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Technical Assistance
CPI’s pool of consultants contains over 200
experts in areas as diverse as those specializing in grant writing and strategic
planning to those specializing in addressing the unique needs of individual
populations and communities.
Here we would like to feature several members of our core team of consultants
with expertise in various aspects of meth problem solving.
If you would like to request CPI’s no-cost TA or training, please
submit an online request. You will have the opportunity to indicate your
preference for a particular consultant, if your have one. All requests are
subject to an approval process.
Bios:
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Didra Brown Taylor
Dr. BrownTaylor, Ph.D. has a BA and BS
in Black Studies and Biology respectfully, from the
University of the Pacific. She received graduate
training in multicultural community-clinical psychology
from the California School of Professional Psychology in
Los Angeles and specializes in culturally appropriate
research methodology for inclusion of African American
and Latino participants. For more than 13 years, Dr.
BrownTaylor has been a trailblazer in researching the
relationships between alcohol availability, advertising
and consumption patterns and the negative consequences
associated with malt liquor beer drinking. Her latest
research focuses on pruno/hooch production and
consumption by prison inmates, drug paraphernalia
availability and sales in liquor outlets and African
Americans involvement in Prop 36. She is currently a
Visiting Research Psychologist at UCLA’s Integrated
Substance Abuse programs. Dr. BrownTaylor is a National
Initiatives of Health- Health Disparities Research
Scholar and has published many research articles and
book chapters. She has recently developed a training
module to help communities prevent drug paraphernalia
sales for the Community Prevention Initiative.
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Richard Burhenne
Richard Burhenne has more than 20 years professional
experience in prevention, in community psychology,
public health, and alcohol and drug problems. Mr.
Burhenne began work in the alcohol and drug field in
1984. In 1989 he became the first manager of prevention
services for San Diego County Alcohol and Drug Services;
in 1995, he became the first manager of prevention
services for San Diego County Office of AIDS
Coordination. In both offices, he oversaw the
development and implementation of the first RFP for
prevention services through community-based
organizations. In both the AOD and the HIV fields, Mr.
Burhenne has emphasized the creation of collaborative
relationships, reliance on evidence-based projects and
strategies, and the importance of evaluation in program
planning and implementation. Mr. Burhenne holds a
Bachelor’s degree in psychology from Case Western
Reserve University and has done graduate work in
community psychology and public health.
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Michael Kerr
Michael Kerr is founding Chair of the State
Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs Lesbian, Gay,
Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Constituent Committee
and served as the first project director of the State’s
LGBT technical assistance contract. He has been the
executive director of one of the nation’s oldest LGBT
treatment programs, Van Ness Recovery House, directed
programs for the Orange County LGBT Center, and
monitored contracts for the Los Angeles County Office of
AIDS Programs and Policy. He is currently a member of
the County’s Alcohol and Drug Program Administration’s
staff. In this capacity he drafted the agency’s report
on various associated costs of methamphetamine,
submitted to the County’s Public Health Director in
January 2006, and also sits on the County’s
Methamphetamine Work Group.
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Erik
Larsen
Erik Larsen is a Community Activity Worker for the City
of San Jose Strong Neighborhoods Initiative. He has over
ten years of experience as a community organizer with
neighborhood associations, faith based institutions, and
labor unions. He is a nuisance abatement trainer and has
assisted residents of urban and rural communities to
take action to remove from their neighborhoods the often
dangerous effects of meth labs and other issues relating
to alcohol and drugs. Mr. Larsen is the Present of the
Municipal Employees Federation, a Chapter of AFSCME
Local 101.
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Kathy Valdez
Kathy Valdez received her Masters in Business
Administration from California State University, San
Marcos in December 2001. In May 1993 she received her
Bachelor of Arts degree from San Diego State University,
where she majored in journalism, with an emphasis in
public relations, and minored in Health Science. Ms.
Valdez is currently working in the City Manger’s Office
of the City of Vista, where she manages numerous grants
and special projects. Before joining the City in 2002,
she served as the Assistant Director of the Health
Promotion Center at Vista Community Clinic for four
years. Her professional career in the field of health
promotion began in 1993. Ms. Valdez has extensive
experience in the planning and implementation of
community programs, as well as program development and
grant writing. She also has the unique experience of
working for a local municipality and working closely
with law enforcement. Her involvement in
methamphetamine prevention began in 2000 when she was
involved with several subcommittees of the Vista
Partners Project, a local initiative of the San Diego
County Methamphetamine Strike Force. In 2002, Ms.
Valdez joined the Coordinating Committee of the San
Diego County Methamphetamine Strike Force. Over the
past six years she has actively participated in
methamphetamine prevention activities both in the city
of Vista and through county-wide initiatives.
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