After spending a little over six years in federal prison, Ben Aldana made the transition from prison to his community at the age of 29. In 2014, he graduated from UVU with a BS in Behavioral Science, a minor in Political Science, and a certificate in Substance Use Disorder Counseling, and is now a third-year law student at Brigham Young University. Ben credits the entirely ‘undeserved help’ that he has been given throughout his process of reentering society (by his family and numerous friends – not from the countless, abysmal failures of the current system of criminal justice in America), with allowing him to succeed where others (just as capable) have unfortunately failed. Because he attributes the opportunities he has had since his release from prison and the life that he currently enjoys to the charity of others, he plans to work as a public defender after he graduates from law school in May 2018.

Kimberly A. Johnson, Ph.D., Director, Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, leads the center’s activities to improve access, reduce barriers, and promote high quality, effective substance use disorder treatment and recovery services. Dr. Johnson’s extensive experience in and contributions to the behavioral health field ensure the center’s programs are correctly focused and support SAMHSA’s mission. Dr. Johnson is co-author of a book on the NIATx Model and co-author of the chapter on quality improvement in the text ASAM Principles of Addiction Medicine. Dr. Johnson has a master’s degree in counselor education, an M.B.A. and a Ph.D. in population health.