Speakers Page

Chris Heartsill is currently certified by the American Board of Forensic Toxicology as a Diplomate - Forensic Toxicology and received his B.S. degree in Chemistry from East Central University in 1991.  Chris has been working in analytical chemistry for over 33 years with more than 29 years of forensic toxicology experience including the areas of human performance forensic toxicology, postmortem forensic toxicology, and forensic laboratory quality management.  Chris is currently working as the Regional Toxicology Liaison for NHTSA Region 7.  He was previously the Quality Manager for the Dallas Police Department Crime Scene Response Section.  Prior to coming to the Dallas Police Department, he served as the Quality Manager for the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office in Fort Worth, Texas and the Toxicology Supervisor, Toxicologist, Quality Manager, and Breath Testing Technical Supervisor at the Dallas County Medical Examiner’s Office in Dallas, Texas.   Chris is an active member of the Society of Forensic Toxicologists, currently serving as the President Elect, member of the Finance Committee, Toxicology Resource Committee and Editor of ToxTalk.  Other professional organizations include the Southwestern Association of Toxicologists, serving two individual terms as President, Grant Committee Chair, and Historian, the Texas Association of Crime Laboratory Directors, The International Association of Forensic Toxicologists, and the National Safety Council Alcohol, Drugs & Impairment Division, serving on the Executive Board and performing duties as Secretary.  Chris participates in the creation of standards, guidelines, and best practices by serving on the OSAC Toxicology Subcommittee.

John P. Scott of Dallas has served as the chief of school safety and security within the Texas Education Agency since 2022. Previously, he served as assistant special agent in charge for the United States Secret Service Dallas/North Texas District. Previously, Scott served as assistant to the special agent in charge for the North Texas Cyber Fraud Task Force, assistant to the special agent in charge for the Protective Intelligence & Physical Protection Unit in Dallas, and assistant special agent in charge at the Secret Service Headquarters/Protective Operations Division in Washington, D.C. Additionally, Scott served as special agent in the Vice Presidential Protective Division and Dignitary Protective Division in Washington, D.C. and in the Houston Field Office. Before joining the Secret Service, Scott was a U.S. Army field artillery officer and captain where he completed airborne and the rigorous ranger schools. Scott received a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Texas Tech University, where he was named a distinguished military graduate. 

Brian is a hands-on, multifaceted business development strategist and Community Relations Specialist at Never Alone Recovery with over 10 years of experience in recovery and crisis intervention. Brian has dedicated his life and persevered throughout his harrowing journey to turn his story of survival into one of triumph and hope as a recovering addict himself.

Brian's mission is to break the stigma and support the community he once helped destroy. He holds a CAPRC I certification as a Peer Recovery Coach and was the director of various sober living homes in the Midwest. Brian's purpose and core focus are fueled by his unwavering dedication to the seamless integration of mental health, substance use disorder, and addiction-related services into HR programs for companies, non-profits, and government agencies of all sizes.

With a proven track record of over 1,000 successful interventions, Brian and his team at Never Alone Recovery have revolutionized how communities respond to substance abuse and mental health emergencies by prioritizing responsive, efficient, and compassionate programs that provide quality treatment with the end goal of fostering healing and sustained recovery.

Nanci Steadman Shipman received an undergraduate Bachelor of Science degree in early childhood and elementary education from the College of Charleston. In late 2016, Nanci started WakeUp Carolina, a nonprofit recovery community organization founded to raise awareness, promote education, and provide hope in recovery for young adults, individuals, and families touched by substance use through collaborative community partners, trusted resources and lived, peer and recovery-driven support services in Berkeley, Charleston, and Dorchester counties. She has identified gaps and barriers helping to create, partner, and implementation for all to receive access to recovery support, harm reduction measures, and family support services in the Greater Charleston area at no cost. Celebrating with her team in January 2024, WakeUp Carolina hit the milestone of serving over one million community members since 2020.

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.