Illinois Cannabis Virtual Symposium

Kellie Henrichs, Program and Development Administrator – Prevention First
Kellie is the Program and Development Administrator at Prevention First. She has experience and expertise in substance use prevention initiatives, policy efforts, strategic planning, coalition coordination, and program development, planning, and implementation focused on reducing substance use and high-risk behaviors among youth.

With over 25 years of experience working in substance use prevention, Kellie is a certified trainer of numerous drug and violence programs and spent 18 years in the classroom providing prevention education to middle school and high school students. Kellie has provided training throughout Illinois and the United States and has coauthored several violence and life skills curricula.

A mom to teenage twins, Kellie is enjoying the adventures and misadventures that life throws her way.

Jason R. Kilmer, Ph.D.
Dr. Jason Kilmer is an Associate Professor in Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Washington (UW) School of Medicine, and serves as an investigator on several studies evaluating prevention and intervention efforts for alcohol, cannabis/marijuana, and other drug use by college students. In addition to research and teaching, he has worked extensively with college students and student groups around alcohol and other drug prevention programming and presentations throughout his career (including student athletes, fraternity and sorority members, residence life, and first-year students), both at UW and on campuses across the nation.

Kellie Henrichs, Program and Development Administrator – Prevention First
Kellie is the Program and Development Administrator at Prevention First. She has experience and expertise in substance use prevention initiatives, policy efforts, strategic planning, coalition coordination, and program development, planning, and implementation focused on reducing substance use and high-risk behaviors among youth.

With over 25 years of experience working in substance use prevention, Kellie is a certified trainer of numerous drug and violence programs and spent 18 years in the classroom providing prevention education to middle school and high school students. Kellie has provided training throughout Illinois and the United States and has coauthored several violence and life skills curricula.

A mom to teenage twins, Kellie is enjoying the adventures and misadventures that life throws her way.

Aaron Weiner, PhD, ABPP is a board-certified Psychologist and addiction specialist, and speaks nationally on the topics of addiction, behavioral health, and the impact of drug policy on public health. He earned his doctorate from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and completed his fellowship in Addiction Psychology at the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System. His perspective is informed by years of experience growing and directing addiction service lines for hospitals and healthcare systems, the current state of medical and psychological research, and his own observations in private practice. He is a strong advocate for evidence-based care in treating chemical dependency and behavioral addictions, as well as a proponent of integrating behavioral health services into medical settings. Dr. Weiner is a member of the Physician Speakers Bureau for the National Safety Council, the Science Advisory Board for Smart Approaches to Marijuana, and a former Board Member for the Society of Addiction Psychology.

Matt is originally from Peoria, Illinois and he holds an associate degree from Illinois Central College, a bachelor’s degree in Communications from Illinois State University, where he was also a student-athlete, as a member of the Men’s Basketball Team. Matt also has a master’s degree in Nonprofit Leadership from Bradley University.

Matt currently works for Project Oz as a School Youth Specialist in their Youth Empowered Schools Program. Within Matt’s role, he serves as a student support specialist at Bloomington High School helping students overcome barriers to stay on track towards graduation, obtain mental and emotional wellness, help students and faculty resolve conflicts through restorative circles, and building a restorative culture in the school by providing trainings to educators in the district on Restorative Practices. Matt also serves on District 87’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion committee.

Matt is also a soon to be author of his new book: Do More Than Exist – 7 Habits to Reaching Your Potential As A Teenager.

Dr. Eric S Davidson, Ph.D., Interim Director, Health and Counseling Services; Director, Illinois Higher Education Center for Alcohol, Other Drug, and Violence Prevention; Student Affairs Assessment Coordinator
Eric’s personal mission is to serve, teach and lead so that the health, leadership abilities, and personal development of others are strengthened!

Eric has been employed with the EIU since 1996. During this time, he oversaw the expansion of the Health Service’s Health Promotion efforts from 1 professional and one 1 graduate assistant to 2 full time professionals and 6-8 graduate assistants. Since August 2009, he has also served as the Director for the Illinois Higher Education Center for Alcohol, Other Drug, and Violence Prevention, assisting 2- and 4- year colleges within Illinois to improve their substance abuse prevention programming. Eric also serves the Vice-President of Student Affairs in assessment, evaluation, and research matters. He has advised several student groups including BACCHUS, Health Fair Planning Committee, Alpha Phi Omega, as well as serving on several master’s level thesis committees.

In his spare time, Eric enjoys spending time with his family, reading books on leadership, management and personal development, and camping/backpacking.

Luigi Cabantog is a graduate of Proviso West High School. Currently, he attends Triton College pursuing a degree in communications. In 2013, Luigi moved to the United States from the Philippines. He joined his local SADD Chapter during his freshman year of high school to advocate for teen driver safety. In 2015, Luigi was selected to serve on the IL SADD Student Advisory Board. Throughout his time with SADD, he met students from all over the country. He advocated for better policies in Washington DC and Springfield, IL, which got Luigi involved in community engagement. Luigi continues to be involved with Prevention First’s Youth Prevention Resource Center. Luigi now serves in the Illinois Army National Guard as a Motor Transport Operator and a member of the Honor Guard. Luigi notes, “in all my years as a member of SADD; I learned the importance of never missing out on the opportunity to extend kindness—it can change someone’s life.”

Hi Everyone! I am Salsabel Alshaikh, and I am from Jordan and Palestine. I am currently a junior at Oak Lawn Community High School. Some activities that I am involved in at school are Student Council, STEM, Students Against Destructive Decisions, Junior Class Advisory Board, National Honor Society, and a few more! Outside of school, I am involved in the Prevention First YPRC Student Advisory Board, and I volunteer at my local hospital. I enjoy painting, gardening, crocheting, and spending time with family. Some awards that I have received are the Student of the Quarter Award in Spanish, and I also received two awards in advanced placement US History. I have also been on the high honor roll since freshman year as well. My most recent endeavor is called “Peace of Cake” (Instagram handle: @peaceofcake_OL), where I bake cakes and donate the funds to war-torn countries. I love getting involved in the community as much as I can.

Aaron Weiner, PhD, ABPP is a board-certified Psychologist and addiction specialist, and speaks nationally on the topics of addiction, behavioral health, and the impact of drug policy on public health. He earned his doctorate from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and completed his fellowship in Addiction Psychology at the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System. His perspective is informed by years of experience growing and directing addiction service lines for hospitals and healthcare systems, the current state of medical and psychological research, and his own observations in private practice. He is a strong advocate for evidence-based care in treating chemical dependency and behavioral addictions, as well as a proponent of integrating behavioral health services into medical settings. Dr. Weiner is a member of the Physician Speakers Bureau for the National Safety Council, the Science Advisory Board for Smart Approaches to Marijuana, and a former Board Member for the Society of Addiction Psychology.

Matt is originally from Peoria, Illinois and he holds an associate degree from Illinois Central College, a bachelor’s degree in Communications from Illinois State University, where he was also a student-athlete, as a member of the Men’s Basketball Team. Matt also has a master’s degree in Nonprofit Leadership from Bradley University.

Matt currently works for Project Oz as a School Youth Specialist in their Youth Empowered Schools Program. Within Matt’s role, he serves as a student support specialist at Bloomington High School helping students overcome barriers to stay on track towards graduation, obtain mental and emotional wellness, help students and faculty resolve conflicts through restorative circles, and building a restorative culture in the school by providing trainings to educators in the district on Restorative Practices. Matt also serves on District 87’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion committee.

Matt is also a soon to be author of his new book: Do More Than Exist – 7 Habits to Reaching Your Potential As A Teenager.

Dr. Eric S Davidson, Ph.D., Interim Director, Health and Counseling Services; Director, Illinois Higher Education Center for Alcohol, Other Drug, and Violence Prevention; Student Affairs Assessment Coordinator
Eric’s personal mission is to serve, teach and lead so that the health, leadership abilities, and personal development of others are strengthened!

Eric has been employed with the EIU since 1996. During this time, he oversaw the expansion of the Health Service’s Health Promotion efforts from 1 professional and one 1 graduate assistant to 2 full time professionals and 6-8 graduate assistants. Since August 2009, he has also served as the Director for the Illinois Higher Education Center for Alcohol, Other Drug, and Violence Prevention, assisting 2- and 4- year colleges within Illinois to improve their substance abuse prevention programming. Eric also serves the Vice-President of Student Affairs in assessment, evaluation, and research matters. He has advised several student groups including BACCHUS, Health Fair Planning Committee, Alpha Phi Omega, as well as serving on several master’s level thesis committees.

In his spare time, Eric enjoys spending time with his family, reading books on leadership, management and personal development, and camping/backpacking.

Luigi Cabantog is a graduate of Proviso West High School. Currently, he attends Triton College pursuing a degree in communications. In 2013, Luigi moved to the United States from the Philippines. He joined his local SADD Chapter during his freshman year of high school to advocate for teen driver safety. In 2015, Luigi was selected to serve on the IL SADD Student Advisory Board. Throughout his time with SADD, he met students from all over the country. He advocated for better policies in Washington DC and Springfield, IL, which got Luigi involved in community engagement. Luigi continues to be involved with Prevention First’s Youth Prevention Resource Center. Luigi now serves in the Illinois Army National Guard as a Motor Transport Operator and a member of the Honor Guard. Luigi notes, “in all my years as a member of SADD; I learned the importance of never missing out on the opportunity to extend kindness—it can change someone’s life.”

Hi Everyone! I am Salsabel Alshaikh, and I am from Jordan and Palestine. I am currently a junior at Oak Lawn Community High School. Some activities that I am involved in at school are Student Council, STEM, Students Against Destructive Decisions, Junior Class Advisory Board, National Honor Society, and a few more! Outside of school, I am involved in the Prevention First YPRC Student Advisory Board, and I volunteer at my local hospital. I enjoy painting, gardening, crocheting, and spending time with family. Some awards that I have received are the Student of the Quarter Award in Spanish, and I also received two awards in advanced placement US History. I have also been on the high honor roll since freshman year as well. My most recent endeavor is called “Peace of Cake” (Instagram handle: @peaceofcake_OL), where I bake cakes and donate the funds to war-torn countries. I love getting involved in the community as much as I can.

Karel Homrig, M.S. Ed, is the executive director at Prevention First. During her 30 years at Prevention First, she has led the organization in its growth in fulfilling its mission: To advance efforts to promote health and prevent substance misuse. She has developed expertise in facilitating statewide initiatives to strategically address substance use prevention by engaging stakeholders, subject matter experts, and community leaders in using data-driven decision-making processes to achieve desired outcomes. As Prevention First’s executive director for the past 20 years, she has assembled and maintained an outstanding team that passionately pursues its mission and commitment to quality, innovation, and collaboration in its programs, resources, and services.

Linda Frazier, M.A., RN, MCHES, Director of Addictions Initiatives at Advocates for Human Potential (AHP), has extensive leadership and consulting experience in behavioral health and addictions. She is a nurse and master certified health education specialist (MCHES) who has worked in public health and behavioral health services for more than 30 years in a variety of clinical settings. She has experience in direct clinical service, operations management, contracting, and quality/process improvement. Ms. Frazier has served on the leadership team of the American Public Health Association (APHA) Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs (ATOD) Section since 2009 and is currently Past Chair. She helped author the APHA Cannabis Policy and leads ATOD Cannabis policy dissemination. Ms. Frazier chaired the 2019 North American Cannabis Summit and 2017 National Cannabis Summit steering committees, managing conference planning efforts focused on public health, policy, and best practices in state legislation and the regulatory oversight of cannabis. Ms. Frazier worked in Maine state government for 10 years and last served as associate director of treatment and recovery services for the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services (SAMHSA).

Dr. Derige is the Director of Health Equity Strategy & Development at the American Medical Association’s Center for Health Equity. In this role she provides strategic direction and development for the Center for Health Equity through partnership and programming. The role of the Center for Health Equity is to embed health equity across the AMA so that health equity becomes part of the practice, process, action, innovation, and organizational performance and outcomes. Over the past twenty years, Diana has designed and managed several private philanthropic, government, and non-profit programs.  She has supported local and national investments by serving as a convener, collaborator and catalyst, responsible for nurturing opportunities for affecting positive systemic change in communities. Throughout her career, she has concentrated on promoting public health and social equity for marginalized communities. Dr. Derige is currently adjunct faculty and the University of North Carolina’s Gillings School of Global Public Health, and has held positions as co-director of the Center for Latina Maternal and Family Health Research at the University of Houston, program officer at the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and the Chicago Community Trust and National Director of MCH Initiatives at Urban Strategies. Dr. Derige holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology and women’s studies and a master’s degree in public health from the University of Michigan and a Doctor of Public Health from the University of North Carolina. She also holds a certificate in executive education from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, and completed a leadership development program through the Center for Creative Leadership-Europe in Brussels, Belgium.

Ms. Monteagudo is a private attorney in Chicago dedicated to defending the rights of immigrants and low income families with a concentration in the areas of immigration, civil litigation and business law. She is licensed to practice in the State of Illinois, in the Federal Courts, and in the Immigration Courts of the United States presently representing over 2,500 families going through immigration processes. From 2005 to 2015 she also served as a Commissioner for the Court of Claims, where all claims against the State of Illinois are litigated. In her first professional endeavors she was a bilingual teacher, principal and educational leader serving as the FIRST DEPUTY MAYOR for Education of the City of Chicago and a founding member and Executive Director of the Teachers Academy for Mathematics and Science in Chicago, a teacher development center providing hand-on, classroom based professional development in Mathematics and Science to elementary school teachers.

Ms. Monteagudo received a Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from the Chicago Kent College of Law in May 2001. She also holds an Advanced Certificate in Administration and Supervision from Chicago State University, a Masters Degree in Urban Education from Governors State University and a Bachelors Degree, Magna Cum Laude, from Mundelein College in Chicago.

Scott Cruz is an Officer in the Labor and Employment Practice Group of Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale, P.C. Scott represents public and private sector employers in all aspects of labor and employment law, including claims brought under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, retaliatory discharge, breach of contract, labor arbitration and class actions. He is particularly versed in all aspects of state and federal law relating to minimum wages, overtime, exemptions, and wage payment issues. Scott also provides management and employee training on workplace legal issues and conducts workplace investigations and legal audits.

Akele Parnell is an attorney at Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights where he works to advance racial equity and inclusion in the marketplace, particularly within the cannabis industry. He is a member of the board of the Cannabis Equity Illinois Coalition where he co-led the negotiation and implementation of the cannabis industry’s first community benefits agreement (CBA), and a member of the board of Chicago NORML. He is also a member of the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Task Force of the Cannabis Trade Federation. Previously, Akele was an in-house attorney for Chicago-based cannabis company, Green Thumb Industries Inc.

Kelly O’Connor has worked for over ten years in community organizing to reduce underage drinking and substance use in her community. She is the Prevention Services Manager at Oak Park Township and the Drug-Free Communities Grant Coordinator for the Workgroup for Positive Youth Development (+PYD). Prior to that, Kelly coordinated a Strategic Prevention Framework-Partnership for Success grant from the Illinois Department of Human Services. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Human Services and a master’s degree in Conflict Resolution from Dominican University. She is a certified Mediator and Circle Keeper as well as Parent Coach and Administrator for FACE IT, an evidence informed alcohol and drug education program for teens and their families. Kelly is passionate in reducing stigma and providing opportunities for youth and their families faced with substance use challenges. She is a Board Member for Serenity Academy of Chicago, a recovery high school in the making and a member of the Alcohol Policy Resource Center Advisory Council at Prevention First. She has four children, a dog, and loves to spend her free time in Northern Michigan on the lake and out West in the mountains.

Ms. Monteagudo is a private attorney in Chicago dedicated to defending the rights of immigrants and low income families with a concentration in the areas of immigration, civil litigation and business law. She is licensed to practice in the State of Illinois, in the Federal Courts, and in the Immigration Courts of the United States presently representing over 2,500 families going through immigration processes. From 2005 to 2015 she also served as a Commissioner for the Court of Claims, where all claims against the State of Illinois are litigated. In her first professional endeavors she was a bilingual teacher, principal and educational leader serving as the FIRST DEPUTY MAYOR for Education of the City of Chicago and a founding member and Executive Director of the Teachers Academy for Mathematics and Science in Chicago, a teacher development center providing hand-on, classroom based professional development in Mathematics and Science to elementary school teachers.

Ms. Monteagudo received a Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from the Chicago Kent College of Law in May 2001. She also holds an Advanced Certificate in Administration and Supervision from Chicago State University, a Masters Degree in Urban Education from Governors State University and a Bachelors Degree, Magna Cum Laude, from Mundelein College in Chicago.

Scott Cruz is an Officer in the Labor and Employment Practice Group of Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale, P.C. Scott represents public and private sector employers in all aspects of labor and employment law, including claims brought under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, retaliatory discharge, breach of contract, labor arbitration and class actions. He is particularly versed in all aspects of state and federal law relating to minimum wages, overtime, exemptions, and wage payment issues. Scott also provides management and employee training on workplace legal issues and conducts workplace investigations and legal audits.

Akele Parnell is an attorney at Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights where he works to advance racial equity and inclusion in the marketplace, particularly within the cannabis industry. He is a member of the board of the Cannabis Equity Illinois Coalition where he co-led the negotiation and implementation of the cannabis industry’s first community benefits agreement (CBA), and a member of the board of Chicago NORML. He is also a member of the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Task Force of the Cannabis Trade Federation. Previously, Akele was an in-house attorney for Chicago-based cannabis company, Green Thumb Industries Inc.

Kelly O’Connor has worked for over ten years in community organizing to reduce underage drinking and substance use in her community. She is the Prevention Services Manager at Oak Park Township and the Drug-Free Communities Grant Coordinator for the Workgroup for Positive Youth Development (+PYD). Prior to that, Kelly coordinated a Strategic Prevention Framework-Partnership for Success grant from the Illinois Department of Human Services. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Human Services and a master’s degree in Conflict Resolution from Dominican University. She is a certified Mediator and Circle Keeper as well as Parent Coach and Administrator for FACE IT, an evidence informed alcohol and drug education program for teens and their families. Kelly is passionate in reducing stigma and providing opportunities for youth and their families faced with substance use challenges. She is a Board Member for Serenity Academy of Chicago, a recovery high school in the making and a member of the Alcohol Policy Resource Center Advisory Council at Prevention First. She has four children, a dog, and loves to spend her free time in Northern Michigan on the lake and out West in the mountains.