2026 National Meeting Schedule

*Schedule is tentative and subject to change* All times in Eastern Daylight Time.

National Meeting At a Glance Schedule 

Monday, October 19, 2026

9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. – Pre-Conference Sessions

Presenters:

Brian Tinsman, Rally9

  • Brian Tinsman is the Founder and Chief Storyteller of Rally9, a boutique firm specializing in communications strategy, narrative development, and audience engagement. With a background in journalism, entertainment and public sector communications, Brian helps organizations simplify complex ideas, build trust, and drive meaningful action through clear, emotionally compelling messaging. His work spans education, government, and nonprofit sectors, where he equips teams with practical tools to connect with their audiences and amplify their impact.

Presley Connor, Rally9

  • Presley Connor is a communications and advocacy professional with extensive experience in higher education prevention, intervention, and recovery work. She has played a key role in advancing student-centered initiatives that promote informed decision-making, well-being, and a strong sense of belonging on campus. Presley specializes in translating complex and sensitive topics into clear, engaging messages and experiences that resonate with diverse student populations. Her work bridges strategy and execution, helping organizations connect more effectively with the communities they serve.

Description:

Prevention programs don’t struggle because of a lack of effort or academic validity. They struggle because the message doesn’t connect emotionally. This session introduces a simple storytelling framework to help campuses engage students, build trust, and drive behavior change around substance use and recovery. Learn how to identify and curate powerful, human-centered stories, clarify what your audience needs to believe in order to take action, and share messages in ways that resonate. Attendees will leave with practical, low-resource strategies to strengthen communication, reduce stigma, and create a culture of connection and support.

Learning Objectives:

  1. Apply an audience-centered storytelling framework to improve the clarity and effectiveness of prevention, intervention, and recovery messaging.
  2. Identify and develop a “signature story” that reduces stigma, builds trust, and increases student engagement around substance use and recovery topics.
  3. Implement practical, low-resource strategies to capture and share authentic student-centered stories across campus communication channels.

Continuing Education Approval:

Presenters:

Jill Maurer, University of Virginia’s Gordie Center

  • Jill Maurer is Assistant Director of the University of Virginia’s Gordie Center, which works to end hazing and substance misuse among college and high school students nationwide through evidence-informed, student-tested resources. She plays an integral role in program creation and educational product development, and leads the Gordie Center’s efforts to support and amplify the experiences of students and families impacted by hazing. Jill has a B.A. in psychology from UVA and regularly speaks at national conferences, colleges, high schools, and community groups as an expert in hazing prevention, alcohol overdose prevention, peer education, and bystander intervention. She currently serves on the HECAOD Training Advisory Committee.

Susie Bruce, University of Virginia’s Gordie Center

  • Susie Bruce, M.Ed., is Director of the University of Virginia’s Gordie Center, which works to end hazing and substance misuse among college and high school students nationwide through evidence-informed, student-tested resources. She has 30 years’ experience in collegiate health promotion, with expertise in the social norms approach, peer education, and curriculum infusion.

Description:

Looking for ways to enhance your comprehensive hazing prevention efforts to comply with the Stop Campus Hazing Act? This program will review what hazing is (and isn’t), the role of alcohol in hazing, and how hazing is different depending on the group. We’ll view The Lonely Dog, a free, 15-minute hazing prevention film that focuses on the hidden harms of hazing and have in-depth discussions on ways to engage campus partners, including students, parents, and athletics. We’ll provide practical tools to strengthen your hazing prevention efforts, with plenty of time for questions and audience engagement.

Learning Objectives:

  1. Attendees will be able to describe a variety of ways to engage partners in prevention work.
  2. Attendees will have increased confidence in creating a campus-wide hazing prevention plan.
  3. Attendees will be able to explain the concept of the “Hidden Harms of Hazing” and how hazing can impact mental health.
  4. Attendees will learn the PUBS signs of alcohol overdose.

Continuing Education Approval:

Presenters:

Dr. M. Dolores Cimini, University at Albany

  • Dr. M. Dolores Cimini is a New York State licensed psychologist, Emerita Senior Research Scientist, and Founding Director of the Center for Behavioral Health Promotion and Applied Research at the University at Albany, SUNY. She has also served as the Director of the nationally recognized Middle Earth Peer Assistance Program. Dr. Cimini has led comprehensive efforts in research-to-practice translation at the University at Albany for more than three decades with over $15 Million in federal, state, and foundation grant support. The screening and brief intervention program developed by Dr. Cimini, the STEPS Comprehensive Alcohol Screening and Brief Intervention Program, has earned 13 national awards for best practices and health innovation.

Dr. Jessica Martin, University at Albany

  • Jessica L. Martin is a licensed psychologist, a Research Fellow for the School of Education at the University at Albany, SUNY, and a Senior Research Associate for the Research Foundation for SUNY. She was a tenured faculty member in Counseling Psychology at the University at Albany for 11 years before transitioning to research roles and clinical work in private practice. Dr. Martin’s research expertise is in substance use and other health-risk behaviors among young adults and college students. Specifically, she investigates individual, psychosocial, cultural, and contextual risk and protective factors for substance use and co-occurring disorders and health-risk behaviors (e.g., disordered eating, risky sexual behavior) and health disparities as they relate to substance use. Dr. Martin has developed, implemented, managed, and evaluated brief interventions for alcohol use, with over $2.5 million in funding from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD), and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Dr. Martin is experienced in the training of mental health providers in addiction psychology and screening and brief interventions for substance use (SBIRT), having trained hundreds of students and professionals. She has published over 40 peer-reviewed journal articles, and several book chapters in the areas of as well as an edited book entitled, Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment: A Practitioner’s Guide. Dr. Martin chairs the Education and Training Committee for the Society of Addiction Psychology (Division 50, American Psychological Association) and is a member of several journal editorial boards. Dr. Martin enjoys running, yoga, concerts, walking her dogs and spending time with her husband and two children.

Evan Ozmat, University at Albany

  • Evan Ozmat is a student in the Counseling Psychology doctoral program at UAlbany. Evan previously worked for six years as an addiction recovery coach supporting individuals at all stages of recovery. After completing his master’s degree in mental health counseling, he worked as a recovery support navigator at the Center for Behavioral Health Promotion and Applied Research. He is currently the Lead Prevention Navigator for Project ACCESS, a prevention service grant aimed at helping minoritized students navigate health and well-being resources on- and off-campus. Evan’s research interests broadly focus on addiction and positive psychology. In his free time, you can find Evan hiking in the Catskills, snowboarding in Vermont or practicing meditation.

Description:

Research indicates that peer educators, when well-trained and supervised, can deliver evidence-based brief motivational interventions just as well, if not better, than trained professionals. This workshop will explore a number of innovative peer education training models derived from evidence-based brief motivational interventions, including peer wellness coaching and peer educator-delivered Screening and Brief Intervention (SBI) addressing alcohol and other drug misuse and related risk behaviors. Challenges and potential risks associated with engaging peers in delivering evidence-based brief interventions will be identified and explored.

Learning Objectives:

  1. Identify two evidence-based brief motivational intervention practices in which peer educators can be trained and supervised.
  2. Describe two methods of peer education training focused on the effective delivery of evidence-based brief motivational interventions.
  3. Identify two benefits and challenges associated with training peer educators to deliver evidence-based brief motivational interventions.

Continuing Education Approval:

2026 National Meeting Logo