Here is a little bit about us and what we do.
The Coalition is grant funded and headed by a full-time Executive Director – Vicky Solomon; Program Coordinators – Cheyenne Layton, Stacey Heath and Destiney Hall, Prevention Specialist – Becky Belnap, Executive Administrator/Outreach – Julee Sherwood, overseen by non-profit Friends of Navajo County Anti-Drug Coalition, Inc. Board of Directors. Activities are decided and driven through monthly Steering Committee meetings involving members of the Board, the Director, representatives from the 12 sectors and other community members comprising a “Steering Committee”. Strategies and programs are developed in these meetings and feed into the annual objectives and strategies to be carried out by the staff, committee members and other volunteers.
Among the coalition’s accomplishments to date:
- Cooperated with local law enforcement to pass new Social Hosting ordinance for the City of Show Low in 2009
- Since 2011, quarterly community prescription Drug Take-Back programs garner an average of 500 pounds of returned drugs per year
- 2013 & 2014, MedReturn prescription drug takeback units placed at police stations in Show Low & Pinetop-Lakeside available 24/7/365
- Mpowrd/Mpact Teen Leadership program in the Junior High Schools
- Annual participation in the White Mountain Safety Village, educating over 2,000 youth in the month of October.
- For twelve consecutive summers, conducted 2-week summer day camps for youth, dedicated to goal setting, improving self-confidence, making good choices, drug prevention, community service and having caring adults in their lives.
- Junior Leadership Academy has grown from one school district with 18 participants, to up to three school districts with up to 90 annual youth participants.
- Working with the AZ Department of Liquor educating youth about the laws of under-age drinking
- Partnering with High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) for staff, law officers, schools training
The Organizations Under the Non-Profit Umbrella
Friends of Navajo County Anti-Drug Coalition, Inc., is the non-profit umbrella for projects including Nexus, Junior Leadership Academy (JLA), White Mountain Youth Alliance, student-led Mpowrd Teen AA group, Mpact Youth Leadership program and other pro-youth education activities clustered around youth substance abuse prevention in the White Mountain area.
The overarching goal is to engage the community to respond to substance abuse issues by implementing strategies that transform community attitudes, perceptions and policies. Organizing environmental change helps to create a substance-free environment for youth. We are dedicated to focus prevention efforts on under-age drinking, prescription drugs and marijuana.
Our non-profit is a recipient of the 719 Federal Drug-Free Community Coalition grants in the US. We welcome community members, parents, youth and local business organizations to get involved with our community environment changes based off of the Strategic Prevention Framework, for a healthier drug-free community. Please attend our monthly Steering Committee Meeting.
Nexus Steering Committee
Youth (persons <= 18 years of age): Naomi Jordan
Parents: Jill Stidham, Beth Schimmel, Heather Lucas
Business: Robert Pico (Insurance)
Media: White Mountain Independent – Wiley Acheson
Schools: NC Superintendent Jalyan Gerlich
Youth-serving organizations: Young Life-Sherri Kerr
Law enforcement agencies: Navajo County Sheriff David Clouse
Religious or fraternal organizations: Pastor Ron Everingham
Civic and volunteer groups: Mary Doane -Emblem
Healthcare professionals:
Dr. Tom Barela
Avis Davis-Brown – Summit Healthcare Pharmacy Director
State, local or tribal agencies with expertise in the field of substance abuse: PL Town Manager Keith Johnson
Other organizations: Blue Vase Recovery - Brock Bevell , Navajo County Juvenile Probation – Lynda Wilson

Eduardo Coronado
Statutory Agent
Board Members

Dr. Jason Mulder
Board President
Doctor of Chiropractic/
Business Owner

Beth Schimmel
Board Secretary
BRUSD Teacher, JLA Director

Brenda Sherwood
Board Treasurer
Fundraising Expert/Realtor

Tammy Moore
Board Member
Treasurer

Mike Simpson
Board Member
White Mountain Dream Center
Operations Manager

Diana Butler
Board Member
WMNC Board/
BRUSD Administrator
Staff

Vicky Solomon
Executive Director

Julee Sherwood
Executive Administrator/
Outreach

Destiney Hall
Program Coordinator

Cheyenne Layton
Program Coordinator

Becky Belnap
Prevention Specialist

Stacey Heath
Program Coordinator
Special Thank You to:
Lori Deutsch
Grant Specialist/Consultant
Candee Stanton
Data Specialist
Birdman Media
Rob Hephner
Bryo Media
Cristian Muresan
FRIENDS SEEK BOARD CANDIDATES
The non-profit Friends of Navajo County Anti-Drug Coalition, Inc., seeks expressions of interest for candidates to sit on the Board of Directors. Interested individuals should email the organizations Executive Director with letter of interest and resume. vsncdp@gmail.com
The Board meets quarterly to oversee the operation of Nexus Coalition for Drug Prevention, a grant-funded Drug Free Community Coalition. Previous meeting minutes and financial statements are available upon email request to vsncdp@gmail.com, if they are not listed in "Finances".