Blue Valentine, Cedar Derischebourg, Tyler Swift & Peter Banwarth

Blue Valentine, CHW, is a Harm Reduction Peer Specialist that currently works as part of a cross-program team of communicable disease, health navigation, and harm reduction staff at the Benton County Health Department, as part of the End HIV Oregon Project. Her work includes street and camp outreach, rapid testing, syringe services, client advocacy, naloxone distribution, and HIV and STI education. She coordinates a regional harm reduction group for the Linn, Benton, Lincoln, and Siletz region that has a focus on overdose prevention and naloxone access. Blue is also a member of the Measure 110 Accountability and Oversight Council. She started working in harm reduction in Los Angeles in 1992, and has extensive experience providing HIV/STI prevention and testing and syringe services to diverse communities, including people who use drugs, people experiencing homelessness, sex workers, LGBTQ+ individuals, and people living with HIV.

Cedar Derischebourg is a Harm Reduction Specialist with the Lincoln County Health Department and the Lincoln County Harm Reduction Program. Lincoln County Harm Reduction works to meet people where they are at and to reduce the negative effects of drug use and sexual behaviors.

Tyler Swift is a Project Manager with the Multnomah County Public Health, who supports the overdose prevention and syringe exchange programs.

Peter Banwarth is an epidemiologist and data analyst with the Benton County Health Department in Oregon. He has developed models to guide county health policies on testing as well as safety and health measures for employees and the public to minimize infections and deaths in Corvallis and nearby areas. To keep the public informed about COVID-19 models and public health initiatives, Banwarth has presented his work with Oregon health departments for audiences at OSU and the Corvallis City Council. His models have helped inform and guide public health policy and response.