PARCKA Advisory Board
The PARCKA Advisory Board provides direct guidance, knowledge, skill, and support to aid in accomplishing PARCKA’s mission of promoting and providing addiction related research, clinical care, knowledge and advocacy across the University of Utah, the local community, the state, and the nation. Our board is highly knowledgable, experienced, and multidisciplined - bringing together professionals from the fields of medicine, social work, advocacy, public health, and more.
BOARD GOALS
The current goals of the PARCKA Advisory Board include:
- Community Partnership
- Bridge Academic & Community Divide
- Program Promotion
- Substance Use Disorder Education
CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS
Reshma D. Arrington
Reshma Arrington joined the Overdose Response Strategy team in April of 2022. Trained as an epidemiologist, she completed her graduate work at the George Washington University and developed core public health skills in program implementation and management while working at the US Department of Agriculture and the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
It was with a heavy heart Reshma decided to leave the Washington, DC area where her kids were starting their young lives and return to her home state here in Utah. Though she didn’t expect it at first, she became integrated into the substance use arena in Utah for nearly the last decade gaining an expertise in substance use research, academic research and health data analytics through her roles at the Utah State University and the Utah Department of Health and Human Services (back when it was just the “UDOH”).
Reshma was happily raised right outside of Bryce Canyon National Park and has many roots still in those parts. She loves all of Utah (especially the slopes) but her deeper love goes to rural communities as she grew up in those woods and saw communities come together to strengthen each other in times of need. She is driven to help Utah improve its attack on substance use and to advance the proven techniques we have to help Utahns improve safety in all aspects of their lives.
Susannah Burt
Susannah Burt has been working in Substance Abuse and Mental Illness Prevention since 2001. She has implemented the Strategic Prevention Framework since 2003 and has trained on the model since 2006. Professionally, it has been part of her responsibility to work with the evaluators and review data for state and local communities for assessments. She has worked to develop an evaluation plan for environmental strategies, including policies and campaigns. Ms. Burt has worked on efforts addressing opioids, alcohol, and cannabis. Ms. Burt is currently working on securing ongoing private and public funding for coalitions in her local area. Ms. Burt participates on her local Communities that Care coalition in Utah. She received her Bachelor’s Degree from Weber State University and works for Weber Human Services.
Jasmin Charles
Jasmin E. Charles is a certified Physician Associate, is the Clinical Director of SUPeRAD (Substance Use & Pregnancy, Recovery, Addiction, Dependence) clinic; a specialty prenatal clinic for individuals of childbearing age with any form of a substance use disorder. SUPeRAD clinic is located in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology in the Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine at the University of Utah where Jasmin has the appointment of Adjunct Assistant Professor. She is also a Medical Clinician on several NIDA funded research trials for PARCKA (Program of Addiction Research, Clinical Care, Knowledge, Advocacy) in the Division of Epidemiology; Department of Internal Medicine at the University of Utah where she has a special interest in research with pregnant and postpartum people. Additionally, she is a visiting lecturer and lead coordinator for Women's Health rotations for the University of Utah Physician Assistant Program. Jasmin received her undergraduate degree from Utah State University and completed the PA program at the University of Utah. She is a member of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Association of Physician Associates in Obstetrics and Gynecology, and the American Academy of Addiction Medicine.
Jasmin's areas of clinical interest and expertise include all aspects of women's healthcare with particular interest in substance use and pregnancy, marginalized population care, women's health care of incarcerated individuals, pregnancy, family planning and preventative health care. Prior to joining the OBGYN Department at the University of Utah, Jasmin practiced with the Community Health Centers as a family practitioner.
In her free time she enjoys attending Bar Method fitness classes, hiking with her giant doodles Olive and Migo, attending fundraisers, spending time with her spouse and daughter and spreading joy.
Adam Cohen
Adam Cohen is the CEO of Odyssey House, a non-profit behavioral health organization serving individuals and families affected by substance use and mental health disorders through a full continuum of behavioral health care and primary care services. Mr. Cohen earned a bachelor degree in economics and a master degree in business administration. He has worked in behavioral health since 2000 and has been President and CEO of Odyssey House since 2009.
Mr. Cohen is a Commissioner on the Utah Behavioral Health Commission, Secretary of Treatment Communities of America, Immediate Past President of Utah Association of Behavioral Health Organizations, and the Vice Chair of the Salt Lake County Alcohol and Drug Coordinating Council.
Previously, Mr. Cohen was the Chair of the Utah Board of Juvenile Justice, President of Utah Support Advocates for Recovery Awareness (USARA), member of the Utah Department of Health Medicaid Advisory Committee, a member of the Utah Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice, and served as a member for the Coalition for Juvenile Justice.
Evan Done
Evan Done is a person in long-term recovery from both a substance use and co-occurring mood disorder. He currently serves as the Associate Director at the Utah Support Advocates for Recovery Awareness (USARA) which he joined as a volunteer in 2015. Evan is on the Board of Directors for the national advocacy organization Faces & Voices of Recovery and locally for the Utah Harm Reduction Coalition. He has recently been appointed by Governor Spencer Cox to serve as the representative of a person with lived experience of substance use disorder to serve on Utah's newly formed Behavioral Health Commission. As a proud gay man with extensive experience in the non-profit sector and over twenty years of experience in social justice advocacy, he is dedicated to creating a more equitable, just, and sustainable world.
Shauna Filion
Shauna Filion, Certified Lead Medical Assistant, is the exclusive care coordinator for the SUPeRAD (Substance Use & Pregnancy, Recovery, Addiction, and Dependence) clinic, a specialty prenatal clinic for individuals of childbearing age with any form of a substance use disorder at the University of Utah Hospital and clinic system in the department of Maternal Fetal Medicine. She also participates on the National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network’s Community Representative Council (CIRCL), and the PARCKA advisory board. Before this appointment she has been a clinical Medical Assistant since 2003 in Cardiology, Urgent Care, OBGYN, Infertility, and currently in Maternal Fetal Medicine. She is born and raised in Pleasant Grove Utah and when not working enjoys raising her three children and spoiling her cats. Shauna has a special interest in supporting women and their partners-family during the journey to motherhood and recovery from substance use. She has a strong passion to help advocate for anyone that has ever dealt with a substance use disorder. She enjoys helping educate and supporting our youth in understanding the dangers of substance use and has a goal to make an impact on how all people are treated with regards to substance use. Encouraging others to not let their past define the future.
Greg Jones
Greg Jones was raised in Hunter (now West Valley City, Utah) near the original Harmons West grocery store, where his uncle was one of the first pharmacy managers, and his mother and other family members worked as pharmacy technicians. Greg graduated from the University of Utah College of Pharmacy in 1995, and earned an MBA from the Univestiy of Phoenix in 1997. Greg has been employed at Harmons since 1992, starting as a pharmacy intern, then staff pharmacist, pharmacy manager, and as the Director of Pharmacy since 2001. In his current role, Greg oversees pharmacy operations and is involved with the associate wellness program and dietitian services offered by Harmons.
Greg served on the Utah Medical Care Advisory Committee from 1998-2004, the Utah Board of Pharmacy from 2010-2018, the Salt Lake Community College Pharmacy Technician Program Steering Committee, the Roseman College of Health Sciences Experiential Advisory Committee, and is a preceptor for pharmacy students from several colleges of pharmacy.
William (Bill) Newell
Bill has served as the Utah Crime Gun Intelligence Center (CGIC) Coordinator since September of 2022, and the Utah Fentanyl Task Force Coordinator since October, 2024. Bill was instrumental in creating the Utah Crime Gun Intelligence Center in 2017 while employed as a Special Agent with the U.S. Department of Justice. The Utah CGIC is a multi-agency and multi-faceted approach to addressing firearms related violent crime plaguing our communities. It uses a data driven approach to focus law enforcement and intelligence resources on those individuals who are responsible for causing the most firearms related violence and works closely with impacted communities to engage their support in preventing further gun violence.
The Utah Fentanyl Task Force, announced in October of 2024 by Utah Governor Cox, is a multi-pronged approach to addressing the impact of illicit fentanyl to the State of Utah. The Fentanyl Task Force is committed to addressing the fentanyl crisis by identifying and resolving critical gaps in prevention, treatment, and law enforcement efforts. Through comprehensive data collection, collaboration, and strategic intervention, the task force aims to reduce demand by addressing root causes and removing fentanyl from Utah’s communities. By fostering partnerships across federal, state, and local agencies, the task force is dedicated to disrupting trafficking networks and ensuring a safer future.
Kari Shepherd
Kari Shepherd is a dedicated harm reduction advocate and Peer Support Specialist with Soap2Hope, a program designed to create self-sufficiency among survivors of trafficking/sexual exploitation and reduce the recidivism rate of returning to that life. Kari's personal journey as a woman in recovery and overdose survivor profoundly influences her transformative work in the field. Over the past four years, she has tirelessly applied her authentic perspective and professional expertise to empower individuals navigating their own paths to wellness. Kari's role as a harm reduction advocate and Peer Support Specialist is actively involved in supporting individuals dealing with substance use challenges.
Chad Wilkins
Chad Wilkins joined the Utah National Guard in June of 2019 and joined the Counterdrug Mission as a Drug Demand Reduction Specialist in 2021. Chad has since become Counterdrug's senior most Prevention Specialist, coordinating events & training for prevention-based community organizations. Chad currently coordinates 6 part time Drug Demand Reduction Specialists & works with over 29 Community Based Organizations & Prevention Agencies throughout Utah.
PREVIOUS BOARD MEMBERS
- Priscilla Blosser (2023-2025)
- Stephanie Castro (2023-2025)
- Dennis Cecchini (2019-2020) (2023-2025)
- Kristina Groves (2019-2020) (2023-2025)
- Jesse Hudson (2019-2020)
- Connie Kitchens (2019-2020)
- Karissa McDonald (2023-2025)
- Kellie Morrow (2019-2020)
- Chad Moses (2019-2020)
- Eric Schmidt (2019-2020) (2023-2025)
- Alexis Taylor (2019-2020)