Meet Our Staff

Nancy L. Harper, Ph.D.

Executive Director of ALERT Labs
Inc.; Professor of Organizational and Health Communication (ret.)
Dean of Social Sciences at Grand Valley State University (ret.)

Dr. Harper has served as a tenure track university faculty member and scholar since 1973. Her experience includes 17 years in university administration. She has served as Director of Human and Mass Communication at Rutgers University, Director of Mass Communication in the School of Journalism and Assistant and Associate Dean for Outreach and Finance at the University of Iowa College of Liberal Arts, Chair of the Department of Communication at Duquesne University, Dean of Social Sciences and Director of Alcohol Education, Research, and Training at Grand Valley State University.  She has authored books on communication theory and on applied communication, e.g., the unique "clusters" approach to academic and career advising. 

Dr. Harper has also conducted research and published monographs on these topics and on applied organizational and health communication. She specializes in the study of persuasive communication, especially in preventing underage drinking and other drug use, intervention and recovery from Substance Use Disorders, including Addiction.  She is the designer of the 2004 U.S. Department of Education ALERT Model Prevention Program (AMPP, also known as the Making Sobriety Attractive [MSA] and Positive Influences Program [PIP]). Dr. Harper has been working primarily in alcohol and other drug (AOD) prevention since 1999.

HarperN@GVSU.EDU, www.alertlabs.org

Donald "Tex" Bryant

Project Evaluator
Masters of Education from Michigan State University
Masters of Applied Statistics from Western Michigan University
Certified Quality Engineer from American Society of Quality

Mr. Bryant retired from teaching high school mathematics in 2004. Wanting to make a difference in his environment using mathematics, he now offers consulting to healthcare providers who want to dramatically improve patient health, improve the bottom line, and make work more rewarding through Bryant's Healthcare Solutions, www..bryantsstatisticalconsulting.com/contact.htm

Geoffery Stevens, LMSW

STARR Program Coordinator
Masters of Social Work from Western Michigan University

Mr. Steven's focuses on adolescent and family therapy. His training is founded on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with an emphasis on enhancing motivation to change.  He facilitates the STARR (screening, testing, and referral for recovery) program of the ALERT Labs.

geofferystevens@mei.net

Carla Perez Jackson

Outreach Theatre Director
B.A. in Music and Theatre from Olivet College
MA in Liberal Arts from St. John's in Santa Fe

Ms. Jackson has nine years of secondary public school teaching experience with a focus on Theatre Arts, Music, and Peer Education.

Her professional experience includes working with Peer Educators re. mentoring and listening for a Safe Schools and Healthy Students grant, Language Arts instruction, Radio-Television, Speech, and Film, and Directing Musical/Theatrical Performances.

Ms. Jackson is Coordinator of Programs for ALERT Labs, currently focusing her work on the Positive Influences Program (PIP), which combines the ALERT Model Prevention Program (AMPP, also know as Making Sobriety Attractive, MSA) with the Capturing Kids' Hearts/Teen Leadership Program to improve teaching through social contracts) in partnership with Michigan's Kent County Intermediate School District (KISD).

cajackson.msa@gmail.com