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Amy Anderson is a licensed alcohol and drug counselor in Minnesota and is Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT)-trained. Her educational background includes a master’s degree in marriage and family therapy and a master’s degree in addiction studies. In her 18 years at Hazelden Betty Ford, she has been a case manager working with adolescents/young adults, a staff supervisor and an invaluable resource for families impacted by substance use disorder (SUD). Most recently, she became part of the National Virtual Family Team. Anderson is part of a team launching the Healthy Relationships Program, an intensive skills-based CRAFT program for family members at any stage of the SUD journey.
 

Amelia M. Arria, PhD, is a professor and the director of the Center on Young Adult Health and Development in the Department of Behavioral and Community Health at the University of Maryland School of Public Health.

Her research has focused on the risk and resiliency factors associated with mental health and substance use problems among adolescents and young adults. Her most recent work has clarified the impact of substance use, particularly excessive drinking and marijuana use, on academic achievement.

She was the principal investigator of the NIDA-funded prospective College Life Study, which annually assessed the behavioral health of 1,253 college students through their young adult years. She is the co-leader of the Maryland Collaborative, which provides training and technical assistance to a network of 18 colleges across the state that are committed to aligning their substance use prevention and intervention strategies with scientific evidence.

She has authored more than 185 scientific peer-reviewed publications and numerous white papers and book chapters, and is the recipient of several major grant awards from foundations and state and federal agencies. Much of her work has direct relevance to parents, communities, educational professionals and policymakers. She completed her undergraduate degree at Cornell University, a PhD in epidemiology at the University of Pittsburgh and postdoctoral training in psychiatric epidemiology at Johns Hopkins University.
 

Jacqueline Braughton, PhD
Research Scientist, Butler Center for Research, Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation

A licensed associate marriage and family therapist with a doctorate in family social science and a specialization in couple and family therapy from the University of Minnesota, Dr. Jaqueline Braughton is a research scientist at the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation’s Butler Center for Research. Dr. Braughton has focused expertise in personalized health care, integrated treatment, and collaborating on clinical- and community-engaged research examining the lived experience and subsequent effects of trauma exposure and co-occurring disorders on individuals’, couples’, and families’ resilience processes and relational functioning.

Over the past decade, Dr. Braughton has led, collaborated with, and consulted on more than 50 behavioral health research-informed products, including extramural and intramural grants; development and validation of psychometrics; culturally responsive research design and methods; program evaluation; stakeholder reports; peer-reviewed publications; and national and local presentations. Dr. Braughton has also co-created curriculum and taught community-based, undergraduate- and graduate-level courses and seminars.

Heather M. Jones, PhD
Vice President of Mental Health, Family and Children’s Programs, Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation

Licensed psychologist and behavioral health care leader Heather M. Jones, PhD, is the vice president of mental health, family and children’s programs for the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation.

Dr. Jones has worked in mental health and addiction services for many years, most recently with Eating Recovery and Pathway Mood and Anxiety Centers, where she led day-to-day operations and clinical care for three sites in the Upper Midwest. Her past experience includes direct patient care and extensive clinical consultation and supervision of therapists and behavioral specialists working with children, adolescents and adults in OCD, anxiety, depression and eating disorder recovery programs across multiple levels of care. Dr. Jones also has significant experience integrating lean operating systems in clinical environments.

Dr. Jones earned her doctorate in educational psychology with an emphasis in school psychology from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee and completed a dual-degree graduate program at the University of Nevada–Las Vegas, earning both a master's degree in educational psychology and an education specialist degree in school psychology. She has also received specialized training in exposure therapy, behavioral activation and dialectical behavioral therapy.
 

Joseph Lee, MD
President and CEO, Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation

Dr. Joseph Lee serves as the president and chief executive officer of the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation and is one of the most sought-after thought leaders on addiction treatment and mental health care in the world. With extensive expertise and experience providing quality, comprehensive care to youth and families from across the country and abroad, Dr. Lee has developed an unparalleled perspective on emerging drug trends, co-occurring mental health conditions, innovation and the ever-changing culture of addiction. He is known widely for his love-inspired, science-powered approach to care and impassioned advocacy for all people who are affected by substance use and mental health conditions.

A triple board-certified physician, Dr. Lee completed his fellowship in child and adolescent psychiatry at John Hopkins Hospital, his adult psychiatry residency at Duke University Hospital and his medical degree at the University of Oklahoma. He is a diplomate of the American Board of Addiction Medicine and a member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers. He also serves on the board of the National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers and is vice chair of the board at the St. Paul & Minnesota Foundation.

Given his unique degree of specialization and powerful messaging, Dr. Lee is frequently interviewed by national media and has spoken on Capitol Hill, at the White House and at academic conferences and events across the United States. He is the author of Recovering My Kid: Parenting Young Adults in Treatment and Beyond, a practical guide for parental leadership in times of crisis.
 

Quyen Ngo, PhD, leads research activities at the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation as the executive director of the Butler Center for Research. She earned her PhD in clinical psychology and women's studies at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, where she also completed a post-doctoral research fellowship. In addition, Dr. Ngo has conducted grant-funded research on the role of substance use in intimate partner violence and technology-enhanced brief interventions for substance use disorders.

 

Sarah Schwalbach, MA, LMFT
Family Program Professional, Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation

Sarah Schwalbach is a licensed marriage and family therapist who has been with Hazelden Betty Ford for the past 6-plus years. The majority of her career has been spent working with adolescent and young-adult clients and their family members in the Family Program. Schwalbach has been an integral part of the creation and facilitation of Hazelden Betty Ford’s Virtual Family Program, Virtual Boundaries Workshop and the Healthy Relationships Program. She has participated in multiple Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT) approach trainings, and is now pursuing her certification.

Jeremy Drucker
Director of Addiction and Recovery, Minnesota Department of Human Services

Jeremy Drucker is a person in long-term recovery. Prior to being appointed as the state's first addiction and recovery director, he was the president of JD Strategies, LLC, a public affairs consultancy. He has worked in public affairs and government in New York City and Minnesota for over 15 years. He held several positions in former Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton’s administration, including as a senior health care official for the state’s Medicaid program and health insurance exchange. Drucker received his BA from the University of St. Thomas and his MA from the City University of New York, and he was a University of Minnesota Humphrey Policy Fellow from 2011 to 2012.
 

Jennifer Exo, DO
Pediatric Critical Care Medicine Specialist, Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation

Jennifer Exo, DO, is Associate Medical Director at the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation Center for Teens, Young Adults and Families in Plymouth, MN. She is board certified in pediatrics and addiction medicine and oversees the youth medical detoxification unit in Plymouth and provides medication-assisted treatment services at the Plymouth and St. Paul, MN locations. Dr. Exo received her medical degree from the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine. She completed her pediatric residency at Advocate Hope Children’s Hospital in Oak Lawn, IL, and a fellowship in pediatric critical care medicine at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, PA. After joining and working in the Division of Pediatric Critical Care Medicine at Children’s Hospital of Colorado for several years, she moved with her family to Kansas City, MO, and joined the Divisions of Adolescent Medicine and General Academic Pediatrics at Children’s Mercy Hospital, practicing adolescent primary and reproductive health care. Dr. Exo brought her experience and enthusiasm for the adolescent population to Minnesota in 2019, when she joined the medical staff in Plymouth.

Shane Mikkelson
Chief, Osseo Police Department

Chief Shane Mikkelson has spent the last 27 years in Law Enforcement.  Chief Mikkelson started his policing career in 1996 with the Plum City Wisconsin Police Department. Chief Mikkelson has since worked for the Mora Police Department, Apple Valley Police Department, and has been with the Osseo Police Department since 2004. Chief Mikkelson was promoted to the rank of Chief in January 2015. Chief Mikkelson has a master’s degree in public administration from Hamlin University and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Sociology from the University of Wisconsin River Falls.  Chief Mikkelson currently is an Adjunct Professor for Concordia St. Paul College and Hennepin Technical College teaching in the Sociology and Criminal Justice Departments. 
 

Dan Porter, MSW, LICSW
School Social Worker and Board President, Minnesota Association of Mental Health

Dan Porter is a district school social worker for Northeast Metro Intermediate School District 916 on special assignment to incorporate chemical and mental health initiatives district-wide, along with community partnership and grant initiatives. Porter serves as the executive board professional developmental chair and region 10 rep for the Minnesota School Social Workers Association. He is the board president for the Minnesota Association of Mental Health and has over 20 years of experience working with children, adolescents and their families in public, residential, hospital and day treatment programs. 

Additionally, Porter provides group and individual clinical supervision to social workers for the Professional Matrix throughout Minnesota and provides individual and couples virtual therapy with BetterHelp. He received his BA in social work and sociology and his master’s degree in clinical social work, and he has a director of special education license. 

Porter has presented at numerous conferences throughout Minnesota on topics such as chemical health, supervision and ethics, strategies for supporting youth, promoting self-esteem, and school-based social skills programs. He was an examination item writer for the Association of Social Work Boards and has been published multiple times in the School Social Work Journal. Porter was named Minnesota School Social Worker of the Year in 2012.