Dr. Andre L. Johnson, a native Detroiter, is currently the Founder/President/CEO of the Detroit Recovery Project Incorporated, a trailblazing multi-service non-profit agency that provides a wide spectrum of prevention, treatment, and recovery support services to the city’s recovery community. Dr. Johnson has consulted on behalf of the United States President’s…

Angel Carroll is an advocate and data equity strategist working at the intersection of justice, mental health, and community-driven systems change. As the Director of Advocacy at Measure, she leads initiatives that challenge traditional data practices by centering the lived experiences of Black, Brown, and Indigenous communities. Through coalition-building, policy…

Brian Peek, in recovery from alcohol use since 1990, is the Executive Director of RISE Peer Recovery. A Certified Addiction Peer Recovery Coach (CAPRC II) and Licensed Addiction Counselor (LAC), he has 18 years of experience in recovery work. Leaving a 26-year career at Wabash Valley Correctional Facility, he built…

Deborah advocates for state and federal policies to improve access to comprehensive and equitable substance use disorder and mental health care in Medicare, Medicaid, and commercial insurance. She leads the Legal Action Center’s Medicare Addiction Parity Project and the Parity for All initiative, and serves as a consumer representative to…

Libby Jones is the Program Director of GHAI’s Overdose Prevention Initiative. Libby leads the Initiative’s advocacy efforts, advancing federal policies to reduce the overdose death rate in the US by expanding access to treatment and promoting harm reduction. Prior to joining GHAI, Libby served as government relations officer at the…

Nikki Soda is a highly accomplished advocate and strategic marketer with a strong background in the behavioral health field. She possesses an MS in Addiction Policy from Georgetown University and has amassed 10 years of experience in this domain. Passionate about advocacy and public policy, Nikki actively engages in volunteering…

Shelly Weizman, JD is a human rights lawyer whose areas of interest include advancing public policy related to addiction, mental health, and disabilities. She is the associate director of the Center on Addiction and Public Policy at the O’Neill Institute at Georgetown Law, where she works on a project portfolio…

Teresa joined LAC in 2024 as the National Director of Health Initiatives, bringing a passion for racial justice and health equity. She leads LAC’s work to defend Medicaid and other public benefits for people with substance use disorders and arrest and conviction records. Previously, she served as Pennsylvania’s insurance commissioner,…

Vanessa Phillips, B.S., CADAC II, CSPR-CL, is the Director of Forensic Services at RISE Peer Recovery, where she leads efforts to expand peer-led re-entry services. Shaped by her own experiences growing up with addiction and domestic violence, she is passionate about building recovery-focused systems. After overcoming postpartum anxiety and psychosis,…