In 2018, board-certified Addiction Medicine Doctor Cara Poland identified the need to strengthen our country’s Addiction Medicine workforce. By utilizing State Opioid Response funds and creating collaboration among Michigan’s seven medical schools, MI CARES was born. Led by Dr. Poland, MI CARES not only trains physician-level addiction specialists in Michigan but across the country. Over 400 physicians in 43 states are currently on the pathway to becoming board-certified in Addiction Medicine. Dr. Poland also leads a special interest grant, GREAT MOMS, which treats pregnant people and their families living with a substance use disorder. A passionate and highly sought-after public speaker and educator, Dr. Poland regularly appears in the media and at community events advocating for those she serves.

Dr. Greenwald is a professor and associate chair for research, directs the Substance Abuse Research Division, its Human Pharmacology Laboratory and the outpatient treatment research clinic in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences at Wayne State University. He is also jointly appointed in the Department of Pharmacy Practice. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has continuously funded his research since 1996. He brings expertise in the fields of psychopharmacology, neuroscience and behavior, and is a content expert in neurobiology for the MI CARES program.

Lia is the curriculum director for the MI CARES program. She brings 15 years of experience in non-profit organization management and the development and implementation of adult education learning tools. She has served as director of maintenance of certification and deputy director for Addiction Medicine board certification. She strives to provide superior guidance to physicians as they navigate the Addiction Medicine certification process and assist with the curriculum development of the MI CARES modules.

Candace brings more than 10 years of experience coordinating and assisting with undergraduate medical education curriculum. She assists the MI CARES team with participant outreach and enrollment. She manages the participant database, CME accreditation, Tracking Tool development, D2L content, and IRB compliance.

Sarah is the newest addition to MI CARES, bringing over 20 years of dynamic professional experience to the program. A writer, an Emmy Award winner, and a Spanish speaker, she’s currently assisting with curriculum development and production, content creation, and public relations. Sarah’s no stranger to healthcare and higher education – with Vanderbilt University Medical Center, she led the outreach and recruitment effort for the long-term genetic research study, SPARK, for nearly three years, engaging over 6,000 participants in that time. She looks forward to making an impact in the Addiction Medicine community and boosting the signal on Dr. Poland’s work.

Heather is honored to serve as the administrative support coordinator for the MI CARES Program. In her previous role, she served as lead medical assistant for Spectrum Health’s Addiction Rehabilitation Program (SHARP). This inspired her to look outside of the box, to become a small piece of something greater; the healing of those living and fighting with a substance use disorder.

Splitting her time between two of Dr. Poland’s grants, MI CARES and GREAT MOMs, Jennie brings over 20 years of healthcare leadership experience to the team. Onboarded to track CME activity and collaborate with Behavioral Health Consultants in Michigan and Michigan Opioid Collaboratives, Jennie’s professional focuses are process improvement, operations management, and program development. Prior to joining MSU, Jennie managed a PFAS research office in Rockford, MI.

Dr. Malinowski is the associate director of the Office of Assessment at the MSU College of Human Medicine. He provides high-level faculty leadership and subject matter expertise in support of the new Shared Discovery Curriculum and leadership on improving functionality and optimizing faculty and student experiences. Malinowski is dedicated to the advancement of medical education and leverages his unique combination of expertise in medicine, technology, and education. He is especially interested in assessment, curriculum design, and educational technology.

Dr. Alan is an Associate Professor in the Pharmacology and Toxicology Program at Michigan State University. In addition to a Ph.D. in Pharmacology, she also holds a PharmD and is a licensed pharmacist in Michigan and two other states. Dr. Alan runs an active research lab focused on neurobiology and drug discovery. She brings expertise in pharmacology, pharmacy practice, toxicology, and neurobiology. She also serves as a member of the National Faculty for the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners (NBOME). Finally, she is extensively trained in educational methods and specializes in active learning.

Dr. Goldstein joined MSU CAPS as a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner in 2019 and is currently the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Program Director at the MSU College of Nursing and an Assistant Professor, where she teaches in the graduate, masters, and doctoral programs. Goldstein serves on the Board for the Mental Health Association of Michigan and is the president-elect for the Michigan Chapter of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association. As the lead faculty in the master’s and doctoral Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Program (PMHNPP), Dr. Goldstein has developed, delivered, and integrated mental health, substance use disorder, and addiction education. She will be integrating MI CARES into her NP-DNP program. Additionally, Goldstein is a U.S. Army Reservist officer assigned to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center and annually serves six weeks in Germany as a Psychiatric NP serving our nation’s soldiers in both inpatient and outpatient settings.