Hosted by The Blue Plaid Society
SPEAKERS
Suzy Pereira
Keynote Speaker
Suzy Pereira is the founder of The Blue Plaid Society, the leading organization in Brevard County dedicated to fentanyl awareness and education. Suzy created The Blue Plaid Society when she lost her son Tristan, her only child, to the Fentanyl epidemic in November 2021. She named the organization from her son's iconic style of wearing blue plaid shirts. Her goal is to educate all citizens of the modern drug paradigm and provide warning of the dangers of illicit Fentanyl and other synthetic drugs being pushed to our young people. She is passionate about lifting the stigma of addiction and along with many other grassroots non-profits, changing the national conversation from overdose to poisoning pertaining to fentanyl death.
Judd Spitzer
Moderator
Judd Spitzer is the Co-Chairman and Technical Director of The Blue Plaid Society. Judd is a retired Submarine veteran. His past community involvement includes Immediate Past President of the US Navy League Cape Canaveral Council, served as a board member for Space Coast Runners, and is a Distinguished Toastmaster.
Marcus R. Anderson
Drug Enforcement Administration
Marcus R. Anderson, began his law enforcement career in 1992, as a uniform patrol officer with the Huntsville, Alabama Police Department. While at the department, Mr. Anderson served in the Patrol Division, Street Crimes and Organized Crime Units before joining the DEA in 1998. Mr. Anderson obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration from Athens State University and a Graduate Certificate in Public Administration from the University of Virginia. Mr. Anderson is also a graduate of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s National Academy, Session 282. Mr. Anderson has served in numerous domestic and foreign posts, including the DEA Special Operations Division (SOD), where he supervised the United States Government’s Narcotics Investigations involving Mexico, Central America and Canada. Mr. Anderson is certified by DEA in all facets of synthetic drug manufacturing and a subject matter expert regarding illegal narcotics. Mr. Anderson currently serves as the Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Orlando and Titusville Offices, where he also serves as an adviser to the Florida Governor’s Opioid Task Force. In this current position, Mr. Anderson has developed a highly trained team of subject matter experts that include law enforcement, treatment providers, prosecutors, hospitals, community leaders, and volunteers that partner together to combat overdose deaths with an action plan that works to identify and defeat the threats.
Commander Victor A. DeSantis, M.S.
Brevard County Sheriff’s Office
Commander DeSantis is a thirty-six law enforcement veteran, having served seven years on active duty with the Unites State Air Force Security Police, and the past twenty-nine years with the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office.
He currently serves as the Commander of Criminal Investigative Services with responsibility for all investigative units and resources of the Sheriff’s Office.
Commander DeSantis was sworn in as a Deputy Sheriff by Sheriff Jake Miller in March 1993. He served as patrol deputy until being promoted to Agent (Criminal Investigator) in 1995, and served as an investigator in both the General Crimes and Major Crimes Units.
County Sheriff’ Office.
He was promoted to the rank of Sergeant in January 1998 by Sheriff Phil Williams. Commander DeSantis served as a patrol Sergeant from 1998 to January 2000 when he was assigned back to investigations as an investigative supervisor for the West Precinct in Viera, Florida.
County Sheriff’ Office.
Promoted to Lieutenant in 2004 by Sheriff Phil Williams. He served as a patrol and administrative lieutenant with the East Precinct (Merritt Island) until 2009 when he was assumed the role of as the supervisor of the Special Investigations Unit (Narcotics & Vice) within Criminal Investigations.
County Sheriff’ Office.
He was appointed to the Command Staff of then Sheriff Jack Parker in 2011 with the rank of Major and served in Administrative Services where he oversaw Communications and Judicial Process.
In 2013, he was selected to remain on the Command Staff of Sheriff Wayne Ivey, and he assumed responsibility and supervision of patrol operations in the South Precinct (Melbourne and South County area). He was promoted to the rank of Commander in 2017 and remained in command of the South Precinct until June 2021 when he transferred to his current assignment.
County Sheriff’ Office.
Commander DeSantis holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business from Barry University and a Masters Degree in Criminal Justice from the University of Central Florida. He is a Dean’s Scholar Graduate of the Southern Police Institute’s 111th Administrative Officers Course (Command and Staff) at the University of Louisville and a graduate of the FBI-LEEDA 26th Command Institute for Law Enforcement Executives. He is a Law Enforcement Medal of Valor recipient.
County Sheriff’ Office.
Commander DeSantis and his wife, Dana, have four children and four grandchildren.
Kimberly Musselman
State Attorney’s Office
Kimberly Musselman has worked in the court system for 30 years as an investigator, probation officer, judicial law clerk, and prosecutor. She is currently an Assistant State Attorney at the State Attorney’s Office in Brevard County and has been there for over 18 years. She is an experienced prosecutor having working in the trial and intake divisions trying many felony and misdemeanor crimes. Kimberly served as the training attorney for over five years and she currently assists with presenting cases to the Grand Jury. As both a probation officer and prosecutor, Kimberly has seen the impact of substance use on defendants, victims, and their families. Kimberly has participated in many drug investigations with Brevard County law enforcement and the DEA. In recent years, the heroin epidemic, which then led to the fentanyl epidemic, has tragically increased the amount of overdoses and poisonings in our area. The State Attorney’s Office has seen a marked increase in the possession, sale, and trafficking of fentanyl. A lot of times the defendant believes the substance is heroin and are unaware it is actually fentanyl. This year, Kimberly had a personal family experience with this very dangerous drug.
Dr. Sajid S. Qaiser
Brevard County Medical Examiner
Dr. Qaiser, MD, FCAP, FRCPC, has been with the Brevard County Medical Examiner's Office since 2000. He was the Associate Medical Examiner, until October 2006 when he was promoted the the District/Chief Medical Examiner for the Florida's 18th District. Dr. Qaiser holds medical licenses in the states of Florida and Pennsylvania and is certified with the American Board of Pathology, Anatomic, Clinical, and Forensic, and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. His training includes fellowships and residencies at Allegheny University Hospital, Philadelphia, State University Hospital, Brooklyn, NY and Royal University Hospital, Saskatoon, Canada. He was also the Assistant Clinical Instructor for the State and Royal University Hospitals. Dr. Qaiser graduated with M.D. at Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Pakistan in 1983, acquiring continued education and certifications throughout his career. He has performed extensive research of numerous topics and is published in the American Journal of Clinical Pathology. He has numerous affiliations including the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, National Association of Medical Examiners, and American Society of Clinical Pathology just to name a few. When not working, Dr. Qaiser enjoys reading biographies, music and outdoor sports.
Jonathan M. Weiss Community
Brevard County Fire Rescue
Jonathan Weiss has worked for Brevard County fire rescue since 2003. He started out as a firefighter/EMT and then became a firefighter/Paramedic. Jonathan now serves as the Community Health Resource Coordinator since November of 2021. He holds FEMA certifications as a Public Information Officer, basic and advanced. He is also the Brevard County Fire Rescue Infection Control Officer. His work has been mostly with busy units in the field and mostly in the south end of the county.
Laura McCarthy, MA,
Laura McCarthy, MA, is a retired Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Masters Certified Addictions Professional with the State of Florida. She is a subject matter expert in the field of Addictions and Substance Use Disorders. She is the founder of the Brevard Opioid & Addictions Conference and Space Coast Recovery Church of Palm Bay. She chairs the Treatment & Recovery Subcommittee of the Brevard Opioid Misuse Task Force of the Brevard Prevention Coalition. Laura is the Chair for the Brevard Recovery Fest, a free family friendly event, coming to Wickham Park, Sept. 24, 2022, celebrating National Recovery Month and Co-Chair of the Fentanyl Awareness Campaign Effort (FACE) a collaborative effort to stomp out the stigma of addiction and bring awareness to the deadly Fentanyl epidemic. She is a published author of “Mess to Majestic”, a true story of recovery from trauma, shame and addictions with Biblical and clinical Insights. Sharing some of her own healing and recovery journey since 1985. Laura is a mother, grandmother and wife, married over 33 years. She is passionate about saving lives and ending the stigma of addictions and mental health. In her spare time, she loves serving her church, playing pickleball, traveling and snow skiing.