NASADAD Gets New Policy Director

Michelle Durst, a former staffer on the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) and more recently the deputy director of government affairs at the American Psychiatric Association, has been named the new Director of Public Policy at the National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors (NASADAD). Durst takes over June 1 from Barbara Durkin, who is leaving NASADAD to pursue a criminal-justice career.

Durst, whose track record also includes a stint as a legislative liaison at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), has worked on issues ranging from suicide prevention to underage drinking and healthcare reform.