her M.B.A. from Bethel University. Both Dr. Piercey and her husband, David, an industrial safety specialist, are west Tennessee natives and have four children.



WORKSHOP 4.16 | Meeting Room 1 | 2:00pm - 3:00pm

Implementing Drug User Health Services, Harm Reduction Programs, and Law Enforcement Partnerships

Sara Alese, Tennessee Recovery Alliance

1534496253_Sarah Melton.pngSara Alese started her journey doing volunteer work testing participants in rural areas for HIV and HepC. As a result of her extensive volunteer efforts, she was hired on with an organization and was testing nearly 450 participants in the rural Appalachian area within a year and half. During that time, she began to develop bonds and relationships with these individuals, a lot of whom used drugs. This transcended into her learning about harm reduction which continues to be her passion today. She found that by treating people who used drugs like they were equal, teaching them simple and effective ways to reduce their risk, and keeping a line of communication open; many have since drastically improved their quality of life and have begun to practice harm reduction themselves. Additionally, Sara discovered the intense need for naloxone in rural areas by her efforts of spending a lot of time with the homeless population in Knoxville. Sara has been a pioneer in this movement with her direct approach tactics, boots to the ground mentality, and her openness to share her personal struggles and successes with substance use and disease. Her current goals for TRA are: to make naloxone more obtainable for everyone, expand the dynamic of direct support with people who use drugs to make them more sustainable, to mobilize and educate the public in regards to policy change, harm reduction, and employing people who use drugs to elevate their confidence and reduce the stigma.

Robert Childs, MPH, Technical Expert Lead, JBS International

1534496253_Sarah Melton.pngRobert Childs is currently a Technical Expert Lead at JBS International, focusing on providing technical assistance on rural overdose prevention projects. Prior to working at JBS, Robert was an independent consultant working on multiple community and law enforcement overdose (OD) prevention and harm reduction consulting projects. He also worked as North Carolina Harm Reduction Coalition’s (NCHRC) Executive Director from 2009-2018 and oversaw the agency's operations, program implementation and innovation. Robert Childs specializes in harm reduction practice, overdose prevention and response initiatives, drug policy advocacy and reform, law enforcement assisted diversion (LEAD) and law enforcement occupational safety & drug overdose response. At NCHRC, Robert helped develop the largest syringe exchange network, as well as community and law enforcement based naloxone distribution programs in the US South. He has been invited to speak at the United Nations, the US Congress, ONDCP, the FDA and multiple state legislatures on his work. Robert worked with NCHRC in leading the campaigns that led to the passage of comprehensive overdose prevention bills in 2013, 2015 and 2017 and passage of syringe decriminalization, biohazard collection and syringe exchange bills in 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2017. Childs and his team also secured funding for naloxone purchasing (2015, 2017, 2018) and for LEAD programs (2016). Robert helped start the South's first LEAD program in Fayetteville (2016) and helped in setting up multiple other programs around the state. Childs’ work has been featured in the New York Times, the Lancet, People, the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, the Daily Beast, Kaiser Health News, Fox News, NBC News, ABC News, Human Rights Watch, Governing, MMWR, NPR & the Huffington Post.

Donnie Varnell, Investigator, Dare County Sheriff’s Office

1534496253_Sarah Melton.pngDonnie Varnell is an investigator with the Dare County Sheriff’s Office, where he also sits on several state level committees combating prescription and opioid drug abuse. Donnie continues to work with law enforcement agencies and policy makers to promote and enact harm reduction based programs such as syringe exchange programs and pre-arrest diversion concepts. Donnie was the director of the NCHRC’s Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) Program and also served as the NCHRC’s Policing Coordinator where he was heavily involved in the Naloxone Program for Law Enforcement and First Responders. He also assisted with developing and implementing harm reduction legislation. Donnie presents and advises at the state, local and national level on issues dealing with the opioid crisis. Mr. Varnell is a retired Special Agent In-Charge for the NC SBI Diversion and Environmental Crimes Unit (DECU) where he developed policy, conducted and supervised investigations dealing with prescription narcotics and environmental violation.




WORKSHOP 4.17 | Meeting Room 2 | 2:00pm - 3:00pm

Bridging Gaps to Improve Population Health

Paige Kisber, MEd, President and CEO, Hospital Alliance of Tennessee

1534496253_Sarah Melton.pngPaige Kisber serves as president and CEO of Hospital Alliance of Tennessee (HAT), the only statewide organization that exclusively represents not-for-profit hospitals. Since joining HAT in 2003, Kisber has directed HAT’s advocacy and lobbying activities on issues such as TennCare reform, certificate of need revisions and preserving tax exemptions. Prior to her work in the health care arena, Kisber worked in government relations for the University of Tennessee. As the UT system’s sole full time administrator in Nashville, Kisber was responsible for aligning the university’s initiatives with the needs and priorities of state government. During her ten years at the university, she led the development and implementation of a nationally-acclaimed youth leadership program and was recognized by the Points of Light Foundation and received the UT Vice Presidential Citation Award. Kisber holds a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from The University of Tennessee, Knoxville and a Master of Education in Human Resource Development from Vanderbilt University. Active in various civic and cultural causes, Kisber has served on the Board of Directors of the Autism Society of Middle TN, High Hopes, Domestic Violence Intervention Center and the advisory board for the TN Bar Association’s Youth Court Program and a former member of the International Women’s Forum. Presently, she is an active board member of STARS (students taking a right stand) and TICUA, the-not-for profit organization representing Tennessee’s independent colleges and universities. She is a member of Class VI of Leadership Tennessee. Kisber and her husband, Matt, reside in Nashville with their son, Harrison and daughter, Katherine.


WORKSHOP 4.18 | Franklin | 2:00pm - 3:00pm

Developing the Tennessee Climate Office: Climate Data Services and Applications for Community Resilience and Public Health

Andrew Joyner, PhD, Associate Professor, Acting State Climatologist, Geoinformatics and Disaster Lab Director, GIS Certificate Coordinator, Department of Geosciences, East Tennessee State University

1534496253_Sarah Melton.pngAndrew Joyner is an Associate Professor in the Department of Geosciences and Director of the Geoinformatics and Disaster Science (GADS) Lab at East Tennessee State University, with research and teaching interests in geographic information systems and mapping, public health, vector disease modeling, niche modeling, biogeography, climatology, and hazard mitigation planning. Andrew teaches multiple GIS classes (e.g., Advanced GIS, GIS Projects, Ecological Niche Mapping & Modeling, Hazard Mapping) and is the Graduate GIS Certificate Coordinator at ETSU. Additionally, Andrew has developed various FEMA-approved Hazard Mitigation Plans (e.g., multi-campus HMPs for ETSU, Tufts University, and Louisiana State University, the Louisiana state HMP (2014), and the Sevier County TN HMP) that focus on impacts and mitigation strategies for predominantly climate-related hazards. He is also developing the Tennessee Climate Office (TCO), to be hosted by ETSU as a climate data service for the state.

William Tollefson, MS, Lecturer, Acting Assistant State Climatologist, Geoinformatics and Disaster Lab GIS Coordinator, Department of Geosciences, East Tennessee State University

1534496253_Sarah Melton.pngWilliam Tollefson is a Lecturer in Geosciences at East Tennessee State University and the GIS Coordinator for the Geoinformatics and Disaster Science (GADS) Lab. Wil teaches multiple GIS classes (e.g., Intro to Geospatial Technology, Digital Mapping with GIS, Open Source GIS, Intro to GIS, Earth and Society, UAV Applications) and serves as the Outreach Coordinator for the Department of Geosciences. He is also co-developing the Tennessee Climate Office at ETSU. He has a background in meteorology, climatology, and geospatial analysis, which he uses to provide expertise in hazard mapping and analysis and monthly climate summary reports for the state of Tennessee.




WORKSHOP 4.19 | Clydesdale | 2:00pm - 3:00pm

Graduate First: Expanding Knowledge and Access to Long-Acting Reversible Contraception (LARC)

Claudia Haltom, JD, Founder and Director of Donor Relations, A Step Ahead Foundation

1534496253_Sarah Melton.pngOriginally from Marion County Tenn., and now a Memphis resident, Claudia Haltom has been a former judicial magistrate for Memphis and Shelby County Juvenile Court, an assistant county attorney for Shelby County Government and the primary attorney for the Health Department, Juvenile Court and Shelby County Board of Education. She is founder of the state wide nonprofit, A Step Ahead Foundation dedicated to encouraging young women to Graduate First, and have access and understanding regarding LARC. Ms. Haltom received her undergraduate degree in journalism from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville in 1977 and her juris doctor from University of Tennessee College of Law in 1980. Ms. Haltom is a member of the National Council of Juvenile Court Judges, member and fellow of the American Bar Association and past Board of Governors and fellow of the Tennessee Bar Association. She also is a delegate to the United Nations 62nd Session of the Commission on the Status of Women, 2018; a former Paul Harris fellow of the Rotary Club; and treasurer-elect of the Board of Directors, Children’s Foundation of Memphis.

Jenny Matthews, BS, Executive Director, A Step Ahead Foundation of Middle Tennessee

1534496253_Sarah Melton.pngJenny Matthews is the Executive Director of A Step Ahead Foundation of Middle Tennessee. With nearly a decade of experience directing a charity healthcare program, Jenny was eager to help women plan their lives and their families. She helped establish A Step Ahead operation in Nashville. She was named by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation as Nashville’s Top 30 Under 30 and is very active with other non-profits outside of A Step Ahead, including the Arthritis Foundation and Young Leaders Council. Her passion lies with providing access to healthcare and breaking down barriers that prevent those from receiving the care they need.

Maggie Grady Wood, MT-BC, Executive Director, A Step Ahead Foundation of Tri-Cities

Maggie comes to A Step Ahead Foundation with experience in healthcare management and a passion for reproductive justice. She joins the ASAF team as Executive Director of A Step Ahead Foundation Tri-Cities, the most recently formed affiliate, serving the eight counties of Northeast Tennessee.

Margaret Taylor, MS Executive Director, A Step Ahead Foundation of West Tennessee

1534496253_Sarah Melton.pngCurrently serves as the Executive Director of A Step Ahead of West Tennessee. Margaret is a native of Lexington, TN and has lived in Jackson, Madison County, for over 25 years. Margaret is a mother of two, Candy and RJ and the grandmother to four beautiful grandchildren, Malique, Macey, Jordy, and TJ. Margaret received her Bachelor’s Degree from Lambuth University, her Masters in Strategic Leadership from the University of Memphis and is currently a doctoral candidate for her Doctorate in Leadership.






WORKSHOP 4.20 | Williamson | 2:00pm – 3:00pm

It’s your Mouth, So What Ya Gonna Do about It?

Alisa Cade, DDS

Alisa Cade has served as the TDH Northeast Regional Dental Director for twelve years and served in public health for over nineteen years.

Veran Fairrow, DDS, MPH, Director of Oral Health Services, Tennessee Department of Health

1534496253_Sarah Melton.pngVeran Fairrow was appointed Director of Oral Health Services for the Tennessee Department of Health (TDH) in September of 2014 and she has served in public health for over seventeen years.






Dinah Kitchens, DDS, MSPH

Dinah Kitchens became the TDH Mid-Cumberland Regional Dental Director in 2016 and has served in public health for over eighteen years.



WORKSHOP 5.21| Meeting Room 1 | 3:15pm - 4:15pm

Medication Assisted Therapy (MAT) as a Harm Reduction Strategy to Address the Opioid/ Substance Use Epidemic

Kelly Cooper, MD, MPH, Physician, Addiction Services, Cherokee Health Systems

1534496253_Sarah Melton.pngDr. Cooper lives in Knoxville, TN and is trained in Family Medicine and Preventive Medicine. She has worked in local urban and rural public health for 6 years to address current and emerging health threats to the public. Dr Cooper has also worked with an urban non-profit in mobile syringe services helping to create a new model of testing and linkage to care for Persons Who Inject Drugs. Dr Cooper currently works at Cherokee Health Systems in Addiction Medicine where she treats patients with substance use disorder with Medically Assisted Treatment (MAT). She teaches in adjunct professor roles at University of TN, Knoxville, Department of Public Health and Meharry Medical College, School of Medicine. She is passionate about helping to curb the epidemic and improve outcomes for persons with substance use disorders.





WORKSHOP 5.22| Meeting Room 2 | 3:15pm - 4:15pm

The Impact of Poverty on Health: Implications for Tennessee

Randy Wykoff, MD, MPH & TM, Dean, College of Public Health, East Tennessee State University

1534496253_Sarah Melton.pngRandy Wykoff is the founding Dean of the College of Public Health at East Tennessee State University, a position he has held since 2006. He is also a member of the Board of the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health (ASPPH). Prior to coming to ETSU, Dr. Wykoff was the Senior Vice President for International Operations at Project HOPE, responsible for over-seeing all international health and humanitarian assistance programs in over 30 countries. He previously served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health (Disease Prevention and Health Promotion) in the Department of Health and Human Services, overseeing the release and implementation of Healthy People 2010, and the Surgeon General's Call to Action to Prevent and Decrease Overweight and Obesity, as well as serving for a year as the Acting Executive Director of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sport. Dr. Wykoff also served as the Associate Commissioner for AIDS and Special Health Issues, and, later, as the Associate Commissioner for Operations, during eleven years at the Food and Drug Administration. During this time, he served for 18 months as the Deputy to the Acting Commissioner and completed a six month detail with the Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee. He started his Public Health career as a District Medical Director in South Carolina, overseeing all public health activities in a rural six county health district. He is a physician, board certified in both pediatrics and preventive medicine, with additional training and certification in tropical medicine.


WORKSHOP 5.23| Franklin | 3:15pm - 4:15pm

The United States of Numb- Current Trends in Substance Misuse

Angela Camp, MA Director of Strategic Engagement, Bradford Health Services

1534496253_Sarah Melton.pngAngela Camp holds a Masters in Counseling from the University of Alabama-Birmingham. She has worked in the mental health and addictions field for 30 years, 18 of which have been with Bradford Health Services. Currently, Angela is the Director of Strategic Engagement. In this role, she oversees corporate community and professional engagement, including branding and quality assurance of all live and digital educational events and conferences regionally, statewide and on a national level. She is also the current Board President of the Alabama School of Alcohol and Other Drug Studies (ASADS). She presents to professionals across the country on various topics including addiction, adolescent and young adult development, drug trends, social media, treatment, legalization, digital addiction, bullying, and parenting.




WORKSHOP 5.24 | Williamson | 3:15pm - 4:15pm

Now What? What’s new in Infectious Diseases

Timothy Jones, MD, State Epidemiologist, Tennessee Department of Health

1534496253_Sarah Melton.pngDr. Jones completed medical school at Stanford University and practiced in an underserved population in Utah before joining the CDC’s Epidemic Intelligence Service. He now serves as the State Epidemiologist for the Tennessee Department of Health, overseeing numerous programs including communicable diseases, environmental health, and public health emergency preparedness. He serves on CDC’s Board of Scientific Counselors and is Chair of the MMWR Editorial Board.






Friday, September 13, 2019

WORKSHOP 6.25 | Meeting Room 1 | 8:30am - 9:30am

How to Manage What’s Changing in Bacterial Respiratory Diseases

Allen Craig, MD, FAAFP, Branch Chief, Respiratory Diseases Branch, Division of Bacterial Diseases, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

1534496253_Sarah Melton.pngAllen is the Chief of the Respiratory Diseases Branch of the Division of Bacterial Diseases in NCIRD at CDC where he oversees lab and epi teams supporting respiratory disease outbreak responses and surveillance/research on common bacterial pathogens including Streptococci, Legionella and Mycoplasma. He graduated from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in 1982 and completed a family medicine residency at the University of Washington in 1985. He then worked as a medical officer at the Shiprock Indian Health Service Hospital in Shiprock, New Mexico from 1985 to 1995. He began his public health career at the Tennessee Department of Health as an Epidemic Intelligence Service Officer in 1995 and later served there as State Epidemiologist and Director of Communicable and Environmental Disease Services for six years. He led the Tennessee Emerging Infections Program from 1998 to 2007. His global experience includes an assignment as the CDC Resident Advisor in Zambia for the U.S. President’s Malaria Initiative from 2008 to 2012. From 2013 to 2016 he served as the Africa Team Lead for the Polio Eradication Branch at CDC.



WORKSHOP 6.26 | Meeting Room 2 | 8:30am - 9:30am

Health and Prosperity in Tennessee: Moving from Awareness to Action

Laura Berlind, MPP, Executive Director, The Sycamore Institute

1534496253_Sarah Melton.pngLaura joined The Sycamore Institute in 2015 as the founding executive director. She provides Sycamore’s organizational vision, strategic planning, and day-to-day management. Laura holds a master’s degree in public policy with a focus on business and government from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government and a bachelor’s degree from Boston College. Her role reflects her longstanding commitment to using data and research to bring together diverse stakeholders and work complex problems. Laura brings with her almost fifteen years of nonprofit and government finance experience, most recently serving as the CEO of Renewal House, a holistic residential treatment center for women and their children affected by addiction and poverty. Prior to her role at Renewal House, she worked as a financial analyst at Vanderbilt University and as a vice president in the public finance department at Ambac Financial Group in New York, NY. At Ambac, Laura worked with a wide range of government and nonprofit clients to evaluate and execute publically funded capital projects ranging in size up to $800 million. Laura maintains a strong connection to her local community through service on nonprofit boards and other volunteer activities. She is currently serving as the chair of the Tennessee Department of Mental Health’s Planning and Policy Council and is an active member of Rotary Club. In 2014, Laura received the Volunteer of the Year award from the Tennessee Association of Alcohol, Drug and Other Addiction Services. She was also recognized as one of Nashville Business Journal’s 2014 Forty under 40 award winners. She is a member of Leadership Tennessee’s Class IV and the 2018 class of the Young American Leaders Program at Harvard Business School. When she is not a work, she loves to do anything outside – hiking, camping, sailing, scuba diving and skiing top the list. Laura and her husband, Andreas, live in Nashville with their two children and always-enthusiastic mutt, Sully.


WORKSHOP 6.27 | Franklin | 8:30am - 9:30am

Filling in the Gap: Task Shifting in Mental Health

Catherine Boland, MS, CCLS, LMP, Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Consultant; Clinical Program Manager, Playing to Live!

1534496253_Sarah Melton.pngCatherine Boland is a Psychosocial Support Consultant with a demonstrated history of working to advance mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) services through mapping and assessments, program development, and trainings for front-line staff both nationally and globally. Previous experience completing needs and resources assessments include: (1) mapping and assessment of MHPSS services for local and internally displaced individuals affected by Hurricane Irma in the Caribbean with a specialized focus on services for survivors of sexual and gender based violence, (2) a needs and resource assessment to identify opportunities for the advancement of training for hospital staff and psychosocial support services for pediatric patients and families through Child Life programming at Hôpital Sacré Coeur in Milot, Haiti, and (3) a comprehensive MHPSS needs and resource assessment including a literature review and IASC MHPSS 4Ws mapping of interventions for children and adolescent South Sudanese Refugees in four refugee settlements in the West Nile Region of Uganda. Catherine is currently completing a MHPSS Consultancy with Save the Children International, East and Southern Regional Office; this assignment seeks to identify the impact of armed conflict and displacement on the mental and psychosocial health of children in the Horn of Africa through a desk review and focused research assessment in the West Nile Region of Uganda. As a Certified Child Life Specialist, Catherine holds experience working clinically to support the psychosocial needs of children and families facing illness, trauma, and crisis globally. She has a passion for working collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams to support coordination across sectors and promote the implementation of high quality, sustainable MHPSS services.

C. Alexis Decosimo, DrPH, ATR, LPCA, Founder, Executive Director and Program Director, Playing to Live!

1534496253_Sarah Melton.pngAlexis received her Doctorate in Public Health from East Tennessee State University and received her master’s in Art Therapy and Clinical Counseling at The George Washington University. Alexis is the Founder and licensed clinical counselor and art therapist of Global Art Therapy, PLLC and is the Founder and Executive Director of Playing to Live! She specializes in trauma informed art therapy, program development, research and assessments, and community based mental health. She has worked in urban and rural communities in the United States, West, East, and South Africa, and Eastern Europe. She has worked as a clinician in a multitude of settings including wilderness therapy, autism, substance abuse, at risk youth, PTSD, military, and with homeless and displaced persons. She has experienced time and time again how artistic expression, play, and cultural empowerment can facilitate recovery and healing after a traumatic experience, and her passion and career path lies within developing global programs that provide children in low resource communities a safe and healing space for recovering from trauma.



 

WORKSHOP 6.28 | Williamson | 8:30am - 9:30am

Physical Therapy’s Role in the Opioid Epidemic

Alan Meade, PT, DScPT, MPH, Director of Rehab Services, Holston Medical Group

1534496253_Sarah Melton.pngAlan is currently Director of Rehab Services at Holston Medical Group in Tri-Cities Tennessee and Southwest Virginia, a position he has held for 22 years. In this role, Alan has participated in Holston’s development of an Accountable Care Organization, and has been involved in developing a variety of value-based payment arrangements with several insurers. Alan is an active member of the Tennessee Physical Therapy Association, currently serving as President. Alan was appointed by Governor Ned McWherter to serve on the PT Board of Examiners in 1992-1998. He served as the Tennessee PT Licensing Board Consultant for 18 years after 1998 in areas of Investigation, Foreign-Educated issues, and Continuing Competency from 1998 to 2016. He is currently Adjunct Faculty at East Tennessee State University’s Physical Therapy Program and in the newly developed Rehab Sciences curriculum. He is very active in his community with the Covenant Counseling Center, Kingsport Parks & Recreation Advisory Committee, Lynn View Advisory Committee, and at First Baptist Church serving in many leadership roles. Alan has a Bachelor of Science in Physical Therapy from the University of Tennessee Center for Health Sciences, a Bachelor of Science degree in Community Health Education and Masters in Public Health and Industrial Education from East Tennessee State University. In 2012, he completed his Doctorate of Science in Physical Therapy (DScPT) at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. He loves the Kingsport Community and is married to Teresa Meade, a teacher at Jefferson Elementary School. Alan and Teresa have children and one grandchild.

Sarah Suddarth, PT, DPT, FAAOMPT, Regional Clinic Site Coordinator, Senior Therapist, Benchmark Physical Therapy

1534496253_Sarah Melton.pngSarah Suddarth is a physical therapist from Giles County, TN. She graduated with her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Belmont University in 2010. She has been practicing in Ardmore and Pulaski, TN since 2010 and, during this time, has gained tremendous exposure to a vast array of patient populations including wound care, post-operative care, orthopedic problems, chronic pain, pelvic floor dysfunction, and vestibular issues. She has advanced training in manual therapy and completed a Fellowship in Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy through the American Academy of Manipulative Therapy in March of 2016, earning the credential Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapists (FAAOMPT). She is also certified in Spinal Manipulative Therapy (Cert. SMT) and Dry Needling (Cert. DN). Sarah was in the second cohort of therapists to earn the Diploma in Osteopractic Physical Therapy. She has completed courses through Herman and Wallace earning certification in pelvic floor dysfunction and uses this training to treat both men and women who have pelvic pain and urinary incontinence. Sarah is very active in the Tennessee Physical Therapy Association, where she currently serves as the Vice President. She was Tennessee’s Federal Affairs Liaison with the American Physical Therapy Association from 2011-2016. In this role, she traveled to Washington, D.C. to lobby for patients’ rights to access for physical therapy. She arranged a practice visit with Congressman Marsha Blackburn to her clinic in 2014, where Congressman Blackburn was able to see firsthand what the profession of physical therapy offered the citizens of Tennessee. Sarah has a special interest in physical therapy in developing nations. She has joined International Servants on four medical mission trips to Belize, and she plans to continue her work with them in on an annual basis.