Public Health specialist with 10+ years experience in LGBT health, HIV prevention, harm reduction, health disparities, trauma informed care, and program evaluation.

Dr. Cedric Weatherspoon is the President and Founder of Empower Therapeutic Support Services Inc., a Minneapolis-based private practice providing culturally responsive mental health services. He specializes in staff and leadership development, equipping community-based agencies and hospital staff with tools for culturally competent care.

 Dr. Weatherspoon focuses on addressing the impact of opioid use in African American and East African communities through culturally informed strategies. 

 Dr. Pham is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Minnesota, trained in internal medicine, pediatrics, and addiction medicine. He practices hospital and addiction medicine at the University Medical Center and provides primary care at CUHCC, a federally qualified health center in the Phillips Neighborhood. As Associate Vice Chair of DEI in the Department of Medicine and Chair of the Medical School’s Graduate Medical Education DEI Workgroup, he advances equity in academic medicine. His research focuses on addiction care in Minnesota’s communities of color through community engagement. A co-founder and current President of Minnesota Doctors for Health Equity (MDHEQ), he educates providers on health equity and advocacy. He also leads a mentorship group on DEI at the Medical School. His addiction care and DEI expertise creates a unique and vital intersection in academic medicine. 

Ian McLoone, MPS, LPCC, LADC, is the Chief Executive Officer of Expanse, which he co-founded with Paula Brandt and Dr. Jeff Sawyer. Before launching Expanse, Ian was the lead therapist at Alltyr Clinic, where he collaborated with Dr. Mark Willenbring to develop the Alltyr model of care. In 2021, he was recognized as Counselor of the Year by the Minnesota Association of Resources for Recovery and Chemical Health (MARRCH).

Ian serves as Community Faculty at the University of Minnesota and Metro State University, teaching courses on psychopharmacology, harm reduction, and person-centered care. His approach integrates mental health and substance use disorder treatment. His writings appear in Filter Magazine and TheFix.com. Passionate about helping families, Ian advocates for scientifically informed, empathetic strategies and believes psychedelic psychotherapy and high-quality care should be accessible to all.

Raj is a recovering criminologist, alcoholic, and survivor of sexual abuse, with over 20 years of community-based activism as a researcher and educator. Inspired by the resilience of our youth and the men in our prison systems, he trains school staff, probation agents, community members, and justice personnel on restorative practices, trauma and healing, value-centered leadership, community building, and unpacking implicit biases. He believes in raising consciousness utilizing the restorative circle process. In his latest work, raj explores the depths of our justice system and creates a framework in which knowledge and heart become the root of our practices.

 Sam has over 35 years of experience as an alcohol and drug counselor and behavioral consultant, specializing in trauma-informed strategies to address addiction, violence, and trauma, with a focus on improving the lives of African American men and their families. He developed a culturally specific curriculum to engage men and boys in fostering healthy, nonviolent relationships.

Sam has earned multiple awards, including the 2007 Kirby Puckett Legacy Award, the 2014 Excellence in Fatherhood Award, and the 2018 Public Health Hero Award from Minneapolis. In 2024, NAMI Minnesota named him Professional of the Year. He co-hosts KMOJ FM’s "Voices" and leads the Black Men Healing Conference. His book, Just Sam: A Black Man’s Journey to Healing, explores trauma’s impact and paths to empowerment. He believes, “A community is as strong as the information it’s given.”

Yussuf Shafie MSW, LADC, LICSW, is a graduate of the University of MN. Yussuf is an active and well-respected member of the addiction community. He is a licensed Drug and Alcohol Counselor ( LADC) with the Board of Behavioral Health. He completed his internship with the Community University Health Care Center as a Social Work Triage Specialist, and he continued on as a Mental Health Practitioner with CUHCC. In 2015, Yussuf opened Alliance Wellness Center in Bloomington, MN, a DHS-licensed Substance Abuse Outpatient and Inpatient Treatment Program. He is a Board member of the Steve Rummler Hope Network.  Yussuf’s passion is to bring wellness to those affected by addiction and mental health problems.