CHOICES LEADERSHIP

Jill Williams, MD
Medical Director and Co-Founder
Jill Williams, MD is an Associate Professor of Psychiatry at UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Division of Addiction Psychiatry and a national expert in treating tobacco dependence in people with behavioral health problems. Dr. Williams is the recipient of a National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) Career Development Award (K23), entitled Nicotine Dependence Treatment in Psychiatric Comorbidity. Dr. Williams currently conducts research to study pharmacological and psychosocial treatments to help patients with schizophrenia quit smoking.

Marie Verna
Advocacy Director and Co-Founder
Marie Verna is a Senior Training and Consultation Specialist at UMDNJ-University Behavioral Healthcare’s Center for Excellence in Psychiatry (CFEP) where she develops and delivers wellness and recovery curricula to champion teams at behavioral health organizations nationwide. She works with the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) in developing a Wellness Action Plan and with the New Jersey Division of Mental Health Services (NJ-DMHS) to promote the integration of physical healthcare with mental healthcare. Prior to the CFEP, Marie was the Director of Advocacy at the Mental Health Association in New Jersey , where she prioritized the development of policy concerning tobacco cessation, the education of consumers about the risks of smoking, the discriminatory and critical shortage of tobacco-cessation services and feasible recommendations for addressing wellness.

Martha Dwyer, MA, LCADC, CTTS
Program Director
Martha Dwyer works at UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Division of Addiction Psychiatry, focusing on addressing tobacco dependence in underserved populations. Previously she worked as the Addictions Consultant at the Tobacco Dependence Program at UMDNJ-School of Public Health where she provided technical assistance and training services to chemical dependency programs and service providers in New Jersey and other states on tobacco smoke pollution and nicotine dependence issues. She also provided tobacco dependence treatment to clients at a residential chemical dependence treatment program and served as Chairperson of the Tobacco-Free Committee responsible for the development and implementation of the facility’s tobacco-free policy. Ms. Dwyer is a Certified Tobacco Treatment Specialist.

Margaret Molnar
Liaison to NJ Division of Mental Health Services
Margaret Molnar is the Special Assistant for Consumer Affairs to the NJ Division of Mental Health Services. Margaret is very committed to the needs of consumers and works with the Division of Mental Health Services on a variety of projects dedicated to improving Wellness and Recovery in persons with mental illness.

CHOICES CONSUMER TOBACCO ADVOCATES

Wayne Holland
Wayne Holland is an artist and musician. His interest in CHOICES follows from having lost many loved ones to smoking and being a former smoker himself. He particularly enjoys meeting people, sharing his experience with quitting smoking and providing hope to other consumers that it is possible to address tobacco use.

Click here to read for the newly released Key Assistance Report, "Focus on Smoking Cessation," published by the National Mental Health Consumers' Self-Help Clearinghouse.  The article features New Jersey 's CHOICES program, and Consumer Tobacco Advocate Wayne Holland, as the only consumer-run tobacco cessation education program in the country.

Yasmin Halim
Yasmin Halim has always been interested in health. Her interest turned to consumer advocacy after attending MHANJ's Consumer Connections. As a supporter of the wellness and recovery approach to mental illness she believes addressing tobacco dependence is an essential part of the physical health component of recovery. She feels mental health consumers must advocate for themselves if they are to receive the services they deserve.

Eric Arauz
Eric is a strong advocate for the mentally ill. He is a professional motivational and inspirational speaker who shares his own story of battling mental illness and addiction throughout the state and country. Eric also works with NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) as an “In Your Own Voice” Speaker. He is an ex-smoker and tobacco chewer motivated to see other consumers achieve full and healthy lives. Eric is a dynamic and energetic speaker whose enthusiasm to see others succeed over their personal obstacles is contagious. Visit Eric's website: http://thestigmabuster.com

Deidre Stenard
Deidre is an ex-smoker who attributes her success to attendance at support groups, use of the website, www.njquitnet.com, and the use of nicotine replacement therapy. She started attending Dr. Williams’ quit smoking support group over 3 years ago. She made many (8) attempts at stopping smoking before this last successful quit attempt. She has finally stopped for good this time.

Quitting smoking has enabled her to live a much healthier lifestyle, which includes working out at a gym and eating healthy foods.

Deidre is interested in speaking to consumers and helping them quit smoking and live healthier lives. It can be done, and Deidre is here to prove it!

Diane Beck
Diane Beck has worked very hard for mental health consumers in a variety of roles. She is a consumer provider with the Mental Health Association of Morris County and works on the Anti-Stigma project with UMDNJ. The role of Consumer Tobacco Advocate is a natural addition to her interest in helping fellow consumers. Familiar with addiction, Diane is committed to helping others who are struggling with this disease. Her interest in tobacco addiction stems from her concern about many good friends that are smokers. She brings to the job her enthusiasm and empathy.