Marc Burrows, MSW, LMSW, CPRS, ADC-P has been working in the field of substance use for nine years and has over 20 years of lived experience in addiction and recovery. In 2017, he founded the first Syringe Services Program (SSP) in South Carolina, called “Challenges Inc”, and is the owner of an office based opioid treatment program; merging harm reduction and Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) together. Marc is working to expand access to evidence-based interventions in SC and remove stigma and barriers to treatment, to more effectively support those who use drugs.
James Campbell, LPC, LAC, MAC, AADC, has been working professionally in the human services field for over twenty-five years. His passion is helping individuals, families, and relationships to heal through leveraging their strengths and supporting other helping professionals as they cultivate their skills and expertise to assist others more effectively. He is also a member of both NAADAC and ACA. James is the immediate past President of APSC and has worked in a wide range of clinical settings over the years. Currently, he serves as the Training and Technical Assistance Manager for the Southeast Addiction Technology Transfer Center located at the National Center for Primary Care at Morehouse School of Medicine and works privately as a nationally recognized author, consultant, professor, and speaker.
Nicole Criss is a woman in continuous successful recovery from substance use disorder. She is the mother of children who experienced substance use disorder, and she is the daughter of a mother who experienced alcohol use disorder. Nicole worked in healthcare administration for twenty years before experiencing a back problem which resulted in her becoming addicted. When she found recovery, she decided to dedicate the rest of her life influencing systemic change, providing hope, and supporting others in their journey to wellness. Nicole returned to college and obtained her master’s degree in Addiction Studies and her Doctorate in Human Services. She volunteers on several boards in her community and at the state level that address substance use disorder and advocacy. Nicole has focused her efforts on gaining different experiences, trainings, and connections allowing her to grow the Recovery Community Organization she runs in South Carolina. Nicole believes in the importance of peer support in her quest to do whatever possible to help save a human life in a society becoming traumatized by the excessive and unnecessary loss of human life from substance use disorder.
Michael Crouch, NCPRSS, CPSS, BS Michael is certified as a Peer Recovery Support Specialist through NAADAC, a Peer Support Specialist through APSC and has a Bachelor’s in Human Services-Behavioral Health. He has a vast knowledge of peer recovery services and uses life experience and evidence-based practices to help individuals and families affected by substance use disorders. He is a person in long-term recovery who has overcome problematic substance use and maintained a lifestyle of health and wellness since 2013. Recovery has allowed Michael to become a father, husband, and productive member of his community. Michael’s family includes his wife Anna, son Lane, and mother Deborah. Having family support has been key to Michael’s success in recovery. Michael is passionate about advocating for those who have been marginalized by society due to the stigma of living with a substance use disorder. He is a strong believer in strength-based, person-centered, and trauma-informed approaches to treating substance use disorders and other mental health conditions.
John E Emmel, MD, attended both undergraduate and medical school at Brown University in Providence, RI. He completed his Family Medicine Residency at the Medical University of South Carolina. He became interested in addiction during his residency and has been Medical Director of Charleston Center since 1980. He is Board Certified in Family Medicine and Addiction Medicine. He has extensive experience in MAT, withdrawal management and the use of ASAM Criteria. He also serves as Medical Director for the Department of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services (DAODAS) of SC. He holds a clinical faculty position at the Medical University of South Carolina in the departments of both Family Medicine and Psychiatry. Dr. Emmel also works in geriatrics and holds board certifications in Geriatrics, and Hospice and Palliative Medicine. As a clinician and educator, Dr. Emmel approaches addiction as a biobehavioral disease requiring the same multimodal approaches as all chronic diseases do to optimize outcomes.
Jeff Hatch
Ed Johnson has been at the Southeast Addiction Technology Transfer Center (Southeast ATTC) located at the National Center for Primary Care, Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta since 2010 and is currently the Associate Director for Training and Technical Assistance. He has over 25 years of experience providing direct services to individuals with Substance Use Disorders (SUD) and Co-Occurring Disorders. For over 30 years he has been providing trainings in Addiction Treatment, Prevention and Recovery. For the past 36 years, Ed has been a person in long term recovery. He is currently credentialed / licensed as a Licensed Professional Counsel (LPC), Licensed Addiction Counselor (LAC), Licensed Addiction Counselor Supervisor (LACS), Master Addiction Counselor (MAC), a Certified Clinical Supervisor (CCS) and Certified Peer Support Specialist (CPSS).
Mr. Gregory Mason MA, MBA, LPC/SC, LAC, has served in progressive leadership positions within Behavioral Health for the S.C. Dept. Of Corrections since 2016 and has been serving as the Division Director for Addiction Recovery Services since 2019. He has presented nationally with best practices and outcomes for substance use treatment and community reintegration, published research on peer support, and works as a consultant and speaker on digital interventions. He also served as a member of the South Carolina Air National Guard stationed out of McEntire AFB from 2016 – 2022 and deployed under Operation Enduring Freedom in 2012 while serving in the Army. He volunteers time with NAMI and the ACA
Barbara Melton, M.Ed., LPC/S, LAC/S, NCC, MAC, CS has been in private practice in the Charleston area since 1991 and works with adult and adolescents; her specialty areas include working with trauma/loss and Self-Injurious Behavior. She has taught graduate level courses for Webster, Columbia College, Coastal Carolina and Webster University. She is currently teaching the Clinical Supervision course for the SC Clinical Mental Health Assn. She has also been a contract clinical supervisor at the Dorchester Alcohol & Drug Commission for over 15 years and supervises clinicians for licensure as LPC and LAC and certification in addictions.