The Shield

Join us as Liz Read discusses finding out about her loved one’s substance use disorder, and how this discovery and led to her creating Clearlee, an app that provides dignified drug testing.  Liz Read, a native of Birmingham, Alabama, had her world turned upside down when she discovered that a loved one was suffering from a substance use disorder. This discovery impacted her whole family.  During t...

Join us as Taylin McCarver discusses what it was like to lose a sibling to a substance use disorder, and how Taylin and her family have used that experience to advocate for people with substance use disorders.  In this episode, Taylin discusses the years leading up to her brother’s death due to substance use. Taylin discusses what it was like observe her brother throughout his battle with a substa...

Join us as Jared Murray, a person in long-term recovery and an Admissions Specialist for Momentum Recovery, tells us his story about using substances as a young adult and his pathway to recovery.  Jared Murray discusses how he first experimented with alcohol and marijuana before starting the 8th grade. While in high school, he eventually started using opioids, benzodiazepines, and cocaine. Despite...

Join us as Morgan Grace, the Resource Coordinator for APC, tells us about how she got involved with APC and her interest in prevention and harm reduction.  In 2021, Morgan Grace started at APC as an intern. She ended up at APC after her plan of studying and interning abroad was halted by the pandemic.  Morgan quickly discovered her interest in harm reduction and prevention.  Morgan discusses how g...

Join us as Shawn Windham, a Prevention Specialist with APC, tells us about what brought him to Alabama, his background in law enforcement, and his passion for prevention.  Shawn Windham is retired police officer from Vaccaville, California, who moved to Alabama and started working on prevention efforts in rural areas, Blount County and St. Clair County, Alabama.  Shawn discusses his prevention wor...

Join us as Roger Patteson, an Interventionist with Clear Path Interventions, and a person in long term recovery, shares his story with us. Roger also discusses what it is like to work with and support families with a loved one with a substance use disorder.  Roger discusses how a lack of stability impacted his early childhood development, world view, and how he handled challenges. Roger started dr...

Join us as Dr. Mark Wilson, the immediate past Health Officer of the Jefferson County Department of Health, discusses the formation of the Recovery Resource Center, the loss of his daughter, and what life will look like after retiring from the Jefferson County Department of Health.  Dr. Wilson discusses collaborating with the Addiction Prevention Coalition and other organizations to identify needs...

Dr. Joel Bennett is the President of Organizational Wellness and Learning Systems (OWLS), an organization that focuses on promoting organizational health and employee wellness in the workplace.  Dr. Joel Bennett discusses what it was like to grow up in a home with a parent with an alcohol use disorder, and another parent with a process addiction. He also discusses how seeing a relationship go awry...

Join us for a conversation with Tim Cross, APC Board Member and the Co-Founder and CEO of Expedited Transport Agency, a business that is at the forefront of recovery friendly workplaces. In this episode, Tim will discuss how his life was impacted by his substance use and how he found recovery. Tim also discusses how Expedited Transport Agency (ETA) has become a model organization when it comes to...

 Join us as Suzanne Muir, the Associate Director for UAB Medicine’s Department of Psychiatry and Neurobiology, discusses how she became interested in working with people with substance use disorders and her work with the Comprehensive Addiction in Pregnancy Program.   UAB Medicine’s Comprehensive Addiction in Pregnancy Program (CAPP) aims to connect women to treatment and the recovery community th...

Join us as Patty Sykstus, the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Not One More Alabama, shares her experience as a mom of a child with a substance use disorder, and discusses the great work Not One More Alabama is great doing in North Alabama. Patty discusses her experience with having a son with a substance use disorder, how his substance use disorder impacted their entire family, and how v...

Join us as Colin Harris, the Founder and Managing Director of the Birmingham Recovery Center, discusses his journey through recovery and how he was inspired to open a substance use treatment center, which provides an individualized, holistic approach to each client to prepare them for a successful recovery.   Colin Harris is a native of Montgomery, Alabama, and like many, he started using substanc...

Join us as Ashley Loftis discusses working at APC on Project LEAP, and how growing up in a small town that was impacted by substance use ignited her passion for working with people with substance use disorders.  Ashley is the Prevention Navigator for Project LEAP, a five-year SAMHSA grant that works with adolescents at risk of contracting HIV through their substance use. She also coordinates the c...

Join us as Dr. Rebekah Savage discusses treating adolescents with  substance use disorders, and how she became interested in treating substance use disorders.  Dr. Rebekah Savage is a board-certified pediatrician who specializes in treating adolescents with substance use disorders and eating disorders. She also works with adolescents who are currently incarcerated.  Dr. Savage walks us through how...

Join us as Randy Hall, the President of Recovery Dharma Global, discusses how Buddhist practices and principles helped him reconnect with himself and others after more than two decades of suffering from the isolation of addiction.  Randy talks about how his substance use disorder developed while he was a high-achieving student and high-functioning professional. He discusses how he was diagnosed wi...

Join us as Kyle Berman shares with us his idea for a device that would notify someone of a suspected overdose, and how his experience of losing many friends to overdoses has impacted his passion to save lives.  Kyle Berman, a person in long-term recovery, tells us about the development of an idea that was inspired after the death of one of his friends. Kyle talks about how losing his younger siste...

Join us as Anne Markham Bailey discusses how being connected to your mind and body can be life changing .  Anne also discusses awareness and mindfulness activities, such as, Forest Bathing, medication, yoga. Anne Markham Bailey is a writer, poet, and an awareness educator. She is also certified yoga instructor. She studied East Asian Studies, and studied abroad in China, which changed her perspect...

Join us for a conversation with Dr. Stephen Taylor. Dr. Taylor shares with us his experience growing up in Brooklyn, New York, and how growing up there impacted his decision to become a doctor.  Dr. Taylor is the Medical Director of the Player Assistance and Anti-Drug Program for the National Basketball Association and the National Basketball Players Association. He is also the Chief Medical Offic...

Join us as Wade Meadows walks us through his journey of addiction and recovery, and how his experience led him to his current career.  Wade Meadows has worked in the field of addiction treatment since 2016. He currently works as a Business Development Representative for Florida Springs Wellness and Recovery Center. Wade discusses how several internal fears developed at a young age and impacted mul...

Join us as Abi Famurewa, the epidemiologist for the Addiction Prevention Coalition, discusses growing up in Nigeria, how substance use impacted her family, and how she found her way to APC.  Abi primarily works on a five year SAMHSA grant, SPF-PFS, which focuses on providing education and prevention services in the City of Birmingham. Abi is originally from Nigeria, but moved to the United States...

Join us as Drew Callner takes us through his years of active addiction, moving to Alabama, and finally finding a community where he no longer felt like an outsider.  Drew Callner is an award-winning filmmaker, who moved to Alabama from his hometown, Seattle, Washington. Drew discusses what his early substance use looked like as a teenager. Then, Drew walks us through the progression of his substan...

Ms. Eve Gunn is a Mental Health Coordinator with Tarrant City Schools. Ms. Gunn discusses how the social, health, and racial disparities impact her high school students.  Ms. Gunn, who never intended to become a social worker and work in a school setting, shares with us about how she found her way into this career path. She discusses her advocacy for her students, and the passion she has for helpi...

Join us as UAB’s Dr. Burel Goodin discusses how his experience watching football players recover from injuries sparked his interest in pain, and how he started researching the many factor that impact someone’s experience with pain and recovery. Dr. Goodin discusses his research as it relates to how health disparities and health inequities impact how people feel and manage pain.  Dr. Goodin also ta...

The Honorable Shanta Owens is a Circuit Court judge for the 10th Judicial Circuit of Alabama. She previously presided over  the Jefferson County Drug Court program. Judge Owens tells us about her journey from Selma, Alabama to her experience as a drug court judge.    Judge Owens shares with us how she became the Chairperson of the Addiction Prevention Coalition’s Executive Board. She also shares w...

John Bayles is the Program Director for the Recovery Resource Center, and he is in long-term recovery. John shares his story about finding purpose in his life, how his recovery overlaps with his work, and the important role of certified peer support specialist in all aspects of treatment and recovery.   John also shares about his work at the Recovery Resource Center. The Recovery Resource Center i...