Erik Garcia, MD
Associate Professor of Family Medicine and Community Health, UMass Memorial Health
Team Physician, Road to Care Outreach
Worcester, MA

Erik Garcia MD Associate Professor of Family Medicine and Community Health and a physician with the Road to Care Outreach team through UMass Memorial Health in Worcester Mass. I have been providing healthcare to adults experiencing homelessness for the entirety of my career – starting when I completed my Internal Medicine residency in 1994.  I am married to a doctor (the research, PhD kind…smarter than me) who is incredibly supportive and we have 2 grown kids who (while they have avoided the medical field) have a wonderful sense of social consciousness.

Sarah Mackin, MPH
Division Director, Harm Reduction Services - AHOPE Needle Exchange
Boston Public Health Commission

Sarah Mackin, MPH is the director of AHOPE Needle Exchange at the Boston Public Health Commission, where she began her work in harm reduction and drug user health in 2010. She oversees the largest needle exchange and harm reduction program in New England, which provides comprehensive drug user health services to over 8,000 people each year. Sarah brings over 18 years of experience in the field of public health, substance use, harm reduction, HIV/AIDS, and homelessness to the work.

Kellen Russoniello, JD, MPH
Director of Public Health, Drug Policy Alliance

Kellen Russoniello is the Director of Public Health at the Drug Policy Alliance. He drives DPA's efforts to expand public health approaches to drug use, including increasing access to harm reduction interventions and evidence-based substance use disorder treatment. Kellen facilitates a table of advocates dedicated to expanding overdose prevention centers nationwide. He supports partner organizations across the country by drafting drug policy reform legislation, developing supportive advocacy materials, and providing technical assistance.

Kellen has been fighting for drug policy and criminal legal system reform for over fifteen years. Prior to joining DPA, he worked for Community Legal Aid SoCal and for the ACLU of San Diego and Imperial Counties. Kellen has also served on the national board of directors for Students for Sensible Drug Policy. His writings on drug policy have been published in the Yale Journal of Health Policy and Ethics, American Journal of Law and Medicine, Drug Science, Policy and Law, and the Journal of Law, Medicine and Ethics. Through these experiences, Kellen has developed a deep expertise in the intersections of public health and criminalization.

Kellen earned his J.D. and Master of Public Health from The George Washington University. He earned his B.A. from Eastern Washington University. He was born and raised in Spokane, WA. Kellen currently lives in Orange County, CA with his wife and three children.

Kenneth Washington
Assistant Director, AHOPE Needle Exchange
Boston Public Health Commission

Kenneth Washington is an accomplished assistant director of AHOPE Needle Exchange, driven by a passion for harm reduction that stems from his work with at-risk youth. His lived experience has instilled in him a deep understanding of the challenges of racism, classism, and substance use, inspiring him to become a leader in the field.

Kenneth's outstanding achievements in harm reduction have earned him a seat on the Massachusetts Harm Reduction Advisory Council, a testament to his unwavering dedication to public service. His desire to help his community has led him to excel in drug checking and introduce innovative safer smoking practices to the Boston area outreach.

With his profound knowledge and expertise, Kenneth has made a significant impact on the lives of countless individuals and helped to shape policies that promote safer and healthier communities. His contributions have been widely recognized and admired by peers, colleagues, and stakeholders alike.