Charles G. Curie is principal and founder of THE CURIE GROUP, LLC, a firm working with leaders in healthcare, particularly mental health (MH) and substance use (SU) to facilitate transformation of services and attain positive outcomes for people worldwide. Curie’s professional experience spans 40 years. He was nominated by the President Bush and confirmed by the U.S. Senate to head SAMHSA from 2001 to 2006. Accomplishments included The President’s New Freedom Commission on MH, Strategic Prevention Framework for SU prevention, Access to Recovery, National Outcome Measures, and work with post‐conflict and war‐torn countries MH and SU systems. From 1995 to 2001, Curie was appointed by PA Governor Ridge as Deputy Secretary for OMHSAS and implemented a nationally recognized MH and drug and alcohol Medicaid managed care program and a policy to reduce and eliminate seclusion and restraint practices in the state hospital system, which won the 2000 Innovations in American Government Award. He received his graduate degree from the University of Chicago.

Neil Anderton received his MSW from the University of Hawaii. He served in the United States Air Force Biomedical Services, and is a retired Colonel. He also retired from LDS Social Services where he served as a clinical social worker. Since 2015, he has served as an adjunct faculty member teaching social work and psychology classes. He is currently in private practice in Heber City, Utah and serves on the Utah State Board – Division of Aging.

Dr. Joel Bush began his interest in addiction treatment during his United States Army career as a physician. During his Family Medicine residency, he was assigned to rotate at a rehab program which interested him in the field of addiction. Since then his passion for treating patients with addiction has continued to grow as he completed a Fellowship in Addiction Medicine at the University of Maryland in Baltimore. He completed his 15-years of active duty service and transitioned to the Utah Army National Guard. He runs a private addiction medicine practice in American Fork, Utah with a vision to have a direct relationship with each of his patients, helping those who struggle with heroin or other opiates, cocaine, alcohol, marijuana, pornography, gaming, binge eating, or any addiction.

With extensive experience in all aspects of health law including compliance, privacy and information technology, Gerald (Jud) DeLoss represents clients across the health care spectrum. He assists behavioral health care providers, health information technology vendors, federally qualified health centers, hospitals and research organizations, as well as industry trade and professional associations. Jud has extensive knowledge of HIPAA, HITECH, meaningful use of electronic health records (EHRs) and telehealth requirements and has testified as an expert witness on health information privacy. He is adept in handling matters related to state and federal regulations of behavioral health information privacy, particularly in the area of 42 CFR Part 2 federal regulations (governing the confidentiality of drug and alcohol abuse patient records) and mental health confidentiality. Jud has represented clients before the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on meaningful use audits and appeals. He also assists clients in responding to HIPAA breach situations and prepares and negotiates software licenses and other agreements for EHR systems and other health information technology (HIT) solutions.
He regularly counsels HIT vendors on compliance with state and federal laws and on addressing “Big Data” concerns. Jud guides behavioral health care providers on reimbursement under Medicaid, Medicare, grant funding and managed care. He also counsels providers on strategic acquisitions, along with preparation and negotiation of joint venture and acquisition agreements. Jud has written articles and presented on health law issues nationally and internationally, including on health information privacy and security and other compliance matters.

Cheri DeMoss is founder and director of Empowering Options Counseling Innovations specializing in educational therapy. Over the past 27 years Cheri has designed and presented training seminars for both National and State wide conferences as well as corporate and small businesses. Cheri combines an innovative and insightful approach with an energetic and stimulating presentation manner to provide participants with clear information and effective techniques they can implement immediately. In addition to providing individual, group and couple counseling, Cheri teaches adult education, relationship classes, and designs and presents seminars and workshops on innumerable topics. This experience has given her exceptional skills in motivating attendees. Cheri has an extremely unique ability to engage audiences and clients alike with a manner that enables them think, feel, and experience the topic. She creates a shame-free and emotionally safe environment where individuals learn and develop a passion for the subject. It is because of her ability to stimulate and motivate audiences that, often, conferences receive requests from those in attendance to have her back each year.

Chaz has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from McKendree University, and a Master of Social Work degree from Saint Louis University (SLU). Chaz received his clinical license in 2009. He has been practicing therapy full time since 2007. Since the beginning of his career as a therapist, Chaz has worked with trauma and its long reaching effects. This work has included extensive work with all ages and all walks of life. Chaz specializes in psychodynamics, self-compassion, and integrating Eastern thought and philosophy into the therapeutic process. He has participated in training with important figures in the field of therapy and psychology such as Dr. Ira Chasnoff, and Dr. Bruce Perry, and is currently employed as a faculty member in the Masters in Social Work program at Saint Louis University. Chaz has over 10 years of experience training and competing in strongman, powerlifting, and the Highland Games, and he currently trains out of The LAB Gym in St. Louis, MO. He has written articles for Elite FTS, WHOLE LIFE CHALLENGE and Barbell Shrugged related to the emotional and psychological aspects of strength training.

Deborah Harkness, MSC, AMFT, CATC, LAADC has 20 years of experience in corporate management and financial analysis, and 17 years treating the mentally ill and substance-addicted. Mrs. Harkness is a licensed addiction counselor and continuing education provider for the California State Bar and all substance abuse credentialing agencies in the State of California. Mrs. Harkness has a master’s degree in marriage and family therapy and is President and owner of Assessment, Training & Research Associates (ATR), a forensic assessment and alternative sentencing entity. ATR is entrusted with providing treatment recommendations for criminal, family, immigration and dependency court recipients throughout the State of California. Mrs. Harkness is the Executive Director of Central California Recovery (CCR), a California nonprofit corporation providing outpatient substance abuse treatment to adolescent and adult clients.

Christy Kane Ph.D., CMHC, has spent her career researching and understanding the neurological effect modern-day electronics have on the adult and adolescent developing brain. She is a sought-after speaker and author who helps audiences learn how to find balance in this technology-based world. Today’s modern electronics not only affect us socially, they also neurologically change neuropathways and the development of the human brain. In Dr. Kane’s presentation, the audience learns how electronics impact the brain, why social media is addictive, and what the risk factors are for humans both socially and neurologically due to electronics. Dr. Kane then provides practical solutions on how to create balance in an electronic world which is not going away. The creation of balance can thus help diminish the effects of depression, anxiety and suicidal ideation. Overall, this presentation covers the brain and the three neurotransmitters: dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, while providing solid intervention to help stabilize individuals and families.

Dr. Annie Lindsay has served in the public health field for more than 30 years. She owned a wellness consulting business for almost a decade serving drug court programs and prison facilities. Currently an Associate Professor of Public Health and Exercise Science with the University of Nevada Reno, Extension in Las Vegas, she received her undergraduate degree at the University California, Santa Barbara, a Master of Science in exercise physiology, and a PhD in public health from the University of Nevada Las Vegas. Since 1997 Dr. Lindsay has studied women in correctional settings with a focus on substance use/misuse, nutrition, physical activity, eating pathology and body dissatisfaction. She has developed and implemented an evidence-based program for early release credit for women housed in the Nevada Department of Corrections and has served on numerous advisory boards, published several papers, fact sheets and related curricula.

Malyce Warner works for Utah County's Department of Drug and Alcohol Prevention and Treatment as a Prevention Specialist. Her current job focus includes drug policy, community coalition work, underage drinking prevention, and opioid overdose prevention. Malyce has spent the last two years working to decrease opioid misuse and overdose deaths in Utah County through the installation of public awareness campaigns, providing overdose prevention education, training on the use of Naloxone, promoting proper medication disposal, increasing access to treatment resources, and engaging in opioid prevention policy work. Malyce is a graduate of Utah Valley University’s Community Health Program, is a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES), and has worked for Utah County Government for over five years. .

Kristine Doty-Yells is a graduate of Utah Valley University, having received her bachelor’s degree in Behavioral Science. She earned a Master of Social Work degree from Brigham Young University and a doctorate in social work from the University of Utah. Kris is a licensed clinical social worker with a specialty in crisis intervention and trauma treatment. Her practice experience includes working in the emergency room at Utah Valley Hospital and conducting individual and group therapy at a post-secondary residential facility for adults with learning disabilities. Kris is currently a trauma therapist with Genesis PrimeCare Hope and Recovery Center in Texarkana, Texas where she treats adult, adolescent, and child survivors of trauma. Kris was on the social work faculty at UVU for nine years and is now the social work program coordinator at Texas A&M-Texarkana where she is teaching and building a social work degree program. In her spare time, Kris can be found exercising, reading, video chatting with her grandchildren, and travelling with her husband David.

David Yells, Ph.D., is the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Texas A&M University-Texarkana. He holds a doctorate in biopsychology from University of Nebraska