Meet Our Board of Directors

Janice M. Celeste is a dedicated advocate for children and families, with a background as an early childhood specialist and parent educator at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. With experience in public school teaching, broadcast communications, and executive positions in publishing, she brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to her work. Celeste is particularly passionate about ending the fentanyl epidemic and is a valuable asset in the fight against it.

Patricia C. Bates is a retired California State Senator who represented the 36th Senate District and served from 2014 to 2022. Bates was an active member of several committees during her time in office, including the Senate Committee on Health, the Senate Committee on Public Safety, and the Senate Committee on Transportation and Housing. Throughout her career, she focused on improving public safety, protecting the environment, promoting economic growth, and authored bills that were signed into law, including legislation to address opioid abuse and to increase access to affordable housing. Bates also actively volunteers and serves on the boards of local non-profits in her community.

Tritia Foster is a certified public accountant and partner with Davis Farr, LLC. She has more than 12 years of experience in public accounting and auditing, with a focus on healthcare and government contractors. She has a wealth of knowledge in areas such as Medicare Advantage, Prescription Drug Plan, and PACE audits, as well as SOC examinations, financial and compliance audits, cost incurred audits, and Agreed-Upon Procedures. Foster is a member of the AICPA and the California Society of CPAs, and earned her Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from Chapman University.

Amy Neville is a yoga and fitness instructor, small business owner, and mother of two children from Laguna Niguel. Her first-born son, Alexander, passed away tragically at age fourteen after consuming a fake prescription pill laced with illicit fentanyl, which he had bought via social media. Amy works hard raising awareness about the dangers of fentanyl and other opioids, pursuing legislation at the state level, and actively working with various school districts and PTA organizations to inform parents, students, and the public. She is the President of the Alexander Neville Foundation (ANF), dedicated to preventing other families from experiencing the pain and loss she has endured.

Tina Burke is a drug awareness and prevention advocate who tragically lost her son, Christian, in 2020 to a counterfeit pill laced with a fatal amount of fentanyl. She has dedicated her life to educating people about the dangers of drugs and the prevalence of fentanyl in them. Tina has connected with various activist groups across the United States, participated in events and protests, helped pass new bills in Congress, and given presentations to schools and teachers to raise awareness about drug risks and equip institutions with Naloxone to save lives.

Annette Malinowski is a B.A. Business Management graduate from CSUF with experience in entrepreneurship, sales, and community leadership. She served as Board Member and Ambassador Chair at the Laguna Beach Chamber of Commerce for 7 years as well as Chamber Member and Ambassador at Newport Beach/Laguna Beach Chamber of Commerce for 10 years. Additionally, she served on the Boys & Girls Club of Central OC's Gala Fundraiser Committee. Annette is currently the Member Services Director for The Chamber of Newport Beach, and has over 13 years of experience in business and digital marketing consulting, as well as 19 years of experience in Hospitality Technology Sales and Project Management.

Scott Baugh is a distinguished individual with notable achievements across various fields. He served as the California Assembly Republican Leader and represented Orange County as a California Assemblyman. Baugh chaired the Orange County Republican Party and played vital roles in organizations like OCGRIP, the George T. Pfleger Foundation, Pacifica Christian High School of Orange County, and the Institute for Fair Elections. He also founded the OC Marathon Foundation and served as a founding board member of Angel Force USA. Baugh's public service extends to owning and operating Scott Baugh & Associates, a business law firm.

Mayor Farrah became the 23rd Mayor of Irvine in November 2020, securing the highest-ever mayoral votes. She shattered barriers as the first woman of color and Muslim woman to lead a major US city. Re-elected in 2022. Khan, who started in biotech, focuses on innovation, safety, climate action, and community wellness. Notably, she led COVID-19 efforts, diversity initiatives, and urban development during her tenure. Khan’s dedication is evident in her roles in education and municipal boards. She champions Irvine’s progress on a broader stage through affiliations with major city associations.

Court Crowther served as a U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer in the Philippines, an experimental research psychologist, and a university educator. Recently retired after 21 years as a higher education administrator at UC Irvine's Graduate Division, he helped enhance graduate student diversity as Assistant Dean. Proud of managing a federal Dept. of Education grant, he aimed to boost success for gifted UCI undergrads from low API high schools. With all his education, including an M.B.A. and Ph.D. in Cognitive Sciences, completed at UCI, Court's passion lies in aiding marginalized communities. He expresses this through FentanlySolution.org's Board of Directors membership.

Gabriel Dima-Smith is a public affairs strategist with 10 years of experience building and executing successful government relations and communications strategies to assist companies, nonprofits, and water districts in growing their operation while avoiding regulatory problems that can slow growth and add costs. He currently works at Orange County Power Authority as an External Affairs Manager. Dima-Smith is a member of the Public Affairs Council and has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Policy from California State University, Pomona, and is finishing his Master's in Public Administration at Claremont Lincoln University. In 2021 he lost his closest friend to fentanyl poisoning and is working diligently to prevent others from experiencing a devastating loss.

Matt Markley is an IT and cybersecurity leader/mentor, with over 25 years in the industry. He owns a master's degree in Information Systems as well as several advanced InfoSec certifications. He also has experience teaching in public schools, his first career passion. In late 2022, he lost his beloved 18 year old, Jax to fake prescription pills containing fentanyl, purchased via social media. His mission now is to understand and combat every angle of the illicit opioid crisis, with special interest in defeating the social stigmas attached to drug addiction, mental health issues -- and more broadly the destructive effects of "otherism" on our young people that seems to fuel this epidemic. Driven by the belief that no one should suffer alone or feel that a path to self-destruction (e.g., fentanyl use) is inescapable, he recently founded Justice for Jax, focused on amplifying empathy and support across affected groups. He is also working on bringing the power of data analytics to our collective fight against illicit opioids.