Meet the Team

 

Lori Garrett-Bumba headshot

Lori Garrett-Bumba 
garrettbumba@marshall.edu

C-SPF-PFS Project Director

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.


Ethan Lambert headshot

Ethan Lambert, MPH

C-SPF-PFS Lead Epidemiologist

Ethan Lambert, MPH, is the Lead Epidemiologist for the Collegiate Strategic Prevention Framework Partnerships for Success. Ethan received both his Bachelor of Science in Public Health Epidemiology degree and his Master of Public Health degree from Indiana University Bloomington. He has previously worked on developing methods and protocols for assessing public health worker training needs, as well as developing and evaluating short-term programs geared towards engaging and empowering collegiate students and communities with public health.


Amy Saunders, M.A.
saunde22@marshall.edu

Managing Director
Marshall Center of Excellence for Recovery, MURC

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.


Tammy L. Collins, Ph.D., CPS, OCPC
collins@marshall.edu

Lead Evaluator & Family Scientist
Marshall Center of Excellence for Recovery, MURC

Tammy L. Collins, Ph.D., IC&RC certified prevention specialist and Ohio Certified Prevention Consultant, has more than 25 years of experience in translating research into practice and policy in the fields of substance use disorders, mental health, justice, and education. She currently conducts applied research as Lead Evaluator for Marshall University Center of Excellence for Recovery, is the Family Scientist for WV Kids Count, and an evaluation consultant for projects in Union and Montgomery Counties 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.


Alyssa Milbee
milbee@marshall.edu

C-SPF-PFS Student Leader: Marshall University

Alyssa Milbee graduated with honors from Marshall University in December 2021, earning bachelor’s degrees in Biological Sciences and Health Sciences with minors in Chemistry and Pre-Professional Healthcare Studies. Alyssa is a current MS-1 at Marshall’s Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, and she has worked as the university’s C-SPF student leader since March 2021. Alyssa has conducted research on substance use and its implications on the health outcomes of minority and vulnerable populations, in addition to general health disparities, HIV/AIDS and hepatitis C, hypertension, and COVID-19 at the West Virginia Minority Health Institute within Marshall University’s Department of Public Health. Alyssa’s previous research projects have included collaboration with the Men’s Health Equity Institute, the Putnam County Health Department, and the Department of Health Sciences at Marshall, where Alyssa assisted with a National Public Health Week campaign for climate justice and environmental equity funded by the American Public Health Association’s Center for Climate, Health, and Equity. Alyssa served as a Senator for the College of Health Professions as a member of Marshall’s Student Government Association throughout her time as an undergraduate student, and she now serves as the SGA Executive Cabinet’s Graduate Student Liaison. Citing passions for clinical healthcare, policy, health communication, and public health, Alyssa enjoys utilizing our project’s resources to promote prevention science infrastructure and research. 


C-SPF-PFS Student Leader: WV School of Osteopathic Medicine

Devin Towne, one of our student leaders, is in his second year of medical school at West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine. Originally from NY, he completed his undergraduate coursework in CT. After receiving his Bachelor of Science from Sacred Heart University, he spent two gap years working in an emergency department prior to beginning medical studies in WV. As an osteopathic medical student, he feels it is his responsibility to delve deeply into the realm of prevention throughout his studies. Through his work with Marshall University Center of Excellence for Recovery, he has been afforded the opportunity to assess prevention through a unique lens and work toward sustainable outcomes within his community based on a targeted needs assessment. As he intends to utilize a humanistic, prevention-centered approach throughout his practice of medicine, Devin is grateful that the C-SPF project has allowed him to get his feet wet and to begin to acquire tools that he feels are pertinent to providing competent, person-centered care within his respective community.


Maurice Porter

C-SPF-PFS Student Leader: West Virginia State University 

Maurice Porter is our project’s student leader at West Virginia State University. Maurice moved to West Virginia in 2020 and is a nursing student at West Virginia State University. Maurice states, “My goal is to help prevent the spread of substances throughout West Virginia.” Maurice is already hard at work starting some incredible initiatives.


Taylor Brown

Taylor Brown

C-SPF-PFS Student Leader: Concord University 

Taylor Brown is a junior at Concord University double majoring in Psychology and Business Administration with an emphasis in Management. Taylor is the President of Concord University’s Honors Student Advisory Council and is an active member of several clubs on campus. As a Ronald E. McNair Scholar, she’s traveled to Atlanta, Kansas City, and Anaheim to present her research and plans to apply to PhD programs after graduating from Concord University to become a professor. Her interests mainly focus on the mental health of teens and young adults and prevention. She is passionate about advocacy and works with elementary-aged students who have family members who struggle with Substance Use Disorder through Camp Mariposa and Community Connections. Recently, she expanded her demographic for her prevention work by joining the Prevention and Recovery Organization at Concord and being the Student Leader for C-SPF. 


Manasa Dittakavi

Manasa Dittakavi

C-SPF-PFS Student Leader:  WV SOM

My name is Manasa Dittakavi, and I am a second-year osteopathic medical student at West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine. My passion lies in advocating for preventative healthcare and implementing holistic care practices for my future patients. Prior to pursuing medicine, I studied biopsychology, cognition, and neuroscience at the University of Michigan, where I developed a deep understanding of the intricate workings of the human mind and body. I firmly believe in the power of preventative measures to improve individual and community well-being. Through becoming a C-SPF student leader and my medical training, I strive to educate others about healthy behaviors. My ultimate goal is to transform healthcare by making preventative care a cornerstone of wellness, providing comprehensive, accessible care that addresses both physical and emotional aspects of health.


Fayth Laxton

Fayth Laxton

C-SPF-PFS Student Leader:  WVU Institute of Technology

Fayth Laxton is a junior forensic investigative science major at WVU Tech. Fayth is passionate about advocating for at-risk individuals in her community and spends her free time volunteering. She is also the president of WVU Tech’s LGBTQ+ student organization, Tech Alliance. Fayth plans to become a crime scene investigator and forensic reconstruction analyst. Fayth feels that programs like C-SPF are important in breaking down stereotypes of people, especially in Appalachia.


Travis Striker

Travis Striker

C-SPF-PFS Student Leader:  Mountwest CTC

Hi, my name is Travis Striker and I am currently in my sophomore year for the social work program at Mountwest CTC. I am extremely compassionate about helping people with substance use disorders and I cannot wait to graduate and get into the field.


Brad Fish

Brad Fish

C-SPF-PFS Student Leader:  Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College

My name is Bradley Fish, and I am a student at Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College. I am majoring in criminal justice. I am passionate and dedicated to helping people from going through substance use disorder and those currently going through it. My goal is to help my community become more aware of substance use disorder and to help as many people as possible to live better lives.


Paul Webb

Paul Webb

C-SPF-PFS Student Leader:  Bluefield State University

My name is Paul Webb, presently a Junior at Bluefield State University.  I am pursuing a bachelor’s degree in the social sciences with further academic aspirations down the road.  Addiction has had a very personal impact upon my life and with a renewed sense of passion and drive I seek to be able to help with the prevention of addiction because I believe in the old adage of, an ounce of prevention being far better than a pound of cure.  I seek to have a positive impact in this way among my peers and community.  I presently volunteer with the West Virginia Leadership Academy and am a certified facilitator of the  IC&RC accredited peer recovery curriculum.