This conference will educate participants on the dangers and effects of cannabis use among young adults, while creating a community of care to better address this growing issue. The conference will also provide an opportunity to build partnerships with other university and community members.
Thank you for all those who attended Cultivating Cannabis.
Below you will find the PowerPoint presentations of our speakers.
Schedule
8:30 AM – Registration begins
9:00 AM – Welcome with:
-
- Dr. John King, Vice President of Student Life with Roger Williams University
- Steven Contente, Town manger of Bristol
- Steven Eiland, Director of Mental Health Awareness with the East Bay Regional Coalition
9:30 AM – 10:15 AM
Madison Rivard, MPH (Public Health Epidemiologist)
and
Bryan Lucier (Senior Public Health Promotion Specialist) from the Rhode Island Department of Health
10:15 AM – 10:30 AM Break
10:30 AM – 11:15 AM
Jordan Davidson
Smart Approaches to Marijuana Government Affairs Manager
11:15 AM – 12:00 PM Round Table
12:15 PM – 12:45 PM Complimentary Lunch Provided
1:00 PM – 1:45 PM
Chief Anthony Silva Ret.
Rhode Island Police Chiefs Association, Coordinator/Facilitator of the Impaired Driving Engagement Council
1:45 PM – 2:30 PM
Bonnie Halpern-Felsher, PhD, FSAHM
Marron and Mary Elizabeth Kendrick Professor in Pediatrics II
Department of Pediatrics, Division of Adolescent Medicine, Stanford University
PI, Reach Lab
2:30 PM – 2:45 PM Transition to Round Table
2:45 PM – 3:15 PM Round Table
3:15 PM – 4:00 PM Town Gown Conversation
“Cultivating Cannabis Awareness: An Educational Symposium,” one of the newest conferences in the public health world, will take place on January 14th, 2025, at Roger Williams University. The event promises to be a transformative experience for professionals, academics, and industry leaders of all kinds with exciting keynote speakers, breakout discussions, invaluable networking opportunities, and the opportunity to participate in a “Town Gown” discussion dedicated to all university staff members.
This year’s conference will focus on educating participants on the dangers and effects of cannabis use among young adults while creating a community of care to better address this growing issue. Participants will gain access to a wealth of knowledge and strategies to implement in their business, work, or research.
Some key highlights of the “Cultivating Cannabis Awareness: An Educational Symposium” include:
Keynote Speakers:
- Madison Rivard (Public Health Epidemiologist)
- Bryan Lucier (Senior Public Health Promotion Specialist),
- Jordan Davidson (Smart Approaches to Marijuana, Government Affairs Manager)
- Chief Anthony J. Silva, Ret. (Rhode Island Police Chiefs Association, Coordinator/Facilitator of the Impaired Driving Engagement Council)
- Dr. Bonnie Halpern-Felsher, PhD, FSAHM (Developmental Psychologist), whose research has focused on understanding and reducing health risk behaviors such as tobacco use, alcohol, and marijuana use.
Round Table:
A diverse range of sessions covering specific topics aimed at promoting insightful conversation about ongoing cannabis issues.
Town Gown Discussion:
An end-of-conference discussion with the goal of addressing particular challenges related to substance misuse and mental health on Rhode Island campuses.
Registration for the conference is now open. Space is limited, so please register before the December 20th, 2024, deadline to secure your spot!
Meet our Speakers
Madison K. Rivard, MPH (she/her) works at the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) as the Cannabis Use Epidemiologist focusing on the impact of cannabis use and health. Madison works in the Substance Use Epidemiology Program at RIDOH to create a system of data monitoring to evaluate the public health impact of cannabis on Rhode Islanders. She has worked in several different areas in public health and epidemiology including emergency services, behavioral health, health disparities, and is passionate about health equity and harm reduction.
Bryan Lucier is a seasoned communications professional with two decades of experience in public relations and journalism. He specializes in translating complex information vital to improving the health and well-being of Rhode Islanders into clear, effective messaging for diverse audiences. His position as cannabis communications specialist at the Rhode Island Department of Health is one of three created in the Rhode Island Cannabis Act to produce education and public awareness campaigns centered on cannabis use and its potential risks. He honed his skills in media relations, event planning, speechwriting, content creation, collateral development, brand management, crisis communications, social media and website management as a communications specialist at the Rhode Island Department of Transportation, a role he took after serving as an editor at South County Newspapers.
Jordan Davidson serves as SAM’s Government Affairs Manager. When he was 17 years old, Jordan entered long-term addiction recovery after struggling with cannabis use disorder. Prior to joining SAM, Jordan worked in Connecticut politics at the state and federal level. At SAM, Jordan manages federal policy on Capitol Hill. Jordan helped shepherd the passage of the Medical Marijuana and Cannabidiol Research Expansion Act, the first-ever marijuana reform bill signed
into law. He also led successful efforts to defeat Congressional passage of the MORE, States Reform, Cannabis Administration and Opportunity, and SAFE Banking Acts. Since he joined SAM in 2019, Jordan has specialized in youth outreach and substance abuse prevention. He has been invited as a guest speaker by organizations and members of Congress across the country. Jordan has a BA in Political Science from American University in Washington, D.C.
(ret.) Chief Anthony J. Silva is currently the coordinator of the Impaired Driving Engagement Council (IDEC), a program sponsored by the Rhode Island Police Chiefs Association and the Rhode Island Office on Highway Safety. Silva previously served as Chief of Staff to Rhode Island Governor and Lt. Governor Daniel J. McKee and three years as Administrator of the Rhode Island Division of Motor Vehicles. His 33-year career in law enforcement included 6 years as Director of the Rhode Island Municipal Police Academy from 2006-2012. He retired from the Cumberland Police Department in April of 2006 after serving 9 years as Chief of Police and retired from the Lincoln, RI Police Department in 1997 after a 17-year career. Chief Silva holds a Master’s Degree in the Administration of Justice from Salve Regina University, a Bachelor’s Degree in Law Enforcement from Bryant University, and is a graduate of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Law Enforcement Executive Development School.
Silva served as a training staff member of the Rhode Island Municipal Police Academy for 25 years as an instructor of Patrol Operations, Police Ethics, and Community Policing, and has taught Police Leadership Skills at the Executive Management Center at Bryant University. He has presented at Roger Williams University—Justice Studies and Research Institute on topics that include Strategic Planning, Leadership and Public Speaking. He previously served as Chairperson of the Police Officer’s Commission on Standards and Training which oversees recruit and in-service training at the Rhode Island Municipal Police Academy—a position he held for 10 years until 2006.
A life-long advocate for highway safety, Chief Silva received and was recognized as the New England Highway Safety Leadership Award by the United States Department of Transportation. He has traveled the country as a spokesperson and trainer for the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration. An advocate of Fair and Impartial Policing, Chief Silva served as a member of the RI Police Chief’s Civil Rights Roundtable.
Governor Gina Raimondo appointed Chief Silva a member of the Commission on Government Efficiency. He has taught graduate courses on Leadership & Strategic Communication at Salve Regina University in Newport, RI and since 1990, has been an adjunct instructor in the Criminal Justice Studies Program at the Community College of Rhode Island. From 1994-2003 he served as Chair of the Violence Against Women Curriculum & Training Committee and served as a member of the Attorney General’s Task Force on Domestic Violence. Chief Silva served as President of the Rhode Island Police Chief’s Association in 2001 and as a member of the Board of Directors of the New England Police Chief’s Association. He is a past member of the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, life member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the Rhode Island Police Chiefs Association and life member of the New England Association of Chiefs of Police. He is a member of the Executive Board of the RI Police Accreditation Commission and member of Board of Directors of the 100 Club of Rhode Island.
Chief Silva and his wife of forty-four years have three children and ten grandchildren
Dr. Bonnie Halpern-Felsher is the Marron and Mary Elizabeth Kendrick Professor in Pediatrics II in the Division of Adolescent Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University. Dr. Halpern-Felsher is a developmental psychologist with additional training in adolescent and young adult health. She is the founder and executive director of her Stanford REACH Lab as well as several nationally and internationally used drug education preventions and interventions. She is also the President of the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Funded by the NIH and many foundations, her research has focused on understanding and reducing adolescent and young adult tobacco, marijuana, and other drug use. Her research including over 225 publications, committee, and advocacy work have been instrumental in setting policy at the local, state, and national level. She has served as a consultant to several community-based adolescent health promotion programs, participated in three Surgeon General Reports, participated in six National Academies of Science committees, and has been a member on several national campaigns and committees to understand and reduce adolescent and young adult drug use.
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