Plenary Luncheon (Day 1): CADCA Award Winners
Speakers:
- Karen Webb, MPG – Alamance County
- Brant Aycock – Alianza Latino Drug Free Coalition
- Ricardo Torres – Alianza Latino Drug Free Coalition
Karen Webb is the Director of Alamance Citizens for a Drug Free Community, a local non-profit agency that works through a community coalition to prevent underage drinking, prescription drug and opioid misuse and other substance misuse. Her work career has been in the field of behavioral health with a focus on prevention, community organization and training. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Health Behavior from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Masters in Public Health Education from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She is a Nationally Certified Health Education Specialist.
Brant Aycock has lived in Charlotte since 1995. After working as a dentist for 12 years, he decided to move into community engagement and healthcare communications. Previous projects include Crossroads Charlotte and the Mecklenburg Access Portal (the MAP). He is currently a contractor at Atrium Health where he assists in operating a monthly free clinic for Charlotte’s underserved Hispanic population. As Chair of Alianza, Brant leads the Executive Committee as they oversee the activities of the coalition at large. In this role, he hopes to expand the coalition’s outreach efforts to create awareness of and discourage substance abuse, and eradicate the stigma that surrounds behavioral health, in the Hispanic Community.
Ricardo Torres entered the Human Services field in the year 2000. Shortly after, Ricardo entered the substance abuse field educating pre-adolescents, and adolescents and their families on the effects of substance use and abuse, management of peer pressure, and healthy decision making with the goal of preventing the use of substances. Ricardo has developed two programs, one of which was awarded 4H’s National Program of the Year. Ricardo had the privilege and honor to serve through the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department’s Gang of One program as a Gang Intervention Case Manager. Ricardo currently works full-time with Cardinal Innovations Healthcare as a Member Engagement Specialist and serves as Vice Chair of the Alianza Latino Drug Free Coalition.