The center works in partnership with federal agencies, state and local government, and public and private sector organizations to prevent the onset of illegal drug use, alcohol abuse and tobacco use by building resilience among young people and promoting protective factors in communities nationwide.
Prior to Joining SAMHSA, Watts Davis was the Senior Vice President of United Way of San Antonio and Bexar County, as well as Executive Director of its San Antonio Fighting Back Anti-Drug Community Coalition. She has extensive experience with managing and administrating multi-site community grant programs and comprehensive prevention, early intervention projects targeted to: children and adolescents; ethnic minorities; pregnant and postpartum women; and ex-prisoners reentering society.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Tommy G. Thompson said, "I have made disease prevention and health promotion a top priority for HHS, and Beverly Watts Davis’ passion and commitment will help us do even more to reach out to young people and their families and help our youth stay away from drugs, alcohol and tobacco and lead healthy productive lives."
John Walters, Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, said that "Beverly Watts Davis’ demonstrated commitment and expertise in substance abuse prevention will help us continue to reduce drug use among young people. Her experience and energy, combined with valuable knowledge of the strengths and challenges in local communities, will play a vital role in realizing the President’s goal of reducing drug use by 25 percent in five years."
Identifying Effective Programs
Administrator Charles G. Curie said, "I am truly excited to have Beverly Watts Davis on SAMHSA’s executive team. Her proven leadership and extensive experience in community mobilization will be pivotal as we work to reinvigorate CSAP and design and implement a strategic framework for prevention in communities nationwide."Watts Davis has served as the Principal Investigator for Center for Disease Control and Prevention Health Promotion Grants and as a Co-Principal Investigator for the University of Texas Health Science Center’s Community Outreach Partnership Center Grant. Previously Watts Davis was a consultant to and later named Director of Community Health for the Travis County, Texas Health Department. She got her start in the field of substance abuse prevention in 1988 when she served as the Statewide Coordinator for Texans’ War on Drugs, where she provided training, technical assistance, and community mobilization services for communities throughout Texas, and directed the statewide Red Ribbon Campaign.
She will lead the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention at a time when the center is working to identify prevention programs that are effective and can be replicated across the country. She will also be working to prevent substance abuse in the work place and to promote state activities that prevent sale of cigarettes and other tobacco products to minors.
Watts Davis received her bachelor's degree in economics, political science, and social sciences from Trinity University in San Antonio and is pursuing her M.A. in management and human resources from Webster University in Jeffersonville, Indiana.
Source: SAMSHA News Release
