SUBSTANCE USE PREVENTION COORDINATOR Diana DeLeo (second from left) with her family, from left, husband Paul, son Paul Jr., daughter Lilyana and daughter Carina at the Lynnfield High School Class of 2024 graduation ceremony in June. (Courtesy Photo)

By DAN TOMASELLO

LYNNFIELD — Diana DeLeo has hit the ground running as the new Substance Use Prevention coordinator for A Healthy Lynnfield.

DeLeo took over as A Healthy Lynnfield’s substance use prevention coordinator last week. She succeeds retired Coordinator Peg Sallade.

“I am so excited to take on this new role with the town,” said DeLeo.  “As a mom in this community, I know firsthand the impact of our work. I believe so much in what we do, and I am eager to partner with even more community groups, town departments and residents to further our mission.”

DeLeo first started working for A Healthy Lynnfield as the coalition’s community outreach and engagement coordinator two-and-a-half years ago.

“I came in with strong nonprofit and fundraising experience, but was new to the substance use prevention world,” said DeLeo. “I have learned so much from Peg over the last two-and-a-half years and have participated in a lot of trainings on positive youth development, risk and protective factors, and evidence-based strategies. It was two-and-a-half years of getting to know the community where I live in a different way and forming relationships with key partners and volunteers, which is so crucial to the work that we do.”

DeLeo worked for the American Cancer Society for almost 14 years. She had a four-year tenure serving as the development director for the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Salem before joining A Healthy Lynnfield.

“Our success is so dependent on and closely tied to our relationships and community engagement, which has really been the backbone of my entire career,” said DeLeo.

DeLeo said one of her main goals for A Healthy Lynnfield entails “educating the community on how we are funded and how much we are doing in Lynnfield.”

“I don’t think many people realize the impact and breadth of the work we have done over the years and continue to do,” said DeLeo.

DeLeo also said she wants A Healthy Lynnfield to “continue to build our base of young volunteers and parent volunteers.”

“Involving youth and parents in our programming decisions and giving them a voice is so important when it comes to prevention,” said DeLeo. “We have strong youth participation at Lynnfield Middle School and Lynnfield High School, and I am excited to see all they accomplish.”

DeLeo also said she wants A Healthy Lynnfield to “partner with town departments and community groups to work smarter, not harder.”

“We need to have a collaborative approach to substance use prevention,” said DeLeo. “We can’t operate in silos or we won’t be successful. It truly does take a village. Our primary goal has remained the same over the years: To encourage and educate all residents to make healthy choices every day.”

DeLeo said A Healthy Lynnfield has hired Hunting Lane resident Jessica Tortola to work on “underage alcohol use with at-risk populations” after the coalition was awarded a STOP Act Grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA).

“Jess is great and has already hit the ground running,” said DeLeo.

DeLeo also said A Healthy Lynnfield will be hiring a Drug-Free Communities program coordinator after the coalition was awarded the large federal grant.    

“We currently have the coordinator position posted,” said DeLeo.  “We were a staff of three full-timers when I started and with some changes in funding, we are going down to two.”

DeLeo said A Healthy Lynnfield has made some “changes to the structure of our High School Youth Council.”

“We are so excited to have nurse Risa Ferrara and guidance counselor Krista Normandin serve as co-advisors,” said DeLeo.

DeLeo also said A Healthy Lynnfield will be “making some minor changes to our coalition meeting schedule to be more impactful and give our members more opportunities to have thoughtful and deeper discussion in their areas of expertise.”

While A Healthy Lynnfield Chair Phil Crawford said he will miss working with Sallade, he said DeLeo will be a great successor.

“Diana is a Lynnfield resident and mother of three,” said Crawford. “Since she began with A Healthy Lynnfield, Diana has successfully helped the organization to substantially grow its reach in the community through creating and implementing various community outreach, special programming and social media strategies. She started the organization’s Parent Advisory Committee, which assists in the planning of parent and community programming. She has taken the lead on projects such as the Harlem Wizards basketball game and the Make Mealtime Matter campaign. Diana has continued to work closely with all sectors of the community to collaborate on various projects that benefit residents of all ages.”

Think of Michael Foundation President Carmela Dalton, who is a member of A Healthy Lynnfield, said she has enjoyed working with DeLeo for the past two-and-a-half years.

“Diana is a great choice to lead A Healthy Lynnfield into the future,” said Dalton.

DeLeo said A Healthy Lynnfield has several upcoming programs in the works.

“Our Harlem Wizards game, which is an amazing substance free, family event, sold out in a matter of hours,” said DeLeo. “We are still looking for sponsors and volunteers. We have Project Adventure coming to Lynnfield Middle School this month to do on-site skill building with our new middle schoolers.  We are working to set dates for Screenagers Elementary Edition for parents of elementary- age students.”

DeLeo also said former Boston Celtics player and substance use prevention advocate Chris Herren with be visiting Lynnfield High School in December.

“We are also working to set dates for additional Mental Health First Aid trainings,” said DeLeo.