Question 1

Reclaiming Care: Countering Corporate Influence in Health Policy | May 5th @ 9:15 am

Accepted Answer

Speaker Bios:

Rachel Madley, Ph.D., Executive Director, Center for Health and Democracy
 
Rachel is the Executive Director of the Center for Health and Democracy. She previously worked as health policy advisor to Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal and in the legislative affairs office at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Rachel received her PhD in Microbiology and Immunology from Columbia University where she was also a member of the executive board of Students for a National Health Program and Physicians for a National Health Program. She received her Bachelor of Science with honors from the University of Michigan. Her work has been widely published in outlets including The New York Times, Business Insider, and Newsweek.

David Theroux, FACHE MBA, CEO, Hendry Regional Medical Center 
David joined the team at Hendry Regional Medical Center in July of 2007. Since that time, he has assumed progressive levels of responsibility. From February, 2018 when he was appointed as the hospital's Chief Operating Officer, ultimately leading to him becoming CEO in 2025. David holds a Masters of Business Administration from South University and is credentialed as a Fellow with the American College of Healthcare Executives. David has over 28 years in the healthcare industry with experience in clinical operations, life safety, emergency management, compliance, and facility operations.

Miriam Straus, JD, Policy Advisor, Georgetown Center for Health Policy and the Law
 
Miriam is the associate director at the Center for Health Law and Policy at the O’Neill Institute, where she focuses on Medicare Advantage and commercial health care cost containment. Straus advises federal and state policymakers, analyzes key health care litigation, and provides public education on a wide range of pressing health policy issues.
Straus has significant experience in health law and policy. Prior to joining the O’Neill Institute, she was a policy advisor at Community Catalyst, where she advocated for state and federal actions to address medical debt, health care consolidation, and private equity in health care. In that position, Straus testified in support of state and federal efforts to lower health care costs, drafted coalition comments on federal rules, and provided technical assistance to state and federal policymakers.

Additional Resources:
Center for Health and Democracy Issues
Private Equity Stakeholder Project Healthcare Resources
Join the Florida Rural Health Association

Question 2

The Benefits Cliff: Why Working Harder Can Mean Falling Behind | May 5th @ 10:20 AM

Accepted Answer

Speaker:

Lynette Fields, MSW, Executive Director, Poverty Solutions Group

Lynette comes to Poverty Solutions Group with over 30 years of cross-community work experience. She has a B.A. in Pre-theology from the University of Evansville and a Master of Social Work from the University of Michigan. She served as a missionary through the United Methodist Church in the Miami area before leading local and global missions at St. Luke's United Methodist Church for more than two decades. She has been the Executive Director of Poverty Solutions Group since its launch in 2020. She is excited about being a part of an emerging movement across the country that is shifting the conversation and work from poverty management to poverty reduction.

Additional Resources:
Learn More about the Poverty Solutions Group
Beyond The Cliff National Coalition
Beyond the Cliff Policy Agenda (below)

Question 3

Tackling High Drug Prices: Policy Solutions and Advocacy in the States | May 5th @ 11:00 AM

Accepted Answer

Speaker Bios:

Bailey Reavis, Manager of Federal Relations, Families USA
 
Bailey is the Manager of Federal Relations at Families USA, where she helps implement the organization’s work with federal policymakers and key national partners on all of Families USA’s program areas. Prior to joining Families USA, Reavis worked at Voices for Progress, an organization focused on protecting our climate, strengthening our democracy, and ensuring economic and social justice for all. There she worked with members to advocate on a diverse portfolio of issues, including protecting and expanding the Affordable Care Act. Reavis holds a BA in political science from University of Colorado at Boulder.

Vincent DeMarco, President, Maryland Citizen's Health Initiative
 
Vincent is a longtime public health advocate whose work has advanced policies to reduce teen smoking, underage drinking, gun violence, and expand access to affordable health care. His advocacy helped Maryland achieve one of the nation’s lowest smoking rates, reduce drunk-driving deaths, and expand health insurance coverage to more than 30,000 people. As National Coordinator of Faith United Against Tobacco, he played a key role in the 2009 federal legislation authorizing FDA regulation of tobacco products. He also serves as Board Chair of the Maryland Clean Energy Jobs Initiative and Adjunct Assistant Professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. He is the subject of a book by former FTC Chair and Advocacy Institute co-founder Michael Pertschuk entitled “The DeMarco Factor: Transforming Public Will Into Political Power.”

Charlie M. Turley, PharmD, Chief Administrative Officer, Palms Medical Group (Trenton Medical Center)
 
Charlie is a recognized leader in medication affordability and rural healthcare access. A graduate of the University of Florida College of Pharmacy (2004), he has spent more than 19 years advancing patient-centered pharmacy services at Palms Medical Group. Since joining the organization in 2006, Charlie has played a pivotal role in expanding pharmacy operations from a single site to ten community pharmacies, significantly improving access to essential medications and care for underserved populations.  Throughout his tenure, Charlie has championed innovative strategies to reduce medication costs, integrate pharmacy into the broader care team, and strengthen the role of community pharmacists in chronic disease management. His work has supported thousands of patients in navigating financial barriers while enhancing the quality and continuity of care across rural North Florida.

Donna Sabatino, RN, ACRN, Director State Policy & Advocacy, The AIDS Institute (Moderator)
 
Donna leads The AIDS Institute (TAI) as Director of State Policy & Advocacy (Florida). She also leads the Policy & Advocacy work nationally for the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care.  Donna was appointed to the Florida Public Health Association board, chairs their policy & advocacy committee and received their prestigious Meritorious Service Award. She presently sits on the board of the Southern AIDS Coalition and policy committee. Donna has been in the HIV fight for over 3 decades and has held positions ranging from a bedside RN in a dedicated HIV/AIDS Unit in Ft. Lauderdale in the early 1990’s, Director of Operations for a statewide Medicaid Disease Management Program, an Industry partner for many years and now her roles with The AIDS Institute and ANAC. Her dedicated work in this area earned her the 2021 ANAC Helen Miramontes Nurse Advocate award, sponsored by the Until There’s a Cure Foundation.

Additional Resources:

Question 4

Keynote Speaker​: Wendell Potter | May 5th @ 12:45

Accepted Answer

Keynote Speaker:

Wendell Potter, Founder, Center for Health and Democracy and the Lower Out-of-Pocket NOW Coalition
 
Wendell Potter is unique in American journalism and advocacy – and uniquely able to influence public policy and media coverage across a broad range of issues about health care and money in politics. A former investigative reporter, Washington correspondent and corporate executive, Wendell delivers an insider’s perspective into those issues as editor-in-chief of his HEALTH CARE un-covered newsletter and through the nonprofit work he leads.
Since leaving his 20-year career as an executive at two of the world’s largest health care corporations – Cigna and Humana – Wendell has testified before Congress numerous times to explain how the health insurance industry really works. He made headlines during his first appearance as a whistleblower when he described in Senate testimony how health insurers “confuse their customers and dump the sick, all so they can appease their Wall Street Investors."

Wendell is a bestselling author and journalist whose work has been published inThe New York Times, The Washington Post, USA Today and many other media outlets. In addition, he is the founder and president of the Center for Health and Democracy and leads the Lower Out-of-Pockets (LOOP) NOW coalition, which works with policymakers, employers and health benefits consultants to reduce the unsustainably high deductibles and other cost-sharing requirements that burden millions of American families. He also has helped produce four documentaries that delve into various aspects of the U.S. health care system.

Question 5

Charting Change: Florida, Federal Action & the Future of Health Policy​​ | May 5th @ 1:50 pm

Accepted Answer

Speaker Bios:

Representative Dr. Anna V. Eskamani, FL State District 42
 
Anna is a bold advocate for Florida families and the working class, is born and raised in Orlando. She’s a State House Representative with a background in nonprofit management and a PhD in Public Administration from the University of Central Florida. She also serves as the Founder and Executive Director of People Power for Florida, a voter registration and engagement organization. In 2018, she made history by flipping her legislative seat and becoming Florida’s first Iranian-American elected official.

Known nationally for her advocacy on housing affordability, healthcare access, public education, equality, tax policy, and environmental issues, Anna secured a permanent tax break on children’s diapers and adult incontinence products in 2023 and has passed bipartisan bills focused on children and community safety. Prior to running for office, Anna served as the Senior Director of Public Affairs and Communication at Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida. In addition to her work as a public servant, Anna also continues to work in the nonprofit sector and serves as a Senior Colloborations Manager for NEO Philanthropy. A problem solver with a track record of kind sacrifice, endless hard work, and iron-clad values, Anna is known across the state and nation as a leader who is unbothered, unbossed, and committed to the people of Florida.

Sophia Tripoli, Senior Director of Health Policy, Families USA
 
Sophia is a strategic and innovative health policy thought leader, and oversees and leads Families USA’s strategic development and framework on all aspect of its health policy priorities including guidance on federal and state health policy that will improve health care and health for all families and individuals in America. Prior to this role, Tripoli lead Families USA’s work on value initiatives that focus on re-orienting the health care system to deliver health, lowering health care costs, and on forwarding consumer-focused policy agendas to improve health care delivery and payment systems. Tripoli represents Families USA on the Board of Directors for the Health Care Transformation Task Force, and serves on the Accountable Care Action Collaborative for the Health Care Payment Learning & Action Network. Tripoli previously worked at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI), State Innovation, and at the National Governors Association. Tripoli holds an MPH and a Bachelor of Arts in international affairs with a concentration in global public health, both from The George Washington University.

Ron Watson, Founder & Lobbyist, Watson Strategies
 
Ron is Founder and President of Watson Strategies, a Tallahassee-based healthcare lobbying firm. With more than 35 years of experience in Florida’s political, regulatory, and advocacy landscape, he has represented physicians, dentists, and healthcare organizations, including the Florida Medical Association, Florida Osteopathic Medical Association, and Florida Dental Association. He also served as Executive Director of the Florida Society of Cannabis Physicians and helped lead passage of Florida’s original low-THC cannabis legislation and implementation of the state’s medical marijuana constitutional amendment. Watson brings extensive expertise in healthcare policy, insurance, and regulatory issues, along with strong relationships across Florida’s executive, legislative, and advocacy communities.

Erica Monet Li, MPH, CHES®, Health Policy Analyst, Florida Policy Institute (Moderator)
 
Erica is a public health professional specializing in health equity and behavioral sciences. As a Health Policy Analyst at the Florida Policy Institute, she focuses on Medicaid, child health insurance, and state healthcare budget initiatives. Previously, Erica served as Equity Operations Manager at the Tampa Bay Healthcare Collaborative and led community health assessments in Atlanta focused on HIV treatment and public housing impacts. A former host of the "Black Health Now" radio show, she holds an MPH from Emory University and a Bachelor’s in Health Sciences from the University of Missouri.

Additional Resources:

Question 6

The Impact of Medicaid Expansion: Lessons from State Experience | May 5th @ 3:00 PM

Accepted Answer

Speaker Bios:

Abby Carter Emanuelson, MPA, Executive Director, North Carolina Alliance for Health

Abby Carter Emanuelson is Executive Director of the North Carolina Alliance for Health, where she leads statewide policy and advocacy efforts to advance health equity and improve access to the resources families need to thrive. With more than 25 years of experience in public policy, strategic advocacy, and coalition leadership, she is known for building broad partnerships that translate community priorities into meaningful policy change. Prior to joining NCAH, Abby served as Executive Director of Care4Carolina, where she led a coalition of more than 200 organizations that successfully championed Medicaid expansion in North Carolina—one of the most significant health policy victories in the state’s history. She holds a Master of Public Administration from North Carolina State University, a Bachelor of Arts from Louisiana State University, and an Associate of Arts from Peace College.

Cara Stewart, JD, Attorney, Justice & Joy LLC (Kentucky)
 
Cara Stewart is a Kentucky-born public interest attorney and policy advocate who runs her own public interest law project.  She has worked at Legal Aid of the Bluegrass, Kentucky Equal Justice Center, served as Chief of Staff for the Kentucky House Democrats, and was Director of Policy Advocacy for Kentucky Voices for Health, where she led statewide coalition work on Medicaid, healthcare access, substance use, behavioral health, and housing access. Her public education and media advocacy have been featured by national outlets such as NPR, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal. She has received      multiple awards for her community service and policy impact. Cara lives in Kentucky with her husband, a public middle school teacher, their son Ethan, and their beloved dogs.

Samantha Bunk, JD, Health Policy Strategist, Missouri Foundation for Health
 
Samantha (Sami) Bunk is a Senior Health Policy Strategist at the Missouri Foundation for Health, where she leads initiatives advancing maternal health, reproductive justice, and efforts to address medical debt in Missouri. Previously, she spent six years at Legal Services of Eastern Missouri supporting healthcare access for low-income pregnant women, children, and families, and also consulted with the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities through the Consumer Assistance Coordination Hub. She earned a B.A. in political science from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and a J.D. with a concentration in health law from Saint Louis University School of Law, where she taught grassroots healthcare advocacy.

Susan Harbin, JD, Senior Director of Florida Government Relations, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, Inc. (Moderator)
 
Susan Harbin is the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network’s (ACS CAN) Senior Director for Government Relations in Florida. Prior to her role at ACS CAN, she served as Deputy Director of Public Policy at the Florida Association of Counties (FAC), advocating for Florida’s counties before the state and federal governments. During her tenure with FAC, Ms. Harbin covered issues relating to health care and human services, agriculture, environment, growth management, and transportation. Prior to joining FAC, Ms. Harbin served as Legislative Counsel for the Broward County Office of Intergovernmental Affairs and Professional Standards. She is a 2009 graduate from the Florida State University College of Law and has a degree in Environmental Economics and Management from the University of Georgia. Ms. Harbin is a native of Rome, Georgia and now resides in Tallahassee.  She is also a member of the Florida Bar.

Additional Resources:

Question 7

2026 Advocates of the Year

Accepted Answer

Tori Samuel

Tori Samuel is a dedicated advocate and public speaker who has been living with HIV for 23 years, having been diagnosed at the age of 19. With a career defined by service, Tori spent 10 years working for the Florida Department of Health in Alachua County as the Regional Linkage Retention Coordinator and Perinatal Peer before resigning in 2024.

Tori specializes in working with marginalized communities and considers it a blessing to speak for those who cannot always speak for themselves. Currently, she focuses her efforts on sharing her personal story to educate others, break myths, and dismantle the stereotypes surrounding HIV. Her impactful advocacy work, particularly her efforts to save the Florida ADAP program, has been featured in The Washington Post and various other news and magazine articles. Tori remains steadfast in her mission to support the cause and advocate for all people living with HIV

Nicole Grabner

Nicole Grabner is President of One Voice Coalition Florida and a statewide advocate for disability and autism inclusion. A military veteran and graduate of the Florida Developmental Disabilities Council’s Partners in Policymaking program, she works to elevate the voices of individuals with disabilities and their families in policy and community decision-making. Nicole founded One Voice Brevard and has led initiatives promoting disability representation in legislative engagement, including organizing advocacy events in Tallahassee and Brevard County’s first disability-focused candidate forum. A frequent speaker at statewide conferences and advocacy events, she focuses on disability rights, special education, and strengthening supports for families. As a disabled veteran and parent of two autistic children, she brings lived experience to her leadership.

Question 8

Conference Day Two Welcome

Accepted Answer

Paul Hull, PhD, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network

Dr. Paul Hull is the regional head of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network’s Hope Region, which includes 25 states (Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia) plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.

Hull joined the American Cancer Society in 2002, serving for ten years as the Vice President for Advocacy and Public Policy for the former Florida Division prior to taking on multi-state, regional roles at ACS CAN. He has nearly 40 years of experience in the legislative, government relations, and public policy arenas. During his tenure with the organization, he has driven highly successful campaigns in the areas of smoke-free workplaces, tobacco prevention and education, tobacco taxes, breast cancer screening, and cancer research.

Hull came to the American Cancer Society from the Seminole Community College (SCC) administration. While at SCC, he led the federal, state, and local government relations efforts for the institution, which had a $45 million annual budget and an enrollment of 31,000.

He gained extensive experience in government and public policy during his nearly 15 years as a legislative staffer, serving in committee analyst roles for several years and then as the chief policy aide for multiple members of Florida Senate leadership.

Hull earned a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Florida and an MPA from Florida State University. He completed a Ph.D. in Public Policy at Liberty University, with a dissertation on the impact of state investment in cancer research capacity and infrastructure. Hull teaches courses on state and local government and health politics and policy at the University of North Florida. A native of Jacksonville, Florida, he is currently based in that area. He and his wife, Holly, together have six children.

Additional Resources:

Question 9

Florida’s Oral Health Crisis: The Dental Therapy Debate & Other Solutions | May 6th @ 9:15 AM

Accepted Answer

Speaker Bios:

Dr. Frank Catalanotto, President and Founder, Floridians for Dental Access
 
Dr. Frank Catalanotto is the founder and President of Floridians for Dental Access. He is the former dean and currently Professor Emeritus in the Department of Community Dentistry and Behavioral Science at the University of Florida College of Dentistry. While Dean, he initiated the UF Statewide Network for Community Health to provide increased community based educational opportunities for dental students and residents, while also significantly increasing access to oral health care for underserved patients. He was also responsible for Florida’s decision to authorize Medicaid reimbursement of medical personnel for providing preventive dental procedures. He is a Past President of the American Dental Education Association. He is the co-author of more than 110 scientific publications and has been the principal investigator or co-investigator for numerous federal, state and foundation grants. Dr. Catalanotto’s current advocacy efforts are focused on new emerging oral workforce models with a focus on dental therapy. He was a founding member of the National Partnership for Dental Therapy and the National Coalition of Dentists for Health Equity. The opinions he expresses are his own and are not the official opinion of any organization with which he is associated.

Dr. Aura Cisneros, Chief Dental Officer, Suncoast Community Health Centers
 
Dr. Aura Cisneros is a dentist, military veteran, and health care leader dedicated to expanding access to oral health care for underserved communities nationally and internationally. She served in the United States Air Force as a Medical Service Corps Officer, retiring at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, where she held leadership roles in preventive dentistry and public health.  Dr. Cisneros currently serves as Chief Dental Officer at Suncoast Community Health Centers, where she oversees six general dental clinics, Medical–Dental Integration initiatives, Mobile Dental Programs, and a Pediatric Dental Residency Program. She remains actively engaged in community and statewide initiatives that promote oral health access and equity.

Dr. Bill Maas, Assistant Surgeon General, U.S. Public Health Service (retired)
 
Dr. William (Bill) R. Maas, DDS, MPH, MS is a specialist in dental public health, transitioning after 37 years of federal service to serve since 2009 as an advisor to a variety of efforts to change policy and practice to improve the reach and effectiveness of dental care to improve the oral health of vulnerable populations.  From 1997-2001, he served as the chief dental officer of the U.S. Public Health Service as an Assistant Surgeon General.  Early in his career Dr. Maas provided clinical services with the Indian Health Service.  Later, he served a decade at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as director of its Division of Oral Health. His dental degree is from The University of Michigan, with Omicron Kappa Upsilon honors, and his MPH and MS in health policy and management were earned from Harvard University.

Erica Craven, RDH, CDHC, Oral Health Coalition Manager, Florida Voices for Health (Moderator)

Additional Resources:

Question 10

Florida Decides Healthcare: The Ballot Initiative for Medicaid Expansion | May 6th @ 11:30

Accepted Answer

Speaker Bios:

Holly Bullard, Co-Chair, Florida Decides Healthcare 
 
As chief strategy and development officer, Holly spearheads FPI's fundraising, policy advocacy, coalition building, outreach and communications strategies. She previously served as education and working family tax credits policy analyst.
Holly previously served as senior director of Financial Stability Initiatives at United Way Suncoast, where she oversaw the planning and implementation of financial stability programs, strategies and collaboratives in the Tampa Bay and Sarasota/Manatee areas. She also served at United Way in a policy advocacy capacity, playing a key role in securing state funding for tax preparation for United Ways in Florida and supported advocacy efforts for federal tax credits for working families and free tax preparation.

Holly has a Masters in Public Policy from Georgetown University and a bachelor's degree in political science from Emory University. In 2021, she was named to Emory University's Forty Under 40 list of distinguished alumni. She is proudly a product of Pinellas County public schools and a daughter of Florida public educators.

Mitch Emerson, Executive Director, Florida Decides Healthcare
 
Mitch Emerson is a seasoned political operative who has called Florida home for the last 7 election cycles. He has worked and consulted on races at every level of government, with a career that began as a political organizer for Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign. Since then, Mitch has consulted on campaigns in over a dozen states. He has also worked within broader coalitions including multiple federal Super PACs, the Democratic National Committee (DNC), and most recently as the political director for national legislative organizations focused on passing laws to add legal protections for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault.

Question 11

Developing Leaders, Driving Change: Community Leader Training Models That Work | May 6th @ 10:25 AM

Accepted Answer

Speaker Bios:

Stacey Hoaglund, PIP Project Coordinator, Florida Developmental Disabilities Council, Inc.
 
Stacey Hoaglund is the President of Disability Advocacy and Support Specialists, Senior Educational Advocate with Family Network on Disabilities of Broward, Statewide Coordinator of Partners in Policymaking, Immediate Past President of the Autism Society of Florida and disability consultant. As a trainer, Stacey has provided educational opportunities to a vast array of organizations, including National Councils on Disabilities, Pediatric Societies, the Centers for Disease Control, school districts, and state universities. For more than 25 years she has trained on the importance of establishing effective communication in the school, workplace and community, and has promoted, enhanced, and advocated for the inclusion of people with disabilities from birth to adulthood.

Rachel Prestipino, Vice President of Policy and Community Engagement, Catalyst Miami
 
Rachel Prestipino (she/her) is an experienced community organizer, policy advocate, and non-profit leader committed to people-led strategies for social change. She currently serves as Vice President of Policy and Community Engagement at Catalyst Miami, working alongside community leaders to advance economic and climate justice so that all Miamians can afford to live well for generations to come. Prior to this role, Rachel served as Executive Director of a local interfaith community organization holding Miami’s public officials accountable for fair policies and practices, and she consulted on a pioneering youth voting campaign in Oakland, CA. Rachel earned a Master of Public Affairs from the University of California, Berkeley and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia.

Nicole Grabner, Founder, One Voice Brevard
 
Nicole Grabner is President of One Voice Coalition Florida and a statewide advocate for disability and autism inclusion. A military veteran and graduate of the Florida Developmental Disabilities Council’s Partners in Policymaking program, she works to elevate the voices of individuals with disabilities and their families in policy and community decision-making. Nicole founded One Voice Brevard and has led initiatives promoting disability representation in legislative engagement, including organizing advocacy events in Tallahassee and Brevard County’s first disability-focused candidate forum. A frequent speaker at statewide conferences and advocacy events, she focuses on disability rights, special education, and strengthening supports for families. As a disabled veteran and parent of two autistic children, she brings lived experience to her leadership.

Ali Bloomgarden, MA, Community-Centered and Justice-Focused Advocate (Moderator)
 
Ali Bloomgarden served as the Advocacy Engagement Manager at Partners In Health United States, where she supported health justice movement-building efforts and advocates alongside community and public health leaders across the U.S. to advance policies that lead to stronger, more just and responsive community health systems and equitable access to social services. Ali has worked in advocacy and research positions at the intersection of many fights for justice, from mental health justice and decarceration efforts, to educational equity and voting accessibility. Ali holds an MA in Policy, Organization, and Leadership Studies from Stanford University and a B.S. in Applied Psychology from New York University.

Question 12

Keynote: Having Difficult Dialogues: Disrupting Negative Narratives | May 6th @ 12:30 PM

Accepted Answer

Keynote Speaker:

S. Kent Butler, Ph.D., Professor, University of Central Florida
 
Kent Butler, Jr. is a professor of counselor education in the Department of Counselor Education and School Psychology. He holds a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology, with a concentration in Counseling Psychology, from the University of Connecticut. He is a Nationally Certified Counselor (NCC) and Nationally Certified School Counselor (NCSC). Dr. Butler presently serves as President of the American Counseling Association (2021-2022) and is an ACA Fellow. Dr. Butler formerly served the University of Central Florida as the Interim Chief Equity, Inclusion and Diversity Officer and is a National Association of Chief Diversity Officer in Higher Education Fellow (2020-2021). In March of 2020, he was selected as a Fellow within the National Association of Chief Diversity Officers in Higher Education’s Chief Diversity Officer Fellows Program (NADOHE-CDOFP). He is a 2020 – 2021 cohort (C-7) member. The professional leadership program mentors new and early career Chief Diversity Officers. Dr. Butler was also recently promoted to Professor of Counselor Education at the University of Central Florida and has served as a Faculty Fellow for Inclusive Excellence within the Office of the Provost.

Dr. Butler presently serves as faculty advisor to CHI SIGMA IOTA International Honor Society (CSI), the Counselor Education Doctoral Student Organization (CEDSO), Project for Haiti Knights, and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). He served as the Principal Investigator, for The High-Risk Delinquent and Dependent Child Educational Research Project: Situational Environmental Circumstances Mentoring Program (SEC), which was a partnership between the University of Central Florida and several Florida universities. This grant opportunity has transitioned into the UCF Young Knights Mentoring Project a program that supports students at Hungerford Elementary School in Eatonville, FL.

Also on the national level, Dr. Butler has served the Association for Multicultural Counseling and Development (AMCD) as the 2011 – 2012 President and ACA Governing Council Representative (2015 – 2018). He is a proud member of AMCD’s Multicultural Counseling Competencies Revisions Committee which produced the Multicultural Social Justice Counseling Competencies (MSJCC). His research and academic interests lie in the areas of Multicultural and International Counseling, Social Justice, Mentoring, Counseling work as it relates specifically to African American males, Group Counseling, School Counseling, and Multicultural Supervision.

Areas of Expertise
Counselor Education

Education
Ph.D. in Educational Psychology with a concentration in Counseling Psychology

University of Connecticut

2026 Florida Voices for Health Summit
Speaker Bios & Resources

Reclaiming Care: Countering Corporate Influence in Health Policy | May 5th @ 9:15 am

The Benefits Cliff: Why Working Harder Can Mean Falling Behind | May 5th @ 10:20 AM

Tackling High Drug Prices: Policy Solutions and Advocacy in the States | May 5th @ 11:00 AM

Keynote Speaker: Wendell Potter | May 5th @ 12:45

Charting Change: Florida, Federal Action & the Future of Health Policy | May 5th @ 1:50 pm

The Impact of Medicaid Expansion: Lessons from State Experience | May 5th @ 3:00 PM

2026 Advocates of the Year

Conference Day Two Welcome

Florida’s Oral Health Crisis: The Dental Therapy Debate & Other Solutions | May 6th @ 9:15 AM

Florida Decides Healthcare: The Ballot Initiative for Medicaid Expansion | May 6th @ 11:30

Developing Leaders, Driving Change: Community Leader Training Models That Work | May 6th @ 10:25 AM

Keynote: Having Difficult Dialogues: Disrupting Negative Narratives | May 6th @ 12:30 PM

2026 Florida Voices for Health Summit Speaker Bios & Resources

Reclaiming Care: Countering Corporate Influence in Health Policy | May 5th @ 9:15 am

The Benefits Cliff: Why Working Harder Can Mean Falling Behind | May 5th @ 10:20 AM

Tackling High Drug Prices: Policy Solutions and Advocacy in the States | May 5th @ 11:00 AM

Keynote Speaker​: Wendell Potter | May 5th @ 12:45

Charting Change: Florida, Federal Action & the Future of Health Policy​​ | May 5th @ 1:50 pm

The Impact of Medicaid Expansion: Lessons from State Experience | May 5th @ 3:00 PM

2026 Advocates of the Year

Conference Day Two Welcome

Florida’s Oral Health Crisis: The Dental Therapy Debate & Other Solutions | May 6th @ 9:15 AM

Florida Decides Healthcare: The Ballot Initiative for Medicaid Expansion | May 6th @ 11:30

Developing Leaders, Driving Change: Community Leader Training Models That Work | May 6th @ 10:25 AM

Keynote: Having Difficult Dialogues: Disrupting Negative Narratives | May 6th @ 12:30 PM

2026 Florida Voices for Health Summit
Speaker Bios & Resources

Keynote Speaker: Wendell Potter | May 5th @ 12:45

Charting Change: Florida, Federal Action & the Future of Health Policy | May 5th @ 1:50 pm