Deputy Mark Andrews holds a master peace officer license and is a TCOLE certified instructor. He began
his career as a dispatcher for Boerne Police Department, graduated from the academy in 2001, and
became a Deputy in Comal County in 2002. In 2007, Deputy Andrews moved to the Hays County Sheriff’s
Office and is currently assigned to the Community Outreach Unit.
Over the course of his 23-year career, he has worked in several different capacities, including patrol,
environmental crimes, and crime prevention. Deputy Andrews obtained his Certified Crime Prevention
Specialist certificate in 2018 and enjoys working with the community in all aspects of his current
assignment.
Over the summer of 2022, Hays County experienced the loss of several high school-aged children due to
fentanyl poisonings. In response, the Sheriff’s Office formed a task force to include other area law
enforcement agencies and the DEA. Sheriff Cutler tasked Deputy Andrews to learn everything he could
possibly learn and present that information to as many people as possible. Deputy Andrews joined Janel
Rodriguez, the founder of the forever15project who lost her son to fentanyl in 2022, to bring a very
emotional and moving presentation to anyone and everyone. Together they have presented to more
than 25,000 students and adults in more than 350 presentations.
Speakers Page
Deputy Mark Andrews
Speaker Bio
Sessions:
Janel Rodriguez
Speaker Bio
Janel Rodriguez and her husband suffered the loss of their 15-year-old son, Noah Rodriguez, a Hays CISD student by fentanyl poisoning on August 21, 2022. They have started an organization called the Forever 15 Project and have worked tirelessly across the nation to spread the word about the fentanyl crisis by sharing their story. Hearing from Ms. Rodriguez is a life-changing experience.
Sessions:
Steven Antommarchi
Next Level K-9 TexasSpeaker Bio
Over the last 15 years, Steven Antommarchi has held the law enforcement titles of Patrol Officer, Canine Handler, Canine Supervisor, Canine Trainer, and Interim Chief of Police. He is a K9 detection trainer for the Global Forensic Justice Center at FloridaInternationalUniversity, a K9 Instructor and SME for the Texas School Safety Center at Texas State University, the Law Enforcement Secretary for the American Working Dog Association, and the Founder of Next Level K9, a company that provides training and scientific research on all things K9. Officer Antommarchi has provided K9 deployments that have led to several millions of dollars’ worth of drugs, currency, and property seizures while working with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies across the United States. Officer Antommarchi conducts several workshops and seminars focusing on K-9 detection, supervision, training records, court testimony, program budgeting, scientific research, and operational readiness. He does this for the disciplines of narcotics, explosives, patrol, person borne IED, electronic storage device detection, tracking, trailing, accelerant detection, and personal protection. Annually Officer Antommarchi trains, certifies, mentors, assesses and provides professional support for over 150 K9 units worldwide.
Sessions:
Mark Stodola
Probation FellowSpeaker Bio
As National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Probation Fellow, Mark Stodola brings over 30 years of experience working in the field of court management and adult probation in Arizona. Mark worked at the Maricopa County Adult Probation Department for 18 years serving in a number of capacities including division director overseeing drug and alcohol treatment programs, problem solving courts and services for the mentally ill. Mark later became the Court Administrator of the Tempe Municipal Court where he served for eight years managing the day to day activities of the court. Most recently Mark served as Program Services Manager in the Adult Probation Services Division of the Arizona Supreme Court where he had oversight of treatment programs for Arizona’s Adult Probation Departments. Mark has presented training on topics surrounding high risk drunk drivers at national, regional and state conferences throughout the country. Mark also is an adjunct instructor at Arizona State University.
Mark received his undergraduate degree in History from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and his Master’s Degree in Education from Northern Arizona University. Mark became a Graduate Fellow through the National Council of State Courts Institute of Court Management.
Sessions:
Kym Laube
Executive DirectorSpeaker Bio
Kym Laube is the Executive Director of Human Understanding Growth Services, Inc., HUGS, Inc., located in Westhampton Beach, NY. In this position she brings over 33 years of substance use prevention knowledge and expertise, leading the organization to provide a full array of multidimensional prevention services and recovery supports. Kym is a national trainer and speaker, working with notable leaders in prevention including CADCA.
Having participated in the HUGS, Inc. Teen Institute program in 1986 as a high school student, Kym understands firsthand, the profound impact, lifelong influence and workforce development the Teen Institute program provides to young people. From student leader to Executive Director in 2002, Kym’s mission has been to empower others to seek their full potential and become agents of change in the world. Kym offers dynamic, passionate and interactive keynotes, trainings and workshops for large and small groups with an uncanny ability to talk with and not at people. Annually, Kym presents to over 25,000 individuals, young and old across our great country.
Kym’s unwavering commitment to improving the lives of young people extends beyond her executive office and can be seen in the many leadership roles she holds. She is active on various local, state and national boards and task forces and served on the NYS Governor Opiate Task Force. Most notable is her personal recovery and commitment to push individuals to make the space better wherever they are. Her greatest joy is watching her two adult sons creating live a life of choice and forge their own course. She lives in Westhampton Beach with her husband, and way too many dogs.
Sessions:
Joseph Jones
System DirectorSpeaker Bio
Mr. Jones has been working in forensic science since 2006, and today is the System Director for the North Louisiana Criminalistics Laboratory. In this capacity, he serves in an executive role overseeing two forensic laboratories and an evidence hub in the northern 29 parishes of Louisiana. As a forensic toxicologist, he assists law enforcement and legal personnel in impaired driving cases and toxicology interpretation. He is currently a doctoral candidate at Oklahoma State University’s Center for Health Sciences in Tulsa, OK where his focus centers on impaired driving policy and forensic toxicology.
Mr. Jones earned his Master of Science in Forensic Medicine from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2007 and a Bachelor of Science in Forensic Science from Baylor University in 2004. He holds memberships in the National Safety Council – Alcohol and Drug Impaired Driving (NSC-ADID) division, the Society of Forensic Toxicologists (SOFT), and the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors (ASCLD). In addition, he serves as an adjunct instructor for the Louisiana, Indiana, Georgia, Ohio, and Oklahoma Drug Evaluation & Classification (DEC) Programs, where he provides training to Drug Recognition Experts (DRE) nationwide.
Sessions:
Deputy Alex Graham
DWI Enforcement DeputySpeaker Bio
Alex Graham is a Deputy Sheriff with a large metropolitan Sheriff's Office in Minnesota. Alex is currently entering his 10th year of Full time LE Experience. He is a Drug Recognition Expert Instructor and has been a DRE since 2015 and a DRE Instructor and SFST Instructor since 2016. Alex started his Law Enforcement Career in the State of Colorado as a Deputy Sheriff and a Police Officer before moving to a major metropolitan department in Minnesota in 2016 where he served as a collateral duty to patrol work as the lead DWI Training Instructor. Alex has two awards from Mother's Against Drunk Driving, one from the MADD Chapter in Colorado for Outstanding Individual Dedication to DWI Enforcement. The Second, from the MN Chapter for Drugged Driving Enforcement. Among other awards and recognitions Alex is a 5 time DWI All Star in Minnesota, and has over 540 DWI Arrests. He currently serves as a full time DWI Enforcement Deputy for the Sheriff's Office.
Sessions:
Rebecca Chiasson
Chemistry ManagerSpeaker Bio
Rebecca Chiasson is the Chemistry Manager at the Louisiana State Police Crime Lab which includes both seized drug analysis and forensic toxicology analysis. She has a Bachelor of Science Degree from Nicholls State University and a Master of Science from University of Louisiana at Lafayette. She has almost 20 years’ experience in forensics, specifically drug chemistry, toxicology and crime scene processing. In 2011, she was promoted to drug chemistry unit supervisor then chemistry manager in 2013. She has been qualified as an expert 20+ times in forensic drug chemistry in state and/or federal court. She has membership in the National Association of Drug Diversion Investigators, the American Academy of Forensic Scientists, and the Louisiana Association of Forensic Scientists. She has been appointed to the State Epidemiology Workgroup, the Prevention Systems Committee, the Governor’s DWI-Vehicular homicide taskforce, the Governor’s Drug Policy Board, and Louisiana’s Impaired Drivers Emphasis Team. She co-chairs the Statewide and Capital Region’s Impaired Drivers Emphasis Teams. She assists in the identification, banning, and education of new synthetic drugs that are a public health hazard along with Louisiana Poison Center and DHH. She is also part of the team assembled for the Strategic Highway Safety Plan to identify the severity of drug impaired driving in Louisiana.
Sessions:
Ryan Hutton
OfficerSpeaker Bio
Ryan Hutton is a full-time law enforcement officer for the state of Missouri. He created Extract-ED Training, which provides training to law enforcement, prosecutors, and civilian entities on various topics, including marijuana, drug trends, drug impairment, officer wellness, and leadership. He has given presentations on drug impairment for the Missouri Office of Prosecution Services, the Colorado District Attorneys Council, the New Hampshire Office of Highway Safety, the Florida Coalition for Highway Safety, and the National Life Savers Conference. He is the lead Medical Marijuana instructor for the state of Missouri, Missouri Office of Prosecution Services, University of Central Missouri, and Missouri Southern State University. He was awarded Officer of the Year in 2013 by Mothers Against Drunk Driving and Trooper of the Year in 2017, by the Law Enforcement Traffic Safety Advisory Council.
Sessions:
Melissa Moore
Owner & TrainerSpeaker Bio
Melissa Moore has worked in Public Health for over 20 years, leading substance abuse prevention and coalition efforts in multiple diverse communities. Emphasizing the need to go beyond education to address the factors that contribute to substance abuse, Ms. Moore has helped lead assessment, planning, implementation and grant writing efforts to transform the way communities tackle this daunting burden. An expert in engagement and communication, Ms. Moore is always looking for opportunities to take great ideas and move them into tangible actions answering the age-old question...We recognize this is an issue, now what can we do about it?
