AP2026 Speakers
Oral Presentations
Oral Presenters
Theme - Alcohol and Cancer: The Evidence,
the Messaging, the Policy Response
Alcohol Policies to Reduce Alcohol Consumption and Alcohol-related Cancer Risk: The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) Evidence Evaluation
David Jernigan, MA, PhD
Boston University School of Public Health
Drink Less for Your Breasts: Survey Findings to Advance Alcohol Policy
Priscilla Martinez-Matyszczyk, MPhil, PhD
Alcohol Research Group/Public Health Institute
Messaging to Resolve Uncertain and Inaccurate Beliefs About Alcohol Cancer Harms
Jennifer L. Hay, PhD
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
New York's Cancer Plan Adapts to Emerging Science on Alcohol-related Risk
Emily Payne, MSPH
New York State Department of Health
Theme - Breaking Through: What Makes Alcohol
Prevention Campaigns Work
Making the Most of a Media Campaign to Spark Community Action
Craig PoVey, MSW
Talk They Hear You, Synergy Enterprises, Inc.
Logan B. Reid
Reid Prevention and Education Services
Rethink the Drink: Evaluation of the Third Statewide Media Campaign
Victoria Buelow, MA
Oregon Health Authority Public Health Division
How to ENGAGE Communities to Implement Evidence-based Interventions to Prevent Youth Alcohol Use
Karen Voetsch, MPH
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Theme - Tracking What Works: The Dashboards, the
Data, the Decision-Makers
Launching the Composite Alcohol State Policy Index (CASPI) to Support Policy Advancement Across U.S. States
Katie Feely, JD
Alcohol Action Network, ATOD Section, APHA
Visualizing Change: Dashboards that Inform Data-Driven Decisions
Izabelle Bauer, MPH Candidate
Synergy Enterprises, Inc.
Savannah Waugh, MPH
Synergy Enterprises, Inc.
The Alcohol Policy Surveillance Platform: A New Tool for Comparing Regulatory Systems and Supporting Policy Engagement
Cassandra Tourre, MPA
Alcohol Action Network, ATOD Section, APHA
Walking the Tightrope: Advocacy v. Lobbying
Lisa Hutcheson, MEd, CPS
Mental Health America of Indiana
The Impact of NC Social Districts on Public Health and Safety
Kelly Teague, BS/BA, Certified Prevention Specialist, Cert. Epidemiologist
Community Impact NC (CINC)
Theme - Taking It Local: Advocacy Strategy & Community-Level Alcohol Policy in Action
Theme - From the Ground Up: Coalition
Building, Activism & Youth Voice in Alcohol Policy
Turning Advocacy into Law: FASD United's Path from Community Organizing to Federal Policy
Jennifer Wisdahl
FASD United
Susan Shepard Carlson
FASD United
Building Broader Coalitions for Policy Change
Hannah Martuscello, MPH
Massachusetts Alcohol Policy Coalition
David Jernigan, MA, PhD
Boston University School of Public Health
Engaging Youth to Increase the Price of Alcohol in Nebraska
Chris Wagner
Project Extra Mile
Training Community Activists to Champion Alcohol Harm Reduction
Makhosazana Ndlovu
Southern African Alcohol Policy Alliance
Aadielah Maker-Diedericks, MS
Southern African Alcohol Policy Alliance
Theme - Impaired Driving: The Limits, the
Innovation, the Lives Saved
Subsidized Ridesharing, Alcohol-impaired Driving, and Alcohol Consumption: Results of a Randomized Controlled Trial
Christopher Morrison, PhD
Yale University
Leveraging Impaired Driving Plans to Advance Prevention Policy and Strategy
Nicole Holt
Texans for Safe & Drug-Free Youth
Unintended Benefits of Lower Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) Limits: Associations Between Stricter BAC Limits and Alcohol Consumption
Meenakshi Subbaraman, MS, PhD
Public Health Institute
Theme - Alcohol's Changing Marketplace: The
Products, the Platforms, the Policy Response
Understanding Differential State Trends in Ready-to-Drink Spirits: Tax and Availability Policies and Substitution with Other Beverages
William Kerr, PhD
Public Health Institute
Why Alcohol Policies Should Target Alcohol - Not Pregnant Women
Sarah Roberts, DrPH
University of California, San Francisco
Exploring Policy Answers to Crossover Products
Carson Benowitz-Fredericks, MSPH
Alcohol Justice
Development of New York State’s First Alcohol Policy Framework
Haven Battles, PhD
New York State Department of Health
Addiction Science Under Siege: The Federal Threat to Alcohol Research and Policy
Thomas Babor, PhD, MPH
University of Connecticut School of Medicine
Theme - Policy Under Pressure: The Federal Threat,
the State Response, the Lessons of History
Theme - Alcohol's Wider Harm: The Server, the
Campus, the People Left Behind
Beyond the Drinker: Mental Health Impacts of Alcohol- and Drug-related Harms to Others
Jih-Cheng (Jack) Yeh, MPH, PhD
Alcohol Research Group
Program to Reduce Alcohol Overservice and Underage Service to Students in Bars Near College Campuses in Maryland
Sara Benjamin-Neelon, PhD, JD, MPH
Johns Hopkins University
Can a State Law Mandating Alcohol Server Training Reduce Alcohol-related Crashes?
Bob Saltz, PhD
Prevention Research Center, Pacific Institute for Research & Evaluation
Alcohol Policies and Harms to Others: Findings from a National Campus Survey
David Jernigan, MA, PhD
Boston University School of Public Health
Pamela Trangenstein, MPH, PhD
Alcohol Research Group/Public Health Institute
​
Theme - Alcohol's Environment: Pricing, Access &
the Community Impact of Availability Policy
Buffer Zone Policies Preventing Underage Substance Use: A State-Level Analysis of Buffer Zone Policies for Alcohol, Cannabis and Tobacco Outlets
Ziming Xuan, ScD, SM, MA
Boston University School of Public Health
Kieran Heffernan, MS
Boston University School of Public Health
Cities for Safer Alcohol Sales Regulation: What CityHealth Learned over a Decade of Policy Promotion
Katrina Forrest, JD
CityHealth
David Jernigan, MA, PhD
Boston University School of Public Health
Theme - Lost in Translation: Rethinking How We Talk
About Alcohol's Harms
Rethinking "Excessive Drinking" and Other Terms in Alcohol Health Risk Communication
Elizabeth Farkouh, MD, MS
Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School
Jennifer L. Hay, PhD
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Perception and Support of Policies to Reduce Alcohol Consumption among New York State Adults (2023-2025)
Ravi Kumar Balu, MD
Bureau of Chronic Disease Evaluation and Research, New York State Department of Health
Haven Battles, PhD
Bureau of Chronic Disease Evaluation and Research, New York State Department of Health
Patient-Provider Communication About Alcohol-related Cancer Risk and Its Influence on Future Drinking Intentions
Heather Platter, PhD, MS
University of Virginia, School of Medicine, Public
Health Sciences
Kara Wiseman, PhD, MPH
University of Virginia, School of Medicine, Public
Health Sciences
From Evidence to Action: The Policy Impact of Canada’s Guidance on Alcohol and Health in a Shifting Landscape
Jill Harnum
Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction
Workshop Presenters
Collaborating for Place of Last Drink Standards
Maureen Busalacchi
Comprehensive Injury Center, Medical College of Wisconsin
Robert MacKenzie
Medical College of Wisconsin
From Readiness to Action: An Evidence-based Curriculum to Advance Coalition Led Policy Change
Moderator: Mark Wolfson
University of California Riverside and South East Prevention Technology Transfer Center
Michael Sparks, MA
SparksInitiatives
Rick Collins, MS
Hawai’i Public Health Institute
Albert Gay
Albert Gay, Inc
Partnership Investments for Alcohol Policy Gains
Jody Heavilin
Prevention First
Can Confusion: Untangling Alcohol Policy, Public Health & Power in New York State
Felecia Pullen, PhD, LMSW
Let's Talk SAFETY, Inc.
Rashad Vick
SAFE in Harlem
Cristely Feliz
​SAFE in Harlem
Anthony Castro
​SAFE in Harlem
Empowering Communities Through Education: Strengthening Public Health by Exercising the Right to Object to Liquor Licence Applications
Makhosazana Ndlovu
Southern African Alcohol Policy Alliance
Aadielah Maker-Diedericks, MS
Southern African Alcohol Policy Alliance
Harmonize Alcohol Metrics Across Diverse Data Sources: Maximizing Impact, Dashboard Accessibility, and Plain Language Storytelling
Mike Fliss, PhD, MPS, MSW
UNC Injury Prevention Research Center / NC DHHS
Nothing About Us Without Us: Empowering Youth Voices in Policy Change
Hannah Martuscello, MPH
Massachusetts Alcohol Policy Coalition
Zoe Moreau, BSPH
Holliston Drug and Alcohol Awareness Coalition
The Intersection of Alcohol & Cannabis
Erin Jamieson Day, MPH, CPS
Community Impact NC
Beyond the "Problem or Not" Narrative: A spectrum-based framework to strengthen alcohol understanding and policy impact
Amy Sorrells, MA
Reframe Rethink Restore
Kelly Moselle, MA, MS, CAC II, CMAC, CCS, CMATS, CAMS II
Reframe Rethink Restore
On the Edge of Legal: Alcohol's Retail Landscape & Substance Exposure
Elizabeth Nettles, BS, CPP
Community Coalition Alliance, Inc.
Kathleen Roberts
Community Coalition Alliance, Inc.
Intergenerational & Historical Trauma: Working with Native American Indians and Understanding the Trauma to Start the Wellness of Healing
Kristina Padilla, MA
National Behavioral Health Association of Providers (NBHAP)
Rethinking Environmental Assessment: Adapting Alcohol Prevention Strategies for Rural Communities
Ivy DiBiase, MPH
Institute for Public Strategies
Dane Bolding
Institute for Public Strategies
Morgan Bundy
Institute for Public Strategies
Building Coalition Readiness for Policy Change: Lessons from the Underage Drinking Prevention
Policy Academy
Dana Vasers, JD, MPH
Synergy Enterprises, Inc.
Michael Sparks, MA
SparksInitiatives
Patrick St. Martin
Bay State Community Services
Advancing Alcohol Policy Through Integrated Legal Surveillance, Visualization, and Translation
Alicia Sparks, PhD, MPH
Synergy Enterprises, Inc.
Ryan Treffers, JD
Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation
Matthew Rossheim, PhD, MPH, CPH, FAAHB
University of North Texas Health Science Center
Partnering with Youth to Push Policy Forward
Brent Blackburn, CPS
Texans for Safe and Drug-Free Youth
Lacey Ann Garcia
Texans for Safe and Drug-Free Youth
Veronica Colmenarez
Texans for Safe and Drug-Free Youth
From Surveillance to Session: Building and Utilizing a Collaborative Retail Alcohol Data Infrastructure to Advance State Policy
Moderator: Matthew Rossheim, PhD, MPH, CPH, FAAHB
University of North Texas Health Science Center
Maria Kovell, MPA
Counter Tools
Kayla Tillett, PhD, MPH
James Madison University
Rick Collins, MS
Hawai'i Public Health Institute
Scrolling Toward Use: A Surveillance Study of Alcohol and THC Product Marketing on Brand Websites and Social Media
Kayla Tillett, PhD, MPH
James Madison University
Shannon Smith, MS
University of North Texas Health Science Center
Matthew Rossheim, PhD, MPH, CPH, FAAHB
University of North Texas Health Science Center
Bridging the Gap: Toward an Integrated Approach to Alcohol Policy
Regina LaBelle, JD
Georgetown University
Shelly Weizman, JD
Georgetown University
Phil Rutherford
The National Council; Black Faces Black Voices
US and Canadian Drinking Guidelines: Science, Politics, and Knowledge Mobilization
Kevin Shield, PhD
Institute for Mental Health Policy Research at the Center for Addiction and Mental Health
Timothy Naimi, MD, MPH
Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research
Priscilla Martinez-Matyszczyk, MPhil, PhD
Alcohol Research Group/Public Health Institute
Leveraging Product-Level Alcohol Consumption Data to Assess Price Impacts and Survey Coverage
Moderator: David Jernigan, MA, PhD
Boston University School of Public Health
Timothy Naimi, MD, MPH
Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research
Marissa Esser
Esser Public Health Consulting, LLC
Elizabeth Farkouh, MD, MS
Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School
Priscilla Martinez-Matyszczyk, MPhil, PhD
Alcohol Research Group/Public Health Institute
Mapping the Risk Outlet Density Data as a Community Advocacy Tool
Kayla Tillett, PhD, MPH
James Madison University
Jessica Cance
RTI International
Sharon Kruk
The Coalition
Nicole Holt
Texans for Safe and Drug-Free Youth
A Shifting Landscape: Alcohol-to-Go Policies and Emerging Compliance Challenges
David Doggett
Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission
Sharon Kruk
The Coalition
Maceo Adams
Texans for Safe and Drug-Free Youth
Nicole Holt
Texans for Safe and Drug-Free Youth
Converging Intoxicant Markets: Implications for Policies in a Rapidly Evolving Retail Landscape
Ryan Treffers, JD
PIRE
Matthew Rossheim, PhD, MPH, CPH, FAAHB
University of North Texas Health Science Center
Kayla Tillett, PhD, MPH
James Madison University
Federal Policy Update: A View from DC on Alcohol and Substance Use Policy
Regina LaBelle, JD
Georgetown University
Andrew Kessler, JD
Slingshot Solutions
The Intersection of Alcohol Misuse and Firearm Violence: Building a Shared Agenda
Moderator: Josh Horwitz, JD
Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions
Mike Tobias
Prevention Network
Silvia Villarreal, MPP
Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions
Christopher Morris
Data That Moves: Cross-Sector Strategies for Alcohol Policy in Alaska
Moderator: Alicia Sparks, PhD, MPH
Synergy Enterprises, Inc.
Tiffany Hall, MPA
Recover Alaska
Katrina Domnick, MPH
Yukon Kuskokwim Health Corporation
Warning: It's Time for New Alcohol Labels - Evidence and a Path Forward
Moderator: Eva Greenthal, MS, MPH
Center for Science in the Public Interest
Callie Whitesell, MPH
Gillings School of Global Public Health
Anna Grummon, PhD, MSPH
Stanford University School of Medicine
Emma Jesch, PhD, MPH
National Cancer Institute
Marissa Hall, PhD
University of North Carolina
0.05 or Bust! Saving Lives One State at a Time
Moderator: Leah Walton
National Transportation Safety Board
James C. Fell
James C. Fell Consulting, LLC
Rick Collins, MS
Hawai'i Public Health Institute
Mark McKechnie, MSW
Washington Traffic Safety Commission
​​
Panel Sessions
Poster Sessions
Typology of State Alcohol Tax Allocation for Public Health
Ziming Xuan, ScD, SM, MA
Boston University School of Public Health
State Variation in Women-Specific AUD Treatment
Rachel Adams, MPH, PhD
Boston University School of Public Health, Department of Health Law, Policy & Management
Expanding Psychedelic Drug Laws & U.S. Alcohol Consumption
Elyse Grossman, PhD, JD
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA/NIH)
Alcohol Prices and State Rates of Firearm-involved Suicide and Homicide
Marlene Lira, MPH, DrPH Candidate
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Crash Risk Vulnerabilities of 21–24 y/o Old Drivers in Alcohol-Impaired Fatal Crashes
Federico Vaca, MD, MPH
University of California Irvine School of Medicine
Give Me Convenience and Give Me Death: The Bleeding Edge of Alcohol eCommerce
Carson Benowitz-Fredericks, MSPH
Alcohol Justice
Development of a National Community of Practice to Prevent Substance Use Disorder Among People with Intellectual Disabilities
Lisa Najavits, PhD
University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School
Firearms and Alcohol Misuse: A Landscape Analysis
Silvia Villarreal, MPP
Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions
Learn From, Don't Follow Tobacco
Bob Doyle
The Make Health History Project
Inaction Despite Concern: Exploring Swedish Employees' Responses to Co-workers' Alcohol Problems
Martina Martinez, MSC Psychology
University of Gothenburg
Support for Alcohol Control Policies in a Nationally Representative Sample of US Alcohol Consumers
Anna Grummon, PhD, MSPH
Stanford University School of Medicine
Understanding Support for Alcohol Warning Labels in a Sample of US Adults
Melina Joseph
Yale University
Trends and Disparities in Alcohol-Related Hospitalizations in Maryland, 2019–2023
Matthew Kenny, MPH
Maryland Department of Health
Alcohol Attributable Hospitalizations in Maryland (2019-2023)
Matthew Kenny, MPH
Maryland Department of Health
How Vermont Land Use Planners Prevent Alcohol Misuse Through Social Connection
Nick Tatakis, CPS
Vermont Department of Health
Melissa Needham
Recovery Capital: Helping Clients Discover the Treasures of Recovery
Pete Nielsen, LAADC, MA, BS
CA Consortium of Addiction Programs and Professionals (CCAPP)
What's the Skew? The Distribution of Alcohol Consumption in the United States, 2024
Pamela Trangenstein, MPH, PhD
Alcohol Research Group/Public Health Institute