People's Opioid Summit 2020 Information
October 8-9, 2020 - Hosted in Raleigh, NC
2020 Summit Recap
The People’s Opioid Summit inaugural event on October 8th & 9th of 2020 was a gathering of the people by the people for the people to:
• Overcome opioid Stigma
• Inspire Hope
• Offer support and resources
• Save Lives
We all know addiction affects every socioeconomic group, neighborhood, city, and town all while impacting people of every age, race, income level, country of origin, sexual orientation, and more.
And now, COVID-19 has contributed to increased stress, isolation, and decreased access to support leading to higher rates of opioid use and death.
The summit celebrated those in recovery and honored those we lost.
The Summit included a full schedule of expert speakers (25+ in all), panels, breakout sessions, and solution providers, covering a full range of topics.
The People’s Opioid Summit supported individuals in need themselves, their loved ones, and the medical and professional communities offering educational credits for those professionals.
Topics covered were pain management both medical and alternative options, trauma, caregiving, self-care, personal stories, community activism, crisis support, financial protection, and insurance possibilities. Our Sponsor & Vendor Partners shared access to valuable information, products, organizations, with more possibilities for education and support in the future. The People’s Opioid Summit is more than a one-time occurrence, it is an ongoing resource.
Some testimonials from those that attended:
“It was a great presentation, and I got a great deal out of the information presented Thank you!” – Participant
“Thank you for inviting me. You did a great job putting it together.” – Speaker
“We want you to know you did a tremendous job, well organized, fabulous, and thank you for remembering our children in a way we’ve never seen before.” – Family Members
Through our inaugural event we reached:
14,570 People logged in to our free Thursday night kick-off
200 Members
103 Professional partners/resources
42 Professionals earning 6.5 CE credits
22,764 + Reached on Facebook
4,185 + Facebook Post Engagements
419 YouTube views after the event
Below, you’ll find more in-depth information about our inaugural group of speakers, their presentations, and more! If you have any questions or would like to collaborate to host another iteration of The People’s Opioid Summit, please contact us!
Recap Video
2020 Welcome Message
Raleigh Mayor, Mary-Ann Baldwin
Speakers

Steven Mange
Senior Policy & Strategy Council Director at the North Carolina Department of Justice
Shane Willis
Manager of Youth & Amateur Hockey at Carolina Hurricanes
Gina Musa, NCCPSS, CARC
UNC IPRC - Rural Outreach & Networking Coordinator - Peer to Peer Project
Dr. Eric Morse
Carolina Performance - Addiction & Sports Psychiatrist
Amanda J. Isac, PharmD, MPH
NC Division of Public Health, Health Park Pharmacy - Pharmacist
Amber Shelton Vreeland
FirstHealth of the Carolinas - SUD / OUD Recovery Specialist
Aynisa Leonardo
Long Island Center for Recovery - Director of Training, Education, and First Responder Services
Aysel Atli, MD, MPH
Triangle Pain Consultants - Founder, Pain Specialist
Carlyle Johnson, Ph.D.
Alliance Health - Director of Provider Network Strategic Initiatives
Debbie Orol, RN
Holistic Health Coach
Donald McDonald
DMcDRecovery.org - Behavioral Health Recovery Consultant
Flo Moses, PT
Sports & More Physical Therapy, Inc. - Physical Therapist, Co-Owner
Dr. Jamila Battle
Carolina Performance - Family/Sleep/Addiction Medicine Physician
Joshua Dittmer, MD
Carolina Performance - Addiction & General Psychiatrist
Justin Garrity, Jeffrey Halbstein-Harris, Nicole Singletary
Wake County Government
Manny Shelton
JoCo Angels - Member
Marilyn Shannon
Carolina Performance - Speaker, Author, Life/Business Coach
Michael Lewis – CFA, MBA
CFA, MBA - Founder Tutor Financial Advisors, LLC
Dr. Monique Santoro
Center for Chiropractic & Wellness -LAc/ Chinese Medicine Doctor
Nancy Loeffler
Being With Grief - Founder
Nora Henderson
Brain Fitness Specialists of America - Director of Operations
Dr. Robert Bruck
Hempire Capital, Inc. - President of Research and Development
Smythe Hoover
Lost Brother to Opioids
Stephanie Hoover, CHC, CRC
FirstHealth of the Carolinas - Peer CoordinatorSchedule
Time | Session | Speakers | Duration | Type of Presentation | HopIn Location |
8:00 | Registration – Logging In | 20 min | Various | ||
8:20 | Welcome Message | Marilyn Shannon | 10 min | Main Stage | |
8:30 | An Athlete’s Outlook: The Pressure to Perform | Shane Willis | 45 min | Featured | Main Stage |
9:15 | Holistic Breakout Discussion | Nora Henderson, Dr. Monique Santoro, Debbie Orol | 1 hour | Breakout | Sessions |
9:15 | Medical Alternatives Breakout Discussion | Aysel Atli, MD, MPH, Dr. Robert Bruck, Flo Moses, PT | 1 hour | Breakout | Sessions |
10:15 | Break – Vendor & Sponsor Exploration | 40 min | Expo | ||
10:55 | Panel – Survivors, Living with Addiction, Support People | Facilitator: Marilyn Shannon – Niki, Stan, Tim, Tonya | 1 hour | Breakout – Panel | Sessions |
10:55 | Panel – Building a Community | JoCo Angels Board: Roxie, Eddie, Kelley, Phyllis, Danette, Clay, Rhonda | 1 hour | Breakout – Panel | Sessions |
10:55 | Impact on Young People | Manny Shelton, Smythe Hoover | 1 hour | Breakout | Sessions |
11:55 | Message from Lead Sponsor | 15 min | Main Stage | ||
12:10 | Lunch Break & Expo Exploration | 45 min | Various | ||
12:55 | Resetting | 10 min | Main Stage | ||
1:05 | Keynote Presentation: An Update on Efforts to Address the Opioid Epidemic in North Carolina – Steve Mange | Steve Mange, NC DOJ | 45 min | Keynote | Main Stage |
1:50 | Trauma Breakout Discussion | Aynisa Leonardo, Dr. Jamila Battle, Joshua Dittmer M.D. | 1 hour | Breakout | Sessions |
1:50 | Recognizing Opioid Use Breakout | Dr. Eric Morse | 1 hour | Breakout | Sessions |
1:50 | Self-Care & Caregiving Breakout | Nancy Loeffler, Amber Vreeland, Stephanie Hoover, CHC, CRC | 1 hour | Breakout | Sessions |
2:50 | Break – Vendor & Sponsor Exploration | 25 min | Expo | ||
3:15 | Overdose Response Breakout | PORT Team | 1 hour | Breakout | Sessions |
3:15 | Practical Information Breakout (Insurance, Finances, Language) | Carlyle Johnson, Ph.D., Michael Lewis, CFA, MBA, Donald McDonald | 1 hour | Breakout | Sessions |
3:15 | Ask A Pharmacist | Amanda J. Isac, PharmD, MPH | 1 hour | Breakout | Sessions |
4:15 | My Story of Addiction – Sex Work to Fulfilling Recovery | Gina Musa, NCCPSS, CARC | 45 min | Featured | Main Stage |
5:00 | Closing Remarks | Marilyn Shannon | Main Stage |
TICKETS & VIRTUAL PLATFORM
The People’s Opioid Summit was very proud and excited to take place as a virtual event this year through the innovative online event platform, hopin. This decision was made with the goal of providing the best possible experience for attendees, vendors, sponsors, and speakers. With distinct areas for the main stage, vendor booths, breakout rooms, and more, participants were able to navigate to their desired presentations throughout the day. There were also many opportunities for attendees to interact with each other, our vendors, sponsors, speakers, and more.
If you have any questions about the summit or the logistics of its virtual nature, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Weren’t Able to Join Us?
If you have learned about The People’s Opioid Summit after our live event on October 8-9, but would still like to see all that it has to offer, please register for access to our Event Recordings & Resource Panel. With your registration, you will be able to view video recordings of our October 8th artistic opening event, as well as of all the Summit Sessions, be able to access our comprehensive Resource Guide, and be eligible to receive CEUs.