Awareness 2 Action

Eric Benson & Megan Gordon on Trauma-Informed Education, Community Partnerships, and Getting Involved

On this week’s episode, we have a conversation with Eric Benson and Megan Gordon about the impact of trauma informed education, building community partnerships, and the role that EVERYONE can play in the education of young people.
Eric Benson began his career in education as a third-grade teacher in Page County Public Schools. He has served in various roles including high school assistant principal, principal, and Director of Instruction. He is currently the Assistant Superintendent of Instruction, Innovation and Accountability. Eric is committed to making sure all students' academic, social, and emotional needs are met on a daily basis. 
Megan Gordon is the Program Director for Page Alliance for Community Action, a substance misuse prevention coalition in Page County.  Megan has been in this position since 2015. Prior to serving as the Program Director for the coalition, Megan worked for Page County Public Schools as the Secretary to the Superintendent and fiscal administrator for state and federal grants.  
Page County Public Schools: https://www.pagecounty.k12.va.us
Page Alliance for Community Action: https://www.pagecoalition.org
Creating Trauma Informed Schools: https://starr.org/10-steps-to-create-a-trauma-informed-resilient-school/
The views and opinions expressed on Awareness 2 Action are those of the guests and host and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Prevention Department or Northwestern Community Services.

Tim May on Substance Use Treatment, Addressing Stigma, and Supporting a Loved One in Recovery

On this week's episode, we talk with Tim May about stigma around substance use, the connection between prevention and treatment, how to support a loved one in recovery, and the importance of self care.
Tim May is a licensed professional counselor and the Program Manager of Substance Use Services at Northwestern Community Services. Tim is responsible for program development, implementation, and provision of substance use services at Northwestern, which covers the counties of Shenandoah, Page, Frederick, Clarke, Warren, and the City of Winchester. Tim has been providing substance use services since 1999.
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Northwestern Community Services: http://www.nwcsb.com
ASAM: https://www.asam.org
The views and opinions expressed on Awareness 2 Action are those of the guests and host and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Prevention Department or Northwestern Community Services.

Camille Schrier on Respecting Medication, the Significance of Naloxone, and Wearing the Crown in 2020

In this episode, we sit down with Miss America 2020, Camille Schrier, to learn about her social impact initiative, what it means to respect medication, the significance of Naloxone, and of course, what it’s been like to wear the crown during this complicated year.
On December 19, 2019, Camille earned the job of Miss America 2020 after competing live on NBC. As a doctor of pharmacy student and certified Naloxone trainer, Camille’s year of service is dedicated to reducing opioid misuse, medication errors, and the associated mortality of both. Camille has spent the past year connecting with communities across the country, bringing awareness to issues that we hold very close here at Awareness to Action.
Keep up with Camille on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @CamilleSchrier 
Keep up with the Miss America Organization on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @MissAmerica or https://www.missamerica.org
Cooking up Science with Miss America: https://vpm.org/articles/14444/cooking-up-science-with-miss-america
 
The views and opinions expressed on Awareness 2 Action are those of the guests and host and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Prevention Department or Northwestern Community Services.

Robin Blumenthal on ACEs and Connection in the time of COVID

In this episode, we meet with Robin Blumenthal to discuss Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), the importance of connection, and coping in the time of COVID-19. Robin’s work caters to people of all ages, and her message feels particularly important in these challenging times.
 
Robin served as a Children’s and Family Pastor for over 25 years before learning about Adverse Childhood Experiences, or ACES. Since diving into the world of ACES, Trauma, and Brain Development, Robin has made it her mission to share this life changing information with communities. Robin currently serves as the Education Domain Director at 4Tucson and is also a facilitator of the Love and Logic® Curricula. In 2020, she authored a book titled “Where in the Zoo Are You?”
 
Keep up with Robin’s work here: https://www.4tucson.com
Contact Robin here: robin@4tucson.com
Buy ‘Where in The Zoo Are You?’ here: https://www.robinblumenthal.org OR
https://www.amazon.com/Where-Zoo-Are-Robin-Blumenthal-ebook/dp/B08PFV15JP/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=where+in+the+zoo+are+you+blumenthal&qid=1607879241&sr=8-1

Welcome to Awareness 2 Action

Welcome to Awareness 2 Action! Our podcast will launch on Tuesday, December 15th 2020. We hope you'll join us as we promote wellness through conversation, connection, and action.