Our Team

Shannon comes to the NC Harm Reduction Coalition with her passion for reducing injuries in communities and supporting the team to ensure they have the resources they need to do impactful work. Prior to joining, started her career in marketing and communication for the State of NC and national highway safety programs but quickly realizing her passion for grants and how funding can help get more programs out into communities. She lead grant and financial management sections for State highway safety office and before ending her career, she lead NC Safe Kids and Injury Prevention Section for the NC Department of Insurance where she managed 47 county coalitions and was able to increase programs to reduce risk in all ages.  

Talya Williams is a Native of Wilmington,NC for over 40yrs. She is certified in HIV,HEP C Testing,Counseling,Monkeypox and Mental Health in Ethnic Minorities through N. Florida AIDS Education and Training Center, The State of Children’s Health through NIHCM Foundation and The Intersection of Faith and HIV from Southeast AIDS Education and Training Center. Talya is currently The Linkage to Care Specialist located in the Wilmington,NC SSP where she advocates for those living with HIV,Domestic Violence, and to the Equality to Marginalized Populations and People of Color. Favorite quote” What is done in Love is done well”.

As both a person in long-term recovery and someone with prior justice involvement, Greg is no stranger to the consequences of the war on drugs. Growing up in Fayetteville, Greg spent more than 20 years going in and of the juvenile justice system, the State adult criminal justice system, and eventually the federal prison system.  However, during Greg’s last incarceration he decided to take a new path. Now Greg is a North Carolina Certified Peer Support Specialist and SMART Recovery Facilitator, who is currently pursuing his degree in social work. As our Cumberland County Linkage to Care Coordinator, Greg is a member of the Fayetteville Cumberland Opioid Response Team, the Post Overdose Response Team, the Fayetteville Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion program, and a critical link in connecting syringe service program participants to care. You can also reach out to Greg for community partner collaboration, overdose recognition and reversal training, harm reduction education, and training on harm reduction principles and cultural competence. 

Reid is born and raised in Eastern NC, and has lived in Durham for almost 10 years. Reid is a person with lived experience and has worked for NCHRC for about 5 years as an outreach worker and field phlebotomist. In the triangle, Reid covers both city and rural settings in a variety of outreach settings. 

Chelsea is the Outreach Worker for Wake County. She grew up in New Jersey, spent some time in West Virginia and moved to Durham NC in 2020. Chelsea passion for harm reduction was influenced by her experience with IV drug use. She saw that a lot of her friends did not have access to the resources & education they needed. Chelsea started volunteering for NCHRC in 2020 and it allowed her to get to know the community and what their needs are. Chelsea is also a certified yoga teacher. Yoga has had a huge impact on her recovery and is excited to offer it as a tool for her community. Chelsea is a firm believer in harm reduction, prison abolition, and securing rights for people experiencing homelessness and drug users. 

Alicia serves as NCHRC’s Technical Assistance Coordinator, bringing a unique perspective to the work. As an Outreach Worker, Alicia gained experience in improving and providing harm reduction strategies while bridging gaps to current drug users, justice-involved individuals, structurally marginalized populations, and those who engage in sex work. Influenced by experiences as a drug user and former federally incarcerated individual, she aspires to make an impact in raising the quality of life for those individuals while lessening the harms of drug use and judicial trauma.

Loftin Wilson is a Harm Reduction Programs Manager at NCHRC. Loftin grew up in Alamance County and now lives in Durham. His journey with NCHRC began as a volunteer in 2010. Loftin worked part-time as an outreach worker for five years, before starting as full-time staff in the fall of 2015. Loftin now divides his time between providing direct services and doing program management and development for NCHRC’s harm reduction programs. His areas of focus include making harm reduction accessible for people who are: transgender, living in rural communities, and incarcerated

Voni M. Goodson-Simpson is a Wilmington Native. For more than twenty years, through her work; she has been a committed advocate for those battling mental health issues, substance abuse, and survivors of domestic violence. Her current position with NCHRC allows for her community service to continue.

Charlton grew up in 1970s Harlem amidst the devastating effects of drug addiction. Despite diversions in athletics and the military, he succumbed to cocaine addiction for over a decade. With treatment, he recovered and moved to North Carolina with his first wife. There, he found purpose in helping troubled teens, eventually leading him into the mental health field. He rose to the position of Executive Director at Visionary Management Group, a PRTF provider, and pursued a bachelor’s degree in social science. After leaving his job due to family obligations, he became a full-time Alcohol and drug counselor. He’s deeply passionate about helping others overcome addiction and is working as a LEAD outreach Specialist, Harm reduction outreach worker, and Post overdose response peer support specialist for a year. His goal now is to become a licensed clinical addiction specialist.