Keynote Speakers

Isaac Rose-Berman is a fellow at the American Institute for Boys and Men focused on gambling research and policy. He also writes about the industry, and is a former professional sports bettor.

Morgan L. Robertson, MT-BC, has been in private practice in Springfield, MO since 2011. She has worked closely with The Center for Music Therapy and Wellness on the campus of Drury University, contributing to the clinical education of the music therapy students enrolled for the duration of that time. In 2000, she received a degree in Musical Theater from Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. After several years of working as a singer/dancer, Morgan attended Drury University to obtain certification in music therapy. She completed an internship in the public school district in Lawrence, Kansas, and was awarded a Bachelor’s Equivalency in Music Therapy from Drury University as well as earning her credentials as an MT-BC in 2011. Morgan provides music therapy sessions across many populations in the Ozarks, including adolescent and adult mental health, Veteran’s mental health, individuals with developmental disabilities, Isabel’s House Crisis Nursery, and the youth involved in the Juvenile Justice Department. Morgan is the Vice President of Music Therapy of the Ozarks, a nonprofit providing resources to the area and is the sole proprietor of Miss Morgan Music, LLC.

Danny Funt is the author of the 2026 book “Everybody Loses: The Tumultuous Rise of American Sports Gambling.” Based on more than 300 interviews with lawmakers, lobbyists, sportsbooks employees, athletes, educators, health experts, researchers, and all types of bettors, “Everybody Loses” investigates the consequences of converting a nation of sports fans into a nation of sports gamblers. Funt is a regular contributor to The Washington Post. His reporting has also appeared in The New Yorker, The Wall Street Journal, and the Columbia Journalism Review. He lives in Charlotte, North Carolina.

“Steve is a Substance Misuse Prevention Specialist, speaker, and storyteller whose work centers on the intersection of music, choice, and emotional well-being. He is the creator and host of A Million Young Poets, a podcast exploring how music shapes identity, mental health, and resilience across the lifespan.

Steve’s work draws from lived experience, prevention science, and community-based practice, with a particular focus on reducing stigma and creating accessible conversations around substance use, gambling, recovery, and mental health. His approach emphasizes music as a relational and regulatory tool—one that helps individuals navigate emotional distress, make meaning, and build healthier coping strategies.

He has presented nationally to prevention professionals, educators, and community leaders, and his TED-style talk delivered at NATCON 2024, on music’s influence on choice continues to inform his speaking and training work. Steve integrates participatory engagement strategies into his sessions, encouraging reflection, dialogue, and practical application rather than passive learning.

Grounded in frameworks of belonging and community building, Steve’s presentations invite audiences to reconsider how everyday tools—like music and creativity—can strengthen protective factors, support recovery, and foster connection. His work consistently bridges science, story, and practice, offering audiences both insight and actionable strategies they can use in their professional and personal lives.”

“Stephanie Fillmore is the Executive Director of Friends of Recovery Association (FORA), where she leads efforts to expand access to recovery support services, reduce stigma, and strengthen systems of care for individuals and families impacted by substance use disorders. She is a person in long-term recovery and a recovering alcoholic, with continuous recovery since January 15, 2016, an experience that deeply informs her leadership, advocacy, and commitment to recovery-oriented systems of care.

In her role at FORA, Stephanie oversees organizational strategy, partnerships, and operations, while working closely with local and state stakeholders to advance sustainable, person-centered recovery initiatives. She is known for her collaborative leadership style and her ability to bridge gaps between service providers, government entities, and community members to create meaningful, lasting change.

FORA serves as the statewide advocacy organization for Oxford Houses in Kansas, supporting the development, sustainability, and expansion of peer-run recovery housing across the state. Stephanie works closely with Oxford House leadership, residents, and partners to promote recovery housing as a vital component of long-term recovery and community reintegration. Her work emphasizes the importance of safe, supportive, and self-governed recovery environments.

Stephanie brings both professional expertise and lived experience to her work, grounding her leadership in authenticity, empathy, and accountability. She is a dedicated advocate for recovery, equity, and access, and is widely respected for her persistence, compassion, and heart-centered approach to leadership. Through outreach, education, and policy engagement, she continues to champion peer support, trauma-informed practices, and community connection as essential elements of sustained recovery.”

Abraham Bearpaw is an author, motivational speaker and creator of the Walking In Balance wellness and prevention program. Mr. Bearpaw is also a cultural activist and shares traditional teachings so that others can live fulfilled lives of wellness. In recovery for over 13 years, Abraham Bearpaw is a living example of the effectiveness of the Walking In Balance program. Through the Walking In Balance program, he has helped many individuals and families in their recovery and wellness journeys.

Mr. Hartwell holds a Master’s degree in Anthropology from Texas Tech University and in 2023 retired from a 32-year position on the research faculty of the Desert Research Institute (DRI) of the Nevada System of Higher Education to become the Executive Director of the Nevada Council on Problem Gambling (NVCPG). In 2025, he stepped back from that role to become the NVCPG’s Director of Storytelling. As someone in long-term recovery from gambling disorder himself, he has promoted awareness, prevention, and treatment of problem gambling as a consultant to the NVCPG for many years. He has served on the Nevada State Advisory Committee on Problem Gambling since 2012, and in 2014 received the Shannon L. Bybee Award for his continuing work on advocacy, outreach, and research on the issue of problem gambling. In 2021, he was elected to a three-year term to the Board of Directors of the National Council on Problem Gambling. Mr. Hartwell introduced the Nevada Council’s youth gambling awareness and family gambling awareness programs into many schools in the Clark County School District, and he recently developed an educational presentation for students and parents on the topic of video games and their growing intersectionality with gambling. He was recently awarded an NFL-funded Agility Grant through the National Council to implement a Student-Athlete Gambling Awareness pilot program in several southern Nevada high schools. Mr. Hartwell lives in Las Vegas, where he is a professional cellist with the Las Vegas Philharmonic, a devoted husband to a recent Russian immigrant, a past soccer and volleyball coach, and the proud father of a precocious 20-year-old young woman and two cats.

“Brian Townsend is a retired Supervisory Special Agent/Resident Agent in Charge with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Brian proudly served in law enforcement for 28 years; 5 years as a police officer in Joplin, Missouri, and 23 years with the DEA where he held a variety of assignments with increasing responsibility.

Within the DEA, Brian served in three different formal leadership roles, managing diverse teams, complex programs, and critical resources. In these capacities, he led large-scale enforcement operations to dismantle drug trafficking organizations and enhance community safety.

In addition to serving in enforcement operations, Brian was assigned at the DEA Training Academy in Quantico, Virginia. There, Brian managed DEA’s specialized training unit and developed the leadership and development training unit. The leadership and development training unit still serves as the primary resource for leadership development throughout DEA and its extensive workforce of over 10,000 personnel.

Currently, Brian serves as a Law Enforcement Training Coordinator for the Mid-States Organized Crime Information Center (MOCIC), a Regional Information Sharing System (RISS) Center supporting law enforcement in nine states. He is also the founder and principal of Eagle 6 Training, providing speaking, training, and consulting services to organizations worldwide.

Brian’s training expertise extends far beyond drug-related topics. He is frequently invited to deliver training and presentations on a wide range of subjects, including leadership development, cryptocurrency investigations, and the dark web. Brian’s diverse training portfolio equips law enforcement and private organizations with the knowledge and skills needed to address both emerging digital threats and organizational challenges.

Most recently, Brian launched Only 2mg Inc. 501(c)(3), where he leverages his extensive experience and knowledge in the field of opioids. Brian is regularly invited to speak to audiences throughout the United States about fentanyl, focusing on raising awareness and fostering a deeper understanding of the opioid epidemic and illicit fentanyl crisis. His insights shed light on the evolving drug landscape and its devastating impact.

Additionally, Brian serves on the Board of Directors for the Drug Enforcement Association of Federal Narcotics Agents (DEAFNA), continuing his commitment to supporting law enforcement professionals and the mission of combating drug-related crimes.

Brian’s insights have been featured in numerous news organizations and publications, including FOX and CNN. He has participated in multiple interviews and podcasts and is consistently sought after for his expertise.”

“Timothy W. Fong MD

Dr. Fong is a Professor of Psychiatry at the Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at UCLA. He is board certified in adult and addiction psychiatry.

He is the co-director of the UCLA Gambling Studies Program. The purpose of this program is to examine the clinical characteristics of gambling disorder in order to develop effective, evidence-based prevention and treatment strategies.

Dr. Fong is also a member of the Steering Committee of the UCLA Center for Cannabis and Cannabinoids whose mission is to address the most pressing questions related to the impact of cannabis legalization through rigorous scientific study and discourse across disciplines.

He is the senior attending psychiatrist for the UCLA Sports Psychiatry Service which provides leading edge psychiatric care to athletes, coaches and families.

Lastly, he is the President-Elect of the American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry.”

“Taylor J. Corcoran, MT-BC, Neurologic Music Therapy® Music Therapist (NMT™), a native of Springfield, Missouri, has been providing music therapy to a variety of populations for 10 years. She discovered the vast impact of music on the whole person as she completed her bachelor’s degree in music therapy and minor in psychology at Drury University. Taylor then completed an extensive six-month internship at AdventHealth Orlando Hospital in Florida and obtained her certification in music therapy. She has also received additional training in Neurologic Music Therapy® (NMT™) and has received the designation of Neurologic Music Therapy® Music Therapist (NMT™). Under this designation, Taylor utilizes specific NMT™ techniques in her practice.
Taylor specializes in the application of music therapy to treat neurological disorders and currently works at the Center for Music Therapy and Wellness, a private practice music therapy clinic in Springfield, MO where she provides weekly services to children in an acute mental health hospital, adults in neurorehabilitation, and neurodivergent adults and children.
Taylor is passionate about providing each client with individualized services, using current research to inform evidence-based practices, and utilizing continued education and mentorship to develop as a therapist. Taylor has provided many presentations about the application of music therapy in a variety of clinical settings and welcomes the opportunity to speak at the 23rd Annual Midwest Conference on Problem Gambling and Substance Abuse.”

“Jon brings more than two decades of experience in evidence-based prevention, harm reduction, and data-informed student engagement within higher education, positioning him well to host and contribute to a panel on sports betting harm reduction. His professional work has consistently focused on reducing high-risk behaviors among college students through personalized feedback, social norms strategies, and brief motivational approaches—frameworks that readily translate to addressing gambling-related harms in collegiate settings. His prevention career began in 2004–2005 as a grant administrator for the Greek Revolution initiative, where he led the collection and analysis of two years of research data and implemented targeted alcohol prevention programming within fraternity and sorority communities. This work centered on engaging the highest-risk students using personalized data and social norming metrics, establishing a foundation for prevention strategies that continue to inform his work today.
Over the past 20 years, Jon has worked extensively with fraternity and sorority life, delivering education on alcohol, cannabis, hazing, and risk behavior in ways that are relatable and meaningful to students.”