Students for Sensible Drug Policy

contents

ssdp-2012

schedule at a glance detailed conference agenda

speaker biographies story booth

local information sponsors+exhibitors

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friday, march 23rd

conference at a glance

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5:00p - 8:00p: Registration 2nd Floor Lobby

6:00p - 10:00p: Welcome Reception Atrium

6:00p - 9:00p: Alumni Gathering Garcia’s

Mexican Restaurant, 5050 S. Syracuse Street

8:05p - 9:30p: Congress I Atrium

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9:00a - 6:00p: Registration 2nd Floor Lobby

9:30a - 6:00p: Exhibits Grand Mesa Lobby

9:30a - 6:00p: Story Booth Summit

9:30a - 10:00a: Breakfast Grand Mesa

9:30a - 10:15a: Ethan Nadelmann Grand

Mesa Ballroom

10:30a - 11:45a: Choose one:

1. Saving Lives By Changing Laws: Call

911 Good Samaritan/Medical Amnesty

Policies Chasm Creek B

2. Surprising Allies: Collaborating with

Cops and Moms Chasm Creek A

3. Global Drug Policy: From the Field to

UN Highlands

4. Finding the Leader Within You Wind Star

12:00p - 1:15p: Choose one:

1. Colorado: A Model for Medical

Marijuana Regulation Chasm Creek B

2. Cannabusiness: From Activist to

Entrepenuer Chasm Creek A

3. Transcending Political Differences:

Drug Policy Reform as a Non-Partisan

Issue Highlands

4. Take Over Your Student Government

Wind Star

1:30p - 3:00p: Lunch Grand Mesa

1:30p - 2:45p: Congress II Chasm Creek B

3:00p - 4:15p: Choose one:

1. Communicating Our Message:

Tips From the Pros Chasm Creek B

2. Reforming Drug Policy While Not Work-

ing In Drug Policy Chasm Creek A

3. Practical First Aid For Partygoers

Highlands

4. Raising the Bar: Law SSDP Windstar

4:30p - 5:45p: Choose one:

1. Marijuana Reform: 2012 Statewide

Ballot Initiatives Chasm Creek B

2. Tips, Tricks, and Traps: Employment

in Drug Policy Reform Chasm Creek A

3. Just Say Know: Reality Based Drug

Education Programs Highlands

4. “Dos” & “Don’ts” of Effective Fundrais-

ing Wind Star

6:00p - 6:30p: Closing Remarks: Kris Krane

& Adam Smith Grand Mesa Ballroom

6:30p - 7:00p: Diversity Committee Meeting

Chasm Creek B

8:00p - 9:00p: Awards Ceremony Grand

Mesa Ballroom

9:00p - 12:00a: Concert + Dance Party

Grand Mesa Ballroom

sunday, march 25th

9:00a - 1:00p: Anti-Oppression Training

Workshop Wind Star

9:30a - 6:00p: Exhibits Grand Mesa Lobby

9:30a - 6:00p: Story Booth Summit

10:00a - 10:30a: Breakfast Grand Mesa

10:15a - 10:45a: Opening Remarks: Steve

DeAngelo Grand Mesa Ballroom

11:00a - 3:00p: Scholarship Processing

Grand Mesa Lobby

11:00a - 12:15p: Choose one:

1. Schools Not Prisons, Not Schools TO

Prisons! Chasm Creek B

2. Practicing Non-Violent Communication

Chasm Creek A

3. More Women In The Movement: Ending

Alcohol Prohibition As A Model Highlands

12:30p - 1:45p: Choose one:

1. Case Study: Beating Mandatory Stu-

dent Drug Testing Chasm Creek B

2. AMPLIFYing Our Message: Recruiting

At Concerts Chasm Creek A

3. Speaking Truth to Power: Getting

Elected Officials On The Record

Highlands

1:45p - 3:00p: Lunch Grand Mesa

2:00p - 3:15p: Congress III Chasm Creek B

3:00p - 3:15p: Group Photo Atrium

3:15p - 4:15p: Regional Meetup

: Northeast + Western Chasm Creek B

: Mountain Plains Chasm Creek A

: Midwest Highlands

: Mid-Atlantic + South Wind Star

: International Grand Mesa Ballroom

4:30p - 5:00p: Closing Remarks: Rick

Doblin Grand Mesa Ballroom

5:00p - 6:00p: DanceSafe VIdeo Highlands

saturday, march 24tH

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detailed conference agenda

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friday, march 23rd

5:00p - 8:00p

Registration

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2nd Floor Lobby

6:00p - 10:00p

Welcome Reception

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Atrium

Meet and greet reception for all conference

attendees.

6:00p - 9:00p

Alumni Gathering

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Garcia’s Mexican Restaurant

Alumni gathering will take place at Garcia’s

Mexican Restaurant, 5050 S. Syracuse St.

Denver, CO 80237.

8:15p - 9:30p

Congress I: Candidate Speeches

SSDP Board of Directors

Atrium

Candidates for SSDP’s Board of Directors

will have the opportunity to briefly introduce

themselves to conference attendees. Board

candidates will each give brief speeches

about their backgrounds, experiences, and

why they would be a good fit for SSDP’s Board

of Directors. (An effort will be made to post the

speeches on YouTube for participants that are

unable to attend these speeches.)

9:00a - 5:00p

Registration

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2nd Floor Lobby

9:30a - 6:00p

Story Booth

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Summit

9:30a - 6:00p

Exhibit Hall

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Grand Mesa Lobby

9:30a - 10:00a

Breakfast

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Grand Mesa Ballroom

9:30a - 10:15a

Welcome to Colorado

Art Way, Brian Vicente

Grand Mesa Ballroom

Opening Remarks

Ethan Nadelmann

Grand Mesa Ballroom

10:30a - 11:45a

Saving Lives By Changing Laws: Call 911

Good Samaritan/Medical Amnesty Policies

Jeff Cece, Brandon Levey, Evan Nison, Dr.

Larry Bedard, Katharine Celentano

Chasm Creek B

When someone in America overdoses, a call

for help is made less than 50% of the time

and the most common reason for not seeking

immediate help is the fear of police involve-

ment. Good Samaritan policies aim to reduce

fear and save lives by protecting help-seekers

and overdose victims from arrest or prosecu-

tion for possession of alcohol or other drugs.

Panelists will provide an overview of their

advocacy efforts for campus-based poli-

cies and statewide laws. They will discuss

the strengths and weaknesses of specific

provisions among the 12 state laws that have

been enacted so far. They will offer advice on

negotiation tactics, persuasive talking points,

and ways to overcome bureaucratic obstacles

and law enforcement opposition. Panelists will

also explore ways to enhance the effective-

ness of Good Samaritan laws with targeted

awareness campaigns. One panelist will offer

a unique perspective on organizing within

medical associations.

Surprising Allies: Collaborating with Cops

and Moms

Sam Kamin, Jason Thomas, Leonard Frieling,

Dr. Erika Joye, Sean McAllister

Chasm Creek A

Although police and parents are often those

who most discourage drug use, they can be

students’ greatest allies when it comes to ad-

vocating for drug policy reform. This panel will

feature the stories of law enforcement officials

and mothers who have become leading ad-

vocates for sensible drug policies. Their deci-

sions to come out varied but were all based on

firsthand experience witnessing how the drug

war destroys families. One judge on the panel,

for example, resigned in protest of increasing

marijuana possession penalties after seeing

how marijuana convictions affected people’s

lives. The panel will also discuss ways that

students can team up with police and parents

to collaborate on local efforts for change in

their own communities.

Global Drug Policy: From the Field to the

UN

Zara Snapp, David Guzmán, Fernando

saturday, march 24th

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Thirión, Graham de Barra, Andrew Livingston

Highlands

With an estimated 60,000 people killed due

to drug-war related violence in Mexico since

2006, drug trafficking money severely infiltrat-

ing politics in Colombia, and users criminal-

ized around the globe, the United States-led

global drug war is in full effect. Meanwhile,

countries such as Portugal are experimenting

with innovative harm reduction policies, Gua-

temala and Costa Rica are proposing a global

discussion on marijuana legalization and civil

society, including students and young people

around the world are realizing that the war on

drugs cannot be won. This panel will feature

several international SSDP chapter leaders

who will share experiences from their own

countries, as well as discuss the linkages to

global drug policy. Join us for an engaging

conversation with peers from around the world

as we take SSDP international!

Finding the Leader Within You

Aaron Houston

Wind Star

Hear tips on how to embody mindful leader-

ship through daily practices. Participants will

leave feeling better prepared to have difficult

conversations and ready to embody a new

leadership presence that emphasizes being

present in the moment, more open, and more

connected.

12:00p - 1:15p

Marijuana Reform: 2012 Statewide

Ballot Initiatives

Brian Vicente, Mason Tvert, Adam Smith,

Theresa Daniello

Chasm Creek B

This panel will focus on the exciting topic of

marijuana reform through examining state-

level ballot initiatives. With public opinion

for marijuana reform at its highest level ever,

many experts think that marijuana legalization

is imminent. Learn about the ongoing efforts

to reform marijuana laws in Colorado and

Oregon and how activists can assist these

historic campaigns.

Cannabusiness: From Activist to Entre-

penuer

Kris Krane, Troy Dayton

Chasm Creek A

This panel will focus on the intersection of

activism and the emerging cannabis industry.

As the medical cannabis industry matures

and grows into a legitimate industry, we are

faced with unique and challenging issues.

Sometimes the challenges can be at odds

with our activist principles, while more often

the two are complimentary. This panel will

feature a discussion between Troy Dayton and

Kris Krane, two SSDP alumni from American

University in the early days of the organiza-

tion, about making the transition from activist

to entrepreneur, and how keeping our activist

values at heart in our work in the industry can

have a profound effect on what the future of

the cannabis industry will look like, and on

future cannabis policies and regulation.

Transcending Political Differences: Drug

Policy Reform as a Non-Partisan Issue

Peter Neiger, Alex Padilla, Shaleen Title, Jas-

mine Tyler, Eapen Thampy

Highlands

Traditionally, many have framed drug policy

reform as a liberal issue, but this is not neces-

sarily the case. Five professionals from differ-

ent organizations, backgrounds, and political

leanings, discuss drug policy reform as a

non-partisan issue.

Take Over Your Student Government

Sam Tracy

Wind Star

In this session, SSDPers will learn about why

they should take over their student govern-

ments, how to run a successful campaign,

and how to effectively push for harm reduc-

tion and sensible drug policies once in office.

Learn about all parts of a successful cam-

paign, from broad strategies like messaging,

to specific tactics like how to make the best

chalk advertisements. While oriented towards

student government campaigns, most skills

taught in this workshop can be applied to

issue campaigns or even campaigns for local

or state office. All attendees will receive a

copy of the new “SSDP Student Government

Takeover Manual.”

1:30p - 3:00p

Lunch

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Grand Mesa Ballroom

1:30p - 2:45p

Congress II

SSDP Board of Directors

Grand Mesa Ballroom

Board Candidate Q&A Session. The Satur-

day session of Congress will give students

an opportunity to have their questions heard

and answered by the candidates running

for SSDP’s national Board of Directors. All

students are encouraged to attend, especially

each chapter’s voting member. Participants:

please promptly grab your lunch from the

Grand Mesa ballroom lobby and bring it with

you to Congress in Chasm Creek B.

3:00p - 4:15p

Communicating Our Message: Tips From

the Pros

Rob Kampia, Scott Morgan

Chasm Creek B

The war on drugs impacts different constitu-

saturday, march 24th

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encies in different ways. As with any contro-

versial issue, it is important to be aware of

nuances in communication and how others

perceive your message. This panel brings

together movement leaders to share their

expertise about how various messaging

styles and tactics contribute to how we com-

municate our message of drug policy reform.

Hear from these professionals about their own

messaging strategies so that you can bring

this knowledge back to your campus and

hone your communication skills to help you

be the most effective and well-rounded advo-

cate you can be.

Reforming Drug Policy While Not Working

In Drug Policy

Mike Liszewski, Aditya Mukerjee, Victor Pinho,

Emily Stevenson, A. Kathryn Parker, Michael

Blunk

Chasm Creek A

While several SSDPers will graduate and go

on to work at one of the various drug policy re-

form organizations that we all know and love,

the reality is that SSDP graduates more mem-

bers each year than there are jobs available

in the drug policy reform movement. Does

that mean graduation spells an early end to

your efforts as a drug policy reform activist?

Of course not! In fact, several former SSDPers

have gone on to become vital members of the

reform community while earning their living

outside of the movement. Learn how to be an

active as reformer even if the company name

on your paycheck is different than the policy

organization patch on your backpack.

Practical First Aid For Partygoers

Billieer Tyler, Missi Wooldridge

Highlands

What is an overdose? What happens when

someone overdoses? What is the most ap-

propriate action to take? This workshop led by

a registered nurse and a public health profes-

sional will answer these questions and more.

Participants will also breakout into groups

and be assigned a specific party scenario to

practice rescue methods.

Raising the Bar: Law Students for Sensible

Drug Policy

Jesse Stout, Kellen Russoniello, Thomas

Silverstein, Bob Nichols, Bradley Steinman

Windstar

SSDP has almost 200 chapters, but only 10

are at law schools. This roundtable will feature

discussion of how LSSDP chapters may be

different from undergraduate chapters; what

events, activities, and campaigns have been

successful at law schools; how to start an

LSSDP chapter; how to find, recruit, and retain

members at law schools; and how to reach out

and start chapters at other law schools.

4:30p - 5:45p

Colorado: A Model for Medical Marijuana

Regulation

Brian Vicente, Josh Kappel

Chasm Creek B

With more regulations than casinos or liquor

stores, Colorado’s tightly-regulated medical

marijuana businesses are viewed as a national

example of how to properly control marijuana

production and sale. Learn from experienced

operators and state officials about the ins-

and-outs of this burgeoning industry.

Tips, Tricks, and Traps: Employment in

Drug Policy Reform

Shaleen Title, Jasmine Tyler, Caren Woodsen,

Irina Alexander

Chasm Creek A

Want to work full-time for sensible drug policy?

Join this practical discussion for real-life tips

on navigating the job search, application,

and interviewing process. Focusing on both

traditional job skills and unique aspects of the

drug policy reform movement, this roundtable

will feature advice from people who work (and

hire) in the drug policy and marijuana indus-

tries. We’ll cover how to ace the screening

process and interview, but you’ll also find out

how to prepare far in advance by developing

the most in-demand skills and growing your

network in order to find opportunities when

you need them.

Just Say Know: Reality Based Drug Ed.

Devon Tackels, Kristen Kidd Donovan

Highlands

JSK is a reality based drug education series

that seeks to provide fact based, non-biased,

harm reduction drug education to college

students that was developed at VCU last year

by SSDP and the VCU Wellness Resource

Center. Our dream is to fine tune and evaluate

this program at VCU and be a resource to any

university in the country interested in imple-

menting a similar program. SSDP can reach

the students that can bring this type of educa-

tion to their campus, and this panel can help

them bring faculty and administrators to the ta-

ble. JSK formats each seminar so that a public

health professional and an SSDP student

co-facilitate each session. This format has two

salient benefits: the program has legitimacy

in the eyes of the institution because of faculty

involvement, and the student presenter lends

credibility to the faculty member’s message.

“Dos” & “Dont’s” of Effective Fundraising

Emily Stevenson

Wind Star

Learn the basic “do”s and “don’t”s of effective

fundraising and specific fundraising activities

you can implement immediately on your own

campus. Workshop participants will be able to

share their own success stories, ask ques-

tions, and receive resource materials you can

take back to your chapter.

saturday, march 24th

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6:00p - 6:30p

Closing Remarks

Kris Krane, Adam Smith

Grand Mesa Ballroom

6:30p - 7:00p

Diversity + Outreach Committee Meeting

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Chasm Creek B

8:00p - 9:00p

Awards Ceremony

SSDP Staff

Grand Mesa Ballroom

The SSDP staff will kick of the evening’s cel-

ebration by recognizing outstanding achieve-

ments during our annual awards ceremony.

Soft and hard drinks available for purchase.

9:00p - 12:00a

Open Jam + Dance Party

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Grand Mesa Ballroom

Following the awards ceremony, we’ll kick

of the evening’s celebration with a one hour

concert. The relationship between music and

activism has been long established, and is an

essential component of any successful social

movement today. Join some of SSDP’s musi-

cally driven activists as they share some of

their own artistic talents with our community.

This concert will join the best of both worlds,

showcasing the hidden musical talents of The

Wets. These SSDP rock n’ rollers, and very

special guests, will have you dancing in no

time. Join us as they play some of your favor-

ite tunes directly after the awards ceremony.

Then, stick around for two hours of music

provided by local DJs, including SSDP’s own,

DJ Walker.

saturday, mar 24th

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9:00a - 1:00p

Anti-Oppression Training Workshop

Rachel Ibrahim

Wind Star

The four-hour anti-oppression workshop will

focus on examining power and privilege by

looking at the unique relationship between

race and class in the US as it impacts all op-

pression. In developing common language

and examining how racism is internalized by

all people, we will be able to better under-

stand the dominant culture’s policies, laws,

and institutions and our role in upholding or

breaking down the oppressive construct.

SSDP members will be able to use this knowl-

edge and expanded perspective to better un-

derstand how drug laws fit into the structures

of power and privilege within society.

9:30a - 6:00p

Story Booth

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Summit

9:30a - 6:00p

Exhibit Hall

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2nd Floor Lobby

10:00a - 10:30a

Breakfast

--

Grand Mesa Ballroom

10:15a - 10:45a

Opening Plenary

Steve DeAngelo

Grand Mesa Ballroom

11:00a - 3:00p

Scholarship Processing

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2nd Floor Lobby

All scholarship recipients will submit a confer-

ence evaluation form at the SSDP table in

the exhibitor hall. Additionally, those getting

reimbursements can pick up their checks dur-

ing this time at the SSDP table from Edward

Spriggs.

11:00a - 12:15p

Schools Not Prisons, Not Schools TO

Prisons!

Mike Liszewski, Jon Perri, Eric Sterling, Froggy

Vasquez

Chasm Creek B

For many young Americans, the nation’s

public schools have turned into the functional

equivalent of a police department’s central

booking unit. By embracing a law enforcement

disciplinary approach, educational institu-

tions have become the entryway by which

many incarcerated people get caught up in a

lingering cycle of recidivism. What has caused

parents and educators to allow the “school-to-

prison pipeline” to take hold? Have programs

aimed at curbing gang violence had counter-

productive results due to misunderstandings

about gang culture? Thankfully, there are tools

available to dismantle the pipeline and keep

students in schools, not prisons!

Practicing Non-Violent Communication

Alex Leach

Chasm Creek A

Nonviolent Communication (NVC) strives to

build connections between people based on

honesty and empathy. It avoids moralistic

judgments, and other statements, which trig-

ger fight-flight-freeze reactions in ourselves

and others. Instead we communicate our

deeper feelings and needs to one another,

in hopes of being heard and truly hearing

one another. Nonviolent Communication can

help SSDP chapters within their meetings, by

providing a communication model which leads

to more consensus, a calmer way to discuss

intragroup problems, and help members

understand and connect with one another

at a deeper level. NVC can also help SSDP

chapters as they interact with individuals or

organizations who are not already in favor of

drug policy reform. It does this by identify-

ing the underling causes of resistance, and

instead of getting stuck in an argument, NVC

creates situations of shared problem solving.

More Women In The Movement: Ending

Alcohol Prohibition As A Model

Sabrina Fendrick, Betty Aldworth,

AnnaRae Grabstein

Highlands

This round table discussion will focus on

the similarities and differences between the

tactics and resources utilized by the women

who fought to end alcohol prohibition (Pauline

Sabin and the Women’s Organization for Na-

tional Prohibition Reform), and those used by

today’s female focused marijuana law reform

campaigns and organizations. This includes

messaging, financing, organizing strategies,

socio-political influence and forms of protest.

We will be discussing what lessons can be

taken from the women in the 1930’s as well

as how to leverage our existing resources in

order to maximize our reform efforts, and build

support for legalization among the female

demographic.

12:30p - 1:45p

Case Study: Beating Mandatory Student

Drug Testing

Alex Kriet, Sam Walker

Chasm Creek B

sunday, march 25th

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Drug testing has been in the news with a num-

ber of states adopting or exploring programs

to test welfare recipients. Though it has not

received as much publicity, at least one col-

lege has attempted to drug test its students:

Linn State Technical College. Though many

high schools drug test their students, Linn

State appears to be the first college to have

adopted a broad drug testing program. Stu-

dents are currently challenging the program

in Court and SSDP has written a friend-of-the-

court brief in the case. This panel will discuss

the Linn State case, as well as the legal and

policy issues related to student drug testing

more broadly.

AMPLIFYing Our Message: Recruiting At

Concerts

Brooke Napier, Brian Gilbert, Chris Wallis

Chasm Creek A

Have you ever tabled a concert for SSDP? If

you haven’t, would you like to? If so, its time

to AMPLIFY your activism! This session will

let you know how to get involved in SSDP’s

AMPLIFY project by combining your love for

music and drug policy reform while becoming

a killer street promoter for bands like Slightly

Stoopid and Lotus.

Speaking Truth to Power: Getting Elected

Officials On The Record

Irina Alexander, Scott Morgan

Highlands

Our drug policy is such a disaster that many

of our political leaders don’t even want to talk

about it. That’s why SSDP activists have a rich

tradition of breaking the silence and publicly

challenging political leaders to go “On the

Record” by answering tough questions about

the harms of the War on Drugs. This panel

features exciting videos of students confront-

ing prominent politicians, including analysis

of how to get noticed, what to ask, and how to

turn a quick exchange into a viral video that

impacts that drug policy debate.

1:45p - 3:00p

Lunch

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Grand Mesa Ballroom

2:00p - 3:15p

Congress III

SSDP Board of Directors

Chasm Creek B

Voting, Resolutions, and Election Results. The

final day of Congress will begin with voting

on Board candidates. Each chapter gets one

vote, and each voting members must be certi-

fied to vote in advance. (If your school does

not have a certified voting member, please

see a current Board member ASAP.) Next,

resolutions will be introduced, discussed,

and voted on. This Congress session will end

with the announcement of the newly elected

Board of Directors and alternates. Newly

elected board members will be asked to stay

for a board meeting following election results.

Participants: please promptly grab your lunch

from the Grand Mesa ballroom lobby & bring it

with you to Congress in Chasm Creek B.

3:00p - 3:15p

Group Photo

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Atrium

Gather in the atrium for a group photo.

3:15p - 4:15p

Regional Meetup

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Chasm Creek B, Chasm Creek A, Highlands,

Wind Star, Grand Mesa Ballroom

Meet and strategize with other students,

alumni, and other supporters from your region

during this regional meet-up. Topics can in-

clude collaborating on statewide and regional

campaigns, facilitating communication with

neighboring chapters, regional or statewide

conferences, and developing strong local net-

works of active reformers. These are intention-

ally structured loosely to allow for self-directed

discussions.

: Northeast + Western Chasm Creek B

(CT, MA, ME, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI, VT, AL,

CA, HI, NV, OR, WA)

: Mountain Plains Chasm Creek A

(AZ, CO, ID, KS, MT, ND, NE, NM, SD, UT,

WY)

: Midwest Highlands

(IA, IL, IN, KY, MI, MO, MN, OH, WI )

: Mid-Atlantic + South Wind Star

(DC, DE, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, WV; AL, AR,

FL, LA, MS, OK, TN, TX)

: International Grand Mesa Ballroom

4:30p - 5:00p

Closing Remarks

Rick Doblin

Grand Mesa Ballroom

5:00p - 6:00p

DanceSafe Video

--

Highlands

In the summer of 2010, a firestorm of negative

media coverage & political outrage erupted as

a result of the ecstasy-related death of a teen-

age girl who attended Electric Daisy Carnival

in Los Angeles. In response to the tragedy and

controversy, the County Public Health Depart-

ment launched an innovative harm reduction

campaign alongside local promoters, DJs,

and event safety experts. The story highlights

their collaborative efforts.

sunday, march 25th

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speaker bios

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speaker bios

Betty Aldworth is the Advocacy Director

for The Campaign to Regulate Marijuana like

Alcohol, where she is responsible to ensure

women are empowered and enfranchised ad-

vocates of Amendment 64. Betty is also Com-

munity Relations Director for CDS Centers and

CDS Management Co, and is a member of the

board of directors of the National Cannabis

Industry Association, and facilitates the Medi-

cal Marijuana Business Alliance.

Irina Alexander was a co-founder of Virginia

Tech’s SSDP chapter in 2007 and served

as chapter president at the University of

Maryland in 2009, where she helped pass a

campus Good Samaritan policy. She gradu-

ated in December 2010 with a BA in Criminol-

ogy & Criminal Justice and a minor in Black

Women’s Studies. Irina works in Washington,

D.C. as Chief of Staff for the Criminal Justice

Policy Foundation and is finishing her term as

Chair of SSDP’s national board of directors.

Michael Blunk is a former Chair of SSDP’s

Board of Directors, and was the founder of the

University of Houston SSDP chapter. Following

graduation, he first worked as campaign man-

ager on a Democratic statewide campaign in

Texas. After the campaign concluded, Michael

moved on into the business world where he is

today. His company, SmallCap Support Ser-

vices LLC, offers business consulting, investor

relations, and marketing support for emerging

start-up.

Jeff Cece is a criminologist, drug policy ana-

lyst, educator, and consultant. He received

a B.A. from the University of Connecticut and

M.S. from Florida State University’s College

of Criminology and Criminal Justice. He has

taught over 800 FSU undergrads, most in

his specialty course on Drugs in the Justice

System. As a researcher and analyst in the

Florida Governor’s Office of Drug Control, he

authored Florida’s 2009 statewide Drug Con-

trol Strategy and the 2007 Methamphetamine

Control Strategy.

Katharine Celentano is a neuroscience and

economics student at Columbia University

where she also serves as president of Colum-

bia University Students for Sensible Drug Pol-

icy. Recipient of the 2011 SSDP Outstanding

Student Activist Award, she previously worked

as College Coordinator at Law Enforcement

Against Prohibition. Katharine is particularly

interested in coalition building and outreach

with the recovery community. She played a

key role in the development and passage of

Columbia University’s Good Samaritan Policy.

Carissa Cornwell has been a pillar within

the electronic music community for over

twelve years and known best for her work with

DanceSafe. In 1999 she started a DanceSafe

chapter in Madison, Wisconsin, which ex-

panded into Midwest DanceSafe. In 2003 she

joined the Board of Directors and currently is

the secretary. Carissa is the National Outreach

Director and responsible for all volunteers and

chapters. Development of training curriculum

and outreach strategies are just a few of her

tasks.

Stacia Cosner is the Associate Director for

Students for Sensible Drug Policy. Working in

Washington, DC she loves her job managing

outreach, communication and development

for SSDP. At the University of Maryland, she

led the campus SSDP chapter that remains

one of the largest and most active chapters in

the country. In 2011, administrators imple-

mented a Good Samaritan policy that she

introduced as a University Senator in 2007.

On Wednesdays during the summer, you can

find Stacia playing softball on the national mall

with The One Hitters, a co-ed congressional

league softball team.

Theresa Daniello is a director of The Ohio

Medical Cannabis Act of 2012. After falling

victim to the drug war, she reached out to

drug policy reformers in Ohio to initiate a

medical marijuana ballot initiative campaign.

A University of Dayton graduate, Theresa is a

mother of five, an avid off road trail runner, a

dancer, and a big believer in common sense

and compassion. She believes it is time to

take the patients off the battlefield in the drug

war.

Troy Dayton, one of SSDP’s co-founders, is

the CEO of The ArcView Group, co-founded

in 2010 with prominent activist and entrepre-

neur Stephen DeAngelo, of Harborside Health

Center. The ArcView Group runs the industry’s

first angel investor group. ArcView created

a mobile app dispensaries and recently sold

that part of the company. ArcView’s latest

project is the creation of CannaSure, a medi-

cal cannabis insurance company. He teamed

up with SSDP’s first executive director, Kris

Lotlikar to start Renewable Choice Energy,

recently named the #1 green power provider

by the EPA.

Graham de Barra is currently studying

Philosophy and Psychology in University Col-

lege of Cork, Ireland. He helped setup SSDP

Ireland with fellow Irish activists in May 2011

and hopes to ensure Ireland’s participation

in Global discussions and events. Graham

is campaining for acceptance of his chapter

in UCC where he hopes to run a self sustain-

able society aiming to spread information and

objectively explore the effects of current drug

policy on student life. Graham is working to

produce a feature length documentary high-

lighting the effects of the Irish war on drugs.

Steve DeAngelo is a dynamic leader who has

spent his entire career at the intersection of

cannabis activism and entrepreneurship. As

CEO of Harborside Health Center, Steve co-

founded and directed California’s most widely

acclaimed medical cannabis dispensary–and

set a new standard of excellence for the entire

industry. Steve graduated summa sum laude

from the University of Maryland. He is also

the star of Discovery Channel’s “Weed Wars”,

a charter member of Americans for Safe

Access, a lifetime member of NORML, and

speaks and writes widely about cannabis.

Rick Doblin, Ph.D., is the founder and

executive director of the Multidisciplinary As-

sociation for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS). He

received his doctorate in Public Policy from

Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government,

where he wrote his dissertation on the regula-

tion of the medical uses of psychedelics and

marijuana and his Master’s thesis on medical

marijuana in cancer care. His professional

goal is to help develop legal contexts for the

beneficial uses of psychedelics and mari-

juana, primarily as prescription medicines but

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also for personal growth for otherwise healthy

people, and also to become a legally licensed

psychedelic therapist.

Rick Doblin, Ph.D., is the founder and

executive director of the Multidisciplinary As-

sociation for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS). He

received his doctorate in Public Policy from

Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government,

where he wrote his dissertation on the regula-

tion of the medical uses of psychedelics and

marijuana and his Master’s thesis on medical

marijuana in cancer care. His professional

goal is to help develop legal contexts for the

beneficial uses of psychedelics and mari-

juana, primarily as prescription medicines but

also for personal growth for otherwise healthy

people.

Sabrina Fendrick is the founder and coordi-

nator of the NORML Women’s Alliance, which

she established in 2010 as a project of the

NORML Foundation. She came to NORML in

2008 and currently works out of NORML’s DC

headquarters organizing female focused cam-

paigns and fundraisers, as well as managing a

large database of female volunteers. Fendrick

has been quoted in several national and

international news publications including the

Associated Press and the London Times.

Leonard Frieling is a former municipal court

judge for the city of Lafayette, Colorado, and

sat on the Board of Directors of the Colorado

Municipal Judges Association for one term.

He is a practicing attorney and served as

Chair of the Boulder Criminal Defense Bar for

eight years. He also has acted as a Special

County Attorney for Boulder County. In 2007,

Leonard announced his resignation as a

Lafayette Municipal Court Associate Judge in

protest of what he described as an unneces-

sary and drastic proposal to increase mari-

juana possession penalties in Lafayette.

Brian Gilbert is Co-President of Students for

Sensible Drug Policy at Virginia Common-

wealth University & one of the two current Out-

reach Coordinators for the AMPLIFY Project.

He is a dedicated drug policy reform activist

& also a compulsive, bordering on obsessive

fan of live music, broke 20 Phish shows this

summer! Brian has been involved with SSDP

ever since Devon Tackels founded the SSDP

chapter at VCU in Spring ‘09.

AnnaRae Grabstein CEO of Steep Hill Lab,

AnnaRae oversees the business develop-

ment, scientific, and outreach departments,

maintaining SHL’s unified vision of champion-

ing the future of medical cannabis. Under

AnnaRae’s leadership, Steep Hill is setting the

standard for socially responsible cannabis

entrepreneurship. In addition to her 10 years

in the medical cannabis industry, previously

AnnaRae has been instrumental in operations,

project management and implementation of

marketing strategies in the renewable energy,

non-profit, and restaurant industries.

David Guzmán is currently a senior at

the Universidad Nacional de Colombia in

Bogotá, where he studies philosophy. David

has worked with vulnerable communities in

extreme conditions of poverty, co-founded a

working group in his college to deal with edu-

cation policies, and works as a paid database

manager for an institute developing projects to

promote human rights in public schools coop-

erating with Bogotá’s mayoralty. David joined

Universidad Nacional’s SSDP chapter in 2010,

where he serves as the co-president.

Aaron Houston leads a movement of student

activists with a presence on more than 200

campuses around the world. Named a “Rising

Star of Politics” by Campaigns & Elections

Magazine in 2008, Aaron is a nationally rec-

ognized expert on drug policy and marijuana

law. Aaron has appeared on NBC’s Today

show, The Colbert Report, FOX News, CNN,

and NPR, and his efforts on Capitol Hill were

chronicled in a Showtime original documen-

tary, In Pot We Trust.

Rachael Ibrahim, an anti-oppression com-

munity organizer, activist and trainer provides

experiential and interactive workshops with an

anti-racism lens. Trained by the People’s Insti-

tute for Survival and Beyond through Undoing

Racism and earning a Master’s degree from

The Hunter College School of Social Work

in Community Organizing, Rachael brings a

wealth of experience. From the International

Solidarity work and anti-oppression trainings

at OWS, to Youth Leadership Development,

organizing and providing training to New York

Collective of Radical Educators and so much

more, Rachael works with various communi-

ties to create sustainable change.

Dr. Erika Joye holds a PhD in Child, Family,

and School Psychology from the University of

Denver. She is a Nationally Certified School

Psychologist. Currently, she works full time

as a school psychologist in a Title I elemen-

tary school in Denver. She is also a part-time

trainer and research consultant for the WhyTry

Organization, a drop-out, violence, and drug

and alcohol prevention program used in over

6,000 schools around the globe. She is also

adjunct faculty at Metropolitan State College

of Denver and Community College of Denver.

Sam Kamin joined the faculty at the Sturm

College of Law in 1999. Holding both a J.D.

and a Ph.D. from the University of California

at Berkeley, Professor Kamin is active in the

Law and Society Association and in the field

of law and social science generally. He is the

co-author of two books analyzing California’s

Three Strikes and You’re Out Law and has

published scholarly articles in the Virginia Law

Review, The Indiana Law Journal, the Boston

College Law Journal and Law and Contempo-

rary Problems, among others.

Rob Kampia is the Executive Director of the

Marijuana Policy Project. Rob grew up in Har-

leysville, Pennsylvania, and graduated vale-

dictorian of his high school class. From 1989

to 1990, he served three months in a county

jail for growing marijuana for personal use. He

then graduated with honors from Penn State

University in 1993, with a major in Engineering

Science and a minor in English. Rob spends

his free time reading, bicycling, traveling, and

listening to heavy-metal music.

Joshua Kappel, Esq., graduated from Univer-

sity of Denver, Sturm College of Law in May

2010. While in law school, Josh received both

the Patton Boggs Public Policy Fellowship

and the Public Interest Law Clerkship to work

for Sensible Colorado. At Vicente Sederberg,

Josh routinely provides advice to patients,

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caregivers, and businesses about medical

marijuana, licensing, regulatory compliance,

general business and transactional law, and

the intersection of state and federal law. Josh

is also currently the Associate Director of

Sensible Colorado, advocating for medical

marijuana patient rights.

Kristen Kidd Donovan, MPH is the Sub-

stance Abuse Services Coordinator in the

Office of Health Promotion. She received her

BA from Davidson College. After serving as

a Peace Corps Volunteer in Zimbabwe, she

earned her Master of Public Health from the

University of Iowa School of Public Health.

Kristen then completed a three-year fellowship

with the Centers for Disease Control and Pre-

vention before returning to local public health

as an epidemiologist. In her current role,

Kristen educates on drugs (including alcohol),

substance abuse, and connects students

struggling with substance abuse issues to ap-

propriate community resources.

Kris Krane serves as a Principal and Manag-

ing Partner at 4Front Advisors, the nation’s

premier medical marijuana dispensary

consulting firm. Prior to forming 4Front, Kris

served as Director of Client Services for Cann-

Be, where he helped develop many of the best

practices that have become the backbone of

4Front Advisors’ operations. Kris served as

associate director of the NORML from 2000-

2005 and executive director of Students for

Sensible Drug Policy from 2006-2009. Kris

currently serves on the national board of direc-

tors of Students for Sensible Drug Policy and

Common Sense for Drug Policy.

Alex Kreit is an Associate Professor and

Director of the Center for Law and Social

Justice. Alex obtained his B.A. from Hamp-

shire College and his J.D. from the University

of Pennsylvania Law School. Alex is currently

President of the San Diego Lawyer Chapter

of the American Constitution Society and

serves on the Board of Directors of Students

for Sensible Drug Policy. From 2009 to 2010

he served as Chair of the City of San Diego’s

Medical Marijuana Task Force, a position ap-

pointed by the San Diego City Council.

Alex Leach is an SSDP alumnus from the

College of William and Mary, class of 2010.

He leads Nonviolent Communication trainings,

mediation between people, and Nonviolent

Communication based meetings at Occupy

Sacramento.

Brandon Levey is the former co-President of

Students for Sensible Drug Policy at the Uni-

versity of Maryland, and is also spearheading

the push for a comprehensive Good Samari-

tan Policy this year there. He also serves as a

member of the University of Maryland Senate,

and as the Southern Region College Events

Coordinator for Law Enforcement Against Pro-

hibition. Brandon also is on the SSDP National

Board of Directors, and chairs the Alumni

Committee. He plans to continue his SSDP

involvement in law school beginning in 2013.

Michael Liszewski is a graduate of Towson

University and UDC School of Law and is

Policy Director at Americans for Safe Access.

Before law school, he coordinated after-school

youth programs and neighborhood empower-

ment projects in southeast Baltimore. In law

school, Mike interned for the ACLU-NCA,

successfully leading a student lobbying effort

to defeat a poisonous “gang injunction” bill.

He clerked in the DC Council’s Committee

on Health during passage of DC’s medical

marijuana law.

Andrew Livingston Going to a public school

in upper-middle class suburban New Jersey

means Andrew Livingston grew up on the

generally safe and nonviolent side of drug

markets. But shows like HBO’s the Wire and

stories of prohibition taught him that criminal

markets are often violent forces in communi-

ties. He became interested in the economics

of illegal markets while in college and started

a chapter of SSDP at Colgate University dur-

ing his sophomore year.

Sean T. McAllister is one of Colorado’s lead-

ing drug policy reform lawyers. His practice

focuses on civil rights, medical marijuana

issues, criminal defense, DUI, and family

law. From 2000 to 2003, Sean served as an

Assistant Attorney General with the State

of Colorado where he enforced the state’s

environmental laws. He has sued several cities

and counties related to their implementation

of the medical marijuana law. He was also

assisted in the drafting of the 2012 marijuana

legalization initiative (I-30) that was recently

certified for the ballot.

Scott Morgan is a blogger, filmmaker, and

social media activist focusing on drug policy

and criminal justice reform. He writes regularly

at StoptheDrugWar.org and Huffington Post,

and has been called the best blogger in the

drug policy reform movement (a claim he

denies). Scott also serves as Associate Direc-

tor of Flex Your Rights, where he produces

innovative know-your-rights media, including

the highly-acclaimed film 10 Rules for Dealing

with Police.

Aditya Mukerjee is a graduating senior at

Columbia University. He has been involved

in the Columbia SSDP chapter all four years,

has served as chapter president, and helped

construct the Good Samaritan policy that

went into effect this year. Aditya is also highly

involved in the New York tech community, hav-

ing worked at both OkCupid and foursquare.

He plans on working in a NYC startup after

graduation.

Ethan Nadelmann is the founder and execu-

tive director of the Drug Policy Alliance, the

leading organization in the United States

promoting alternatives to the war on drugs.

Nadelmann was born in New York City and

received his BA, JD, and PhD from Harvard,

and a master’s degree in international rela-

tions from the London School of Economics.

Described by Rolling Stone as “the point

man” for drug policy reform efforts, Ethan

Nadelmann is widely regarded as the most

prominent proponent of drug policy reform.

Brooke Napier is an SSDP alum, and one of

the Outreach Coordinators for the AMPLIFY

Project. A former intern for SSDP, she is cur-

rently a member of LEAP’s booking team, and

is heading the state-wide medical amnesty

campaign in Virginia. She is an avid music

lover, and loves bringing her passion for drug

policy reform to the communities surrounding

live music.

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Peter Neiger is currently the Internal Opera-

tions Manager for Students For Liberty based

in Washington DC where he oversees 60

Campus Coordinators across North America.

Prior to working for SFL, Peter served in the

US Army as an Infantry Paratrooper and saw

combat in both Afghanistan and Iraq. Peter

has written several articles on veteran’s issues

and ending the wars oversees. Peter’s interest

in drug policy became a prominent part of his

life after experiencing the medicinal quali-

ties of MDMA to treat Post-Traumatic Stress

Disorder.

Bob Nichols is President of the George-

town Law SSDP chapter and a third-year

law student. He’s been involved with SSDP

since he was an undergrad in 2006 and is

constantly impressed by the ability of students

and young people to make an impact on drug

policy (and other policy) in this country.

Evan Nison is a senior business major at

Ithaca College where he serves as President

of the school’s SSDP Chapter. He helps coor-

dinate SSDP’s legislative efforts in New Jersey

and New York, where he was instrumental in

passing the New York State 911 Good Samari-

tan Law. He also co-founded NY Cannabis

Alliance and worked in California for the Yes

on 19 campaign as the Statewide Campus

Organizer. He was High Times’ “Freedom

Fighter of the Month” in their April 2011 issue

and was awarded NORML’s 2011 Student

Activism Award.

Alex Padilla is an Associate Professor of

Economics at the Metropolitan State Col-

lege of Denver. He is also the Director of the

Exploring Economic Freedom Project, which

hosts the Exploring Economic Freedom Lec-

ture Series. His research is focused in Law &

Economics and Industrial Organization. Alex

teaches Principles of Microeconomics, Inter-

mediate Microeconomics, Law & Economics,

Industrial Organization and the Economics of

Vice, which includes the analysis of the drug

addiction, prohibition, and legalization.

A. Kathryn Parker is an SSDP alumna from

North Carolina State University, where she

received a degree in English. Kathryn did

fundraising work for the Marijuana Policy Proj-

ect and Americans for Safe Access. She now

works as a paralegal for an appellate law firm

in Oakland and for Robert Raich. In addition

to changing drug policy, Kathryn devotes her

time to hoop dance, yoga, reading, and play-

ing with her four rabbits.

Jonathan Perri is the Senior Campaigner for

Criminal Justice at Change.org, the world’s

fastest growing online platform for social

change. He previously served as the Associ-

ate Director of SSDP and has worked on drug

policy reform initiatives in multiple states.

While on staff with SSDP, he spearheaded the

organization’s West Coast chapter expansion.

Jon earned his degree in Psychology from

Franklin Pierce University where he formed the

school’s first chapter of SSDP.

Victor Pinho began his work as a drug

policy reformer in 2004 when he co-founded

the University of Maryland’s NORML and

SSDP chapters. While there, he ran a suc-

cessful SAFER campaign and began laying

the groundwork for the later-adopted Good

Samaritan medical amnesty initiative. Over the

years, he has continued to serve SSDP as NJ

Chapter Coordinator and an active alumnus.

He was instrumental in the passage of NJ’s

medical marijuana law and co-authored the

state’s decriminalization bill.

Kellen Russoniello is a 3rd year Juris Doctor/

Master’s in Public Health Candidate at the

George Washington University. Kellen is a

Thurgood Marshall Scholar and GW Depart-

ment of Health Policy Chair’s Policy Scholar.

He has interned at two prevention services,

the Criminal Justice Policy Foundation, and

the National Organization for the Reform of

Marijuana Laws. His first publication will be

released this summer in the Yale Journal of

Health Policy, Law, and Ethics. Kellen gradu-

ated summa cum laude from Eastern Wash-

ington University.

Thomas Silverstein is in his second year at

the University of Virginia School of Law. He

currently serves as the Secretary of SSDP’s

Board of Directors and is the founder and

leader of the UVA Law chapter of SSDP. As

an undergraduate at the College of William

and Mary, he was a leader of that school’s

SSDP chapter and helped organize the first

ever SSDP Southeast Regional Conference.

Between college and law school, he was a

legal assistant at the Lawyers’ Committee for

Civil Rights Under Law.

Adam J. Smith began working in drug policy

reform as a law student in 1992, and became

associate director of stopthedrugwar.org in

Washington, DC in 1996. In 1998, Adam

conceptualized and launched the Higher Edu-

cation Act Reform Campaign, Raiseyourvoice.

org, which led to the creation of Students

for Sensible Drug Policy. Since 2001, Adam

has managed and consulted with political

campaigns, non-profits, and business clients

in New York, San Francisco, and Portland,

Oregon, and spent several years negotiating

labor agreements on behalf of the Oregon

Nurses’ Association.

Zara Snapp Born in Mexico, raised in the

United States, Zara Snapp has personally wit-

nessed the effects of the failed war on drugs.

Prior to joining SSDP, Zara worked for diverse

organizations such as the Kellogg Foundation,

the National Democratic Institute, the Denver

Tent City Initiative and Mi Casa Resource Cen-

ter. As a national Truman Scholar and Public

Service Fellow, Zara received a Masters in

Public Policy from the Kennedy School of

Government at Harvard University.

Bradley Steinman was born in his house

(with a midwife) in Buffalo Grove, IL, where

his parents still reside. While attending col-

lege at Indiana University, Bradley became a

brother of Delta Upsilon, and was a campaign

coordinator for Students for Barack Obama.

Prior to law school, Bradley worked for Allstate

Insurance Corporation, and lived in the Neth-

erlands. He currently works at Law420.com for

John C. Lucy IV, Esq.

Eric E. Sterling is president of the Criminal

Justice Policy Foundation. He testified for

marijuana decriminalization in 1976. In the

1980s, he was Assistant Counsel for the U.S.

House Crime Subcommittee, responsible for

drugs, gun control, money laundering, and

19

pornography. He has been a DPA member

since 1987 and is active in bar associations,

public commissions, and drug reform groups.

His expert analyses are regularly published

and widely presented and broadcast. Eric

serves as an appointed director on SSDP’s

Board of Directors.

Emily Stevenson is a professional fundraiser

with three years’ experience raising money

for national non-profit organizations, including

one year with the Marijuana Policy Project.

A sociologist by training and a passionate

advocate and charitable donor by nature,

she approaches fundraising by asking the

question, “What motivates someone to give?”

She is currently the Membership Director of a

Washington, DC-based organization with a $1

million annual budget.

Jesse Stout will graduate in 2012 from the

University of California, Hastings College

of the Law, where he founded the Hastings

SSDP chapter. He also helped start Brown

University SSDP in 2002. Between the two, he

served for three years as executive director of

the Rhode Island Patient Advocacy Coalition,

advocating for medical marijuana reform.

Jesse is the Treasurer of the SSDP Board of

Directors, and co-chair of the Drug Policy

Committee of the National Lawyers Guild.

Drew Stromberg is a Regional Outreach

Coordinator for SSDP. Working out of the

International headquarters in Washington, DC,

Drew works with students to build new chap-

ters, maintain established chapters, and grow

SSDP’s overall network. Drew founded the

West Virginia University chapter in 2009 and

served as chapter President until 2011. Under

his leadership, the WVU chapter paved new

ground in West Virginia, connecting isolated

pockets of reformers, laying the groundwork

for statewide grassroots actions, and bring-

ing drug policy to the forefront of community

discussions.

Devon Tackels is a Regional Outreach

Coordinator for SSDP, where he serves to help

maintain, connect, coordinate, and expand

our national chapter network. He got involved

with drug policy reform when he founded

the SSDP chapter at Virginia Commonwealth

University, as a sophomore in 2008, and then

served as President until 2011. Devon worked

to build strong relationships with the university

administration and helped create “Just Say

Know”, an evidence-based drug education

program that is taught in partnership by stu-

dents and university health officials.

Eapen Thampy is the founder of Americans

for Forfeiture Reform, a nonprofit advocating

for the wholesale reform of America’s draco-

nian asset forfeiture regime. He studied eco-

nomics, math, and statistics at the University

of Missouri-Columbia, and worked in the wine

and restaurant industry as a consultant.

Fernando Thirión is currently a senior at

the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de

Mexico(UNAM), in the Department of Politi-

cal and Social Sciences, where he studies

communications. He is an active member in

several civil society groups working to end the

drug war and violence in Mexico, including

SSDP UNAM. Before this he tried several

other means of expression, including writing

poetry, playing music in a rock band, manag-

ing a restaurant and studying Literature and

History (also at the UNAM).

Jason Thomas served as a detention officer

in a 125-bed county jail in Prowers County,

Colorado and as a town marshal’s deputy in

Holly, Colorado. Jason has specific insight into

the emerging legal cannabis industry in Colo-

rado as an industry stakeholder, consultant

and advocate. Jason was the Leading Petty

Officer Second Class, Santa Monica Bay divi-

sion, US Naval Sea Cadet Corps. During his

tenure as LPO, his Division was awarded the

best division in the Nation out of hundreds of

divisions and thousands of cadets.

Shaleen Title has been involved with policy

reform efforts since she co-founded the Uni-

versity of Illinois Students for Sensible Drug

Policy chapter in 2002. She is an attorney

and currently serves as speakers bureau

director of Law Enforcement Against Prohibi-

tion where she manages a global network of

cops, judges, prosecutors, federal agents and

corrections officials who support a legal and

regulated model to control drugs. She holds a

graduate degree in accounting and worked in

multistate tax consulting before joining LEAP.

Sam Tracy, has been a member of SSDP

since 2009. He served as President of UConn

SSDP during the 2010-2011 academic year.

Under his leadership, UConn successfully

passed statewide marijuana decriminalization

and medical amnesty laws, and sent over 20

students to the 2011 National Conference in

DC. Sam has made drug policy reform and

harm reduction a focus of their administra-

tion by expanding their student government’s

sober rides program and equalizing marijuana

and alcohol penalties on campus.

Mason Tvert is co-director of the campaign

supporting the 2012 initiative to regulate

marijuana like alcohol in Colorado. He is the

co-founder and executive director of Safer

Alternative For Enjoyable Recreation (SAFER)

and a coauthor of Marijuana is Safer: So why

are we driving people to drink?

Billie Tyler earned her B.S. in Nursing from

the Catholic University of America and has

has worked with not-for-profit organizations

committed to advancing community health,

progressive social change, and empowerment

for over 12 years. Currently she is working

as the DC Community Coalition’s community

organizer for the International AIDS 2012

conference to be held July 2012. Tyler was

the Systems Administrator of Prevention

Works! (syringe exchange) in Washington, DC,

charged with decreasing the harms associ-

ated with intravenous drug use, and increas-

ing access to substance abuse treatment for

injection drug users.

Jasmine L. Tyler is deputy director of na-

tional affairs, based in Washington, D.C. She

advocates for policies that reduce racial dis-

parities in the criminal justice system, increase

access to social and health services, and treat

people who use drugs with dignity. Jasmine’s

work has included grassroots and grasstops

organizing across the political spectrum, pub-

lic speaking, and media appearances. She is

one of the leaders of the Crack the Disparity

Coalition, which works to equalize the penal-

20

21

ties for crack and powder cocaine.

Froggy Vazquez was raised in a place where

funerals replaced birthday cakes, where po-

lice were part of political disease that harass

and kill little kids, a place where real history is

a mystery, especially with the war on drugs,

which works to dehumanize, demonize, and

criminalize us, so they call us thugs, teach or-

ganizing and about political strategy because

reality is families see tragedies with most

parents in prison or missing, commercial hip

hop is controlled from the tip top, people don’t

know how mass media is in control, to keep

people blind in the black hole, can’t talk about

the real and expect to get a record deal, now

how that make you feel. Froggy serves on the

SSDP Board of Directors.

Brian Vicente, Esq., is a founding member of

Vicente Consulting, LLC, a law firm provid-

ing legal solutions for the medical marijuana

community. He also serves as executive

director of Sensible Colorado, the state’s lead-

ing non-profit working for medical marijuana

patients and providers. Brian is the chair of

the Denver Mayor’s Marijuana Policy Review

Panel, serves on the Colorado Department of

Revenue Medical Marijuana Oversight Panel,

and coordinates the Colorado Bar Associa-

tion’s Drug Policy Project.

Sam Walker attends Linn State Technical Col-

lege, and is the founder and president of the

Linn State Technical College SSDP Chapter.

Sam was a student at Linn State Technical

College prior to his deployment in Afghani-

stan. He became involved in drug law reform

after returning home to college from his de-

ployment. Sam soon became aware of a new

policy that would drug test all enrolling and

returning students at his college. After working

with SSDP and the ACLU, a successful SSDP

chapter was born, and Linn State’s drug test-

ing program was halted by a federal judge.

Chris Wallis is an SSDP Alum from Kent

State, where he founded a chapter in 2008.

He currently volunteers with SSDP, as AMPLI-

FY Project Coordinator since 2008, and with

the Ohio Medical Cannabis Act of 2012, and

works for LEAP as a College Events Coordina-

tor. He also plays rock n’ roll in a band called

Professor Greenhouse.

Art Way is the Colorado drug policy manager

for the Drug Policy Alliance. He is a gradu-

ate of Florida Coastal School of Law, where

he was appalled at the gap between our

theoretical constitutional liberties and what he

witnessed growing up during the escalation

of the drug war in the 1980s. A belief in the ills

of mass incarceration and drug war policies

fuel Art’s desire to manage DPA’s efforts in

Colorado. These efforts include minimiz-

ing the role of the criminal justice system in

addressing drug-related issues, increasing

support for health-centered drug policies

such as expanded access to sterile syringes,

and building support to legalize marijuana in

Colorado.

Caren Woodson holds a Masters of Public

Policy (M.P.P) from The American University

and has advised decision-makers at all levels

of government about medical cannabis law

and policy over the past decade. Before

joining The Green Cross, a licensed medical

cannabis dispensary and delivery service in

San Francisco, Ms. Woodson worked in Wash-

ington, DC, as the chief lobbyist for Americans

for Safe Access (ASA), and as a Policy Analyst

for the Drug Policy Alliance (DPA). She and

her husband, Tony, “occupy” Oakland with

their dog, Knucky.

Missi Wooldridge graduated from the State

University of New York at Potsdam with a

B.S. in Community Health. She earned her

Master’s in Public Health with a focus in

Social Behavior and Community Health from

the State University of New York at Albany.

Her background is in health behavior theory,

program planning, program evaluation, drug

studies, and addiction as a public health

concern. She was voted onto the Board of

Directors in 2011. She has been a member of

the electronic music community for years and

brings her personal experiences and educa-

tional background to DanceSafe. Missi is the

founder and director of the Denver chapter of

DanceSafe.

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story booth

23

story booth Constructing a strong personal narrative:

All stories have three parts: a plot, a protago-

nist, and a moral. What makes a plot a plot?

What gets you interested? The unexpected.

The uncertain and the unknown. A plot begins

when the unknown intervenes. We all lean

forward because we are familiar with the

experience of having to confront the unknown

and to make choices. We are all infinitely curi-

ous in learning how to be agents of change,

how to be people who make good choices

under circumstances that are unexpected and

unknown to us.

In a story, a challenge presents itself to the

protagonist who then has a choice, and an

outcome occurs. The story-booth featured at

the conference is your opportunity to share

your journey of how you became involved with

SSDP, drug policy reform or social justice.

We are using this space to bring the power of

public narrative and learn the art of leader-

ship storytelling in order to further drug policy

reform?

A leadership story is first a story of self. Some

people say, “I don’t want to talk about myself,”

but if you don’t interpret to others your calling

and your reason for doing what you’re doing,

other people will interpret it for you. You don’t

have any choice if you want to be a leader.

You have to claim authorship of your story and

learn to tell it to others so they can understand

the values that move you to act, because it

might move them to act as well. This is even

more important with controversial topics such

as drug policy reform.

The second story is the story of us. Why are

we called? What experiences and values do

we share as a community that calls us to our

cause? It’s putting what we share into words:

being students, having experienced the

failings of the drug war or simply fighting for

social justice. Stories connect us and teach

us how to be an “us”.

Finally, there’s the story of now-the fierce

urgency of now. The story of now is realizing,

after the sharing of values and aspirations,

that the world out there is not as it ought to be.

And that is a challenge to us. It forces upon us

consideration of a choice: a choice of whether

to move into action or stay stagnant. Clearly

we are all at this conference because we want

to move towards action. We are moved to

action because we believe people are being

incarcerated unnecearily, because we have

witnessed violence, because we believe

people should have access to what they need

or because we simply desire personal liberty.

All these stories of self come together to

create the story of now. Why is now the most

important time to be pushing this change?

After developing our stories of self, then we

work on building relationships, which forms

the story of us. From there we turn to strategiz-

ing and action, working together to achieve

a common purpose, learning to experience

hope-that’s the story of now.

Please pass by the story booth in the

Summit room between 9:30 am and 6:00

pm and share your journey with us. It is

an excellent leadership practice and a way

to bring new people into the movement

through your experience.

The material below is paraphrased from lectures and writings by Harvard Kennedy School

Lecturer, Marshall Ganz and with a little drug policy context by Zara Snapp.

local info

24

local info

25

Internal Maps

Area map Local AA Meetings:

Saturday, 10:00 AM, Park Hill Sobriety:

1980 Dahlia (Ch. bsmt), Denver

Saturday, 5:45 PM, DTC Sobriety: 8081 E.

Orchard Rd. (5 S door), Greenwood Village

Sunday, 5:45 PM, DTC Sobriety: 8081 E. Or-

chard Rd. (5 S door), Greenwood Village

Sunday, 8:00 AM, There is a Solution: 8081 E.

Orchard Rd. (5 S door), Greenwood Village

Friday, 10:00 PM, Way Out: 10242 E. 16th

Ave. (366-3622), Aurora

Local NA Meetings:

Saturday, 7:00 PM, Saturday Ray Of Light NA

Group: 915 E 9th Ave, Denver (church, W entr)

Saturday, 8:00 PM, Saturday Night Live NA

Group: 3500 S Logan, Englewood (use side)

Saturday, 10:30 PM, Still Awake, Still Dream-

ing NA Group: 1630 E 14th Ave (church, enter

Gilpin St. courtyard)

Sunday, 7:00 PM, Sunday Evening on the Hill

NA Group: 1400 Lafayette St., Denver

#SSDP2012facebook.com/schoolsnotprisons

Need help? SSDP’s Conference Hotline

Call 202-379-4880 to be connected with an

SSDP staff member 24/7.

Substance Use

We recognize that everyone at the confer-

ence is working to change drug-related laws.

However, please remember that drug use is

illegal and we must respect the laws of the

community we are in.

internet

The hotel has offered complimentary internet

in your hotel rooms. Just order the service,

have it billed to your room, and the charge will

be removed upon checkout. Unfortunately,

there is no internet access in the meeting

rooms or in the exhibitor hall. Additionally, you

can use public wifi in the main hotel lobby or

in The Cafe Restaurant.

send your photos to us!photos@ssdp.org

26

sponsors +

exhibitors

27

sponsors +

exhibitors

exhibitors

Students for Liberty

National Organization for the Reform of Mari-

juana Laws

DanceSafe

Institute for Humane Studies

Safer Alternative for Enjoyable Recreation

Sensible Colorado

Marijuana Policy Project

Drug Policy Alliance

Multidisciplinary Association of Psychedelic

Studies

Law Enforcement Against Prohibition

The Weed Blog

Americans for Safe Access

sponsors

Drug Policy Alliance

Libra Foundation

Berkeley Patients Group

Good Chemistry

Compassion First AZ

Paul Kuhn, Chair, NORML Board of Directors

Scott Van Rixel, Bhang Chocolate

[Photography by: Chris Wallis, Bob Nichols,

Irina Alexander, Chris McMillon, Brian McGrath.

Program designed by: Saul Fougnier.]

1317 F street nw ste 501

washington, dc 20004

schoolsnotprisons.com

Scan the QR code or go to ssdp.org/mobile on

your smartphone for at-a-glance schedule, phone

numbers, and other vital information.