Elyse Grossman, Ph.D. General Public

Dr. Elyse R. Grossman is a public health lawyer and policy consultant focusing on alcohol, marijuana, and other drug policy and law. She has more than 19 years of experience researching, analyzing, and publishing on issues of policy and law concerning alcohol consumption and substance use -- especially in areas of prevention and youth. She completed her Masters and Ph.D. in Public Policy from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County and her J.D. at the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law. She has been on AODAAC since 2015 and also served as the Chair from 2018-2020.

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Malliga lyer, Ph.D. General Public

Malliga R. Iyer graduated with a Ph.D. in Chemistry from Pennsylvania State University. She is a long-time resident of Montgomery County, having moved to this area after her graduate studies. She leads a medicinal chemistry team at NIH* and her research activities include developing novel therapeutic interventions for substance use disorders. She is interested in new methods to advocate and engage in addiction prevention in the community. She looks forward to volunteering in the county. *Dr. Iyer is serving in her personal capacity.

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Margaret E. Mattson Prevention Provider

Dr. Mattson’s major interest is Behavioral Health, specifically the intersection of health/biology with behavior. She received her Ph.D. in Neurobiology and Behavior from Cornell University and subsequently did postdoctoral studies in public health methodology, including epidemiology and clinical trials. Most of her career was at the National Institutes of Health and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration where she conducted and published research in prevention and treatment of addictive behaviors including tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs. She was a co-investigator in national clinical trials of behavioral and pharmacologic treatments for addictive disorders. She has been a member of AODAAC for six years and held positions of board chair, board co-chair, and chair of the prevention subcommittee.

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Jayne Orthwein Co Vice Chair, General Public

Jayne Orthwein is a systems engineer who has worked for NASA and NIST throughout her career. She earned her Master’s degree from the University of Minnesota and undertook her Doctoral work at the George Washington University. She has resided in Montgomery County since 1987 and as a retiree is focused on furthering progress towards improving the lives of individuals with addiction and mental health issues. She hopes to use her expertise in understanding the dynamics of social systems to help advocate for resources that will effectuate positive life changes for many Montgomery County residents.

Laura Mitchell Chair, General Public

Laura Mitchell is an accountant by trade and a passionate advocate for mental health and substance use parity and equity in treatment and prevention. She serves in the Parent-Teacher seat and has served on the MCCPTA Board of Directors  since 2016 as the VP of Advocacy, Chair of the Operating Budget, Substance Use Prevention, and Financial Review Committees, as a Wheaton Cluster Coordinator and the Area Vice President for the DCC. She also serves as a liaison to the Montgomery County Suicide Prevention Alliance, the Opioid Prevention Coalition, and as the liaison to the County Mental Health Advisory Council (MHAC). Laura is a former local elected official who has worked for  decades to advocate for adequate mental health and SUD prevention and treatment services in Maryland and nationally and is a co-founder of Montgomery Goes Purple.

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Michelle Scarlett General Public

Michelle Scarlett is a Jamaican-American from Montego Bay Jamaica and Resides in Gaithersburg. She is the CEO of MSPT Billing Solutions, a Medical Billing Company, and Vice President of Women United Enterprise, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping female entrepreneurs grow professionally and personally. Michelle is a five-time published author, the most recent being a children’s book on controlling emotions. Her pet project is giving back to the Women’s Centre of Jamaica Foundation, where she donates the proceeds from her books to help teen moms through an annual diaper and baby food drive. Miss Scarlett is a foster parent with the Department of Health and Human Services of Montgomery County, where she fostered six boys and adopted one. Michelle obtained a Bachelor's degree in Psychology and a master's degree in Health Care Administration from the University of Maryland.

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Irene Gumucio General Public

Irene Gumucio is a registered nurse and mother of three. She is Sherwood High School’s nurse and dedicated to empowering teens through awareness. Irene grew up in New Jersey, graduated from the University of Delaware, and now resides in Potomac Maryland. She enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling, paddle boarding, and gardening. She is passionate about helping people heal and providing resources and understanding to those impacted by the complex disease of substance use.