Keynote Speaker

Valerie B. Yerger, ND is a licensed naturopathic doctor and Associate Professor in Health Policy at the University of California, San Francisco. She is a former Health Disparities Scholar of the National Institutes of Health. The overarching goal of Dr. Yerger’s work is to frame the disproportionate burden of tobacco among marginalized communities as a social injustice and to inform public health policies so they effectively reach and engage these communities. Her research of previously secret tobacco documents uncovered the tobacco industry’s relationship with African American leadership groups, the accumulation of nicotine in tissues containing melanin, the disproportionate marketing of menthol cigarettes in inner-city communities, and tobacco companies’ in-house research on the use of menthol as an additive in cigarettes. Dr. Yerger provided expert testimony to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and its Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee on the use of menthol as an additive in cigarettes. Dr. Yerger has been a key expert involved in many local educational and advocacy efforts to restrict the sale of menthol cigarettes and other flavored tobacco products. She has also examined potential challenges of implementing a citywide smokefree multiunit housing ordinance in a diverse urban city. Currently, Dr. Yerger oversees a statewide project, “The LOOP,” funded by the California Tobacco Control Program (CTCP). The LOOP provides trainings and “tailored assistance” to other CTCP-funded projects to help them connect, communicate, and collaborate with the state’s underserved populations. Dr. Yerger has served on the California Tobacco Education and Research Oversight Committee (TEROC). She is also a founding member of the African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council. Dr. Yerger is the past recipient of numerous awards, including the Truth Initiative’s Sybil G. Jacobs Award for Outstanding Use of Tobacco Industry Documents, CTCP’s Carol M. Russell Award for Leadership and Vision in Tobacco Control, and the 2018 UCSF Chancellor Award for Public Service. Dr. Yerger’s work has been featured in a number of peer-reviewed journals, including Journal of Nicotine and Tobacco Research; American Journal of Public Health; Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Behavior; Journal of the National Medical Association; Tobacco Control; and Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved.

Libations and Drumming

Gregory Hodge is a social change activist and organizational development consultant with Khepera Consulting. Working as a strategist, meeting designer, racial equity trainer, facilitator and coach, Gregory works with a range of groups from small non-profits and foundations to public agencies, particularly school districts and foundations. Greg currently serves as the Executive Director for the Executives’ Alliance for Boys and Men of Color. He also works as the Chief Network Officer for the Oakland-based Brotherhood of Elders Network and is a coordinating partner in designing the Healing Generations Institute with the National Compadres Network.  

His clients include the Association of Black Foundation Executives, The California Endowment and Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation. As a leader in his community, Gregory served two four-year terms as a member of the Oakland Unified School District Board of Education beginning in January 2000, including a year as president of the board. Greg is a Fulbright-Hayes Fellow, recipient of the Gerbode Fellowship and board chair of the Rockwood Leadership Institute. He is a proud father of five, active gardener and lives in Oakland, California.

Spoken Word Poetry

Alexis Williams is an 18 year old theater student at Monterey Peninsula College.  Alexis likes to paint and play video games for fun.  Alexis has a 3-year old guinea pig name Gilbert.  Alexis is currently earning her Associates Degree for Transfer in Theater, English, & Psychology.  Theater gave Alexis a chance to truly express herself while growing up.  Alexis hopes to perform theater professionally and eventually become a teacher so that students have the same outlet she had as a kid.