Podcast | Higher Ed Prevention & Owning Your Authenticity in the Workplace [#30]
Dr. Allison M. Smith, Ph.D.
Speaker | Collaboration Seeker | Silver-Lining Finder | Author | Connector
Today, we’re talking about prevention in the higher ed setting with Dr. Allison Smith who facilitates a statewide higher education prevention coalition, provides professional development training for higher education staff and stakeholders, facilitates campus community partnerships and delivers technical assistance around the issue of substance use prevention collegiate communities.
This episode is jam-packed with wisdom from Dr. Smith on strategic planning in higher ed prevention, how to utilize the Strategic Prevention Framework, increasing collegiate recovery communities and even how to leverage social capital.
We also get into a wonderful conversation about owning your authenticity in the workplace. Dr. Smith and I both share fun stories of how we have each grown to embrace our authenticity.
Allison is an amazing person! Seriously... if you haven't hit play yet, here's a little more about her:
Dr. Allison Smith serves as the Assistant Commissioner for Student Health and Wellness for the Louisiana Board of Regents. In this role she facilitates the Louisiana Higher Education Coalition, oversees statewide core survey administration, provides professional development training for higher education staff and stakeholders, facilitates campus community partnerships and delivers technical assistance around the issue of substance use prevention in Louisiana's collegiate communities.
Additionally, Dr. Smith also focuses on broader campus safety issues such as hazing prevention, increasing access to mental health resources and policy matters related to the implementation of Title IX and power-based violence statutes.
Dr. Smith is a native of Baton Rouge. She received a bachelor's degree in psychology from Southern University in 2009, a master's degree in public administration from Louisiana State University in May 2011, followed by a doctoral degree in educational leadership, research and counseling with a specialization in higher education administration in 2016.
A native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Allison received a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from Southern University in 2009, a Masters of Public Administration from Louisiana State University in May 2011 followed by a doctoral degree in Educational Leadership, Research and Counseling with a specialization in Higher Education Administration in 2016 also from Louisiana State University.
Allison has spent the last 10 years working in the field of substance mis/use prevention and recovery in higher education, with eight of those years being spent at Louisiana State University until moving to the Louisiana Board of Regents, where she currently champions this work.
A consistent passion for Allison is addressing diversity, equity, inclusion and access in the world of prevention programming and recovery in higher education – on both the student and staff sides. In sharing her personal experiences, Allison is able to help audience identify areas for collaboration and mutual wins from a different perspective they may not have previously considered in their good faith efforts to collectively problem-solve.
Through her love of conversation and collaboration (and pop culture), Allison enjoys connecting multiple parties to create innovative yet practical solutions and making “hard” or “difficult” conversations empathetic, informative and actionable to create a more just and equitable world.
Additionally, Allison enjoys encouraging others to fully be their authentic selves in every arena and to discover, develop and leverage their social capital.
With extensive experience, a passionate desire for change and a humorous stage presence, Allison is sure to motivate, captivate and educate your audience -- all while inspiring them to action.
Sit back and enjoy the show!
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