ALEXANDRIA, VA (December 4, 2025) – CADCA is proud to announce the recipients of several prestigious awards recognizing exemplary leadership and dedication to substance use prevention. The awards will be presented during Forum national du leadership de CADCA, February 2-6, 2026 at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland. 

“Each of these honorees exemplifies what it means to lead with purpose and conviction,” said CADCA President and CEO General Barrye L. Price, Ph.D. “Their leadership has strengthened our collective efforts to prevent substance use and build safer, healthier communities across the nation.” 

CADCA will recognize Members of Congress who have shown exceptional leadership in promoting prevention and supporting policies that strengthen communities. The Prix du leadership du Congrès will be presented to Representative Madeline Dean (D-PA-04), Representative Michael Lawler (R-NY-17), et Senator Jack Reed (D-RI). These Congressional leaders have championed bipartisan initiatives that enhance substance use prevention infrastructure and ensure communities have the resources they need to address substance use challenges. 

Representative Madeline Dean has served as the representative for Pennsylvania’s Fourth Congressional District since 2018. She has been a strong advocate for addressing the opioid crisis and America’s broader drug overdose epidemic since her entrance into Congress. She serves as a member of the Bipartisan Addiction and Mental Health Taskforce and has introduced multiple pieces of legislation to increase funding for treatment and recovery services. 

Representative Michael Lawler is in his second term representing New York’s 17th Congressional District. He has been a proud champion for substance use prevention, serving as an original co-sponsor of the Keeping Drugs Out of Schools Act in the 119th Congress. The bill would authorize $7 million to allow current and former DFC coalitions to compete for up to $75k a year for 4 years to integrate school-based drug prevention into their communities. 

As Rhode Island’s 46th Senator, Senator Reed has served Rhode Island in Congress since 1996. Reed has long been an advocate for substance use prevention. Serving as the ranking member on the Senate Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Subcommittee, Senator Reed is a powerful voice on the subcommittee that oversees funding for the Drug-Free Communities and CARA Enhancement Grant Programs. 

In addition, CADCA will present Lifetime Achievement Awards pour Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), Senator John Cornyn (R-TX), et Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY). These awards honor long-standing dedication to prevention and recognize a career of outstanding service in shaping the field of prevention. 

Senator Dick Durbin is the 47th U.S. Senator from the State of Illinois. He has represented the state since 1996 and currently serves as the Senate Democratic Whip, the second highest ranking position among Senate Democrats. Additionally, he serves as the ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee. He has been a major supporter of providing full funding for the Drug Free Communities Program since its inception. 

Senator John Cornyn has served as a United States Senator from Texas since 2002. Senator Cornyn has advanced bipartisan legislation aimed at increasing funding for substance use prevention, expanding treatment options, and strengthening programs. He serves as the chair of the Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control, which aims to monitor international drug trafficking as well as support domestic prevention programs. 

Since 1985, Senator McConnell has represented Kentucky in the Senate. Serving as Senate Majority Leader from 2015 to 2021, the Senator had a key influence on many issues relating to substance use prevention. Most recently, serving on the Senate Appropriations Agriculture Subcommittee, Senator McConnell has led the effort to close the hemp loophole unintentionally created by the 2018 Farm Bill. 

The Judge Michael J. Kramer Memorial Advocate of the Year Award will be presented to Julie Killian of New York and Angela Kennecke of South Dakota. This award recognizes substance abuse prevention leaders who are exceptional advocates for our field, forging relationships and educating their elected officials throughout the year about key substance abuse-related issues and helping to ensure that Members of Congress understand the importance of community coalitions. 

Julie Powers Killian resides in Rye, NY with her husband Gary Killian and have five children, ages 30 to 23. She graduated with a BS in Chemical Engineering from Notre Dame and has an MBA in Finance from NYU’s Stern School. After working on Wall Street for 14 years, Julie retired to raise their children and do volunteer work with numerous local organizations. 

Julie is the co-founder of RyeACT, Rye Action for Children and Teens, which receives federal funding to help Rye community deal with youth substance abuse issues.  She currently serves on the Executive Board of the US Olympic & Paralympic Foundation, the Advisory Board of St Vincent’s Hospital and served on the Rye City Council for six years.  She is passionate about her family, public service, sound drug policy, fighting to help those in need, saving New York and Notre Dame Football. 

Angela Kennecke is an award-winning investigative journalist and a passionate advocate for substance use disorder prevention, awareness and recovery. Following the tragic loss of her daughter, Emily, to fentanyl poisoning, Angela founded the nonprofit Emily’s Hope, dedicating herself to erasing the stigma around addiction and offering hope to families facing similar challenges. 

À propos de l'ACCCA 

CADCA is the premier prevention association equipping coalitions with tools, knowledge, and support to create positive change in their communities. CADCA’s vision is safer, healthier, and stronger communities everywhere. Through our work we have built a network of more than 7,000 coalitions across the United States and over 28 countries. At the core of CADCA’s creation is the belief in the effectiveness and efficiency of local coalitions as catalysts for drug-free communities globally, combating substance misuse through the implementation of comprehensive strategies for community change. 

Personne-ressource pour les médias 

Maria Egan, mariaegan@cadca.org, 703-706-0560 ext. 283