Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman has appointed and reappointed five members of the Kentucky Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission, the mechanism designed by the Kentucky General Assembly to distribute the Ccommonwealth’s share of nearly $900 million recovered in opioid settlements:
- Jason Roop, of Campbellsville, has been appointed to represent victims of the opioid crisis. Roop is an assistant professor of business and theology at Campbellsville University and was first appointed in June 2022. His new term will expire in 2026.
Jason Roop - Van Ingram,of Frankfort, has been appointed to represent the drug treatment and prevention community. Ingram is executive director for the Kentucky Office of Drug Control Policy and was first appointed in 2022. His new term will expire in 2026.
Van Ingram - Patricia Freeman,of Lexington, has been appointed by the University of Kentucky from the HEALing Communities study team. Freeman is a professor in the University of Kentucky’s College of Pharmacy and was first appointed in July 2023. Her new term will expire in 2026.
Patricia Freeman - State Representative Chris Fugate,of Chavies, has been appointed by Speaker of the House David Osborne as a non-voting member.
Chris Fugate - Karen Kelly ,chief of staff to U.S. Representative Hal Rogers (KY-05), of Somerset, has appointed by President of the Senate Robert Stivers as a non-voting member.
Karen Kelly
In addition to these appointments, the commission’s membership includes:
- Chris Evans, Louisville, commission executive director
- Mark Metcalf, Lancaster, Kentucky state treasurer
- Karen Butcher, Georgetown, representing victims of the opioid crisis
- Eric Friedlander, Louisville, secretary of the Cabinet for Health and Family Services
- Von Purdy, Louisville, vice president for advancement and community engagement at Simmons College
- Darren “Foot” Allen, Mount Vernon, representing the law enforcement community.
