Mayor Brandon Scott has named Sara Whaley as the executive director of the city’s opioid response.
Since August 2024, Whaley has worked as Scott’s senior advisor for public health. During that time, she also served as Program Director of the Bloomberg Overdose Prevention Initiative at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and as a senior practice associate at the School.
Whaley will leave her position at Hopkins to serve full-ime as the city’s executive director of overdose response. She will co-chair the Restitution Advisory Board alongside fellow co-chair Mary Beth Haller, interim Baltimore City Health Commissioner. Whaley will also lead the Mayor’s Overdose Cabinet and oversee implementation of the mayor’s executive order on opioid restitution funds.
“Sara is a proven national expert and a leading voice in utilizing litigation funds to address the opioid epidemic,” Scott said in a statement. “We have been fortunate to have her unparalleled experience as an advisor as we’ve navigated this process so far. Now, bringing her expertise as Baltimore’s full-time Executive Director of Overdose Response, Sara will help ensure our city becomes a national leader on utilizing our restitution funds and the implementation of our abatement plan. We are lucky to have her and deeply grateful for her continued service in this new role.”
The mayor also announced members of the Restitution Advisory Board, which is tasked with guiding use of the city’s opioid restitution funds.
The Restitution Advisory Board will comprise a total of 20 members, including licensed clinical social worker Dr. Paul Archibald; Paris Barnes, a Senior Training Specialist with the PATIENTS Program at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy; Demetrie Marlon Garner, who has worked as a peer recovery specialist at Franklin Square Hospital; Carlos Hardy, founder of the Maryland Recovery Organization Connecting Community; Ricarra Jones, Political Director for the healthcare union 1199SEIU and Acting President of the Baltimore City NAACP; Charles McCleary, a Peer Recovery Coach at Johns Hopkins Bayview Psychiatry Unit; William Staton, a peer recovery specialist at LifeBridge Health; Fatima Wilkerson, whose family experienced addiction and overdose when she was growing up; and Adam Trionfo, who created and oversees the peer recovery program at Catholic Charities.
Members also include: Dr. Danielle German, an associate professor at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health with over 20 years of experience in substance use research and practice; licensed social worker Shanda Brown, who is currently working with The Community Builders; Dr. Meredith Kerr, a nurse practitioner who provides medication for opioid use disorder through the BHLI Project Connection at SPARC street medicine program; harm reduction specialist Karl Green, who currently works with Baltimore Safe Haven; Geri Byrd, Chief of Staff to Maryland Lt. Governor Aruna Miller; Baltimore City Councilmembers Dr. John Bullock and Phylicia Porter; Crista Taylor, CEO of Behavioral Health Systems Baltimore; James Wallace, Baltimore City Fire Department Chief; and co-chairs Whaley and Haller.
Whaley, Haller, and Wallace will serve as non-voting members of the board. The other 17 will be voting members.
“The Restitution Advisory Board is bringing together a remarkable group of Baltimoreans of diverse background, race, gender, and experience who are united by their commitment to tackling the overdose crisis in our city,” Scott said in a statement. “Their voices will be an instrumental part of guiding our use of restitution funds, evaluating proposals and making recommendations on funding allocations. Their perspective is imperative to ensure that these funds are utilized effectively and in a way that centers the needs of all Baltimoreans for the full duration of the fund. I’m grateful for their service, and their willingness to dedicate their time and experience on this crucial effort.”
Scott also announced that Dr. Susan Sherman has been added to the mayor’s Overdose Cabinet. Sherman is a Bloomberg Professor of American Health in the Department of Health, Behavior, and Society at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She has conducted 25 years of research in Baltimore City with a focus on improving the health of marginalized populations, particularly for people who use drugs.
Residents can read the city’s Community Engagement Plan. They may submit comments through March 15.The city has also extended the public comment period for the draft Accountability and Transparency Plan through March 15. The plan covers how the city plans to track and share the allocation and impact of opioid restitution funds.
