Panel of Speakers
Our panel of speakers will bring our guests expertise from their various domains. Attendees will engage in insightful discussions on CCYS trends, benefits, and challenges. They will share valuable perspectives fostering a dynamic exchange of ideas. Learn more about of panel of speakers here.
South Southwest Prevention Technology and Transfer Center
Kyle Barrington, Ph.D., has over 30 years' experience in the field of substance misuse prevention and treatment. His experiences include being a substance abuse counselor, director of a dual-diagnosis hospital unit for adults and youth, director of an emergency shelter for runaway and homeless youth, and evaluator for local and statewide organizations.
Dr. Barrington has extensive experience evaluating the impact of alcohol and drug abuse prevention programs and practices. He has five published, peer-reviewed articles, has been quoted in several scholarly articles, and has conducted over 200 program evaluations.
Nicole Schoenborn
South Southwest Prevention Technology and Transfer Center
Nicole Schoenborn brings 20 years of award-winning public health experience to the South Southwest Prevention Technology and Transfer Center (SSW PTTC). She currently oversees all evaluation reporting and analysis and manages the evaluation database for the SSW PTTC. She plays a vital role in providing high-impact training and technical assistance (T/TA) services to the prevention workforce, emerging prevention professionals, organizations, and community prevention stakeholders.
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Ms. Schoenborn develops innovative program evaluation so that state and community-level prevention practitioners can achieve successful outcomes. With a specific focus on addressing health disparities, she works with states and tribes to develop processes and programs that achieve long-term public health impact. Specifically, she collaborates with subject matter experts to guide states and tribes in the design of effective logic models, methods, and evaluation plans. Nicole works to create supportive and responsive research environments that interconnect services for historically underserved populations and reduce adverse public health outcomes.
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Ms. Schoenborn holds multiple certifications, namely, she is an Internationally Certified Prevention Specialist and an Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Interface Certified Instructor. She received her master’s degree in experimental psychology and bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Central Oklahoma.
Mary Johnstun
Mary Johnstun has worked with the Cecil J. Picard Center for Continuing Education and Lifelong Learning at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette to conduct the Louisiana Caring Communities Youth Survey since 2002.
In addition to managing the CCYS, she has managed 80 additional state- and community-level survey projects in: Arizona, Arkansas, Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Montana, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Nebraska, and Utah. Mary received her M.A. degree from Kansas State University in 2002 and is currently a doctoral candidate at Utah State University.
Project Manager
Consultant
Barzanna White
District School Psychologist, Supervisor, and BJA Grant Director
Dr. Barzanna White is a native of Knoxville, Tennessee, but currently resides in Shreveport, Louisiana. She received her B.S. in Psychology in 1986 from LSUS, her Specialist in School Psychology in 1989 from LSUS, and her Ph.D. in Education (School Psychology major) in 1996 from the University of Tennessee.
Currently, Dr. White is the District School Psychologist, Supervisor, and BJA Grant Director for Caddo Parish Schools where she serves over 36,000 students. She is the District Coordinator of Positive Behavior Interventions and Support, Character Education, Safe and Drug Free Schools, Bullying Prevention, and Suicide Prevention for the parish, supervises personnel associated with various grants, and is the lead responder for crises.
In addition to her primary duties, Dr. White actively participates in many organizations and holds executive board positions in many of these organizations such as the APBS State Representative for the National Committee, School Health Advisory Council, Brentwood Community Advisory Committee, Southeastern School of Behavioral Health Board, Northwest Louisiana Suicide Prevention Coalition, the State Advisory Committee for Character Education, Suicide Prevention, and the Louisiana State Advisory Committee for PBIS.
A 30 plus page vita is available upon request