Managing Director
Marshall Center of Excellence for Recovery, MURC
Applied Engineering Complex, Rm 4223
saunde22@marshall.edu
304-696-4800
Amy Saunders, M.A., is the managing director of the MU Center of Excellence for Recovery at Marshall University, where she oversees multiple behavioral health initiatives on campus and in the community. She received a master’s degree in clinical psychology from Marshall University and has over 20 years of experience working in the fields of behavioral health and public health. Saunders served as the director of Marshall’s Wellness Center for over fifteen years where she implemented multiple health and wellness initiatives on campus. She has served as the director of a school-based mental health program overseeing services to students in five middle schools. She has authored and received over 25 public and mental health-related grants where she has served as a Principal Investigator (PI) or as an Evaluator. Saunders has assisted with strategic planning and coalition development on campus and within the local community and state. She is a founding member of the Cabell County Substance Abuse Prevention Partnership and the West Virginia Collegiate Initiative to Address High-Risk Drinking and Substance Use, coalitions working to provide substance use education and prevention in West Virginia. She serves as an advisory member on the Governor’s Council on Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment.
Senior Associate Director, Marshall Center of Excellence for Recovery, MURC
Transformational Collaborative Outcomes Management (TCOM) Director
Weisberg Family Applied Engineering Complex, Rm 4232
tpearson@marshall.edu
304-696-6242
Tammy Pearson, M.A., is the TCOM Director of the Marshall University Center of Excellence for Recovery, where she oversees multiple behavioral health initiatives related to Transformational Collaborative Outcomes Management (TCOM) and Wraparound in WV. She is a licensed clinical psychologist and worked with WV’s System of Care for over 18 years, serving both as an Evaluator and later Program Director. Through this project, she worked statewide with mental health providers, juvenile justice, and the Department of Health and Human Resources. She has served on many statewide committees that serve children in the state of WV. She continues to work with the state on data collection and reporting and other projects. She also is the principal investigator of the Southwestern Regional Day Report Center Fresh Start Program-Bureau of Justice-Comprehensive Opioid Misuse Program, Principle investigator. This is a diversion program to keep individuals with substance use disorders from entering prison by providing therapy, education, and job training.
Associate Director, Marshall Center of Excellence for Recovery, MURC
Weisberg Family Applied Engineering Complex, Rm 4240
collins@marshall.edu
304-696-6276
Tammy L. Collins, PhD, has more than 25 years of experience in translating research into practice and policy in the fields of behavioral health, justice, and education. She currently conducts applied research and education as Associate Director for the Marshall University Center of Excellence for Recovery and is an evaluation consultant for prevention and a youth systems of care project in Ohio. Her doctorate of philosophy in human development and family science with a cognate area of adolescent behavioral health risk and protective factors was earned from The Ohio State University. She holds a Master of Arts in Counseling and a Bachelor of Arts in journalism/public relations from Marshall University. Dr. Collins has led administrative and applied research teams at Ohio and WV state agencies including being Deputy Director at the Ohio Department of Mental Health & Addiction Services, Senior Research Analyst at the WV Supreme Court of Appeals, and Policy and Planning Coordinator at WV Division of Criminal Justice Services; as well as leading research and evaluation teams at The Ohio State University and Marshall University. Dr. Collins has served as a subject matter expert for national, state, and local prevention, youth and community development, and applied research projects. She is credentialed in prevention in both WV (Prevention Specialist II) and Ohio (Certified Prevention Consultant).
Evaluation Coordinator – WV’s Strategic Prevention Framework for Prescription Drugs
Marshall Center of Excellence for Recovery, MURC
fowler106@marshall.edu
Katelyn Fowler, MSW, is the Evaluation Coordinator for WV’s Strategic Prevention Framework for Prescription Drugs. Her previous roles include Lead Epidemiologist for the Collegiate Strategic Prevention Framework Partnerships for Success and coordinator for the Marshall University Garrett Lee Smith Campus Suicide Prevention grant. She began her career at the bachelor’s level with a focus on the justice system. She gained experience as a student working with Family Court in Northeastern Kentucky before working in community-based corrections for several years after graduation. As a reentry specialist, she worked with individuals, groups, and community agencies, such as probation and parole, reentry coalitions, and drug prevention task force in Southeastern Ohio. Katelyn then received her master’s degree in clinical social work from Marshall University and went on to work in outpatient mental health. During this time, she worked with individuals of all ages and backgrounds. She also has experience working with adults with intellectual and physical disabilities. Through her career, Katelyn has developed a passion for prevention and education. She has conducted numerous trainings on suicide prevention, assessments and screening tools, addressing student’s mental health needs, ACES and the impact of trauma, sexism and gender roles, Mental Health and LGBTQIA+ populations, and more. She is also currently a field faculty liaison for Marshall University’s MSW program, as well as the secretary for the Kentucky Suicide Prevention Group.
Project Director – Trauma Sensitive Workplace
Marshall Center of Excellence for Recovery, MURC
edgelu@marshall.edu
LuAnn Edge, MSW, is the Project Director for Trauma Sensitive Workplace (TSW), an agreement through the Marshall Center of Excellence for Recovery and the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Services (DHHR) Bureau of Social Services. This program works to provide assessment, training and technical assistance to child welfare and community-based service providers who have experienced secondary trauma. LuAnn completed her Master of Social Work at Fordham University in New York. She has been a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker since 2008. Before joining the Center of Excellence, LuAnn worked as the WV System of Care Director at Prestera in Huntington, WV. LuAnn and her team of staff are confident that helping and supporting those workers who have devoted their lives to youth navigating the child welfare system will result in changes that will ripple through the entire child-serving system of our state.
Project Aware Coordinator
Marshall Center of Excellence for Recovery, MURC
knicely7@marshall.edu
Amy Knicely, MA., is the State Educational Agency (SEA) Coordinator for Project AWARE, a grant-funded initiative from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS). She coordinates the efforts of local education agencies, community project managers, mental health professionals, and community organizations, to support the success of the AWARE Project. Amy holds a School Principalship certification from Marshall University; an MA., in Curriculum & Instruction from Ohio Valley University; a BA., in Elementary Education from Kean University; and an AA., as an Education Practitioner from Middlesex County College. Amy is also certified in Math, Science, Social Studies, English Language Arts, and a Library Media Specialist.
Behavioral Health Training Center Director
Marshall Center of Excellence for Recovery, MURC
mikalude@marshall.edu
Kari Mika-Lude oversees the Behavioral Health Training Center at Marshall University. Kari received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Applied Psychology from the University of Illinois at Chicago and then her Master of Arts degree in Counseling Psychology from Adler University in Chicago. She recently completed her PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision from Northern Illinois University. She has more than 10 years of experience as a professional counselor, most of which has been spent in community mental health. She is independently licensed in both West Virginia (LPC) and Illinois (LCPC) and holds addiction counseling credentials in both states. Her primary clinical specialization is trauma, with a focus on first responders, and she is trained in EMDR. In 2018, she founded and now oversees a private group practice, where she provides clinical supervision and consultation services. She has provided consultation on trauma-informed screening procedures for the Department of Homeland Security’s Transportation Security Administration. She and her husband, who is a firefighter/EMT, have provided trainings on first responder wellness, PTSD recovery, suicide prevention, and trauma-informed workplaces for police, fire, EMS, and 911/dispatch. Kari has also developed and delivered trainings on a variety of topics for both professionals and community members, including psychological disaster preparedness, sexual violence and addiction, intimate partner violence, gatekeeping in counselor education, and more. Kari serves on the Cabell County Critical Incident Stress Management team and on the Executive Board of the West Virginia Licensed Professional Counselors Association.
Wraparound and Mobile Response Training Director
Marshall Center of Excellence for Recovery, MURC
glick4@marshall.edu
Holly earned her Bachelor of Arts degrees in Psychology and Communication Arts with an Emphasis in Theatre from Concord University in 2009 and her Master of Arts degree in Psychology from West Virginia University in 2014. She is currently a licensed psychologist in West Virginia. Holly is a certified therapist in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) and is a certified therapist and within program trainer for Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT). Holly has supervised multiple Wraparound programs as well as one of the pilot grants for Children’s Mobile Crisis. She looks forward to continuing to help West Virginia provide quality service for its children, young adults, and their families. She currently resides in Raleigh County with her family.
WV Peer Recovery Training Hub Project Coordinator
Marshall Center of Excellence for Recovery, MURC
cunninghamca@marshall.edu
Carrie Cunningham is the Project Coordinator for the WV Peer Recovery Training Hub under the Marshall University Center of Excellence. The training hub provides statewide training and technical assistance to expand Peer Recovery Support Specialists and Recovery Coaches in WV. She is a certified Peer Recovery Support Specialist and has five years of providing recovery support services to individuals struggling with substance use disorders in a variety of community settings. “I enjoy working with Peer Recovery Support Specialists all over the state to achieve their goals and make differences in their communities,” shares Carrie.
Lori Garrett-Bumba, BA, LSW, PS II
Project Director – Collegiate Strategic Prevention Framework Partnership for Success
Marshall Center of Excellence for Recovery, MURC
garrettbumba@marshall.edu
Lori Garrett-Bumba is the Project Director of the Collegiate Strategic Prevention Framework Partnership for Success program. The C-SPF-PFS seeks to enhance prevention infrastructure and build capacity among higher education institutes to prevent the onset and reduce the progression of alcohol, tobacco & vaping, marijuana & prescription drug misuse and its related problems among higher education students. She is a graduate of Ohio University and has received a West Virginia Social Work License. She is also a West Virginia Certified Prevention Specialist II. Garrett-Bumba serves on the WV Certification Board for Addiction and Prevention Professionals where she serves as an officer. She has over 15 years of experience in substance use prevention and has assisted on several local, regional and statewide committees and initiatives as a subject matter expert. She has extensive experience with strategic planning, coalition development, public relations, grants management and leadership skills. She has developed and provided numerous trainings on a variety of topics relating to substance use issues for professionals, key stakeholders and community members on a local, regional, state and national level. Garrett-Bumba has overseen numerous federal and state grants and implemented multiple prevention based initiatives throughout local communities and the state. She also has previous experience in the realm of behavioral health and mentoring.
Prevention Empowerment Partnership Project Director
Marshall Center of Excellence for Recovery, MURC
saundersa@marshall.edu
Angela Saunders is the Director of the Prevention Empowerment Partnership (PEP) where she directs and coordinates various prevention efforts for Cabell County and surrounding areas. Saunders has over 25 years of experience in justice, prevention, and community development-related issues and has provided consulting services for several years including training, technical assistance, and grant writing. She also served in West Virginia State government for more than 20 years in lead administrative positions. She administers local, state, and federal grants including the Opioid Affected Youth Grant from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the State Substance Abuse Prevention Training Grant, and multiple foundation grants. Saunders, her staff, and more than 50 community volunteers support the work of the Prevention Empowerment Partnership and its subcommittees including the Primary Prevention, Community Outreach, Training/Assessment, and Youth Empowerment subcommittees to increase access to comprehensive prevention services in Cabell County and surrounding areas. Saunders is a graduate of Marshall University and has dedicated her career to systemic improvement including serving as a member of various statewide committees that sought to improve the lives of children and families in West Virginia and to promote justice and equity.
WV Collegiate Recovery Network Project Coordinator
Marshall Center of Excellence for Recovery
The Alliance for the Economic Development of Southern West Virginia, MURC
saundersa@marshall.edu
Susie Mullens is a licensed psychologist, licensed professional counselor, certified advanced alcohol & drug counselor, and supervisor. She has been working in the mental health and substance use disorder field for over 30 years and has worked in all aspects of the continuum of care. She is currently the program coordinator for the WV Collegiate Recovery Network which is housed at Marshall University Research Corporation working hand in hand with the Alliance for the Economic Development of Southern WV and Center of Excellence for Recovery. Its goal is to help expand collegiate recovery efforts on nine campuses in southern WV. She was formerly the Interim Director of the West Virginia Office of Drug Control Policy (ODCP). While at ODCP she was responsible for securing the seed money (100K) for five collegiate recovery programs in WV. Prior to ODCP she was the Director of Operations for the Association of Recovery in Higher Education, served as a Recovery Specialist helping establish the WVU Collegiate Recovery Program & Therapist at West Virginia University, and was the Mid-Atlantic Regional Representative on the ARHE Board of Directors. Susie is currently a member of the ARHE Advisory Committee and is the recipient of the 2021 ARHE Advocate of the Year Award. She is the WVAADC treasurer and also a past president of the association and recently became the Mid-Atlantic Regional Vice President for NAADAC. Susie hosts a show on the WV Library Commission Network called Solutions, Service & Serenity which helps raise awareness about programs around West Virginia who are working across the continuum of care (prevention, early intervention, treatment & recovery).
Grant Coordinator
Marshall Center of Excellence for Recovery, MURC
elkins171@marshall.edu
Dee was born and raised in Huntington, WV where she resides today. She attended Liberty University and has a passion for helping others. With 70+ staff within the Center of Excellence, she helps our team stay organized and on track. With a significant amount of her position consisting of administrative tasks and HR support, our team could not manage all of its projects without her support and assistance. Dee enjoys meeting the new staff members who come on board and knowing that we are all part of bringing about positive change in our community.
Communications Specialist
Marshall Center of Excellence for Recovery, MURC
bellomy37@marshall.edu
Allison Conley is the Communications Specialist for the Center of Excellence for Recovery. She is a graduate of Marshall University, obtaining her Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing in 2018. Following graduation, Allison worked for Recovery Point West Virginia, a 501c3 nonprofit, long-term, residential recovery program for men and women suffering from substance use disorder. Her roles at Recovery Point were Community Outreach Coordinator and Director of Development. Allison joined the Center of Excellence in November 2022. Her role will consist of helping publicly promote the projects within the Center and assisting project directors with communications and marketing related efforts.