Wiley Harwell
President

Wiley is an LPC, an International Certified Gambling Counselor-level 2, and a Board Approved Clinical Consultant for gambling counselors.

Wiley is the Ex. Dir. Of Oklahoma Association on Problem Gambling and Gaming.

OAPGG is the official state affiliate for the National Council on Problem Gambling of which Wiley has been a board member for 6 years and the board president for two years.

OAPGG offers advocacy for problem gambling clients and their family members, provides the problem gambling helpline, works with all the tribes for responsible gambling programs, and trains all the counselors in Oklahoma to become certified gambling counselors.

Wiley has taught problem gambling and mindfulness classes across the United States and is currently working on a Basic Training curriculum that will be used in many states.

In the past, Wiley has been the director of an employee assistance program that served over 37 companies in Oklahoma and has been an associate professor in professional counseling at OU, and has taught all the required courses for LADC licensure.

David Geier

Vice President

Photo and Bio Coming Soon

Jessica Hartz, BA, ICGC-II, CADC
Treasurer

Jessica Hartz
International Certified Gambling Counselor
Jessica Hartz has been working as a problem gambling counselor since 2016 at Alcohol and Drug Dependency Services of Southeast Iowa.  Jessica is certified as an International Certified Gambling Counselor (ICGC-II) and an International Alcohol and Drug Counselor (IADC).  She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology.

Katherine Gibbons
Secretary

Katherine Gibbons
Problem Gambling Specialist
Katherine Gibbons is a Problem Gambling Specialist with the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services. She joined MCPGSA in 2023 and has a background in health promotion, prevention, and education. She works with the South Central Kansas Problem Gambling Task Force, serves on the Governor’s Behavioral Health Problem Gambling Subcommittee, is the state representative for the National Coalition on Problem Gambling, and is a member of the Kansas Coalition on Problem Gambling. Katherine holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Health Promotion from Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina, and earned a Master’s Degree in Teaching from Queens University of Charlotte, North Carolina.

Ronald Wahkinney
Program Chair

Ronald Wahkinney is a Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor, an International Certified Gambling Counselor, and member of the Comanche Nation.  Ronald earned his master’s degree from Cameron University and was the Director of the Comanche Nation Prevention & Recovery Center for 10 years. Ronald is now the Associate Director of Oklahoma Association on Problem Gambling & Gaming (OAPGG), Norman, current board president of the Oklahoma Drug & Alcohol Professional Counselor Association (ODAPCA) and was recently appointed by Governor Kevin Stitt to the Oklahoma State Board of Licensed Alcohol & Drug Counselors (OBLADC).

Keith Spare, MS, M.Div., LPC
Consortium and Executive Committee Member

The Kansas City Port Authority Problem Gambling Fund Advisory Committee
keithspare@aol.com

Keith is a founding member of the Midwest Consortium on Problem Gambling representing Missouri since 2003.

He founded the Missouri Council on Problem Gambling Concerns, Inc. in 1998 and was a member of the Missouri Alliance to Curb Problem Gambling. He was among the first group Joanna Franklin trained to become Missouri Certified Compulsive Gambling Counselors. For over two decades he provided Problem Gambling Counselor training and organized training bringing national trainers to Missouri.

Keith achieved credentialling as a: Licensed Professional Counselor, Certified Advanced Substance Abuse Counselor, Certified Compulsive Gambling Counselor, Nationally Certified Compulsive Gambling Counselor, Nationally Approved Compulsive Gambling Counselor Supervisor. He ordained as a minister in the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches and earned a Master of Divinity Degree from Saint Paul School of Theology.

He founded the Missouri Opioid Treatment alliance in 1997 serving as Missouri President and representative the American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Addiction until 2006.

He served as the Missouri representative to the National Council on Problem Gambling both as NCPG Affiliate Chair and Board member.

He has been a member of the Kansas City Port Authority Problem Gambling Fund Advisory Committee since 2012 and currently serves as Chair.

Administrative
Jamie Schieber, CMP
Custom Meeting Planners, LLC
jamie@custommeetingplanners.com

Interested in getting involved?

We are always looking for new people to join the consortium or help out with the planning of the conference. We have opportunities available that involve just a small-time commitment, as well as opportunities with more responsibility. It is completely up to you!

Committee Listing

Program Committee
The program committee meets once a month to discuss all aspects of planning the annual conference. We discuss the schedule, presenter options, topics, food and beverage, sponsorships, logistics, etc.

Active Members:

  • Ronald Wahkinney – Oklahoma
  • Jessica Hartz – Iowa
  • Julia Flood – Missouri
  • Bree Sherry – Missouri
  • Shelly Wims – Missouri
  • Darlea Johnson – Missouri
  • Arlene Miller – Missouri
  • Keith Spare – Missouri
  • Brian Nelson – Kansas
  • Carol Spiker – Kansas
  • Laura Hoppas – Kansas
  • Timothy White – Kansas
  • Levi – Oklahoma
  • Kay Johndrow – Oklahoma
  • Colleen Springer – Oklahoma
  • Wiley Harwell – Oklahoma
  • Jamie Schieber – Conference Coordinator