Pubdate: Sun, 06 Jan 2008
Source: Times Leader  (Wilkes-Barre, PA)
Copyright: 2008 The Times Leader
Contact:  http://www.timesleader.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/933
Author: Sherry Long

ENTHUSIASM SPEAKS VOLUMES

New Director Of LCCC's Institute Plans Seminars, Other Programs

NANTICOKE - Although she's young, don't  underestimate Michelle McCabe
Piazza's desire to lead  the Substance Abuse Education and Training
Institute at  Luzerne County Community College.

On the job less than six weeks as the institute's first  director,
Piazza has already scheduled 10 seminars to  be held at the college
this year.

If Piazza has her way, the institute will eventually  reach beyond the
Nanticoke campus by holding seminars  at LCCC's other satellite
campuses, community centers,  creating a Students Against Drunk
Driving campus  organization, organizing a month-long Substance Abuse
Awareness Month and developing a curriculum to offer an  associate's
degree in drug counseling.

The newly married 26-year-old Berwick native is not  satisfied to
focus just on educating the public  regarding illegal drug and alcohol
addictions. She  envisions the institute will also bring awareness to
other addictions including: gambling, over-the-counter  medications,
prescription and synthetic or club drugs.

"That's our goal -- to provide information to the  community and
professionals at large that it doesn't  have to be illegal to be
harmful. We don't just stop at  illegal drugs. Street drugs, over the
counter and  prescription drugs, they're an issue too," said Piazza,
who is also a member of the Berwick Area School  District Drug Task
Force.

She said it's important not to just serve as a regional  training
center for drug counselors, but also reach out  to the community
– to parents, school teachers  and recovering addicts.

"I not only want to bring people in from the outside to  help with our
professionals, but also to have our  professionals help with the
community," Piazza said.

Through her efforts, the institute is partnering with  the Michael
Cleary Foundation to bring attention to  soldiers suffering from
post-traumatic stress disorder  and how it relates to addictions. She
hopes seminars  co-sponsored by the Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs and
the  institute will help people suffering from gambling  addictions,
as well as educate counselors.

The institute is also forming a bond with the state's  Department of
Health's Bureau of Drug and Alcohol  Program to provide mini-regional
training workshops  throughout the year. Registrations for the state
seminars are free and open to the general public,  Piazza said.

Talks are under way to bring in a pharmacist to present  workshops to
educate police officers on how to identify  new street drugs, she said.

In addition to setting up new partnerships, Piazza is  also busy
planning the institute's second annual  Alcohol and Other Drug Studies
conference, to be held  in July.

Last year, when she served as assistant to Joe Grilli,  the college's
vice president, Training Institutes  External Affairs and Planning,
she was responsible for  organizing the institute's first four-day
educational  conference targeting professionals working in the drug
and alcohol treatment field. Grilli oversees the  institute.

She coordinated all the training seminars, speakers'  schedules and
travel arrangements and ensured  professionals attending the workshops
received their  proper certificates and continuing education credits.

After working with the program as Grilli's assistant,  she knew this
was a career she could pour her passion  into using her business
administration background.

So, the daughter-in-law of LCCC Board Trustee August  Piazza submitted
her resume and underwent the same  employment review process as 19
other applicants.

After several months, the hiring committee decided she  would be the
best director based on her business  administration background and
expertise at coordinating  last year's conference.

The institute works closely with the county's Luzerne  and Wyoming
Counties Drug and Alcohol Program led by  Mike Donahue.

He was not involved in the college's hiring process,  but said he felt
the committee made the right choice.

"I think Michelle Piazza will do an excellent job in  making the drug
and alcohol institute a success that  will help this area for many,
many years to come,"  Donahue said, adding she was instrumental in
coordinating last year's conference.

Profile

Who: Michelle McCabe Piazza

Title: Director, Substance Abuse Education and Training  Institute

Age: 26

Bachelor's Degree: College Misericordia, Business  Administration, May 2007
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MAP posted-by: Derek