2nd Annual Latinx Conference on Problem Gambling

Dr. Stephanie Diez-Morel (pronouns: she/her) is an associate professor and the Program Director of the Masters of Social Work graduate program at Pennsylvania Western University. As a Licensed Clinical Social and PhD level researcher, Dr. Diez-Morel has dedicated her work to helping improve the lives of youth, families, adults and communities. She is the author of a plethora of presentations, scientific research studies, and book chapters on the topics of gaming disorder and associated behavioral addictions. In 2013, Dr. Diez-Morel founded Reboot & Recover, a nonprofit organization dedicated to finding solutions for a balanced living in a technology driven world. She has established education, prevention curriculums, treatment, and research on gaming disorder and other problematic technology-based behaviors for children, youth, adults, and families that have been utilized by organizations worldwide. Her work has been presented nationally and internationally to aid prevention workers, social workers, counselors, and medical professionals working with youth, families, and adults experiencing psychosocial concerns or harms due to their gaming or technology use behavior.

Dr. Diez-Morel earned her Ph.D. from Florida International University where she was awarded a student scholar in Health Disparities Research Fellowship with CRUSADA (the Center for Research on US Latino/as Drug Abuse and Addictions) funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Dr. Diez-Morel utilizes her expertise in behavioral health and addictions to serve in various role including as Emeritus Board Member of the International Gambling Counselor Certification Board (IGCCB) and through this role, helped to lead development of the world’s first International Gaming Disorder Certification for helping professionals. Dr. Diez-Morel is also the co-lead for the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) Gaming Disorder Taskforce and serves as the National Association of Social Work’s (NASW-PA) 2nd Vice President of Finance and Executive Committee member. Dr. Diez-Morel continues her clinical practice as a licensed practitioner and splits her time between direct clinical practice, research, prevention work, teaching, and service to the community. 

Kellie Gage, M.S., CAADC is the Program Manager for Statewide Gambling Disorder Treatment Services at the Illinois Department of Human Services/Division of Substance Use Prevention and Recovery (IDHS/SUPR) where she began her career in state government, as the Gambling Initiative Specialist in August 2001. 

In her current role she participates in oversight on the development and implementation of statewide treatment and outreach services, statewide gambling training, public awareness and helpline services for individuals in need of treatment and resources related to gambling disorder. Kellie has served in the substance use field for the past 32 years as a clinician, program manager and trainer. She is credentialed as a Certified Advanced AODA Counselor (CAADC) through the Illinois Alcohol & Other Drug Abuse Professional Certification Association, Inc. 

Laura Garcia is the Director of the Illinois Department of Human Services, Division of Substance Use Prevention and Recovery (IDHS/SUPR). The mission of IDHS/SUPR is to establish a recovery-oriented system of care that spans prevention, intervention, treatment, and recovery support. This system aims to value individuals with substance use disorders (SUD), those in recovery, and those at risk, treating them with dignity and eliminating stigma, discriminatory attitudes, and other barriers to recovery.

Laura has a master's degree in applied professional studies from DePaul University and a second master’s degree in counseling from Governors State University. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor.

In her current position as Director, she has achieved several milestones, including the establishment of the Office of the Opioid Settlement Administration. She has expanded access to care for substance use and gambling problems, as well as access to medication-assisted recovery to treat opioid use disorders. Additionally, she has implemented opioid and alcohol abatement strategies to address the overdose epidemic across systems and has influenced the integration of behavioral health services in Illinois. Before joining the State in 2018, Laura worked in non-profit organizations dedicated to expanding behavioral health services to improve the health of socially and systematically disenfranchised individuals, families, and communities.

Wendy Garcia Rojas is an undergraduate senior psychology major at Hamline University in Saint Paul Minnesota. Wendy is originally from Saint Paul, Minnesota and an aspiring future mental health professional. Wendy is passionate about improving cultural awareness around mental health and addiction and in partnering with communities to develop sustainable and effective solutions for families and individuals.

Dr. Serena King received her M.A and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Minnesota and is a Licensed Psychologist. She is Full Professor of Psychology at Hamline University in St. Paul, Minnesota. She publishes widely in addiction, mental health, and gambling. Her published work has appeared in journals such as Addiction, Public Health, International Gambling Studies, Journal of Gambling Studies, and Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry.  She has an active research and clinical agenda with a variety of collaborations in the areas of gambling, gaming disorder, and substance use. Dr. King was the recipient of an early career research grant from the International Center for Responsible Gaming and has served as a consultant for grants from the Minnesota Department of Human Services and the Minnesota Alliance on Problem Gambling.  Dr. King has led several community-level and large-scale research studies on problem gambling, and developed prevention and outreach programs in the Southeast Asian Refugee community of Minnesota. She conducts trainings for individuals, agencies, and treatment centers.  Dr. King developed the first formal collaboration between the Hazelden-Betty Ford Graduate School of Addiction Studies and an undergraduate psychology program and cares deeply about training the next generation of addiction and mental health professionals.  She develops psychoeducational materials for community leaders and health care professionals in the areas of addiction, mental health, and problem gambling.

Dr. Vidal de Haymes received her Masters Degree from the University of Chicago in 1987 and her Ph.D. from Ohio State University in 1991. She joined the faculty of the Loyola University Chicago in 1992 where she is a Professor in the School of Social Work and directs the Migration Studies Sub-specialization and coordinates a migration-focused international social service exchange with the Universidad Iberoamericana-Mexico City and Puebla and  Jesuit refugee and migrant serving projects. Dr. Vidal teaches courses in the areas of social welfare policy and migration studies. She has been the PI on a number of federal and international grants and authored publications concerning migration, poverty and inequality, child welfare, and social work education. Dr. Vidal’s service includes co-editorship of the Journal of Poverty and service on the board of Cicero Family Services, Taller de Jose, and the National Pastoral Migratoria. She is the 2016 recipient of the Partners in Advancing Education for International Social Work (PIE) Award of the Commission on Global Social Work Education of the Council on Social Work Education, the Loyola University Chicago Faculty Member of the Year award and  Distinguished Research Faculty recognition in 2017 and 2022 respectively. 

Jim Wilkerson is the Administrator of Gambling Initiative Programs for the Illinois Department of Human Services, Division of Substance Use Prevention and Recovery (IDHS/SUPR).  Jim is responsible for the development of gambling disorder awareness programming, research, provider training, and recovery services in Illinois.  Jim holds a master’s degree in Rehabilitation Counseling from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, and is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor in Illinois.  He is an Adjunct-Professor teaching at Millikin University, a 2021 Operational Research Society Griffiths Medal winner, and an Institute on Rehabilitation Issues (IRI) Scholar.  

Dr. Wilroy has been a social worker for over 35 years. She received her BSW degree from the University of Mississippi, where she then began a career in many avenues of the health care industry, including long term care, rehabilitation hospitals, hospice, adolescent self-esteem issues, and helping individuals that have received a challenging medical diagnosis. Her master's degree followed from Aurora University, where she earned her doctorate as well. 

She has assisted businesses begin from the ground up to become DUI treatment centers and created many new treatment options for offenders that will allow them to see how their addictions are affecting their lives without judgement. She is a solution focused therapist, which means that she will guide you into seeing how there are solutions to help you not feel so hopeless. She is currently working to begin a 501c that will allow pre-teen young ladies to explore how a strong self-esteem can lead them to make better choices when they are faced with the challenges when they become teenagers and young adults.

Dr. Wilroy is also currently a faculty member at Loyola University Chicago, where she is the director of the CADC Specialization Certificate. Dr. Wilroy has extensive experience working with persons who might be experiencing depression, anxiety, grief and loss, addictions, dealing with the aging process, (the caretaker stress as well as the aging individual), DUI treatment, adolescents behavior issues, family dynamics, couples and marriage issues.