Alcohol: No Ordinary Commodity 3 Forum

Emerging Evidence on the Links Between Alcohol Promotion and Risky Drinking

David Jernigan, PHD, is a Research Associate Professor at Georgetown University, where he is Executive Director of the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth. He has worked as an advisor to the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Bank on alcohol issues. He was principal author of the World Health Organization's recent Global Status Report on Alcohol and Global Status Report on Alcohol and Youth, and co-authored Sage Publications' Media Advocacy and Public Health: Power for Prevention, and Alcohol in the Developing World: A Public Health Perspective, published by WHO and the Finnish Foundation for Alcohol Studies. He has taught at the University of California and at Mills College, and has authored numerous peer-reviewed articles and trained thousands of public health advocates in media advocacy and alcohol problems prevention.

Marvin Krank, PHD, was appointed as the Dean of Graduate Studies and Professor of Psychology at the University of British Columbia Okanagan in July, 2005. Dr. Krank has a Ph.D. in Psychology with an active research program in substance use with an emphasis on adolescents. He has published numerous articles and presents extensively to professional conferences, invited symposia, and community groups. His research focuses on the psychological determinants of drug use and drug effects including seminal work on the drug tolerance, drug withdrawal, and cognitive models of addiction. Dr. Krank currently leads the Project on Adolescent Trajectories and Health (PATH) which is a longitudinal research project on the social and cognitive determinants of risk-taking behaviours and their health outcomes in youth.

Michelle Swenarchuk, LLB, is Counsel and Director of International Programmes at the Canadian Environmental Law Association and a senior public interest lawyer practicing environmental, trade, health and international law. She advises individuals, groups and governments, and directs legal education and law reform initiatives in Canadian and international law. She is an authority on the impact of trade law on environmental and health law, and participates in international negotiations to create new public protections. In 2004, she received the Medal of the Law Society of Upper Canada for her contributions to public policy law.

Joe Rock, B. Ed., has spent 20+ years working with youth in a variety of settings, which include but are not limited to: public school systems, correctional institutes, recreation centres and advisory committees. Joe has been involved with youth and drug issues for approximately 15 years from both a treatment and a health promotion perspective. Joe is currently on loan from Toronto Public Health where he coordinated drug-prevention funding initiatives for youth and community. In his current role at OPHA, Joe is responsible for coordinating Stage 2 of the Youth and Alcohol, Messages and Media Initiative, along with managing the portfolio of Injury Prevention.

Rebecca Fortin is the Program Coordinator for ARAPO. In this position, she works to promote public health and safety through education, policy, and community action to reduce the effects of alcohol promotion, especially among youth. Rebecca has an Honours Bachelor of Science degree in Health Studies from the University of Waterloo.

Patricia Hajdu is a Health Promotion Planner in the area of alcohol and substance use at the Thunder Bay District Health Unit. With a degree in anthropology, experience in adult literacy, marketing, and addictions, Patty's diverse background allows her to approach the field of health promotion from an eclectic, but holistic perspective.

Stephen Gard is a graduate of the University of Windsor with Bachelor degrees in Drama in Education, and Education. He began working in health promotion as a volunteer writing and performing in curriculum based health education shows for elementary and secondary students. He was worked as a youth leader and a volunteer for Mothers Against Drunk Driving for six years. In his current position as the Windsor FOCUS Community program coordinator, Stephen works with community partners on alcohol and drug issues in the Windsor-Essex region. These initiatives consist of secondary and post-secondary education, alcohol policy development, and raising awareness of alcohol as a risk factor for chronic disease.