Home > PTTC Prevention Fellows 2022-23 V2
PTTC Region 2
As a BOLD Fellow, Veronica has the privilege of supporting the prevention work of the New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS) and the North East and Caribbean Prevention Technology Transfer Center.
In this role she is advancing the work of prevention science and supports targeting underserved Black and African American communities.
The work entails the understanding of the NY State prevention provider network to identify ways to support, assist and train under-resourced communities and prevention provider stakeholders. She will be assisting in projects that center community dialogue and needs assessments that will shape the toolkits of prevention scientists and include vulnerable but incredibly valuable voices.
PTTC Region 3
Tenisha Jones, M.Ed, is a third-year doctoral student in School Psychology at Howard University. Prior to attending Howard, she obtained a Master of Educational Policy & Leadership from the University of Michigan.
Her primary research interests include the mental health, well-being, and education of Black Girls. At the same time, her current research projects address issues of diversity embedded in the practice of school psychology under the direction of Dr. Celeste Malone and Black Autistics under the leadership of Dr. Shanter Alexander. Additionally, she has research experience investigating Youth Participatory Action Research Programs in Michigan and Preschool Quality Assessments at the High Scope Educational Research Foundation.
In tandem with her research, she has also given national conference presentations and training on her work. Tenisha has extensive professional experiences in education, ranging from a Middle School Behavioral Interventionist, High School Director of College & Career to a Collegiate level Success Coach.
Tenisha is paired with the Maryland Department of Health, Office of Population Health Improvement, Local Prevention Unit to advance her understanding of prevention work. She is currently working on a project to employ SAMHSA’s Strategic Prevention Framework Guiding Principles of Cultural Competence to increase positive outcomes for targeted populations within Maryland. During her time with the Local Prevention Unit, she is evaluating each individual Maryland jurisdictional FY23/F24 Local Prevention Grants Application based on SAMHSA's five opportunities to integrate cultural competence: assessment, capacity, planning, implementation, and evaluation. Each grant application will be assessed according to their adherence to recommended opportunities to incorporate cultural competence outlined in their grant.
Additional activities to integrate cultural competence will be advised if the plan lacks the outlined aspect of cultural competence. The information from this evaluation will be used to improve culturally responsive programming, provide feedback to jurisdictions and inform grant writing for the next cycle.
PTTC Region 3
Hernitte Altidor is a current student at Howard University. She is in her 2nd year of the MSW/MPH dual degree program. Her goal is to bring change and educate communities and others with both degrees of knowledge once received.
She has worked as a program manager and lead educator for a nonprofit that provides equitable health education for students in school, pregnant parents, and those in the juvenile justice system.
She has a passion for service and is committed to serving in roles that uplift marginalized communities. In addition, she enjoys traveling, dancing, fitness, and having fun in her spare time.
As a prevention fellow, She is actively working with the District of Columbia Department of Behavioral Health. Her duties include researching best practices within populations focusing on community health and the Medicaid 1115 waiver.
PTTC Region 4
Paige Salters is an ardent public health and community mental health professional with special interests in trauma psychology.
She is an associate project manager for the Wake Forest School of Medicine's Public Health Sciences department in North Carolina where she's developing an opioid education curriculum for counties in the state with demonstrated need.
Paige is a graduate of Smith College, where they obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and the Study of Women and Gender.
Paige is passionate about developing tangible resources and infrastructure to support youth's psychosocial development, and the achievement of public health equity for historically marginalized populations.
PTTC Region 5
My name is Ty Trina, and I'm the new BOLD (Building Our Leadership and Diversity) Fellow for Great Lakes PTTC- Region 5.
My educational background consists of a B.S. in Public Health with an emphasis on Health Promotion from Northern Illinois University. Upon graduating, I’ve focused my career towards bettering underserved communities. Previously, I worked at Chicago Housing Authority (CHA), in which I assisted diverse individuals and/or families by connecting clients to programs and services to overcome barriers that would eventually lead to self-sufficiency.
More recently, I worked with Kenneth Young Center and managed a grant (for Des Plaines, IL) that provided one-on-one mentorship services to students the schools identified as exhibiting escalated behaviors. Through providing academic support (tutoring), social-emotional development, and referrals for community resources, we saw a tremendous impact. We observed and recorded those escalated behaviors later minimized due to the positive interactions between mentor and student.
Helping others is a great passion of mine, which made me a strong candidate for the BOLD Prevention Fellowship Program. The goal of this program is to reduce substance misuse risk factors and promote mental health and protective factors in Black/African American communities. Therefore, through organized efforts, community members can be given an opportunity to live healthier lifestyles.
PTTC Region 6
Jalynn Stubbs is a native of Chicago, IL. After graduating from high school, she went on to pursue a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology at The Illustrious Clark Atlanta University.
During her matriculation, she developed an interest in mental health disparities in the Black/African American communities. Clark Atlanta University afforded her the opportunity to study abroad in Ghana, West Africa, where she conducted research on family dynamics. She presented this research at various symposiums, and it was published in 2016.
After her many successes at her beloved institution, Jalynn was accepted into Louisiana State University’s Graduate School to pursue a Master of Social Work degree (MSW) with a specialization in Policy/Macro. She is currently in her second year and will graduate in May 2023.
While at LSU, Jalynn interned at Obrien House, a substance abuse recovery center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, under the direction and supervision of Mrs. Emily Tilley. She spent one year as a research mentor with the Baton Rouge Youth Coalition. She is also a member of the Association of Black Social Workers (ABSW), where she serves as President. Before accepting the opportunity to become a BOLD Fellow, Jalynn interned with Dr. Dana Hunter and the Office of Human Trafficking Prevention.
Much of Jalynn’s success can be attributed to the support and nurture of Black women. After all, this Building our Leadership and Diversity (BOLD) Fellowship would not be possible without the work and initiative set forth by a Black woman, Lashonda Williamson-Jennings. Jalynn is currently working as a BOLD fellow with the South Southwest PTTC (Region 6) in Louisiana’s Office of Behavioral Health under the supervision of Amber Slater and Shelley Lee. Jalynn’s focus as a BOLD fellow is providing prevention and mental health resources to Black/African American communities by curating a resource inventory that will assist this community in locating services that they need. Being a BOLD fellow, to Jalynn, is not only about developing skills to become a prevention scientist, but it is also for brilliant Black minds with a heart for service to come together to help OUR people receive the resources they deserve. She hopes to pave the way for other black girls and women to do the same.
NAIAN PTTC
Looking to help with Prevention and Treatment of Addictions across the lifespan.
Also, (Caddo/ Kiowa) Currently working as a Certified Peer Recovery Support Specialist in Oklahoma.
PTTC Region 4
Candace is a Building Our Leadership in Diversity (BOLD) Fellow with the Southeast Prevention Technology Transfer Center housed at Wake Forest School of Medicine's Public Health Sciences Department. She is working with the Alabama National Prevention Network (NPN) and the OMNI Institute on a substance misuse prevention needs assessment in Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Black communities in Alabama.
Candace worked as an anesthesia technician for 16 years. In 2018, she went back to school at North Carolina Central University to work on a degree in Psychology. While working and attending school, Candace adopted two children that she fostered as a foster parent. In 2020, she became a member of the North Carolina Child Welfare Family Advisory Council, where she serves as an adoptive parent.
PTTC Region 7
Shanelle Moore is currently pursuing a dual master’s degree in Public Health and Social Work from University of Missouri. She graduated with her bachelor’s degree in Human Development and Family Sciences with emphasis in Family and Lifespan Development and a minor in Social Justice. After graduating, she began working in the community to help meet the needs of the people.
She has over 10 years of trauma-informed social service experience that allowed her to be exposed to the issues communities face regarding substance use and health & wellness. While serving the community, she discovered her purpose in life, which is being the voice for the underserved populations in the face of adversity. Shanelle strives to bring equity, cohesiveness, and stability in communities to enhance the quality of them. was born and raised in Chicago, IL.
She relocated to Columbia, MO in 2012 to begin her undergraduate career at the University of Missouri - Columbia. During that time, she developed a love for helping people and found that to be her area of passion.
PTTC Region 8
I am in my first year of my Master's of Public Health program at Utah State University. I am a first generation, Navajo student. During my undergraduate degree, I majored in human biology at Utah State University.
It was during my undergraduate degree journey that my love for public health grew. In August 2022, I applied to the Mountain Plains PTTC fellowship program. I got accepted in October 2022.
My mentor is Heidi Dutson from the Utah Department of Health and Human Services. I am excited to learn more skills and strengthen my career and preparation in prevention.
PTTC Region 8
I am currently a student at Montana State University working on my Ph.D. in Psychological Science.
My research is on substance use disorders in American Indian and Alaska Native communities.
My ultimate career goal is to bring culturally adapted mental health resources to underserved communities in rural Alaska.
This prevention fellowship will aid me in attaining the education necessary to do so. I am excited to be working with Youth Connections on creating content to educate policymakers on how current legislation affects substance use in Montana communities.
PTTC Region 8
Steve Otero is a Certified Workplace Mindfulness Facilitator, National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) outdoor educator, and holds bachelor's degrees in Exercise Science, Experimental Psychology, and Recreation and Outdoor education from Western Colorado University.
His passion is connecting others with the power of the natural world. He serves as a Veteran Services Officer in Gunnison County, CO and as part of the federal "Task Force on Outdoor Recreation for Veterans", which is investigating the use of outdoor recreation for the health and wellness of veterans.
Steve is also a US Air Force military veteran with combat deployments to both Iraq and Afghanistan as a combat cameraman and forensic investigator.
PTTC Region 9
To say the very least, I have always wanted to help others in one way or another. I quickly realized that I wanted a career in a field that was not only important and relevant but a career that will allow me the opportunity to keep learning.
The career goal I came up with was to become a professional in addiction counseling with an emphasis in prevention and relapse prevention.
I am fairly new to prevention but have experience in addiction counseling. I hope to gain experience through the BOLD fellowship and be able to make the necessary contributions to my communities and career.
PTTC Region NAIAN
(Haudenosaunee/ Anishnaabe) Currently works as a Training and Technical Assistance Coordinator to a Grantee Technical Assistant, aiding SAMHSA grantees with their Native Connections, Circles of Care grants.
This work in prevention, mental well-being, healing is of great passion of mine. I have been drug and alcohol free raising our children with this intention.
I look forward to this opportunity to further my credentials making it possible to have more AI/AN people serving within our communities the efforts of healing, one community at a time.
PTTC Region NAIAN
(Ojibwe-Red Lake Band) Currently an undergraduate student at Bemidji State University in Psychology. With plans to continue on to graduate school.
I am currently in the planning process of site placement to begin prevention work in the Bemidji Area. Bemidji is uniquely located between three different tribal communities in northern Minnesota (Red Lake, Leech Lake, and White Earth tribal nations). My hope is that this opportunity will allow me to reach all three nations respectively.
I am excited to begin, knowing that my prevention work will assist me in representing the principles and employing the best practices of substance use prevention across the lifespan.
Talofa! (Greetings in Samoan)
My name is Lorna-lei L. Sua’ava!
I was born in Long Beach, California and raised in Palmer, Alaska. Though thousands of miles from the island of Samoa, much of the values and standards that I have been taught keep me grounded. The values of tautua (service), fa’aaloalo (respect) and alofa (love) are what have allowed me to stand proud as a Pacific Islander on many platforms.
It has been quite an honor to have been selected for this program, I am so grateful! Working with Washington State University and the Department of Health in Alaska, as a Fellow is a stepping stool in my career that I look forward to being a representative of Alaska, while learning and dedicating my time and service toward this program. I have developed much passion and willingness to learn and grow in this field for the benefit of Alaska, the indigenous people as well as my own people, Pacific Islanders who are a large part of the population in Alaska.