Speakers Page

Assistant Special Agent in Charge Steven H. Fischer is assigned to the Dallas Field
Division and is responsible for directing and supervising enforcement supervisors in carrying out
criminal investigations and technical operations within Dallas and Tyler areas of North Texas.

ASAC Fischer was born and raised in New Jersey and holds a Bachelor Degree in
Sociology with a concentration in Criminal Justice Administration from East Stroudsburg
University in Pennsylvania. In 2007, ASAC Fischer started his federal law enforcement career as
an Immigration Enforcement Agent for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in New
York City where he enforced immigration law against those who presented a danger to our
national security.

In February 2009, ASAC Fischer joined the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) as
a Special Agent and was assigned to Newark, New Jersey where he conducted complex
conspiracy investigations targeting translation criminal organizations and worked the newly
established Tactical Diversion Squad where he targeted the illegal sale and abuse of prescription
drugs by doctors and pharmacists.

In 2015, ASAC Fischer was assigned to the Lima, Peru Country Office and later
promoted to Group Supervisor in 2018 where he led partner nation police units focused on
dismantling networks responsible for primarily trafficking cocaine from the Peruvian jungle to
the United States and throughout the world. In 2021, ASAC Fischer transferred to the Dallas
Field Division where he oversaw conspiracy investigations on Mexican drug traffickers
responsible for transporting methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl into the United
States via the southern border.

In 2024, ASAC Fischer was reassigned to the Office of Professional Responsibility in
Irving, TX where he investigated allegations of misconduct against DEA employees. Finally in
January 2026, ASAC Fischer was promoted to his current position in the Dallas Field Division.

Mr. Williams is a Liquor Control Supervisor with the Illinois Liquor Control Commission (ILCC). Mr. Williams began his career in 1997 at the Illinois State Police, working as a Telecommunicator and Truck Weighing Inspector. Mr. Williams joined the ILCC in July of 2012 as a Liquor Control Special Agent. During his time at the ILCC, Mr. Williams has served as a field trainer for newly hired Special Agents, has developed and conducted numerous trainings statewide for local and county agencies to conduct liquor inspections and alcohol age compliance check details, and has facilitated several in-house training courses for ILCC staff. 

While at the ILCC, Mr. Williams has served in several roles. After serving as a Special Agent, Mr. Williams was promoted to Supervisor in February 2017. Mr. Williams was temporarily assigned as the Chief of the Division of Enforcement, from May 2018 until September 2018. In June of 2020, Mr. Williams accepted the position of Liquor Control Supervisor for the Central Region, which was one of the first sworn peace officer positions in the history of the ILCC. After a territory realignment, Mr. Williams is currently the Liquor Control Supervisor responsible for supervising a team of 4 ILCC Special Agents assigned to the East Central Region, as well as conducting and supervising specialized criminal investigations.   

Mr. Williams holds an Associate’s of Arts in Criminal Justice from Parkland College and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology and Administration of Justice from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. Mr. Williams is a certified law enforcement instructor for several courses approved by the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board (ILETSB).      

Julie Dreifaldt is a subject matter expert and sought-after speaker for One Chance to Grow Up. She speaks across the state and nationally to policymakers, leaders, parents, trusted adults, and school organizations about today’s THC, marijuana, hemp, and psilocybin and the impacts on kids and how communities can generate actionable narratives to create change.  Since 2018, Julie has tirelessly advocated for kids and equips parents and trusted adults with science, education, and empowerment.  Julie has a BA in History and BA in English from Mount Vernon Nazarene University.

Dr. Curran earned his Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Mississippi State University and his Doctorate in Inorganic Chemistry from Florida State University. 

During his 28 years of public service, he has been fortunate to have had the opportunity to contribute in many roles, protecting Florida’s environment and serving Florida’s industries and consumers.  Early in his career, Dr. Curran was appointed to multiple laboratory management positions with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. He initially worked closely with the department's air program. He was heavily involved with many of the department's projects relating to surface and ground water quality issues, hazardous waste determinations, as well as laboratory investigations involving environmental crimes and perceived threat materials, such as anthrax. 

In 2005, he moved into the consumer service arena when he was appointed Chief of Petroleum Inspection for the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS).  That role morphed and expanded into the Chief of Standards role, where he also represented FDACS nationally as the Weights and Measures Director of Florida.  Following this decade-long role, he later served in roles with FDACS as the Assistant Director of Consumer Services, then as Assistant Director of Food Safety, and since 2017, he has served as the Director of Food Safety for the agency. This role now includes the oversight of age-restricted foods such as hemp and hemp extract for human consumption, as well as kratom products.

The Division of Food Safety became an integral part of Florida’s Hemp Program when it was enacted into state law in 2019.  The division is now responsible for the permitting and inspection of establishments in Florida that are extracting, manufacturing, distributing, storing, or selling hemp and hemp extract and other age-restricted products intended for human ingestion or inhalation.  The division conducts inspections of the more than 13,000 establishments selling age-restricted food products and collects random samples of these products from locations across the state, which are then tested in the division’s laboratories for a variety of biological and chemical contaminants, controlled substances, and labeling claims. 

Richard Grosfelt served for over 34 years with the U.S. DEA, spending 28 years as a Special Agent and 6 additional years as Outreach Coordinator for the DEA’s Pharmaceutical Diversion Control Unit. His experience at the DEA has given him a specialized knowledge of both the current drug trends situation and tactical awareness, with an extensive background in teaching and conducting presentations through various training programs. His expertise was gained through conducting numerous narcotics investigations as well as through his certifications as a DEA firearms, tactical, and defensive tactics instructor. In his outreach role, he directed educational programs focused on raising awareness of current drug trends/dangers among diverse audiences, including students, parents, educators, coaches, healthcare professionals, and community groups. As a result of his extensive tactical background, he has also conducted situational awareness training sessions to non-law enforcement personnel during wellness programs designed to increase their overall personal safety.