Opioids and Overdose
Tuesday, March 4, 2025
9 a.m.–1:45 p.m. ET
Physical Location:
UT Chattanooga, University Center, Tennessee Room
642 E. 5th Street, Chattanooga, TN 37403
Description
Join us for the inaugural event in this biannual series, addressing key wellness topics affecting students across the University of Tennessee System.
Through expert keynote speakers and engaging panel discussions, the series will bring to light critical wellness issues, equipping faculty and staff with the knowledge to foster positive change.
Our first session, Opioids and Overdose Prevention, focuses on addressing the impact of opioids on our campuses and normalizing conversations around addiction and recovery.
Through a keynote presentation and panel discussions, this event will provide valuable insights, practical tools and a collaborative platform to inspire positive change systemwide.
Faculty and staff from across the UT System, as well as students, are encouraged to participate, either in person at UT Chattanooga or virtually. Lunch and light refreshments will be provided for in-person attendees.
What to Expect
- Special Appearance from President Boyd: UT System President Randy Boyd will share why wellness is a critical priority for the UT System and how initiatives like this align with the university’s strategic goals to create a supportive environment for students, faculty and staff across Tennessee.
- Keynote Presentation: Dr. Stephen Loyd, Chief Medical Officer at Cedar Recovery, will address myths about addiction and discuss it as a brain disease.
- Panel Discussion: Explore campus substance use from prevention to intervention, discussing early identification, harm reduction and building a recovery-friendly culture.
- Student Story: Hear a personal firsthand experience of recovery and the role of peer support communities.
- Interactive Narcan Training: Join UTC’s Center for Wellbeing for lifesaving overdose prevention training at the event itself, or find your campus pop-up training.
Community Partners
Thank you to our community partners Drug Intervention Institute, Tennessee Suicide Prevention Network, Council for Alcohol and Drug Abuse Services, Hamilton County Coalition, Parkridge Behavioral Health and Cherokee Health Systems.
Additional Details
The Well Informed: UT System Hybrid Wellness Series is a biannual event designed to foster open conversations about wellness and address critical issues affecting students across the University of Tennessee System. Hosted in collaboration with UT Wellness, this series explores topics across the eight dimensions of wellness, with events rotating among UT campuses to ensure systemwide engagement.
Each session features expert speakers, success stories and actionable insights to equip faculty and staff with the tools needed to support student well-being. By creating a forum for meaningful discussions, breaking stigmas and educating on key challenges, the series aims to spark a culture shift across the UT System — one conversation at a time.
Agenda
The agenda is subject to change. Times below are ET.
Tuesday, March 4, 2025
9:00 a.m.–1:45 p.m. ET
8:30–9:00 a.m.
Check-in, light breakfast with coffee/tea
9:00–9:15 a.m.
Session:
Welcome and the why
Speaker:
Dr. Jessi Gold, chief wellness officer, UT System; and associate professor, Department of Psychiatry, UT Health Science Center
9:15–9:30 a.m.
Session:
Setting the stage: what we know about opioids in TN and an introduction to the SMART Initiative
Speaker:
Dr. Jennifer Tourville, executive director, UT Institute for Public Service SMART Initiative
9:30–10:30 a.m.
Session:
Keynote speaker presentation: brain science of addiction
Speaker:
Dr. Stephen Loyd, chief medical officer at Cedar Recovery, chair of the Tennessee Opioid Abatement Council
10:30–10:45 a.m.
Session:
What we know about substance use on campuses and a harm reduction approach
Speaker:
Megan McKnight, director, Center for Wellbeing, UT Chattanooga
10:45–11:30 a.m.
Session:
From Prevention to Intervention: What Substance Use Really Looks Like On Campus
Moderator:
Dr. Bernie Savarese, vice president for academic affairs, research and student success, UT System
Panelists:
- Shannon M. Perry, M.S. Ed, MBA, director, Office of Student Conduct and Care, UT Martin
- Vanessa Betancourt, student, Rocky Top Recovery ambassador, UT Knoxville
- Carla Gool, CARE navigator, UT Health Science Center
- Jami Hargrove, assistant director for health education and wellness promotion, Center for Wellbeing, UT Chattanooga
- Elle Peoples, wellness coordinator, alcohol and other drugs, UT Knoxville
11:45 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
Session:
The myth of the student who is addicted; introduce recovery as a part of this conversation
Speaker:
Shannon Perry, director of student conduct and care, UT Martin
12:00–12:30 p.m.
Session:
Student lived experience
Speaker:
Kelli Webber, UTC Class of 2025
12:30–12:45 p.m.
Session:
Role of peer recovery communities
Speaker:
Kat James, assistant director for AOD prevention and recovery, UT Chattanooga
12:45–1:00 p.m.
Session:
Why this matters to UT System, commitment to systemwide goals
Speaker:
Randy Boyd, president, UT System
1:00–1:45 p.m.
Session:
Working lunch and Narcan training Q&A
Speaker:
UTC Center for Wellbeing
Campus Narcan Pop-Up Training
UT Martin
University Center Legislative Chambers (UC 111)
Date: March 4
Time: 1:00 p.m. CT (after livestream)
Note: Check-in, light breakfast with coffee/tea
UT Chattanooga
University Center, Tennessee Room, 642 E. 5th Street, Chattanooga, TN 37403
Date: March 4
Time: 1:00–1:45 p.m.
Note: Working lunch following morning programming
UT Health Science Center
GEB Room A104
Date: March 6
Time: 12:00–1:00 p.m.
Note: Lunch provided
UT Southern
Room 205, Johnston Center
Date: March 6
Time: 11:00–11:50 a.m.
UT Knoxville
Student Union
Date: March 13
Time: 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. (drop-in)
Note: “I Can Narcan!” Overdose Prevention Training Pop-Up; snacks and swag provided
Key Note Speaker
Dr. Stephen Loyd is an internal medicine/addiction medicine physician who graduated medical school and residency from the James H. Quillen College of Medicine at East Tennessee State University. He currently serves as the vice president of the Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners. Dr. Loyd was the assistant commissioner (opioid czar) for substance abuse services in the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services in Governor Bill Haslam’s administration. He has served as an expert witness in more than 20 federal and state cases against physicians who were improperly prescribing controlled substances. Dr. Loyd was named an Advocate for Action by the Office of National Drug Control Policy, an office of the President of the United States. He has delivered over 500 educational lectures on addiction and treatment of opioid use disorder and proper prescribing of controlled substances.
Dr. Loyd was an original member, and is still active, in the Treatment of Chronic Pain Guidelines Committee which defined pain treatment for providers in the state of Tennessee. He has worked as an addiction medicine physician in both the inpatient and outpatient settings, specializing in the treatment of opioid dependent pregnant women. Dr. Loyd has served on multiple drug courts in Tennessee and remains an active participant in drug court in the 4th Judicial District under Judge Duane Slone. He has worked with multiple community level anti-drug coalitions from Johnson County to Shelby County and has worked with all levels of state law enforcement, mainly the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. He currently serves as chief medical officer for Cedar Recovery in Tennessee, chair of the Tennessee Opioid Abatement Council appointed by Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, and the director of the Office of Drug Control Policy for the state of West Virginia.
Dr. Loyd has been in recovery from opioid and benzodiazepine addiction since July 8, 2004.
Hotel and Event Parking
The preferred hotel for this event is the Chattanoogan. While no room block has been reserved, you can request the state CONUS rate when booking. We recommend reserving your room as soon as possible to ensure availability.
The Chattanoogan Hotel, Curio Collection by Hilton
1201 Broad Street
Chattanooga, Tennessee, 37402
Event Parking
Attendees should park in Lot 7 or Garage 31 and do not need to display a parking pass. Parking will be free in these lots on March 4. Find a UTC parking map here.
Event Contact
Jessi Gold, MD, MS
Chief Wellness Officer
University of Tennessee System
jgold11@tennessee.edu