Unraveling the Deadly Grip of Fentanyl on America & The World

The World Affairs Council of Orange County presents:

Unraveling the Deadly Grip of Fentanyl on America & The World

featuring:

State Senator Tom Umberg

California is facing an unprecedented drug crisis both in scale and nature, requiring timely legislative responses. Fentanyl, a type of synthetic opioid, is responsible for over two-thirds of drug-related deaths, which spiked last year to 21,000 in California alone. The crisis is especially prevalent in Orange County, with deaths by fentanyl overdose reported to have gone up by 177%, and more potent analogs of fentanyl continued to be found. Moreover, fentanyl is often unknowingly consumed by individuals who believe they are taking other drugs, meaning that the fatal risk of a fentanyl overdose is not taken into consideration by those accidentally taking them, resulting in preventable deaths. Fentanyl precursors are largely sourced from abroad, in places like China and India, which are then shipped to Mexico, where most production takes place. Collaboration with these countries to crack down on fentanyl’s production and movement is integral if wish to halt the fentanyl epidemic in the United States.

To tackle this urgent crisis, Senator Tom Umberg proposes several legislative measures: Senate Bill 60, aimed at preventing drug sales on social media, a main outlet for illicit drugs for the youth; Senate Bill 250, expanding the 9-1-1 Good Samaritan Law and providing fentanyl immunity, encouraging people to report their dealers; Senate Concurrent Resolution 39, establishing National Fentanyl Awareness Day; and Senate Bill 44, also known as Alexandra’s Law, which aims to hold fentanyl sellers accountable for homicide and prevent fentanyl-related deaths through warnings.

An In-Person Dinner Event

Date & Time:

Wednesday, September 20, 2023

5:30 PM: Reception

6:30 PM: Dinner & Main Program

Location:

To be announced at a later date

Tickets:

To be announced at a later date

Thank you to our community partner, ClearSaves!

ClearSaves is an altruistic nonprofit endeavor fervently committed to engendering positive change within society by championing harm reduction. Through its innovative modus operandi, ClearSaves aspires to furnish the populace with vital resources that facilitate the safeguarding of human lives from the perilous peripheries of the opioid crisis. Check out the ClearSaves table at our event for resources and information on how you can help.

Thank you to our community partner, FentanylSolution.org!

FentanylSolution.org’s mission is to deliver comprehensive education, powerful advocacy, and unwavering community support to eradicate fentanyl deaths in the United States. Let us know how we can partner with you or your organization to make a difference. Check out the Fentanyl Solution booth at our event for more information and resources on the fentanyl crisis!

Speaker Bio: Thomas J. Umberg

State Senator Thomas J. Umberg is the Chair of the Senate’s Judiciary Committee. He is a retired U.S. Army Colonel, former federal criminal prosecutor, four-term state legislator, small business owner, and was the Deputy Drug Czar for President Clinton.

Senator Umberg began his military service at the Korean DMZ and was deployed overseas for three tours – totaling over five years. In addition to his overseas deployments, Colonel Umberg was assigned as a paratrooper with the Army Special Operations Command and the XVIII Airborne Corps.

As a federal and military prosecutor, Senator Umberg prosecuted numerous white collar, civil rights, murder, and sexual assault crimes. He successfully tried over 100 cases to verdict or judgment.

Senator Umberg served as Deputy Drug Czar for President Bill Clinton where he was responsible for foreign drug interdiction, counter-drug intelligence, and international drug policy. Umberg has a deep understanding of the strategies and resources we need to stop the current opioid epidemic and to put an end to senseless gun violence in our communities.

Senator Umberg also served three terms in the State Assembly, representing central Orange County. During this time, he worked across party lines, authored 76 laws, and brought more than $563 million in funds to Orange County.

Senator Umberg founded and built a successful veteran-owned small business in Orange County, recognized as one of California’s preeminent boutique law firms by Best Lawyers and The Daily Journal. Senator Umberg knows how to run a business and is a strong advocate for local business owners helping them to cut red tape and streamline unnecessary regulation.

Senator Umberg and his wife, Brigadier General (retired) Robin Umberg, have three children and seven grandchildren.

Education:

University of California, Los Angeles – Bachelor of Arts
University of California, College of Law, San Francisco – Juris Doctor
US Army War College — Master of Strategic Studies

Committees:

Chair of Senate Standing Committee on Judiciary
Senate Military and Veterans Affairs Committee
Senate Housing Committee
Senate Transportation Committee
Joint Committee on Rules

Speaker Bio: Judge (ret.) James Gray

Jim Gray retired after serving as a trial court judge for 25 years here in Orange County. After graduating from UCLA he was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Costa Rica, and after graduating from USC Law School

served as a criminal defense attorney in the US Navy JAG Corps. Thereafter he was a federal prosecutor in Los Angeles. While on the Court he founded Peer Court, which now takes real juvenile delinquency cases to 14 Orange County high schools, where they empanel a jury of high school students who ask questions to the subject, who has already acknowledged involvement in the offenses. Then that jury recommends a sentence to a real judge and, if the subject successfully completes the sentence, the underlying charges are dismissed, and the subject does not have a record. Judge Gray is committed to the WACOC, and is one of its prior chairs.

Unraveling the Deadly Grip of Fentanyl on America & the World

The World Affairs Council of Orange County presents:

Unraveling the Deadly Grip of Fentanyl on America & The World featuring:

State Senator Tom Umberg

California is facing an unprecedented drug crisis both in scale and nature, requiring timely legislative responses. Fentanyl, a type of synthetic opioid, is responsible for over two-thirds of drug-related deaths, which spiked last year to 21,000 in California alone. The crisis is especially prevalent in Orange County, with deaths by fentanyl overdose reported to have gone up by 177%, and more potent analogs of fentanyl continued to be found. Moreover, fentanyl is often unknowingly consumed by individuals who believe they are taking other drugs, meaning that the fatal risk of a fentanyl overdose is not taken into consideration by those accidentally taking them, resulting in preventable deaths. Fentanyl precursors are largely sourced from abroad, in places like China and India, which are then shipped to Mexico, where most production takes place. Collaboration with these countries to crack down on fentanyl’s production and movement is integral if wish to halt the fentanyl epidemic in the United States.

To tackle this urgent crisis, Senator Tom Umberg proposes several legislative measures: Senate Bill 60, aimed at preventing drug sales on social media, a main outlet for illicit drugs for the youth; Senate Bill 250, expanding the 9-1-1 Good Samaritan Law and providing fentanyl immunity, encouraging people to report their dealers; Senate Concurrent Resolution 39, establishing National Fentanyl Awareness Day; and Senate Bill 44, also known as Alexandra’s Law, which aims to hold fentanyl sellers accountable for homicide and prevent fentanyl-related deaths through warnings.

An In-Person Dinner Event

Date & Time:

Wednesday, September 20, 2023

5:30 PM: Reception

6:30 PM: Main Program & Q&A

Location:
Pavilion A
CSUF Titan Student Union
800 N. State College Blvd.
Fullerton, CA 92831

Tickets:
Early Bird Registration!
Register by Sept 13 to receive discounted ticket prices.
Discounted prices below:
Members: $45
Non-members: $65
Young Professionals members: $35
Students: Free

Register Here!

Thank you to our community partner, ClearSaves!

ClearSaves is an altruistic nonprofit endeavor fervently committed to engendering positive change within society by championing harm reduction. Through its innovative modus operandi, ClearSaves aspires to furnish the populace with vital resources that facilitate the safeguarding of human lives from the perilous peripheries of the opioid crisis.

Check out the ClearSaves table at our event for resources and information on how you can help.

Thank you to our community partner, FentanylSolution.org!

FentanylSolution.org’s mission is to deliver comprehensive education, powerful advocacy, and unwavering community support to eradicate fentanyl deaths in the United States.

Check out the Fentanyl Solution booth at our event for more information and resources on the fentanyl crisis!

Fentanyl Awareness Rally

3rd Annual Eric Kemp Memorial Golf Tornament

Sparky Alliance – Igniting Awareness/Inspiring Change is hosting their 3rd Annual ‘Eric Kemp Memorial Gold Tournament’ on Sunday, August 27, 2023 at the Cross Creek Golf Club 43860 Glen Meadows Road, Temecula, CA 92590. Shotgun start is at 8:30am. Contact Jeff Kemp to register by August 13th at (951) 818-6678. Details will be emailed out by August 20th to all registrants. Registration fee is $125 per person. Pay fee via Venmo @therealjeffkemp.
The registration fee includes:
– 18 holes, cart fees, and range balls
– EJK Gift
– Taco Bar Lunch
– 1 Raffle Ticket

2 man scramble closest to the pin longest drive.
Hole-in-one wins a free car sponsored by Pedder Auto Group!

This event is in partnership with DrugInducedHomicide.org. All proceeds will be allocated towards funding the efforts aimed at passing Alexandra’s Law.

Meet our Board Members!

OFFICERS

Janice M. Celeste

President & CEO

Janice M. Celeste has focused her professional experience on startups and communications. She supported parents dealing with substance addiction to ensure their children’s successful development while at the Philadelphia Child Guidance Center.

Sen. Pat Bates

Chairperson

Patricia Bates retired from the 36th Senate District, which encompasses Orange County (O.C.) and parts of San Diego counties. She was one of the original authors of early fentanyl legislation.

Tritia Foster   

Treasurer

Tritia Foster is a partner at Davis Farr, LLP, a CPA firm, where she specializes in working with non-profit organizations. She has a personal interest in ending the illicit fentanyl epidemic.

Chelsie Ilar       

Secretary

Chelsie Ilar is the Chief Marketing Officer at a prominent Orange County company dedicated to advancing substance abuse and mental health awareness.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Tina Burke           

Mother & Activist

Tina Burke is an Orange County mother and activist. Her 21-year-old son was poisoned with a fentanyl-laced counterfeit pill. She works diligently to raise awareness about the dangers of counterfeit pills to help others avoid similar tragedies.

Annette M. Malinowski

Newport Beach Chamber Member Service Director

Annette M. Malinowski has extensive experience in entrepreneurship, sales and community leadership. She also lost her daughter to fentanyl poisoning and works to seek justice by spreading awareness.

Scott Baugh         

Attorney & Politician

Scott Baugh served as the CA Assembly Republican Leader, Assemblyman, and Chairing the Orange County Republican Party. He founded organizations like the O.C. Marathon foundation and owns Scott Baugh & Associates

Mayor Farrah N. Khan

Mayor of Irvine

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

Ret. Assistant Dean & Chief of Staff UC Irvine

 Court Crowther, a former Peace Corps Volunteer and experimental psychologist, retired after 21 years as a higher education administrator at UC Irvine. He enhanced graduate diversity, managed 

federal grants, and champions marginalized communities through FentanylSolution.org board membership.

Gabriel Dima-Smith

Public Affairs Strategist

Orange County Power Authority

Gabriel Dima-Smith, a seasoned public affairs strategist at Orange County Power Authority, utilizes a decade’s expertise in

steering government relations. With a Public Policy degree from California State University and pursuing a Master’s in Public Administration, he’s committed to preventing tragic fentanyl-related losses following the loss of his closest friend in 2021.

Matt Markley

IT/ Cybersecurity Leader/Mentor

Matt Markley, an IT and cybersecurity veteran of 25+ years, holds a master’s in Information Systems and advanced InfoSec certifications. Beyond his tech career, he pursued his initial passion—teaching.

In 2022, he tragically lost his beloved 18 year-old, Jax, to counterfeit pills, fueling his mission to combat opioid crises, dismantle stigmas, and found Justice for Jax, focusing on empathy and analytics in this battle.

HONORARY BOARD MEMBERS

Amy Neville         

Mother & Activist

Amy Neville is a California mother whose 14-year-old son died of fentanyl poisoning from a counterfeit pill that was purchased on Snapchat. She tirelessly gives talks and testifies by sharing their story.