I have been employed with Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation (SAAF) since 2011 holding many positions including Senior Prevention Specialist, LGBTQ+ Youth Programs Manager, and Housing Case Manager. My current position is Lead Medical Case Manager supervising SAAF’s satellite office located in the Cochise County Health Department in Bisbee Arizona.I am inspired by radical love and supportive communities. I am passionate about advocacy and using my platform to create change in social systems meant to marginalize our most vulnerable individuals.
My name is Melody Glenn, MD MFA. I’m an assistant professor of emergency medicine at the University of Arizona, the medical director of several rural fire departments in Santa Cruz County, and the director of addiction medicine service at Banner-Tucson.In all of my clinical work, I strive to practice harm reduction, support patient self-determination and empowerment, and build more equitable structures that can uplift us all. As such, I am honored to be a part of Cochise Harm Reduction.
I was excited to discover CHR after many years of witnessing various failed systems surrounding substance use and mental healthcare. After working in the medical field for over a decade and seeing patients, as well as friends and family, suffer due to the failed systems in place, it’s a breath of fresh air to know that organizations like CHR exist.
I believe every single individual deserves good access to care coupled with the utmost respect and support at any stage of their journey. I thrive in communities and environments where judgment is non-existent and empathy is at an all time high, so I’m thrilled to be participating in an organization deeply embedded in advocacy for change and increased social justice. The work that CHR does to rid the stigma and build stronger communities is encouraging and inspiring.
Lu was introduced to ethos of harm reduction through personal navigation of the criminal (in)justice system, a crash course education in self-rescuing their partner from a potential deadly overdose with naloxone, and being raised loving people who used drugs.Lu was introduced to the world of Harm Reduction after a drug charge and required community restitution hours. Lu volunteered with Bisbee Harm Reduction: handing out naloxone and sterile syringes during a period when needle exchanges operated in the “grey area” of legality in Arizona. Through this involvement, Lu recognized the transformative potential of a comprehensive harm reduction program in mitigating harm and inequity within their community.After the preventable death of a close friend and colleague in the desert, Lu started the mobile harm reduction program that would come to be known as Cochise Harm Reduction today. This program was born out of a pressing need to “meet people where they’re at” and pay regular visits and consistent assistance to the most vulnerable members of their community.
Lu’s driving force lies in dismantling unjust systems of harm and dominance, while fostering community-oriented networks of care and solidarity. Their love for people who use drugs fuels their dedication to advocacy, a role they hold with deep honor and commitment in this community.
I come to CHR as a person with lived experience within the criminal justice system and chaotic substance use. This failing system is the exact reason why I center my time, both professionally and personally, around harm reduction.Being a part of an organization that shares my values and desire for change, all while helping to support the very people within OUR community that the system continues to fail, is why harm reduction has my heart.It truly is a privilege to be an advocate for change while empowering members of the community to identify what works for them.
Hello! I’m Vanessa Lopez, the Outreach Coordinator for Cochise Harm Reduction and a dedicated Board Member for DPRAB (Drug Policy Research and Advocacy Board) at the University of Arizona.My passion lies in breaking the barriers of drug-related stigma and offering hope, respect, and dignity to those who need it most. At CHR, I work to build meaningful connections with communities and provide essential support and resources to those facing challenges. As a proud member of DPRAB, I advocate for evidence-based drug policy research and impactful advocacy efforts.I truly believe in the power of compassion and understanding, and my work is driven by a deep desire to make a positive impact on the lives of others.
Having years of substance use lived experience, I am passionate about advocating alongside justice-involved individuals and other marginalized communities. I have been part of the Drug Policy Research and Advocacy Board (DPRAB) since 2021, contributing as a co-investigator and co-author on multiple research projects and articles related to accessing harm reduction care and medication assisted treatment (MAT).As a person on methadone for over a decade, I am an advocate for removing treatment barriers and expanding access beyond the current clinic system.Though currently based in Phoenix, I spend as much time as possible down in Bisbee, as it is my special place and such a colorful, vibrant community.
Hello my name is Samuel Bernard. After losing my mother to cancer, my life spiraled out of control and I fell into a life of heavy drug use and I became homeless for the first time in my life. Out of that darkness came a light that saved my life. CHR is so much more to me then just a career for me. Meeting Lu on outreach as a participant in the program changed my life and then again when I was offered an opportunity for employment with their organization. From volunteer to now full time employee I have got my life back on track. I am back into a place of my own and now have the chance to help give back to the people of my community and share not only my story but also give people the help that saved my life.
Through my work at Cochise Harm Reduction, I am driven by a strong belief in the power of change with compassion and community support. I am honored to be part of a team that is dedicated to making noticeable difference in the lives of others, and I am continuing to be a source of hope and empowerment for those we serve.
Tony has been working at CHR since 2021 helping run the Bisbee route and developing the Benson program. He brings a unique perspective living off and on the streets for the past decade and continues to work with peers to help better their lives.
I have dedicated my life to helping my fellow man. My mission is to be the person that I needed when I was unhoused. I come to CHR with 11 years of non-profit experience, specializing in food service/preparation. I love cooking nutritious meals and am so grateful to bring my talents and passion to CHR where I can do what I love and to be of use to my community
