(Welcome) Jodi Harpstead has served as commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Human Services since August 2019. Prior to her appointment, Commissioner Harpstead was the president and CEO of Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota since September 2011. She also was the executive vice president and chief operating officer for LSS and spent 23 years in a variety of positions with Medtronic, Inc. Commissioner Harpstead has volunteered in leadership capacities for a variety of other organizations including Augsburg University, Lutheran Services in America and ARRM – the statewide association of community-based service providers for people with disabilities. She received her Master of Business Administration in finance and bachelor’s degree in business administration from Michigan State University.
(Welcome/Purpose of Summit) Marti Paulson is the Executive Director/CEO of Project Turnabout Centers for Addiction Recovery. She has been with Project Turnabout since 2005, serving in many different leadership roles throughout her 18 years working in the SUD field. Paulson is also president of the Minnesota Alliance of Rural Addiction Treatment Programs (MARATP).
(Keynote/Governor’s Office) Jeremy Drucker is the director of the new Office of Addiction and Recovery reporting to Governor Tim Walz. He is a person in recovery and previously served in multiple positions in Governor Mark Dayton's office, the Department of Human Services, and MNsure.
(Keynote/State of State) Dana Farley is the Drug Overdose Prevention Unit Supervisor and Alcohol & Drug Prevention Policy Director for the Injury and Violence Prevention Section and Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Division at the Minnesota Department of Health. He had a joint appointment with the School of Public Health and Boynton Health Service from 2001-2013 before joining MDH. Dana has been working in drug counseling, education, and prevention for over 25 years with experience working in Community Mental Health as an outpatient counselor and program coordinator. He has a bachelor’s degree in biology and a master’s degree in clinical psychology.
(Logistics) Amy Dellwo is the president of MARRCH and currently works as the Vice President of Strategic Policy and Growth at Kyros. She has spent her entire career in the human services field – 20 years at the Minnesota Department of Human Services and 10 years in the non-profit sector. She is dedicating this part of her career to people who want to find recovery and develop their personalized recovery journey.
(Closing) Jennifer Sather is the director of Substance Use Disorder Services for the Department of Human Services. Sather has a background as a LADC and has previously worked in the provider field as a treatment director. Sather is passionate about this work and committed to advancing Minnesota in the SUD field.
(Closing) Kristine Preston is the Interim Deputy Assistant Commissioner for the Behavioral Health Division at the Minnesota Department of Human Services. Prior to that, she was the Deputy Inspector General of the Financial Fraud and Abuse Investigations Division in the Office of Inspector General. Before coming to DHS, Kristine worked for 24 years for a community-based nonprofit health and human services organization in a variety of communications, health care compliance, and privacy roles.
(Welcome) Amy Dellwo is the president of MARRCH and currently works as the Vice President of Strategic Policy and Growth at Kyros. She has spent her entire career in the human services field – 20 years at the Minnesota Department of Human Services and 10 years in the non-profit sector. She is dedicating this part of her career to people who want to find recovery and develop their personalized recovery journey.
(Keynote) George Lewis is founder and CEO of Motivational Consulting Inc. and has more than 18 years of experience in the human services industry. Motivational Consulting Inc. is a motivational lecture and group facilitation service provider that offers training and informational products focused on helping therapeutic professionals understand and assist clients of different ethnic, cultural, and social groups. He has over 25 years of experience bridging the cultural communications gap between White providers serving Black Americans and people of color.
(Closing) Jennifer Sather is the director of Substance Use Disorder Services for the Department of Human Services. Sather has a background as a LADC and has previously worked in the provider field as a treatment director. Sather is passionate about this work and committed to advancing Minnesota in the SUD field.
(Closing) Kristine Preston is the Interim Deputy Assistant Commissioner for the Behavioral Health Division at the Minnesota Department of Human Services. Prior to that, she was the Deputy Inspector General of the Financial Fraud and Abuse Investigations Division in the Office of Inspector General. Before coming to DHS, Kristine worked for 24 years for a community-based nonprofit health and human services organization in a variety of communications, health care compliance, and privacy roles.
