Greg Puckett a native southern West Virginian with a passion for prevention. He has worked tirelessly to bring special projects and initiatives to his community. He led the charge to support funding for Teen Courts throughout West Virginia, serves on several state committees and on the Board of the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA), where he is a past recipient of CADCA’s National Advocate of the Year award. For the past decade, he has traveled throughout the United States to train communities on sustainability, and locally has worked to revitalize his hometown of Princeton, West Virginia. Through the “Princeton Renaissance Project” the group has been actively using culturally effective change strategies to revitalize its local downtown theater. The project is also a community engine to reduce substance misuse, reinvigorate hope in its young people, and engage the future, while embracing its past.

He is the father of two children, Lauren, and Joseph, who keep him dedicated to making positive changes and leaving a legacy for the next generation to follow.

• Email: greg.puckett@strongcommunities.org
• Website: http://strongcommunities.org/
• LinkedIn: @gregpuckettwv

Community Toolbox: https://ctb.ku.edu/en/table-of-contents/assessment/promotion-strategies/overview/main

My Guest today is Kendra Tapie, who serves as the Region Director of Prevention at Serenity Foundation of Texas, managing 3 prevention campuses in Abilene, Wichita Falls and Weatherford. Kendra is passionate about training and using her experience to equip, refresh and encourage others to be more effective in the Prevention field. Kendra helped form a Teen Recovery Group for students under the age of 18 and is a part of the Texas training cadre with the Human Health Service Commission. She has a degree in public speaking and master’s in counseling and human development and is an Advanced Certified Prevention Specialist. In 2023 Kendra was recognized as the Texas Prevention Specialist of the Year.

• Email: kendra@serenitytexas.com
• Website: https://serenitytexas.com/
• https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-transformational-leadership-2795313
• https://youtu.be/c8ZCBZ_xDXU?feature=shared

Elliott Orrin Hinkle, they/them, BS - Principal and Founder of Unicorn Solutions LLC. Elliott is a skilled speaker, facilitator, advisor, and national expert focused on elevating lived expertise in systems that serve children, youth, and families particularly in support of the LGBTQIA2S+ community. They bring 12+ years lived and professional experience on topics such as child welfare, youth mental health, and the LGBTQIA2S+ community. Elliott has lived experience in the Wyoming Foster Care System as a young person but calls Oregon home. This is their 3rd year as a Federal Lived Experience Expert Partner for the Equity Technical Assistance Center (ETAC). Elliott has worked on the Children's Bureau Capacity Building Center for States Project and Division X TA Project at ICF and the National Youth in Transition Database (NYTD) Reviews via JBS International, and Oregon Healthy Transitions Project at Portland State University, a SAMHSA grant. Passionate about wellbeing and accessibility, they are a recipient of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Award for Health Equity.

Dr. Ashley Austin, a cisgender ally to the transgender and nonbinary (TNB) community, is Professor of Social Work at Barry University and Co-creator and purveyor of the AFFIRM Interventions. Dr. Austin is actively engaged in research and clinical practice aimed at improving the well-being of TNB children, teens, and adults. Her clinical social work practice is rooted in an affirmative and compassionate stance and has a focus on supporting clients of all ages in their journeys toward living fully authentic and connected lives.

• elliottunicornsolutions@gmail.com
• https://www.unicornsolutions.org
• Instagram: @unicornsolutionsllc
• aaustin@barry.edu
• Supporting Trans Youth (lgbtqequity.org)
• Federal Guidance on Gender-Affirming Care​ – The National SOGIE Center
• www.samhsa.gov/behavioral-health-equity/lgbtqi
• lgbtqequity.org/june-2024-podcast-series/#

Vida Khavar is a licensed Marriage and Family therapist who has 25+ years’ experience in child welfare. She has assisted many organizations in developing programs that serve children and families. Vida was a consultant for the federal project: RISE, which aimed at improving the lives of LGBTQ+ youth in foster care in Los Angeles County. She is currently the Clinical Director at Family Builders. As such, she collaborates with the California Department of Social Services in developing and implementing affirming policies and practices for LGBTQ+ children in foster care. Vida also leads the Youth Acceptance Project and provides her clinical expertise to several jurisdictions throughout the country.

• vkhavar@familybuilders.org
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/vida-khavar-lmft-918a393/
• lgbtqequity.org/june-2024-podcast-series/#
• https://familybuilders.org/programs-services/youth-acceptance-project
• https://youtu.be/fyXRwX3aeOU - video (Support for LGBTQ Youth Starts at Home)
• Youth Acceptance Project – The National SOGIE Center
• www.samhsa.gov/behavioral-health-equity/lgbtqi

Dr. Bryant brings a plethora of experiences and knowledge dealing with substance use disorders (SUD), HIV/AIDS prevention and education, diversity, equity and inclusion training, anti-racism training, and sexual orientation education. He has been successful in developing and implementing a statewide strategic plan for Georgia in response to the opioid and prescription drug overdose epidemic. As a result of this formative work, Dr Bryant received a grant to do a multi-cultural needs assessment among vulnerable populations in support of the Statewide Strategic Plan from the Georgia Department of Public Health.

Dr Bryant has published over 20 peer-reviewed articles in the areas of HIV/AIDS, homophobia, racism, and tobacco use prevention, and has been a registered respiratory therapist (RRT) for over 45 years, fighting on the front lines of the Covid-19 pandemic.

As a part-time Assistant Professor at Kennesaw State University and Capella, University, Dr Bryant teaches courses in SUD, health and wellness and does research and training in the areas of SUD prevention, treatment, and recovery. Dr Bryant also has over 30 years in long-term recovery.

• Lbryant1924@gmail.com
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/lawrence-bryant-phd
• https://youtu.be/Tqryt-j94cY (video about LGBTQ+ Older Adults)
• lgbtqequity.org/june-2024-podcast-series/#
• www.samhsa.gov/behavioral-health-equity/lgbtqi

Angela Weeks brings extensive national experience creating, implementing, and evaluating programs and initiatives that improve the lives of LGBTQ+ people and communities. She has led the development of LGBTQ+ trainings and tools, policy revisions, webinars series, supported the design and implementation of interventions to support LGBTQ+ youth, and maintained resource databases and websites. In addition to directing this Center, Angela is the Project Director for The National Quality Improvement Center on Tailored Services, Placement Stability, and Permanency for LGBTQ2S Children and Youth in Foster Care (QIC-LGBTQ2S). As the Project Director for the QIC-LGBTQ2S, she has helped develop, implement, and evaluate 15 different LGBTQ+ programs and initiatives for LGBTQ+ foster youth, their families, and the workforce that serves them. She also has extensive experience supporting LGBTQ+ populations experiencing homelessness and the juvenile justice system. She holds a Doctorate in Business Administration from the University of Maryland’s Global Campus and a Master’s in Public Administration from the University of Southern California.

• angela.weeks@uconn.edu
• lgbtqequity.org/june-2024-podcast-series/#
• https://youtu.be/-CrjaFBF5dY (video - Learning about Sexual Orientation)
• www.samhsa.gov/behavioral-health-equity/lgbtqi

Karie, is a Certified ToP® Facilitator and Mentor Trainer with extensive experience in strategic planning and community engagement. Her passion for fostering collaboration and driving positive change has led her to dedicate her career to helping organizations and communities achieve their goals through effective facilitation and inclusive decision-making processes. She excels at creating safe and inclusive spaces for dialogue, managing diverse perspectives, and ensuring that all voices are heard and valued.

· www.karieterhark.com

· https://www.linkedin.com/in/karieterhark

· https://www.instagram.com/kt_facilitation/

· https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61550480096730

Nathan Wray a Prevention Coordinator for the Roane County Anti-drug Coalition in Tennessee. He’s also a highly sought after motivational speaker whose life story is nothing short of inspirational. Nathan speaks from the perspective of lived experience, in hopes of empowering youth, and his story is a powerful testament to the human spirit's resilience. Nathan’s message combines his passion for change with a sense of humor that connects with the audience to make a lasting impact. In his spare time, he hangs out with his four kids and his beautiful life.

· Website: https://www.nathanwrayspeaks.com/

· Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thatnathanwray/

· Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nwrayspeaks/