Wisconsin Professional has Logged a Dozen Years of Reaching out to Lawmakers

Donovan Kuehn
703.741.7686, ext. 125
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Michael Kemp can add one more success to his career.

In addition to founding the first dual diagnosis program in the state of Wisconsin, teaching new professionals and helping patients in the criminal justice system, Kemp has earned a new title: Advocate of the Year.

The NAADAC Public Policy committee name Michael Kemp as the 2012 recipient of the  Sen. Harold E. Hughes Advocate of the Year award.

Kemp serves a certified Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse (AODA) counselor, AODA clinical supervisor and a certified social worker in the state of Wisconsin.  He has worked in the human services profession for almost 33 years, the last 27 years as an addictions professional.

He has been a board member of the Wisconsin Association of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors (WAADAC), the NAADAC state affiliate, for 16 years and has served on various state committees and boards, advocating for prevention, treatment and certification issues. An outspoken advocate, Kemp has been coming to Washington, D.C., to advocate for the addiction profession for 12 years. 

The Sen. Harold E. Hughes Advocate of the Year Award is named after the Iowa governor, United States senator and lifelong advocate for treatment, research and recovery. This award is presented to a NAADAC member in recognition of outstanding public advocacy for addiction professionals and the clients they serve.

"Michael Kemp has been a long-time national and state level advocate for many diverse areas of legislation and support for those addicted to alcohol and drugs," said NAADAC Public Policy Chair, Gerry Schmidt.

"He has always been an active voice both in his home state and on the larger scene in Washington.  His willingness to mentor and encourage his colleagues to become active and to both call and write their representatives on key legislation effecting addictions treatment, education and research has been remarkable over the years," added Schmidt.

On top of his clinical and advocacy work, Kemp has been an adjunct faculty member in the AODA associate degree program at Fox Valley Technical College for 12 years, where he is fortunate to co-teach with his wife, Kris. Michael also consults as a clinical supervisor for several agencies in Eastern Wisconsin. He and his wife live in Oshkosh, Wis.

The award will be presented to Michael Kemp at the 2012 Advocacy Conference being held in Washington, D.C., on March 20, 2012. For full details on the conference, visit www.naadac.org/conferences/advocacy-conference.

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