End Overdose's chapter program is vital to our success in equipping young people with lifesaving education and resources. In cities and on college campuses, we trust them to spread the word through a true peer-to-peer model. Our members and volunteers are committing endless hours to End Overdose's cause, whether it's tabling at student events or running booths at concerts across the country, so we want to highlight multiple chapters every month.
Today, we're proud to highlight our Tampa Bay, University of Minnesota, and University of Kentucky chapters! Read on below for interviews with their respective chapter presidents!
UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
What sparked your interest in overdose prevention/response and End Overdose in particular?
My interest in overdose prevention and response evolved from my background in substance use research. I'm currently a PhD candidate in neuroscience studying the basic neural mechanisms underlying learning and decision making, processes that are profoundly disrupted in substance use disorders. As my work is preclinical in nature, I have often felt a disconnect between the research itself and providing direct support to affected populations. I believe this work will ultimately inform effective treatments for substance use disorders, but simultaneously I recognize that many people need immediate, material support and resources aimed at reducing the harms associated with substance use. To that end, I've devoted much of my time outside of research to volunteering with overdose prevention organizations. I first learned about End Overdose specifically through a neuroscience-focused social media creator that I follow (current EO Neuroscience Advisor, Brooke Sanders!). When I discovered that neither the University of Minnesota nor the state of Minnesota as a whole had its own chapter yet, I organized a group of graduate students in my program and applied to establish one ourselves.
Can you describe your experience as the chapter president?
My experience as Chapter President has been a humbling, but deeply fulfilling endeavor. I'm truly fortunate to work with such a passionate and dedicated leadership team that has helped this chapter grow from just an idea into a successful organization. Every person we train and every dose of naloxone or testing strips we distribute serves as a reminder of why this work is so important. Knowing that our efforts can potentially save lives and strengthen our community continues to motivate and inspire me through the challenges.
What are the major highlights from your chapter’s work to date?
I am incredibly proud of everything our chapter has been able to accomplish in our first year! For our first ever event, we collaborated with HACER (Hispanic Advocacy and Community Empowerment through Research) MN on an educational initiative focused on lessening harm associated with opioid use among Minnesota's Latino communities. As part of this event, we delivered a long-form overdose prevention and response training entirely in Spanish (shoutout former Vice President, Ángel Robert!). More recently, we organized a fundraising show in collaboration with Electro Abi's, a local EDM venue. We were given a lot of creative control in organizing the lineup, creating flyers, and connecting with vendors and artists. Our current Vice President, Ciarra Whindleton, not only performed as one of the featured DJs, but also tabled and throughout the event. Our Media Lead, Fleur Uittenbogaard, worked incredibly hard creating all the promotional materials. This was a massive team effort that I think really paid off, and I look forward to putting on similar events in the future!
What do you envision for the future of your chapter?
Our chapter has some big goals for the upcoming year. I think one of our top priorities is strengthening our connections with student organizations and expanding our presence on the University of Minnesota's main campus. As our leadership team is currently composed of graduate students, engaging with the undergraduate population has been one of our biggest challenges. Looking forward, I hope we continue to recruit passionate and motivated volunteers and future leadership members to ensure our chapter remains a thriving organization long after our founding team has moved on.
UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY
What sparked your interest in overdose prevention/response and End Overdose in particular?
I always wanted to get involved on campus with something meaningful. I found End Overdose in the student center tabling and immediately knew it was for me. I am from a very rural area where there are many opioid overdoses, and I have always been passionate about preventing things we see too often that are devastating. Being able to prevent the worst outcome for people I care about and some I don’t even know makes me feel like I am creating real change.
Can you describe your experience as the chapter president?
My experience as chapter president has been nothing but positive. I have had the best team by my side willing to try anything I may have an idea on. My team is also very active in participating and giving advice on new ideas as well. It truly would never work with just one person, it is a team effort, and I am so thankful for mine!
What are the major highlights from your chapter’s work to date?
The major highlights from my chapters work to date would be in September of 2025 when Amya (media lead) and I got to attend healing Appalachia in Ashland Kentucky. We got to see so many incredible artists as well as get to be a part of the same thing end overdose does but on a larger scale specifically in my neck of the woods. It will forever be etched into my mind of how we trained over 25,000 people on how to administer naloxone in the event of an opioid overdose. Amya and I had such a life changing experience getting to be on stage and helping in our communities as we are both from rural areas in Kentucky.
What do you envision for the future of your chapter?
For the future of our chapter, I envision more community involvement. We had talked about it before I graduated, and I can imagine such great things coming from nearby treatment centers and much more. We got to train with some awesome people from voices of hope which is a peer driven support group for individuals and families affected by substance use disorder. Connecting college and community in that aspect was so important and awesome. I can say with confidence that this year's team will be the best that EndOverdose at UKY could have.
TAMPA BAY
What sparked your interest in overdose prevention/response and End Overdose in particular?
My interest in overdose prevention and response comes from both personal experience and a deep commitment to helping others. After losing a close friend to an overdose, I saw firsthand the devastating impact substance use and overdose can have on individuals, families, and entire communities. That loss motivated me to learn more about overdose response, and the barriers people face when seeking support.
As someone who studied Biology at Eckerd College and has worked in a corporate medical environment for several years, I value evidence-based approaches to public health. When I discovered End Overdose, I was drawn to its mission of providing accessible education, overdose response training, and life-saving resources without judgment or stigma. The organization’s focus on compassion, empowerment, and community action aligned closely with my own values.
Can you describe your experience as the chapter president?
My experience as Chapter President has been both challenging and incredibly rewarding. Building and leading the End Overdose Tampa Bay Chapter has required me to navigate obstacles, solve problems, and adapt to new situations, often stepping outside of my comfort zone. While there have been moments that felt overwhelming, each challenge has strengthened my leadership skills and reinforced my commitment to our mission.
What has been most fulfilling is seeing the impact our work has on the community. Whether through education, outreach, partnerships, or overdose response training, knowing that we are helping save lives and reduce stigma makes every effort worthwhile. Despite the challenges, nothing has slowed our progress or diminished our passion. I have genuinely enjoyed every step of this journey and am excited to see how the chapter continues to grow and expand its impact in the future.
What are the major highlights from your chapter’s work to date?
One of the most meaningful highlights of our chapter’s work has been the connections we have built within the community and the stories people have shared with us. Being recognized at events, hearing from individuals who attended our trainings, and learning how they have applied the knowledge and skills we taught in real-life situations has been incredibly rewarding.
The gratitude and support we have received from community members continue to reinforce the importance of our mission. Knowing that our education and outreach efforts have empowered people to respond confidently in an overdose emergency and potentially save lives is the greatest measure of our impact. More than any statistic, these personal stories and expressions of appreciation have been the most notable and inspiring highlights of our work to date.
What do you envision for the future of your chapter?
I envision the future of the End Overdose Tampa Bay Chapter as one of continued growth, greater community impact, and expanded access to life-saving education and resources. My goal is to increase our presence throughout the Tampa Bay area by building strong partnerships with local organizations, businesses, schools, and community groups that share our commitment to overdose prevention and public health.
I hope to see our chapter become a trusted resource where people can access overdose prevention training, naloxone education, and compassionate support without fear of judgment or stigma. As we continue to grow, I want to amplify community voices, create more opportunities for education and advocacy, and help foster a culture where saving lives and supporting one another is a shared responsibility. Ultimately, I envision a future where our chapter empowers more people to take action, strengthens community connections, and contributes to reducing overdose deaths across our region.
