Featured Speakers
Facilitators
Faiza Coleman-Salako, MSIS
Faiza Coleman-Salako, MSIS, is a Behavioral and Social Sciences Librarian (20+) supporting research in the dissemination of information to historically disadvantaged populations. She served as a K-12 educator (10+) teaching religious and ethnic minority students and is a developing Islamic family mediator. As Executive Officer of Words Heal, Inc., she helps create sustainable programs for information-delivery with the therapeutic use of books to encourage the resolution of conflict, informed decision-making, and reduce perceptions of loneliness and social isolation. Coleman-Salako has formal training in Islamic and Quranic Sciences, holds a Bachelor's degree in Journalism from Butler University, and a Master’s in Information Science from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. She is intent on establishing bibliotherapy as a proved aid to well-being.
pastor Lisa Connors, LCPC, NCC, MAC, ABD
Pastor Lisa Connors, LCPC, NCC, MAC, ABD, is an Associate Pastor at In His Image International Ministry, Inc. She is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, National Certified Counselor, and Master Addiction Counselor. Her greatest passion is working with individuals affected by HIV/AIDS, substance use disorders, mental health disorders, violence, abuse, trauma, grief, loss, and racial and social injustices. Connors’ clinical work includes serving clients who have co-occurring disorders. In addition to her pastoral and clinical work, Connors is a college professor teaching chemical dependency and substance use disorder courses and is a founding member and the President-Elect of the Maryland Association for Addiction Professionals (MAAP). Connors earned her Bachelor's in Social Work, Master's of Divinity, Master's in Professional Counseling, and is completing her Doctoral degree in Psychology.
Curtis Dorsey, MEd, CCS, CADC-II, ICGC-II
Curtis Dorsey, MEd, CCS, CADC-II, ICGC-II, is a graduate of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, and Post-Graduate of Lesley University Cambridge (MA). Dorsey is a Master’s-prepared Counseling Educator, with over 20 years of experience specializing in addiction counseling with clinical and instructional experience related to both chemical and behavioral addictions. Currently working for the Grady Health System in Atlanta, GA, Dorsey provides clinical supervision for those seeking initial and recertification for addiction and gambling counseling as a board approved clinical consultant for the National Council for Problem Gambling.
Rev. Earle J. Fisher, PhD
Rev. Earle J. Fisher, PhD, is Senior Pastor of Abyssinian Baptist Church in Memphis, Tennessee. Rev. Fisher holds a Doctoral degree in Communication from the University of Memphis and is author of The Reverend Albert Cleage Jr. and the Black Prophetic Tradition (2021).
Nissi Hamilton, BS, MBA
Nissi Hamilton, BS, MBA, is a subject matter expert, global humanitarian, and survivor of human trafficking. CEO and Executive Director of non-profit Nissi’s Network Inc., she has given away over one million dollars in resources as she advocates for juvenile justice and human trafficking awareness prevention. She was trafficked as a victim child at the age of 15 years old from foster care and became the first case known in Texas for being sued for child support by the men who trafficked her. She superseded expectations of victimization and garnered impeccable results such as the passing of Senate Bill 315 also known as the Texas Smart Act to prevent young girls from working at sexually oriented businesses at the age of 18, they now must be 21 years of age to work. For her outstanding achievements in improving justice for child trafficking victims, she is the recipient of the National Black Prosecutors Association Courage in Profiles Award, the Paul H. Chapman Award, the 2022 ProtectHer Award from New Friends New Life and a three-time recipient of the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award.
Rommel Johnson, PhD, LPC, NCC, CAADC
Rommel Johnson, PhD, LPC, NCC, CAADC, is an Assistant Professor in the School of Rehabilitation Services and Counseling at the University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley. Johnson holds a Doctoral degree in Counselor Education and Supervision from Western Michigan University and Master of Arts degrees in Community Counseling and Youth Ministry from Andrews University. Johnson is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in the states of Michigan and Texas, and is board certified in General Counseling (NCC) and Addiction Counseling (CAADC). Johnson has over 14 years of clinical mental health and addiction counseling experience. Johnson’s research interests include exploring brain neuroplasticity in addiction and recovery and understanding issues of race, social justice, disability, addiction, and mental health within Afro-Caribbean and Afro-Latinx Americans.
Sherri Layton, LCDC, CCS
Sherri Layton, LCSC, CCS, has 45 years experience in the treatment profession, and has served in various clinical, management, and administrative capacities. Layton has been with La Hacienda Treatment Center since 1992. Currently, she is the Director of Public Policy and leads La Hacienda’s advocacy efforts in Texas and nationally. Layton co-chairs NAADAC’s Public Policy Committee and is the Immediate Past President of TAAP, NAADAC’s Texas affiliate.
Angela Maxwell, PhD, CPS
Angela Maxwell, PhD, CPS, is the Prevention Services Director for Alcohol and Drug Services. She oversees services in ten counties across central North Carolina and has worked in substance use prevention 25 years. Maxwell is also the co-founder of Aspire Training and Consulting Group, LLC. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in English (UNC-Chapel Hill), a Master of Science degree in Agency Counseling (NC A&T State University) and Doctor of Philosophy degree in Leadership Studies (NC A&T State University). She is a Certified Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist. Maxwell serves on several local, statewide and national boards. She is a statewide trainer in the areas of substance use prevention, workforce development, strategic planning, coalition development, and workplace wellness. Maxwell has received several statewide substance use professional of the year awards (2008, 2010, 2019).
Cynthia Moreno Tuohy, BSW, NCAC II, CDC III, SAP
Cynthia Moreno Tuohy, BSW, NCAC II, CDC III, SAP, is the Executive Director of NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals, and has worked as an addiction professional for 46 years. She has been a trainer in Domestic Violence/Anger Management and Conflict Resolution for over 30 years as well as an international, national and state trainer. Moreno Tuohy is also a curriculum writer in addiction screening and evaluation, counseling methods, conflict resolution, co-occurring disorders, ethics, documentation, and medicated assisted treatment and recovery, and has written articles published in national and other trade magazines. Her book, Rein in Your Brain; from Impulsivity to Thoughtful Living in Recovery, was released May 2014 through Hazelden Publishers. She has served as President of NAADAC, Certification Board Commissioner, International Chair, Treasurer and Legislative Chair for NAADAC.
Peter D. Mott, MA, LCDC, ICADC, ADC
Peter D. Mott, MA, LCDC, ICADC, ADC, has been in the behavior health profession for over 20 years. He is a Master’s-level Licensed Clinician. Mott’s behavioral health experience has been based in an acute care hospital, residential, and outpatient treatment settings. For the last three years, he served as Program Director for a comprehensive IOP treatment program specializing in chronic pain, dependency, and opioid use disorders. Mott was elected to the Texas Certification Board in 2020 and he is the Immediate-Past President of the Houston Chapter TAAP. In August of 2020, Mott was selected to serve on NAADAC’s newly created committee, Critical Issues in the Black Community. Mott was awarded NAADAC's Counselor of the Year in 2021. He was voted Member of the Year for the Houston Chapter TAAP in 2018 and Counselor of the Year in 2016.
Marisol Norris, PhD
Marisol Norris, PhD, is a Cultural Worker, Music Therapy Practitioner and Educator, and the Founder of the Black Music Therapy Network. Her clinical and supervisory experience has spanned medical and community health settings and includes acute psychiatric care, trauma and loss, addictions, and ruptures and repair within family systems. A leading scholar in Black aesthetics in music therapy, Norris has presented internationally expanding the applied practice of radical healing frameworks within Black communities. Norris' work centers anti-oppressive approaches across health settings that amplify the liberatory function of music processes to deepen human relationships and address relational and structural harms.
Joe Powell, LCDC
Joe Powell, LCDC, is in long term recovery with 31 years free of alcohol and other drugs. He is the President/CEO of the Association of Persons Affected by Addiction (APAA) in Dallas, TX, a recovery community organization that provides peer-to-peer mental health and substance use recovery support services for individuals, family members, and the community. Powell has been a licensed chemical dependency counselor for over 25 years. He has a broad base of expertise regarding all aspects of behavioral health service delivery systems and their impact on families. He specializes in areas regarding recovery community support services, systems of care, and the holistic recovery management process. Powell is a servant leader, lifelong learner, innovator and initiator of telehealth peer recovery support services, and a national subject matter expert in the peer recovery movement. He is originally from Harlem, NY.
Monica Rich-McLaurin, MHSA, MSW, LMSW
Monica Rich-McLaurin, MHSA, MSW, LMSW, is a clinician with over 25 years of experience. She is the CEO/Founder of Paramount Consulting Group, PLLC, which provides accreditation preparation services to organizations that provide behavioral health services, children and youth services, and opioid treatment programs. Rich-McLaurin is also the CEO of Resolution Counseling & Therapy Services, PLLC, which provides direct clinical services to adults. She is an administrative and program surveyor for CARF International, an accrediting body for the majority of behavioral health, medical rehabilitation, and opioid treatment organizations around the world. Rich-McLaurin is the Chairwoman of the NASW National Ethics Committee, active within NAADAC as a member of the Critical Issues in the Black Community Committee, chair of the Ethics Committee, and a board member of the Michigan Association of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Counselors (MAADAC).
Daryl Shorter, MD
Daryl Shorter, MD, is board-certified in addiction psychiatry and adult psychiatry and is the Medical Director of Addictions Services at Menninger. He is also an associate professor in the Menninger Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at Baylor College of Medicine. His research has been published in numerous peer-reviewed journals, including the American Journal of Addictions, Journal of Psychiatric Practice, Addiction Biology, American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse and Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences. Shorter earned his Bachelor's degree from Rice University and his medical degree from Baylor College of Medicine. His postgraduate training includes a general psychiatry residency at The Ohio State University and an addictions fellowship at New York University.
Thurston S. Smith, MPA, LAC/s, CCS
Thurston S. Smith, MPA, LAC/S, CCS, is a project team member for Paramount Consulting Group, PLLC. He has over 25 years of experience in criminal and juvenile programming, mental health, and children and youth services. Smith serves as Administrative and Program Surveyor for CARF International and adjunct faculty member for Union University. He is a retiree of the U.S. Veterans Health Administration and he held a variety of leadership positions during his civil service career. Smith serves as a community organizer, public policy activist, and advocate against poverty and racial injustice. He is the recipient of the 2020 Presidential Service Award and 2021 NAADAC Mel Schulstad Professional of the Year Award. Smith is an associate minister, certified coach/mentor, licensed counselor, and clinical supervisor, and is currently serving his second term on the Tennessee Community Resource Board for the Tennessee Department of Corrections.
Conte M. Terrell, CCC, DMin, PhD
Conte M. Terrell, CCC, DMin, PhD, is one of the nation’s most sought-after experts in family violence and healthy relationships, an international best-selling published author and speaker. Her journey started after surviving a ten-year marriage to a physically abusive ex-spouse. In 1997, her personal experience and passion to assist others compelled her to start Fresh Spirit Wellness for Women, Inc. a nonprofit organization assisting domestic violence survivors and families affected by this crisis, to help them reclaim their power. She is also the CEO of the Success Season Next Level Coaching Program and CEO of Fresh Spirit Publishing LLC. She has been honored with many awards for her work with woman, philanthropy and community service including receiving the Joe Biden Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award.
Helena Washington, MEd, LCDC, ICADC, MAC
Helena Washington, MEd, LCDC, ICADC, MAC, is a licensed addiction specialist and mental wellness and behavioral health diversity authority. She has over 25 years of experience working with children, adolescents, adults, and family systems. Her passion is using a holistic and collaborative approach to mental wellness, as well as educating communities, organizations, and corporations. As a CBT/DBT trained practitioner, Washington is also trained in Trauma & Grief Component Therapy-Adolescents and Adults, a part of the Texas Children’s Collaborative Group for trauma care and trauma-informed care. Presently, she runs her private practice and behavioral health consulting firm, Helena Washington Consulting & Coaching, a subsidiary of BraveBird Recovery and Wellness, PLLC, in Houston, Texas. Washington is the President of the Houston Chapter Texas Association of Addiction Professionals Board (a NAADAC affiliate).
Kevin Washington, PhD (Mwata Kairi)
Kevin Washington, PhD (Mwata Kairi), is an Afrikan-Centered Psychologist licensed in Florida and Washington, DC, engaged in the inquiry into the human soul. He has taught, lectured, and spoken at several colleges nationally and internationally, as well as many other national and international organizations. He is a Past President of the Association of Black Psychologists as well as the former Dean and Pastor of Imani Temple Cathedral. Currently, he is an Associate Professor and Head of the Sociology and Psychology at Grambling State University and is the National Director of Black Marriage Day. As a Fulbright-Hays scholar, Washington conducted research in South Afrika (Azania) where he researched Ubuntu and how it can inform mental health service delivery to people of Afrikan ancestry and others. As the founder of Ubuntu Psychotherapy (Psychology), he advances a culturally sensitive modality for mental health counseling and psychotherapy for Black men and boys as well as Black/Afrikan families.
Sherrá Watkins, PhD, LCMHC-S, LCAS, CRC
Sherrá Watkins, PhD, LCMHC-S, LCAS, CRC, is the Associate Vice President of Student Health and Wellness at the University of Utah. A leader in the mental health and substance use field, her passion is to transform systems that perpetuate decreased access and utilization of counseling services towards marginalized populations. Watkins’ research focuses on decreasing the stigma of mental health and substance use treatment among African Americans. She has vast expertise in the areas of public health, mental health and substance use administration and education, wellness, and mentorship for minority professionals. Watkins earned four degrees from East Carolina University, a Doctoral degree in Rehabilitation Counseling & Administration, a Master's in Clinical Counseling & Substance Abuse Counseling and Health Education, and a Bachelor’s degree in School Health Education. She has received personal honors from Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., and professional honors ECU Leadership Awards: 40 under 40 Inaugural Class.
Carolyn M. West, PhD
Carolyn M. West, PhD, is an award-winning Author, International Speaker, Documentary Filmmaker, Expert Witness, and Professor of Clinical Psychology at the University of Washington. For more than three decades, she has been investigating domestic violence and sexual assault in the lives of African American women. She has authored more than 100 academic publications and is editor of Violence in the Lives of Black Women: Battered, Black, and Blue. West has given Congressional Briefings and hundreds of keynote addresses, workshops, and presentations around the country. She has been interviewed by national media outlets including, The New York Times, Washington Post, NPR, and CBS News. Her mission is to deliver keynote addresses, conduct workshops, and customize innovative training material to educate and equip professionals with the skills to provide culturally responsive services. She can be reached at www.DrCarolynWest.com
Britton Williams, MPhil, LCAT, RDT/BCT
Britton Williams, MPhil, LCAT, RDT/BCT, is an Adjunct Professor in the Program in Drama Therapy (NYU), an adjunct lecturer at Hunter College (CUNY), and works in private practice. With a wide range of experience working across the age span in a variety of settings, Williams is committed to engaging creative forms of expression and healing. Additionally, Williams' work extends to non-clinical settings. In this capacity, she uses drama therapeutic techniques with organizations, companies, theatres, schools, and universities to help guide and facilitate a range of discussions and processes. As a Doctoral candidate in the Social Welfare Program at the Graduate Center (CUNY), Williams is a member of the inaugural Mellon Humanities Public Fellows cohort. She is deeply and urgently concerned with the possibilities that live with/in radical (re)imagining and the inextricable connectedness of healing and liberation. Her dissertation research project, The Black MAP Project: A Black People’s Epistemology of Healing, lifts the history and trajectory of Black creative healing and seeks to (re)imagine mental health care for Black people.