David Anderson, Ph.D.
Professor of Education and Human Development Director, Center for the Advancement of Public Health George Mason University

David Anderson, Ph.D. serves as a Professor and Director, Center for the Advancement of Public Health, School of Recreation, Health and Tourism, College of Education and Human Development, at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. He serves as project director and researcher on numerous national, state and local projects, teaches graduate and undergraduate courses on drug and alcohol issues, community health, and health communications. 

Dr. Anderson has worked on numerous projects with federal agencies, state agencies and national organizations. He co-authors two national surveys on college drug/alcohol prevention efforts The College Alcohol Survey: 1979-2009 and The Drug and Alcohol Survey of Community, Junior and Technical Colleges.  He co-directed Promising Practices: Campus Alcohol Strategies.

Dr. Anderson received his Bachelor’s Degree from Duke University, with a major in Psychology and a minor in Business Administration, and his Master’s Degree in Student Personnel Administration from The Ohio State University.  His Ph.D. in Public Policy/Public Affairs is from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

Mary E. Begley
Principal, Arlington Science Focus School

Mary E. Begley has been the Principal at Arlington’s Science Focus School (ASFS) since 1997.  Through her leadership, ASFS was a finalist for the Intel Schools of Distinction Award last year and earned the Governor’s Award for Educational Excellence for the past three years. 

She taught in Michigan and Ohio before moving to the D.C. area in 1987.  Since then, Mrs. Begley has served in a variety of teaching and administrative roles in the Alexandria City and in Arlington Public Schools.  In 2011, Mary Begley was named Principal of the Year for Arlington Public Schools.

She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary and Secondary Education and a Master’s Degree in Reading Instruction from Bowling Green State University. She also earned a certificate in administration from the University of Virginia.

Allan Y. Cohen, Ph.D.
Founder, Sr. Vice President Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation

Allan Y. Cohen is a psychologist-clinician, social science theoretician and program evaluator in the behavioral health field. Trained at Harvard College (summa cum laude) and University (Ph.D.), he has held academic and administrative positions at Harvard, UC Berkeley and JFK University. A credentialed educator and author, Dr. Cohen specializes in substance abuse prevention, receiving a Lifetime Career Achievement Award by the National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Directors. Founder of the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, he has served as an expert consultant to schools, colleges and governments worldwide, to television networks and prominent non-profit organizations.

Ellen Gold
Executive Director of Student Well-Being in the Division of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management

Ellen Gold’s career includes 35 years of progressive experience in higher education, with the past 29 years at Eastern Michigan University (EMU) and the previous six years at The University of Michigan. She currently serves as Executive Director of Student Well-Being in the Division of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management. In this role, Ellen provides visionary leadership for holistic programs and services that support the health and well-being of students. Ms. Gold also serves as Chief Health Officer for the University and coordinates the management of student concerns across the campus.

Ms. Gold recently served on the university NCAA Athletics Certification Program Steering Committee and chaired the sub-committee on Student-Athlete Well-Being. She is a member on two university accreditation teams involving continuous improvement and assessment.

Ellen has served as a Center Associate for the U.S. Department of Education’s (DOE) Higher Education Center for Alcohol, Drug Abuse and Violence Prevention, conducting training for individual campuses as well as state coalitions in the areas of Strategic Planning, Team Building, Program Development and Evaluation.

Ms. Gold holds both a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Education from The University of Michigan. She also earned a Masters in Business Administration from Eastern Michigan University.