Fentanyl is not a left vs. right issue. It is a human issue. We must be United Against Fentanyl.
our approach
We are non-partisan
We focus on ending supply
We focus ending demand
We focus on ending stigma
why we exist
United Against Fentanyl is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that preserves and protects humanity with a focus on combating the fentanyl/synthetic drug crisis. We focus on three primary areas.
Organizing survivors, organizations, and elected officials to bring change
Driving awareness of common sense bi-partisan legislation
Fighting for comprehensive solutions, from education to enforcement
Though the word fentanyl is well known in the nation today, the vast majority of people don’t understand its dangers.
To fill the void, UAF will work on two primary fronts: the first is prevention. We aim to be the global leader on creating content and mediums to educate people, especially of the insidious outcomes when unsuspecting people use fentanyl that was “cut” into what they believed to be another substance. The second is foreign and domestic policy.
76 million
In 2023, DEA seized more than 76 million pills containing fentanyl and more than 12,000 pounds of fentanyl powder. This equates to nearly 384 million potentially deadly doses of fentanyl that never reached our communities.
usafacts.org
EDUCATION is everything. Illicit fentanyl is different and will require a different approach to saving lives.
Confronting the epidemic is going to take more than disrupting the supply and getting people into treatment. Innovative, and even controversial modalities in prevention and harm reduction must be part of the policy discussion.
We must stop at nothing to DISRUPT SUPPLY from foreign nations, manufacturers, and dealers.
The flow of fentanyl into the United States is more diverse and complex today compared to the start of the fentanyl crisis in 2014. New source countries and new transit countries emerging as significant trafficking nodes. This is exacerbating the already multi-faceted fentanyl crisis by introducing additional source countries into the global supply chain of fentanyl, fentanyl-related substances, and fentanyl precursors.
United Against Fentanyl Synopsis
Learn more about United Against Fentanyl and our national call for change.
After decades in humanitarian work, I thought I had seen it all. But fentanyl was different — the leading killer of 18-45-year-olds today, over 20 high students every week, many not realizing the pill they were about to take had been laced. I moved near an epicenter, Española, New Mexico, to work with teens and homeless men and women addicted to fentanyl. In a meeting, a social worker looked me in the eyes and said, “We long for the days of heroin.”
Paul’s work has always centered on ameliorating physical, emotional, and spiritual human suffering. He’s formally trained in philosophical ethics and has served in senior roles in nonprofit causes, nationally and internationally.
He launched United Against Fentanyl on behalf of victims he’s met—those currently addicted and those who have lost children to fentanyl poisoning.
He holds a BA in philosophy from UCLA and an MA in philosophy, religion, and ethics from Talbot School of Theology at Biola University.
Board Chair
Ken Fisher
Ken Fisher
Ken Fisher is Assistant Vice President, Corporate Development at Pacific Life, where he has developed strategy and pursued acquisitions that now generate more than 25 % of company earnings. Ken is an actuary and his analyses of synthetic‑opioid mortality has fueled his commitment to United Against Fentanyl’s lifesaving mission. Ken also serves as treasurer of the Friendly Center, advancing dignity and opportunity for vulnerable families. He earned a BS in Mathematics from California State University, Long Beach, and pursued graduate studies in biostatistics at UCLA.
Board
Richard Baum
Richard Baum
Board
Jason Lavin
Jason Lavin
Jason Lavin is the CEO and Founder of GoldenCommunications, a website development firm and marketing agency with four offices on three continents, with headquarters in Newport Beach, CA. GoldenComm clients are national and international and include both government and private sectors.
Through his leadership and the work of his team, Jason has provided United Against Fentanyl with a platform to share all the work they are doing in the States and around the world. Jason is a graduate of the University of Southern California.
Brad’s career is in aerospace quality management, leadership design and instruction, and executive development. He has also spent over 30 years focusing on homeless prevention, Christian ethics, and public theology. Brad holds a BA in Medical Anthropology from Stanford University and an MDiv from Fuller Theological Seminary. Today, he lives in Durham, North Carolina. He has recently worked on gun safety initiatives with partners that include Duke University.
Brad is married to Jane Hightower. They are the proud parents of six adult children.
Board
Kory Olsen
Kory Olsen
Kory Olsen is Vice President and Appointed Actuary at Pacific Life, where he certifies reserve adequacy and helps safeguard the company’s ability to meet long-term policyholder obligations. In this role, he has observed the growing impact of synthetic opioids on mortality trends and their financial consequences for individuals and families. Beyond his professional responsibilities, Kory is an active community volunteer, serving with Robyne’s Nest, an organization that helps at-risk and homeless students complete high school and build stable, independent lives. His work reflects a commitment to addressing complex societal challenges through prevention, education, and community support. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Drake University.
Advisory Board
Kristen Breton
Kristen Breton
Kristen spent five years working in emergency departments and on crisis teams as a social worker, specializing in behavioral health and substance misuse issues. Most recently, Kristen became the National Advocacy Director with Harbor Path, a non-profit organization focusing on naloxone education and implementation programs. For the past twenty years, Kristen has been working in the pharmaceutical industry, specifically educating on buprenorphine and naloxone specific integrations.
Kristen has a communications degree from Westfield State and a master’s degree from Providence College.
Jonathan Alpeyrie has worked as a freelancer for publications and websites, such as the Sunday Times, Le Figaro Magazine, ELLE, American Photo, GLAMOUR, Le Monde, and BBC. His career spans over a decade and has taken him to over 36 countries. He has covered 14 conflict zone assignments in the Middle East and North Africa, the South Caucasus, Europe, North America, and Central Asia. Jonathan is now covering the drug wars. He is a graduate of the University of Chicago.
Jim Crotty works in the Trust and Safety Outreach department at META. He has over 16 years of professional experience spanning the public and private sectors, including over 12 years at the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. Mr. Crotty currently serves as an Adjunct Professor at American University’s School of Public Affairs. He is a member of the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime (GI-TOC) Network of Experts.
He holds a JD from the University of Alabama School of Law, MA in Political Science from Boston College, and BA in Political Science from Auburn University, summa cum laude.
As the third highest-ranking official in the Drug Enforcement Administration, Mr. Donovan retired in 2023 after 28 years. He is credited for the capture of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzman. He served as Chief of Operations, overseeing all enforcement operations worldwide. Previously, he served as Special Agent in charge of the DEA’s New York division, the central office of the DEA for handling the highest level of narcotics, money laundering, and narco-terrorism cases globally. He also served as Special Agent in charge of the DEA special operations division, the central point of all counter-narcotic operations, government-wide.
Advisory Board
Ioan Grillo
Ioan Grillo
A native of England, Ioan Grillo has covered Mexico since 2000. He reports for Time Magazine and produces presentations for stations including PBS, ABC, and Channel 4 of the UK. He regularly appears on radio and TV, commenting on Mexican crime and other issues. He has witnessed police and military operations, mafia killings, and major seizures; he’s also discussed the drug war with two Mexican presidents, three attorney generals, and the U.S. ambassador, among others.
Ryan Macaulay serves as CEO of Epic Sports LLC and as SVP and co-head of Brand Innovators. His work is rooted in professional sports and entertainment. For nearly 20 years, Ryan has procured and led partnerships, sponsorships, marketing deals, collaborations, and referral business with a global network of top brands, high-profile athletes, and celebrities. He brings a deep passion for uniting like-minded and like-hearted influencers for the greater good. He is a graduate of Dennison University.
Dr. O’Brien is an Associate Professor in the Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, serving as Medical Director for the spine. He lost his son Nicholas to a fentanyl-laced vape pen in 2022. He is fellowship-trained, has held four Board Certifications, including pain medicine, has given presentations in numerous countries, serves on the editorial board for two medical journals, and has authored articles and book chapters. He has served in leadership positions as an officer and board member for two international, non-profit medical societies.
He is a graduate of Indiana University School of Medicine.
Advisory Board
Gerald Posner
Gerald Posner
Gerald Posner is the author of thirteen acclaimed books, including New York Times nonfiction bestsellers Case Closed, Why America Slept and God’s Bankers. Posner was a finalist for the Pulitzer in History. “A merciless pitbull of an investigator” concluded the Chicago Tribune. The New York Times said his latest book (2020), PHARMA, was “a withering and encyclopedic indictment of a drug industry that often seems to prioritize profits over patients…”
He received his BA from UC Berkeley and law degree from Hastings Law School.
Andrea Romero is a daughter of Northern New Mexico—a norteña, her family goes back hundreds of years in el norte. Andrea graduated from Stanford University with a degree in Political Science and a J.D. from UNM School of Law. She has dedicated herself to the growth of Northern New Mexico’s economic and environmental vitality as a State Legislator for HD-46. She is an Opioid Policy Fellow. with the National Conference of State Legislators. Currently, Andrea works in place-based impact investing, and as an entrepreneur in the probiotics space, with one patent issued on healthy probiotics eggs.
Matt Bays is an entrepreneur and venture capitalist. He has launched several companies including Adaptive Shelters, LLC, bringing modular residential structures to aid in the affordable housing crisis, and Lab Clean Inc., a line of eco-friendly household cleaners, as well as AmeriPak Industries and Tatum Logistics. He also volunteers as business instructor and mentor at Valley High School, in Santa Ana, California. He is a graduate of the University of Arizona.
Advisory Board
Debbie Weir
Debbie Weir
Debbie Weir brings over 35 years of experience in public health and social advocacy. As CEO of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), she led efforts to combat impaired driving, support victims, and expand services. Later, as Chief Mission Officer at Everytown for Gun Safety, she helped grow the grassroots network to 50 chapters and 8 million supporters. She played a key role in Moms Demand Action and the Everytown Survivor Network. Debbie is dedicated to saving lives and driving transformational change.
Advisory Board
Kirk Robinson
Kirk Robinson
Kirk Robinson the former Executive Vice President and President of North America at Ingram Micro, a fortune 100 company. He joined in 1993 and rose through various roles, including sales, marketing, and business intelligence. Robinson was instrumental in shaping Ingram Micro’s U.S. strategy and operations, overseeing significant initiatives like the Xvantage digital experience platform. He is a graduate of Long Beach State and received the 2024 Channel Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions to the industry. Robinson retired from Ingram Micro in 2024, leaving a legacy of innovation and leadership in the IT channel ecosystem.
