How did you become interested in speaking to students about drugs?

“I started with the Youth to Youth program back when I was in high school and had a positive experience with it. It’s a youth program that focuses on alcohol, tobacco and other drug prevention and had a positive experiences at the conference I attended when back and and I wanted to be close to it. That then turned into me doing workshops for them and that turned into me doing small classes for them in places and it led to this; so now I get to speak at schools all over. I didn’t plan on it, I didn’t know this was a job and it just turned into one.”

Where have you traveled as part of the job?

“I’ve worked in every state multiple times, several other countries: Italy, Cayman Islands, Germany, Japan, Bermuda, Guam; even though it’s still part of the United States but that was a really cool experience. I don’t know about the numbers, but it’s in the thousands.”

What’s your favorite of those places?

“Wayland High School. Nah, I’m kidding. But I liked every place for different reasons that I would want to give back to it: Japan had some really cool stuff, being in the kamikura in some spots, Italy had Rome, that was a cool experience. But every school, the kids are very similar, believe it or not, in most places I go, [they are] my favorite part about it.”

How many people are involved in Youth-to-Youth?

“In our program back home we have a Wednesday Night program that meets every week since 1982. We have about 60 members that are regularly there, and we have kids who for whatever reason, have to miss meetings due to sports and other stuff, and we have a lot there. I know this program set up everywhere in the United States, they don’t pay dues or fees. We have conferences, they get about 400-500 people. I don’t know how many people we impacted over the years.”

When did Youth-to-Youth start?

“1982 in Columbus, Ohio.”

When did you get involved?

“I got involved in 1985, so it was three years later, it was still early on and before we went nationally. Nancy Reagan actually came to one of our conferences in ‘85 and that was a big game changer for people who knew about us, and that was when we started going out and doing the trainings with other people and areas.”

What’s one message you would give to an audience?

“When I think of the word cool, [I think of] those people that are cool about themselves and the can make decisions that are right for them even though it may be difficult to do so. I want all kids to think of that definition or work on it. That’s the thing I’m a fan and believer of.”