BISMARCK, N.D. – Gov. Doug Burgum and First Lady Kathryn Helgaas Burgum, in partnership with the North Dakota Department of Human Services’ Behavioral Health Division, have announced the speaker lineup for Recovery Reinvented on Sept. 5 in Fargo.
This daylong event from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Fargo Civic Center will feature both national and state experts focusing on addiction and recovery. Topic areas include reinventing recovery through advocacy, building recovery support in communities, the brain science of the disease of addiction and eliminating shame and stigma.
- Laurie Dhue is a veteran news anchor, New York-based TV broadcaster and media strategist hosting shows on Fox, MSNBC and CNN. A person in long-term recovery from alcoholism, Dhue travels from coast to coast as a recovery advocate, giving speeches, moderating discussions and hosting events on behalf of recovery organizations.
- David Mee-Lee, M.D., is a board-certified psychiatrist and is certified by the American Board of Addiction Medicine (ABAM). Dr. Mee-Lee has over 40 years of experience in person-centered treatment and program development for people with co-occurring mental health and substance use conditions. He is co-founder of the Institute for Wellness Education and is a senior fellow in the Justice Programs Office of the School of Public Affairs at American University in Washington, D.C.
- Jessica Hulsey Nickel is the founder, president and CEO of the Addiction Policy Forum, a national nonprofit organization that brings together each sector of the field, elevates awareness around addiction and implements a comprehensive response that includes prevention, treatment, recovery and criminal justice reform. Most recently, Hulsey Nickel worked on the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA), landmark legislation to address the opioid epidemic, which was signed into law in July 2016. Her 25-year career focusing on addiction comes from personal experience. Both her parents struggled with heroin addiction, which led to homelessness, foster care and eventually her mother’s incarceration, after which she was raised by her grandparents.
- Donald K. Warne, M.D., MPH, is the associate dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and director of the Indians into Medicine program at the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences. An enrolled member of the Oglala Lakota Tribe in Pine Ridge, S.D., Warne received his medical degree from the Stanford University School of Medicine in 1995 and his master of public health degree from Harvard University in 2002. In addition to being a member of the American Public Health Association, American Medical Association and Association of American Indian Physicians, Warne served in a leadership capacity for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the American Cancer Society.
- Adam Martin is the founder and executive director of F5 Project in Fargo. Using his lived experience with addiction, homelessness and incarceration, Adam established F5 to coordinate services and provide personal support to those in the criminal justice system to deter repeat offenses. F5 Project mediates the transition journey for those re-entering society after being incarcerated, holding true to the philosophy that everyone deserves to hit the F5 refresh key to start over and find success.
“We are grateful to have these insightful experts join us at Recovery Reinvented to share their knowledge, experience and passion around addiction and recovery. The combination of national and local expertise will help North Dakotans create innovative strategies for implementing addiction and recovery solutions in their communities,” Helgaas Burgum said.
Recovery Reinvented is free and open to the public. Tickets are limited and registration is required. Volunteer opportunities are available for the event. For more information, to register or to volunteer, visit recoveryreinvented.com/rr18. Frequent updates will also be available through social media on Facebook at @GovernorDougBurgum, @flkathrynhelgaasburgum and @RecoveryND and on Twitter at @DougBurgum, @FirstLadyND and @Recovery_ND.