Prevention - Education - Intervention - Recovery
BACODA Leadership Team
Board of Directors 2023 - 2024
Rex Hemme
Chair
Steve Paterson
Vice Chair
Melvin Mason
Treasurer
Yorkiris Marmol Contreras
Secretary
Howard Bushart
Member
Zeke Smith
Member
Raymond Soto
Member
Melissa Romain Harrott
Member
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Melissa A. Romain-Harrott joined the Centers for Disease Control Foundation (CDCF)/Overdose Response Strategy (ORS) as a Public Health Analyst for the Houston High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) region at the end of May. Melissa comes to this position with more than 20 years of combined academic and professional experience spanning the areas of special education, inclusion of marginalized populations (particularly individuals with disabilities), reading intervention research, and more recently, epidemiology of and research pertaining to substance use/misuse prevention. Melissa holds a B.S. in Elementary Education from Sam Houston State University and an M.A. and Ph.D. in Adaptive Instruction and Special Education from the University of Toronto. Melissa is heavily involved in, and passionate about, the Houston recovery community where she has held leadership roles with the Houston Recovery Initiative/Recovery Oriented Systems of Care (HRI/ROSC). For the six and a half years prior to her employment with the CDCF, she served as Regional Evaluator with Prevention Resource Center 6 at The Council on Recovery in Houston, Texas. Before serving as a Regional Evaluator, Melissa served as an educational consultant in the private sector following her role as Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Houston for five years, where she coordinated grant and instructional implementation of reading intervention research projects funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Early in her professional career, Melissa also served for two years as Research Associate for Texas Reading First at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Center for Academic Reading Skills, Department of Pediatrics. Melissa has coauthored several peer-reviewed publications. Most importantly, Melissa just celebrated 10 years in recovery.
Honorary Board Members
Randy Grimes
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A former professional football player whose career spanned 10 years with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Randy Grimes spent 20+ years battling an addiction to painkillers developed while treating career-related injuries. He now uses his inspiring story of recovery and his 10+ years in the addictions industry to help victims of drug and alcohol abuse, as an Interventionist and the founding advocate at Athletes In Recovery. In 2012, Randy launched “Athletes in Recovery,” a program designed to help athletes of all levels find treatment for addiction and mental health, while offering continued support for those already in recovery. Due to the success of Athletes in Recovery, Randy has partnered with the NFL, NHL, Gridiron Greats, After The Impact Fund, MLB, The Jockeys Guild, MMA and a host of collegiate programs to bring further awareness and treatment services to professional and collegiate athletes and their families. As a result, 100s of former professional and collegiate athletes have since been treated. Randy’s passion does not end with athletes; he is committed to 8 helping all families find balance and peace of mind. Randy believes that “when families get well, addicts get well.” Randy has performed countless interventions across the U.S. and in five countries—bringing hope and healing when all seemed lost. Randy has been an exemplary ambassador and example of the power of professional treatment. Married for 36 years to his college sweetheart, Lydia, who is also a Certified Family Addiction Coach, they have two children and three grandchildren. Randy is regularly a commentator on numerous national TV networks and media including NFL Network, Anderson Cooper, Father Albert, CNN, Fox Sports, MSNBC, Fox News, SiriusXM Sports, New York Times, New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and countless others. His “Never Give Up” attitude translates from the gridiron to recovery. On his recovery, Randy states: “God didn’t open the gates of heaven and let me in....He opened the gates of Hell and let me out!”
Justin West
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Justin West has come to BACODA with a unique background in Law Enforcement, Business, and church operations. Justin has a passion for youth and ensuring their success in the future. Growing up in a small town in New Mexico influenced his belief that early intervention and counseling are powerful tools to interrupt the addiction cycle. Justin has extensive IT experience and understands the way that young people interact with their devices. Our current approach to how we reach the younger generation is evolving and knowledge of technology is critical to that change.
Justin is active in his community with memberships in other organizations and boards, including the League City Lion's Club. His law enforcement career also allows him to be in the community and attend many local events. He also spends his free time holding seminars in local business to train their employees in safety and awareness.
Maurice "Termite" Watkins
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Maurice “Termite” Watkins always loved a good fight. At ten years of age and a scrawny 65 pounds, he already knew what he wanted – to be a champion. With very little natural athletic ability, he reached his goals through sheer determination and perseverance.
At age sixteen, Termite became the nation’s youngest national Golden Gloves champion. He was an astounding amateur, with 128 wins and only 10 losses.
Termite turned pro his senior year in high school, and set his sights on a world title. His 58 professional wins included 48 knock-outs. In 1980, he fought in Caesar’s Palace for the coveted world title in a double main event that featured Muhammad Ali and Larry Holmes. In a fifteen-round brutal fight, Termite lost to champion Saoul Mamby.
Retired from boxing and enjoying a successful sales career, Termite was settled into a suburban life with his family in Deer Park, Texas until the events on 9/11 changed his life. Termite felt an overwhelming desire – he believed it was a calling of God – to serve his country. He asked what he could do for his country. The surprising answer was pest control, the business he’d learned as a child from his father. The coalition needed someone to go into Iraq to rid military camps of snakes, scorpions and bugs. Termite headed to Iraq.
Termite’s patriotic service soon spread beyond vipers and flies – he offered boxing classes to soldiers, officers, and aid workers. News spread of this high-energy boxer with the infectious “can-do” attitude. Visionary coalition leader Mike Gfoeller presented an amazing challenge to the Texan: build an Iraqi Olympic boxing team in the middle of war and get them into the Olympics in Athens. Ousted for the unspeakable crimes against its athletes, Iraq had not been in the Olympics in decades. “It was a slim-to-nothing chance, maybe one in a million,” Termite said.
Meeting his team of forgotten, rusty athletes in Baghdad, Termite was unimpressed with their skills but amazed by the hearts of these twenty-four Iraqis. Some arrived without shoes; none had headgear or mouthpieces. “It took tremendous courage for these men to show up on that soccer field to meet an American,” said Termite.
He fell in love with them and put his life at risk every day to help them reach their Olympic dreams. Termite’s incredible perseverance and total devotion to a goal was called upon to overcome daunting obstacles. The quest of this unlikely team and their colorfully charismatic coach inspired the world. At a time of tanks and the toppling of Hussein statues, Termite’s team sent the message of hope and freedom in a war-torn nation. CNN, Fox, NBC, ABC, CBS, The New York Times, Sports Illustrated, and every other major news outlet heralded the triumph of spirit represented by Termite and his men.
A riveting motivational speaker, Termite spreads the message of overcoming obstacles to groups and schools across the nation.