On Thursday, May 24, 2012, Virginia Johnson will be speaking at and representing the state of North Carolina at the 2012 Substance Abuse Librarians & Information Specialists (SALIS) Conference in Reno, Nevada.
In addition to being the co-founder and managing partner of Empowered Ideas, Virginia L. Johnson is a Certified Substance Abuse Prevention Consultant. Working in the field of substance abuse since 1999, she currently coordinates a federal statewide capacity building grant and was previously the Strategic Prevention Framework-State Incentive Grant Coordinator for North Carolina.
Virginia has served on various advisory boards including Addiction Professionals of North Carolina (APNC), Quality Assurance and Standards Committee at the North Carolina Prevention Providers Association (NC PPA); and the Marketing and Communications Committee at the United Way of the Greater Triangle (UWGT). She specializes in communications, sustainability systems, community mobilization and organizational development
Using Technology to Bridge Gaps, Breakdown Silos and Creating One Voice for the Field of Substance Abuse
In a time of diminishing budgets and increasing substance use rates, it is more important than ever to collaborate, maximize resources and take advantage of the technologies surrounding us in the digital landscape. Virginia Johnson will review a case study on how one state integrated cost-efficient digital strategies and non-traditional partnerships to build a statewide communication system, an integrated technical assistance infrastructure and created One Voice for Prevention. There were challenges that had to be overcome and lessons learned along the way. The case study will include the culture shift from traditional one way controlled communications to the multi-channel engaged communication system that is empowering and mobilizing; how social and digital technology helped breakdown the historical silos and created a safe forum for collaboration; and how digital analytics are being used to demonstrate effectiveness and reach of substance abuse prevention efforts in a time where proving outcomes is everything.
About SALIS (Substance Abuse Librarians & Information Specialists)
SALIS is an international association of individuals and organizations with special interests in the exchange and dissemination of alcohol, tobacco, and other drug (ATOD) information. Incorporated in California since 1988, SALIS is recognized by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service under the Internal Revenue Code Section 501 (c)(3) as a non-profit corporation.
