NCPG - Key Persons
Barbara Rollins, MA, CFRE, Deputy Director, works with the Board, staff and stakeholders to expand the Membership program and to seek increased funding for NCPG from individuals, foundations, and corporations, including conference sponsorships and program funding. She was instrumental in creating the new Agility Grants program, which offers groundbreaking national grants to support problem gambling prevention programs in communities across the country. Barbara also oversees business operations and communications for the organization and is an integral part of managing governance implementation.
Barbara previously worked in arts management as the Managing Director at the Contemporary American Theater Festival in Shepherdstown, WV; as well as Imagination Stage and the Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County, MD. Earlier in her career, she was a professional stage manager at regional theatres, including ten years with Arena Stage in Washington, DC and other theatres in Utah, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Maine and New Hampshire. She holds a MA in Arts Administration from Goucher College and a BA in Theatre from Dartmouth College as well as the Certified Fund Raising Executive professional credential. She joined NCPG in 2011.
Birhanu Demissie, CPA, MSAC, is a veteran financial specialist with over 15 years of accounting experience. BMD Professional Consulting successfully serves the financial needs for nonprofit, government contractors, and small business organizations.
Since 1999, Mr. Demissie has been refining his skills. He gained substantial experience with identifying and resolving the challenges faced by nonprofit organizations and small businesses, as well as preparing and reporting accurate and timely financial information to various stakeholders who rely on these reports for decision-making purposes.
Birhanu has worked with several public accounting firms including Raffa and Grant Thornton.
Birhanu founded BMD Professional Consulting, LLC to bring his experience to nonprofit organizations and small businesses in the Northern Virginia Metro area, by providing customized accounting, payroll, and tax services at affordable rates.
Job Titles:
- Director of Communications
Cait Huble, MA, MBA, originally served as NCPG's first Communications Manager from 2017 to 2019 and returned in December 2021 as Director of Communications. In this role she is responsible for leading communications strategy, including public awareness and education, media relations, and brand partnerships.
Cait has spent the past fourteen years in the nonprofit sector with an emphasis on communications strategy and planning. Most recently she served as the Executive Director at the Sonoran Arts League, a member-based organization dedicated to the preservation and advancement of the arts. There, she developed and managed award-winning community relations and educational outreach programs to bring awareness to the creative sector. Huble holds an MBA from Concordia University, as well as an MA in Executive Leadership and a BS in Management from Arizona State University.
With more than 35 years in the Lottery Industry, Carla Schaefer has an exemplary track record across a broad repertoire of disciplines, with success in both public and private sectors. She has excelled in developing and executing strategies, integrated product, digital and retail marketing, government relations and policy matters, brand licensing, promotions and forecasting. In a multitude of states, countries, and languages, she has navigated the highest levels in both business and government organizations. Carla is well-versed in corporate and social responsibility and brings the expertise and unique insights to successfully grow a billion-dollar marketing business, even when it operates within a government structure.
Carla has been recognized for her impact in the U.S. and internationally, including receiving the prestigious Power's Award and the Distinguished Lottery Professional Award, being elected to the Lottery Industry Hall of Fame, and Scientific Games' President's Club. Carla is an author of multiple patents for lottery ticket play actions, which continue to be used around the world.
Carla firmly believes the foundation of her success rests on these pillars: faith, family and making a difference. In her spare time, Carla is a proud Mom to a 17-year-old son and enjoys giving back to her community.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Board
- Director of Responsible Gaming at Caesars Entertainment, Inc
Carolene Layugan is the Director of Responsible Gaming at Caesars Entertainment, Inc. and has been with the company since January 2000. Carolene helps administer RG strategy and oversees training on its RG Program. Caroline currently serves as an Advisory Board Member for the NCPG and is a board member with the Nevada Council on Problem Gambling. Caroline served as a board member with Caesars Entertainment's HERO Volunteer Committee, the Nevada Advisory Committee on Problem Gambling, and the Las Vegas Asian Chamber of Commerce. She is active in local and national AAPI organizations.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Board
- Director of the Louisiana Attorney General Office 's Gaming Division
Christopher Hebert is the Director of the Louisiana Attorney General Office's Gaming Division. Mr. Hebert has served as an Assistant Attorney General for over 17 years. Attorney General Jeff Landry appointed him as Director of the Gaming Division in 2016. Under his leadership, the Problem Gambling Resource Services (PGRS) program was created in partnership with the Louisiana Department of Health to bring awareness to the legal community about problem gambling and the FREE gambling treatment services available for all Louisiana residents. He currently serves as a member of the National Council on Problem Gambling's Advisory Board, the House of Delegates for the Louisiana State Bar Association and as an appointee to the Council of the Louisiana Law Institute. Mr. Hebert earned his bachelor's degree from Louisiana State University and his law degree from the Southern University Law Center, where he was honored as a Distinguished Alumnus in 2022. Christopher has spoken on various gaming-related topics in the U.S. and abroad.
Job Titles:
- Senior Manager, Government Relations and League Partnerships
Cole Wogoman joined NCPG in November 2021. He focuses on advocating for NCPG's legislative agenda of problem gambling and responsible gambling policies to both the U.S. Congress and the Executive Branch. Cole also works with NCPG's Board of Directors, state affiliates, and members on proposed state and local legislation and regulations across the country.
Cole is a licensed attorney in the District of Columbia. Previously, he served as legislative counsel for D.C. Councilmember Mary M. Cheh, advising her on a wide range of issues, including sports gambling, transportation, and agency oversight. Before his time in public service, Cole worked as an associate for the law firm of Willkie Farr and Gallagher. He holds a JD from the University of Virginia School of Law, and a BA in Political Science with a minor in Business Economics from the University of Notre Dame.
Job Titles:
- Treasurer
- Executive Director of the Problem Gambling Network of Ohio
Derek Longmeier is the Executive Director of the Problem Gambling Network of Ohio. In this role, he Chairs the Affiliate Committee of the National Council on Problem Gambling and co-chairs the Infrastructure Committee of Ohio for Responsible Gambling's Problem Gambling Service Advisory Board.
Derek has attained certification from the Ohio Chemical Dependency Professionals Board as an Ohio Certified Prevention Consultant. He holds an MBA from Ohio Dominican University, a BA in Psychology from The Ohio State University, and a Certificate in Social Enterprise from The Ohio State University Fisher College of Business.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Board
Don Feeney is a Gambling Policy Consultant for the National Council on Problem Gambling and President of Northstar Problem Gambling Alliance. Don was co-founder of the Alliance and has served on its board since 2001. He served on the Board of Directors of the National Council on Problem Gambling from 2002 to 2016 and was president from 2011 to 2013. From 1991 to 2017, he served as Research and Planning Director at the Minnesota Lottery. His research interests include public opinion and gambling policy, public awareness of problem gambling, and gambling and popular culture.
Job Titles:
- Clinical Psychologist
- Secretary
Dr. Heather Chapman is a clinical psychologist, an International Certified Gambling Counselor and Board Certified Clinical Consultant for the National Council on Problem Gambling, and a member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers. She is an Associate Professor of Psychiatry at Case Western Reserve University, and Director of the Gambling Treatment Program at the Cleveland VA Medical Center, the leader of gambling treatment, research, training and consultation for the Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense. Treating thousands people struggling with gambling for over 25 years, her biggest teachers have been the veterans seeking help with open hearts, tremendous trust, and desire for change. This work has lead her into the study and treatment of the psychology of change, the impact of trauma, and the treatment engagement and retention for those struggling with gambling.
Jeffrey L. Derevensky, PhD is a James McGill Professor and Chair of the Department of Educational and Counseling Psychology; and Professor, Department of Psychiatry at McGill University.
Jeffrey L. Derevensky is also a clinical consultant to numerous hospitals, school boards, government agencies and corporations. He has served on many government committees and has performed consultative services for SAMHSA, NIMH, NRC, NCPG and many international funding agencies.
Dr. Jeffrey L. Derevenskyhas published widely in the field of gambling disorders and responsible gambling and serves on the editorial board of multiple journals. He is currently the Director of the McGill University Youth Gambling Research and Treatment Clinic and the International Centre for Youth Gambling Problems and High-Risk Behaviors.
Dr. Jeffrey L. Derevensky is on the editorial board of numerous scholarly journals and has testified before government commissions as an expert witness in North and South America, Europe, Asia and Australasia.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Board
- Vice - President, Regulatory Affairs at Flutter Entertainment
George Sweny is the Vice-President, Regulatory Affairs at Flutter Entertainment. Flutter includes a range of international brands and operations, including Paddy Power, Betfair, PokerStars, Sky Bet, Sportsbet, FOX Bet, FanDuel, TVG and Adjarabet. Prior to his role with Flutter, George has held executive level positions in the gaming industry within the private and public sectors. George is a current member of the board of directors of both the Responsible Gambling Council and the Canadian Gaming Association. He is an Advisory Board member to the National Council for Problem Gambling.
Job Titles:
- Executive Director of the Oregon Council
Gina has served as Executive Director of the Oregon Council on Problem Gambling since August 2021. She possesses nearly 20 years of experience in leadership and development for patients advocacy and nonprofit health organizations, specifically for those serving patients with rare or stigmatized conditions. Gina is a Certified Fundraising Executive, Certified Grant Writer, AFP Master Trainer and trained Strategic Planning Facilitator with a Certificate in Nonprofit Management from State University of New York and Certificates in Nonprofit Board Consulting and Board Education from Boardsource.
Gina has held Executive Director positions with the Pulmonary Hypertension Association, American Liver Foundation and Muscular Dystrophy Association.
Jaime Costello joined the National Council on Problem Gambling in April 2022 as the Director of Programs. In this position, she will oversee the planning, development and evaluation of NCPG programs, support strategic planning efforts through consistent monitoring, and serve as a spokesperson for national problem gambling efforts. Jaime is an experienced addiction and public health professional with nearly fifteen years of experience working in the problem gambling field. In her last position as Bureau Director of Prevention and Training at the New York Council on Problem Gambling, she played an integral role in the development and growth of the Problem Gambling Resource Centers ensuring that professionals, individuals, families and communities have access to prevention and support services throughout the state. She has also spearheaded professional training efforts, prevention programs and coalition development for a variety of causes. Jaime is passionate about engaging the community in change efforts and emphasizing the need for interdisciplinary work among fields to address behavioral and physical health concerns. Jaime received her Master of Public Health from the University of New England, and lives with her family in the Adirondack Park.
Job Titles:
- Professor and Chair of the Department of Educational
Jeff Wasserman was a litigation attorney in Delaware for nearly 33 years. In August 2015, he was transferred to disability inactive status due to gambling disorder.
Currently, Jeff Wasserman is the Judicial Outreach and Development Director for the Delaware Council on Gambling Problems where he leads efforts to raise awareness of gambling addiction in the criminal justice system. He also provides peer support services to problem gamblers and takes calls on a problem gambling helpline. Jeff volunteers for the Pennsylvania Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers and the Delaware Lawyers Assistance Program.
Jeff holds a BS in Political Science from the University of Rhode Island; Master's in Public Administration from New York University; and a Juris Doctor from Delaware Law School. He is a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist (CPRS) and an International Certified Gambling Counselor (ICGC-I).
Job Titles:
- Communications Administrator
Julia Brunson joined the National Council on Problem Gambling in May 2022 as a Communications Administrator. In this position, she assists in the development of multi-channel content, manages social media accounts, and helps execute communications strategy across all NCPG digital channels.
Julia is an experienced communicator with several years of marketing and development experience in a non-profit setting. She has a BA in history from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and has received several leadership certificates and fellowships in DEI and social justice work. She has a passion for all things digital and Gen Z. In her spare time, Julia enjoys writing, hiking and browsing TikTok.
Job Titles:
- Executive Director
- Executive Director of the National Council
Keith S. Whyte became the Executive Director of the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) in October 1998. NCPG serves as the national advocate to mitigate gambling-related harm. NCPG was founded in 1972 and is the oldest and most objective organization on gambling issues.
Previously, Mr. Whyte served as Director of Research for the American Gaming Association where he was responsible for research and public policy issues, including problem gambling. His prior experience includes the American Bar Association's Section of Individual Rights and Responsibilities where he dealt with policy issues relating to civil rights, human rights, healthcare, and immigration law. He began his career working on healthcare policy in the office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Keith graduated from Hampden-Sydney College with a Bachelor of Arts in History and a Certificate in International Relations. He also studied at Leiden University, the Netherlands.
Mr. Whyte has presented in 39 US states and Austria, Bahamas, Canada, France, Greece, Hong Kong, Macau, Malawi, New Zealand, Spain, South Africa and the United Kingdom. He has written numerous articles, studies and book chapters on gaming issues. In addition, Keith has testified four times before the United States Congress on gambling-related legislation. He regularly discusses gaming issues in national and international print, radio and broadcast media, including appearances on ABC News, ABC News Nightline, CBS News, CBS Today Show, Dateline NBC, NBC Nightly News, Fox News, ESPN, CNN, CNN International, Voice of America and the BBC. Keith is an Editorial Board member of Gaming Law Review and Analysis of Gambling Behavior. He is a member of the International Masters in Gaming Law Responsible Gaming Committee. Keith also serves as a reviewer for the Journal of Gambling Issues and the Alberta Gaming Research Institute, and sits on the Advisory Boards of the International Centre for Youth Gambling Problems and High-Risk Behaviors at McGill University and the Center for Gambling Studies at Rutgers University. A longtime resident of Arlington, Virginia with his wife Stacey and son Ian, Keith is an appointed member of the Arlington Community Services Board, precinct captain for the Arlington County Democratic Committee, delegate to the Arlington Civic Federation and longtime volunteer for the Arlington Food Assistance Center. He is an avid cyclist who rides more than 3,000 miles per year and a passionate supporter of the D.C. United soccer team.
Job Titles:
- Executive Director - International Association of Gaming Advisors ( IAGA ) Advisory Board Member
Lashawn Brown has joined NCPG as the Business Manager as of May 2023. In this capacity she will manage bookkeeping and support Membership & Development as well as help with general company operations.
Lashawn has over 20 years of accounting experience and has worked with several non-profit organizations throughout the DC area. She has a BS in business administration with a concentration in accounting from the University of Maryland University College. She enjoys volunteering, traveling and spending time with her family.
Lissa Cobetto, Operations Manager joined NCPG in 2014 and oversees the annual conference as well as day to day operations. Prior to NCPG, Lissa was the Executive Director of the American Conservation Film Festival and the Business Manager of the Contemporary American Theater Festival. Lissa holds a Master's degree in Interactive Telecommunications from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts and an undergraduate degree in Theater and Business from Allegheny College in Meadville, PA. She worked in theater and film in Pittsburgh, PA and multimedia production in New York City, San Francisco, Philadelphia and Washington, DC.
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the NCPG Membership Committee and Director of the Office of Compulsive
Dr. Potenza is a board-certified psychiatrist specializing in addiction psychiatry. His research focuses on how behavioral addictions are similar to and different from substance addictions, for which he has won numerous accolades. He currently works as a professor of Psychiatry at Yale University in the Child Study Center and Neuroscience. Dr. Potenza also serves as the Director at Yale's Center of Excellence in Gambling Research and at the Yale Program for Research on Impulsivity and Impulse Control Disorders, as well as at the Director for Women and Addictive Disorders at the Yale Women's Health Research Center. He also serves as Senior Scientist at the Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling.
Dr. Potenza's board role builds on a long history with NCPG. Most recently, Dr. Potenza presented at the 33rd National Conference on Gambling Addiction & Responsible Gambling held in Denver, CO. The session, entitled "Gambling, Gaming, and Pornography Use: What a Long, Strange (Internet) Trip It Has Been", focused on the impact of the world wide web on gambling. Dr. Potenza also received the NCPG Lifetime Research Award in 2016 for his work on gambling and addiction.
Job Titles:
- CEO
- Member of the Advisory Board
In her 22nd year with the Massachusetts Council on Gaming and Health, Marlene D. Warner works as the CEO of the organization, Principal with Spectrum Safer Gaming Advisors, and previously served as the National Council on Problem Gambling's Board President. Marlene has led innovation on RG and PG practices and products in the US and across the world, advocated for strong policy and funding with legislators and regulators, and measured efficacy of these tools and resources. A undergraduate of Gettysburg College and a Masters graduate of George Washington University, she lives in Salem, MA with her husband and three kids.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Board
- SVP
Martin Lycka is SVP for American Regulatory Affairs and Responsible Gambling at Entain. Martin has been a senior legal, regulatory & RG advisor to listed global gambling businesses for over 13 years. He serves as Chair of the Entain Foundation US, as well as number of boards, including the American Gaming Association and NCPG (Vice Chair of the Advisory Board). He has won a number of global as well as North American accolades for his industry projects.
Job Titles:
- Program Director, MD Center of Excellence on Problem Gambling
Ms. Drexler brings almost 40 years' experience in the social services field with 12 years in specific problem gambling prevention and intervention, as initially evidenced in her role of Executive Director of the Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling.
As Executive Director of the CT Council, she oversaw the operations of the Council, including managing the council's initiatives in problem gambling prevention, awareness, and intervention. Since 2017, as Program Director for the Maryland Center of Excellence on Problem Gambling, Ms. Drexler has been responsible for the oversight of the Center's initiatives in problem gambling prevention, awareness, treatment, peer support, and public policy. Prior to joining The Center in 2017, Ms. Drexler held the position of Responsible Gambling Program Coordinator for three (3) years for the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency (MLGCA). Mary also has over 20 years' experience in crisis intervention and suicide prevention.
Mary holds a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Connecticut.
Living in the beautiful Pacific Northwest for 27 years had made this truly Home for me. I grew up in the Midwest - Kansas City, Missouri. A passion for conservation led me to San Diego, CA, where I worked at the San Diego Zoo and the San Diego Wild Animal Park for 12 1/2, first as Assistant Editor of ZOONOOZ; then in Conservation Events and Development/Fundraising for the Center for the Reproduction of Endangered Species. The Wolf's call led me to Washington State in 1993, where I was Executive Director of a Wolf Sanctuary for six years. The Lottery was my next career move and it opened up my eyes to both the benefits and the potential harms of gambling. The Washington State Council on Problem Gambling was my first client when I opened my own business to assist small nonprofits with communications and fundraising. When they asked me to step in as Executive Director a little more than 3 years later, I joined a wonderful team of passionate Board Members and an organization without much funding, no office to call home, and no other staff. Today, we still have a passionate and talented Board and an equally passionate and talented staff. We have an office (though, like so many, we are working remotely right now).
Phil Sherwood brings 21 years of experience directing advocacy, government relations, and communication programs across New England. He has led more than 75 advocacy, electoral, public health, and responsible and problem gambling communication campaigns throughout the region. Additionally, Phil has extensive experience managing and directing fundraising efforts for non-profits, issue advocacy, and membership-based organizations. As Director of Communications & Marketing with the Massachusetts Council on Gaming and Health, Phil manages the public relations and communications efforts and recently led the organization through a major rebranding process.
Raquel Buari, JD is the Vice President of Compliance for Four Winds Casinos, owned and operated by the Pokagon Band. Since 2014, she has led the compliance team, which includes responsible gambling efforts, after starting in legal support in 2009.
Raquel served on the Planning Committee for the first NCPG Tribal Summit on Responsible Gaming in 2017, and has served on the Awards Committee for NCPG. She is an active Board member for both the Michigan Association of Problem Gambling and the Indiana Council on Problem Gambling.
From South Bend, Indiana, Raquel graduated from Ball State University with a BS in Legal Studies and Political Science, and earned her JD from Valparaiso University School of Law. She is a member of the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians. Raquel resides in the South Bend area with her husband and three beautiful children.
Job Titles:
- President and CEO, Mohegan
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Board
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Board
- Executive Director of the California Council
Robert Jacobson has been Executive Director of the California Council on Problem Gambling since 2011. His unique perspectives in the field are derived from both his personal and professional experiences, having previously worked in the gambling industry for almost two decades.
Job Titles:
- Founding Chair - Massachusetts Gaming Commission
Originally from Brooklyn NY, I spent my teen years in Ridgefield CT. After attending 2 different schools, I landed at NYU to finish my degree in English Lit and Political Science. I worked on Wall Street to support my way through school. I was in the first class in which trading options was part of our licensing curriculum. In hindsight, it was my first exposure to gambling. I received my master's in Urban Planning at Hunter College, after spending time volunteering in NYC homeless shelters and wondering why we had such a scarcity of affordable housing. As a planning consulting I worked on housing, environmental sustainability and too many variances for MacDonald's. Realizing the NYC area was just too expensive, my husband and I moved to Minnesota in 1992, childless and jobless, seeking an affordable and vibrant place to set down roots. After a few years of being home full time with our two daughters, I have served organizations whose missions I could support and help grow. I am active in our church, we love to travel, cycle and I am an avid gardener with an Elmer Fudd complex.
Sushmita Upadhaya joined the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) in May 2016. She holds a degree in Public Health from the University of the District of Columbia. As the Program Administrator at NCPG, Sushmita oversees major programs including the National Problem Gambling Helpline (1-800-GAMBLER). Sushmita is from Nepal and speaks English, Hindi, and Nepali fluently. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling and spending time with her family and friends.
Job Titles:
- Principal Investigator of a DRI
Ted Hartwell has a Master's degree in Anthropology and has been a member of the research faculty of the Desert Research Institute (DRI) in Las Vegas since 1991. He is a longtime member of the National Council on Problem Gambling.
Mr. Hartwell is the Principal Investigator of a DRI research study examining the impact of problem gambling in Native American tribal communities in Nevada. He has presented on this research at several state, regional, national, and international conferences.
As a problem gambler in long-term recovery himself, Hartwell promotes awareness, prevention, and treatment of problem gambling as a consultant to the Nevada Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG). He has spoken publicly and personally on this issue on many occasions and is dedicated to humanizing and illuminating the illness of disordered gambling. He provides annual lectures for the UNLV Boyd School of Law Gaming Regulation and the University of Utah Gaming Regulation classes, and training for Clark County social workers and other providers on the issue of problem gambling.
Hartwell has participated for many years in the UNLV International Gaming Institute's Responsible Gaming Ambassador training program for Las Vegas Sands Corporation, and he has also served as a consultant to MGM Resorts International and the US-Japan Business Council in their efforts to develop business related to the first Integrated Casino Resorts in Japan.
Hartwell helped introduce the NCPG's youth gambling awareness and family gambling awareness programs into the Clark County School District (CCSD), and has recently developed NCPG educational programs for local schools on the topics of video gaming disorder and student-athlete gambling awareness.
Hartwell has served at the pleasure of three Governors on the Nevada State Advisory Committee on Problem Gambling since November 2012. He was the 2014 Shannon L. Bybee Award recipient for his continuing work on advocacy, outreach, and research on the issue of problem gambling.
Mr. Hartwell lives in Las Vegas, where he is also a professional cellist with the Las Vegas Philharmonic, a soccer and volleyball coach, devoted husband to a recent Russian immigrant, and the proud father of a precocious 15-year old girl and three cats.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Board
- Chief Gaming Officer at Vetnos
Valerie Spicer, Chief Gaming Officer at Vetnos & Founding Partner of Trilogy Group with more than 35 years of gaming business experience. Spicer's work has been recognized internationally, requested to speak on Tribal Gaming at ICE Gaming several years. Spicer was named a "Great Woman of Gaming", Proven Leader, by Casino Enterprise Management Magazine. One of the "Top 25 People to Watch" by Global Gaming Magazine. Also, Spicer was named by the Arizona Business Magazine as one of the "50 Most Influential Business Women" in Arizona.
Job Titles:
- Arkansas Problem Gambling Council Founder and Executive Director
"Creating change by challenging narratives," Vena Schexnayder, Arkansas Problem Gambling Council Founder and Executive Director, has over ten years of counseling and business development experience in addiction treatment and recovery. She communicates with strategic stakeholders to create meaningful connections within various health care and governmental agencies.
Vena received her Masters of Social Work, MSW from Louisiana State University. Masters in Criminal Justice, Policy Administration from the University of Arkansas Little Rock with a graduate certification in Conflict Mediation. In addition, Vena holds her Substance Abuse Rehabilitation Counseling certification from Northern Virginia College.
Job Titles:
- Membership and Information Systems Administrator
Vicki Linton joined the National Council on Problem Gambling in July 2018. She provides member and conference services using our CRM platform. She has over ten years' experience providing member services in professional associations in the D.C. area and has worked with several different databases. She previously has worked with science and mental health associations and she is pleased to continue this work with NCPG.
Vicki is a life-long resident of Washington, D.C., and has a degree in Business Administration from Roanoke College in Salem, VA. Among her favorite activities are reading, walking her dog and spending time in the Blue Ridge mountains of Virginia.
Job Titles:
- Executive Director of the Oklahoma Association
Wiley D. Harwell is the executive director of the Oklahoma Association on Problem Gambling and Gaming, the official affiliate of the National Council on Problem Gambling. As the affiliate, Wiley administers the Oklahoma Helpline, leads training for certification to become a certified gambling counselor, works with tribes to promote responsible gambling, promotes awareness for problem gambling to the public and government officials, and works in cooperation with the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse as an advocate for all aspects of problem gambling issues. In July 2012, Wiley was elected to serve as a board member of the National Council on Problem Gambling and was reelected in 2015 for a total of six years. Wiley served as president of the NCPG board of directors in 2015-2017.
Wiley has a Doctor of Ministry degree from Southern Methodist University, a Master of Divinity from Southern Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky and a bachelor's degree from Wayland Baptist University. Wiley is a licensed professional counselor, a certified employee assistance professional, and an International Certified Gambling Counselor-II.
Wiley resides in Norman, is married and has four children and seven grandchildren and enjoys time on an acreage east of Norman.