Don is the Executive Director of The Indianapolis Youth Leadership Academy and a retired Police Lieutenant who served for over 48 years in a variety of roles as a professional Law Enforcement Officer before completing his career as Day Shift Commander. A veteran of the United Sates Army, Don Served as a Military Police Officer with the 18th Airborne Corps, as well as the NATO General Command and Staff College in Germany, and as a commissioned officer in the Indiana National Guard. A graduate of the 206th session of the FBI National Academy, Don is a professional instructor having completed the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy Instructor Development Course and has experience in leadership, character development and public speaking. In 2010 Don was in the first session of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department Leadership Academy.
Don’s awards include the United States Army Leadership Award, American Red Cross Life Saving Hall of Fame Award, The Community Policing Officer of the Year Award, and the William Spurgeon III Award, for Boy Scout Exploring.
Don has been married to his wife Pam for 43 years, and has one son Matt. In his spare time he enjoys working with youth groups and travelling, especially to State and National Parks across our magnificent country.
Executive Board Member Meredith Canada, At-Large Law Enforcement Employment: HIDTA Meredith Canada has served as the Public Health Analyst for Overdose Response Strategy (ORS) in Indiana for four years; the ORS is a collaboration between the CDC Foundation and Indiana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area’s (HIDTA). The Overdose Response Strategy (ORS) seeks to enhance public health-public safety collaboration and to strengthen and improve efforts to reduce drug overdose deaths and serves all US states, Washington DC, and US territories. With support from the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the ORS initiative supports innovative strategies at the local, state, and regional levels. Meredith is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the State of Indiana with eight years of experience treating mental health and co-morbid substance use conditions in teletherapy, community, office-based, and correctional settings. Additionally, she is a third year PhD student at the Indiana University School of Social Work. Her areas of interest include public safety responses to drug overdoses and provider and first responder wellness and suicide prevention. Meredith has a Master of Social Work from Indiana University and a Master of Public Administration from Columbia University in the City of New York.
Representative
B.S., Liberal Arts Degree from Wabash College, 1988.
Over 30 Years of Public Service working in the Criminal Justice System. I have served as a Bail Commissioner and as a Paralegal, and I currently serve as a senior criminal investigator for the Marion County Public Defender Agency. I am the proud father of 4 children (all grown) and I am the very blessed husband of my high school sweetheart and the love of my life. I am a faithful Servant of Christ Jesus, a Pastor to the community, and Chair to the Beech Grove Mayor’s Faith Based Round table.
At-large Reprehensive
A resident of Franklin Township, Barb previously resided in Beech Grove for 17 years and is the mother of two sons who attended Beech Grove Schools from grades 1 through 12. Barb has a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work and Psychology from Indiana University and an MBA from the University of Indianapolis. Retired in 2017, she spent the first 14 years of her career as a social worker and the last 29 years in the healthcare and healthcare IT fields, mostly recently as IS Director for Franciscan Health – Indianapolis.
Barb served as Chair of the BG CDFC from January 2018 to March 2020. In addition, she is an active member of the Beech Grove Tri Kappa Chapter and Christ Indianapolis United Methodist Church.
Entering my 30th year in public education all in Beech Grove City Schools. Currently the Assistant Superintendent for Beech Grove City Schools and responsible for all student testing, staff professional development, and curriculum decisions. Received BA. of Biology, from IUPUI, and Ph.D in Leadership from Indiana State University.
I was born at St. Francis Hospital in Beech Grove and grew up in Perry Township where I graduated from Southport High School. I was a member of the school newspaper staff and involved in Girl Scouts. I worked as a student assistant at the Indiana State Library while attending IUPUI for several years. I finished my degree in Social Science and Library Science at Ball State University. I worked as a school librarian in several small cities in Indiana then returned to Indianapolis to work in business at Graham Electronics, General Aviation Electronics and Indianapolis Life Insurance Company. I moved across the street to the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis where I spent nineteen years as the Museum Store Personal Shopper. I am a forty-three-year member of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution. The Samuel Bryan Chapter is located in Beech Grove where we have provided genealogy support and workshops at the Beech Grove Branch of the Indianapolis Public Library for many years. Several years ago, I joined the Beech Grove Promoters Club to volunteer for many of their local activities. In 2006 I had my left knee replacement and was prescribed Oxycodone. My right knee replacement was in 2009 and then in 2015 I had the left knee replacement replaced.
John Parks has lived in Beech Grove most of his adult life. He joined the Beech Grove CDFC Executive Board immediately following his retirement at the end of 2018. John is a former Healthcare ITS Professional with 40 years of data, voice, video, and network OSP engineering experience. John has been an active member in professional groups over the years including BICSI, the Indiana Telecommunications User Association, and most recently serving as President of the Beech Grove Parks Board.
Benjamin Mosier a videographer, graphic designer and Young Adult Pastor at LIFE Church and Training Center located in Indianapolis, Indiana. After becoming a Young Adult Pastor in 2011 Benjamin started his own business as a graphic designer and videographer. Benjamin has developed his skills and has been creating professional content for businesses for over 9 years. In his free time Benjamin enjoys hiking, fishing, hanging out with family and friends and trying new foods.
Kim is a long time resident of Beech Grove. She graduated from Beech Grove High School in 1981. Kim is married to Steven Sharp and together they have 4 children and 7 grandchildren. Kim is a Registered Nurse at Community Health Network where she serves as the Director of Pain Management. Kim has been a member of the BGCDFC for 4 years. She is a facilitator for the coalition’s Family in Action program and coordinates Naloxone (Narcan) distribution at many coalition events. Kim knows that substance use touches many people as she has lost a family member to drug overdose and has a family member that continues in active use. Serving as chair of the BGCDFC Board fuels her passion for keeping her family and community safe and drug free.
Diana is originally from northwest Indiana and moved to Beech Grove in 2005. Diana’s passion for community service and the wellbeing of youth is what led her to organize Beech Grove Comprehensive Drug-Free Coalition, a grassroots movement focusing on youth substance use prevention. Diana holds an Associates in Business Administration from Robert Morris University in Chicago and a Bachelor of Science in Public Health from the University of Indianapolis. She is a Certified Community Health Educator (CHES®) through NCHEC and earned a diploma of Personal Training through the Exercise Science Program at Indiana University. Diana has over 20 years of program development experience and being an advocate for the health and wellbeing of individuals and communities through her business Healthy Lifestyles Center, LLC and other past work experiences. Diana is a member of S Emerson Church of God, Beech Grove Faith Based Round Table, and Beech Grove Lions Club. In addition, she is a member of ETA Gamma, Chapter of the Phi Epsilon Kappa Fraternity, Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America, and Indiana Society for Public Health Education.
Alison received her undergraduate degree in public health education and promotion from the University of Indianapolis in 2021, during this time she also gained the credentials of Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES). She is on track to receive her master’s degree in public health from IUPUI in 2023. Alison has past experiences in interning with the YMCA as a Healthy Living Intern, the Indy Hunger Network, and has worked as a COVID-19 contact tracer with the IUPUI Fairbanks School of Public Health and Marion County Public Health Department. She also works as a health educator with Health Ed Pros and as a Safe Sitter instructor. Now she is serving as a project coordinator with the Beech Grove Comprehensive Drug Free Coalition! In her free time, she enjoys spending time with friends and family, hiking, and trying new places to eat!