News @ the 112

Abigail Wells and Caitlin Ramirez honored for their work supporting youth, families and community prevention programs across Washington.

Two Educational Service District (ESD) 112 prevention professionals were honored for their work expanding substance use prevention programs and resources during the 2026 Washington State Prevention Summit, held Oct. 27-29 in Tacoma.

Abigail Wells, ESD 112 Community Prevention Program Coordinator with Prevent Coalition, and Caitlin Ramirez, Community Prevention Program Coordinator for the West Van for Youth Coalition, received Prevention Awards of Excellence in the Prevention Professional category.

Presented at the annual summit, the awards recognize individuals and organizations that demonstrate exceptional leadership, compassion and commitment to preventing substance use and improving behavioral health in communities across Washington.

“Abigail and Caitlin have very different roles, but they share something important: They pay attention to what their communities actually need,” said Joy Lyons, prevention director at ESD 112. “Abigail has helped rural coalitions access resources they might not otherwise have, while Caitlin has found ways to make prevention programs work better for local families. I’m thrilled to see both of them recognized. “

Abigail Wells, ESD 112 Community Prevention Program Coordinator with Prevent Coalition received Prevention Awards of Excellence

Abigail Wells: Strengthening prevention in rural communities

With 15 years of experience advancing prevention and community wellness, Abigail Wells has focused on helping rural communities strengthen their prevention efforts throughout Washington.

Through her leadership of Prevent Coalition’s statewide Rural Network, Wells connects parents, youth, educators, health professionals, law enforcement, and coalition leaders to strengthen local prevention efforts and ensure that rural communities have access to the tools and support they need.

Her work addresses challenges that can make prevention more difficult in rural areas, including limited resources, geographic isolation, and gaps in local data.

Wells has helped expand access to translated prevention materials, supported the development of a dashboard focused on rural risk and protective factors, and provided technical assistance to local coalitions on grant funding, strategic planning and long-term sustainability.

She has also created opportunities for rural prevention professionals to learn from one another through Rural Office Hours, training sessions, and the first Virtual Rural Prevention Summit.

“Rural communities are doing some really creative prevention work, often with limited staff and resources,” said Wells. “A big part of my job is connecting people so they don’t have to figure everything out on their own. I’ve learned just as much from the communities I work with as they’ve learned from me.”

Wells also shared her expertise during the summit, leading an interactive workshop titled “The Rural Reality Check: Rethinking Community Assessment Through Data, Dialogue, and Discovery.” The session explored how rural communities can combine prevention science, data and local perspectives to develop more effective, actionable prevention strategies.

Caitlin Ramirez: Building stronger connections for West Vancouver youth and families

Over the past six years, Caitlin Ramirez has worked to strengthen prevention services and foster supportive environments for youth and families in West Vancouver.

As coordinator of the West Van for Youth Coalition, Ramirez brings together schools, parents, health care providers, law enforcement and community organizations to address youth substance use and promote healthy choices.

One notable accomplishment is her work adapting the evidence-based Strengthening Families Program for virtual delivery in Spanish, which helped reduce language and access barriers and made the program more accessible to Spanish-speaking families.

Ramirez also supports school-based youth prevention clubs, promotes medication and cannabis safe-storage education through the Locks Save Lives initiative, and collaborates with neighboring coalitions to expand the reach of prevention resources.

Caitlin Ramirez, Community Prevention Program Coordinator for the West Van for Youth Coalition, received Prevention Awards of Excellence in the Prevention

“We knew some families wanted to participate in our programs but faced barriers that made it difficult,” said Ramirez. “Offering Strengthening Families virtually in Spanish was one way we could better meet their needs. That’s what I love about this work: listening to families and finding ways to make things happen.”

A statewide gathering focused on prevention and connection

The 2026 Washington State Prevention Summit brought together youth leaders, prevention professionals, educators, community organizations and other partners from across the state to share research, exchange ideas and strengthen strategies that support healthier communities.

Held at Tacoma’s Hotel Murano, this year’s summit centered on the theme “Cascade of Change: Navigating Paths for Prevention.”

The three-day event featured professional development, interactive workshops, networking opportunities, and separate learning tracks for youth and adults.

Sessions addressed a broad range of prevention priorities, including youth substance use, mental health promotion, emerging substance-related concerns, family engagement, community partnerships and evidence-based prevention strategies.

Youth participants explored leadership, advocacy, and creative approaches to prevention, including an interactive “Youth Empowerment Shark Tank” that challenged students to design and pitch initiatives to strengthen their communities.

Other sessions examined how to use Healthy Youth Survey data to guide prevention strategies, support positive relationships with trusted adults, strengthen culturally responsive programs and involve young people directly in developing prevention messages.

ESD 112 Director of Prevention Programs Joy Lyons also contributed to a popular workshop on findings from the 2025 Community Prevention and Wellness Initiative Workforce Survey, helping prevention professionals explore ways to strengthen the field.

The summit concluded with a keynote session led by Samuel Brown, titled “Widening the Circle: How Storm-Resistant Communities Are Built,” which emphasized resilience, collaboration and the importance of supportive community relationships.

Continuing a tradition of prevention excellence

In 2025, ESD 112 Student Assistance Professional Angela Kruger also received statewide recognition for her prevention work with students in Goldendale.

In 2025, Angela Kruger, an ESD 112 Student Assistance Professional serving Goldendale Middle and High School, was named a Youth Prevention Leader by the Washington State Health Care Authority. Kruger was recognized for empowering student leaders, using youth-driven data to inform prevention strategies and creating opportunities for students to promote wellness among their peers.

This year’s Prevention Summit awards mark the latest statewide recognition for ESD 112’s prevention team.

About Prevent Coalition

The Prevent Coalition is a community coalition formed in 2003 to increase collaboration and awareness and reduce youth substance use in Southwest Washington, including Clark, Klickitat, and Skamania counties. Prevent also implements initiatives for rural communities across Washington State through the Rural Network to create a culture that promotes healthy choices. Through support from ESD 112, as well as invaluable community volunteers and organizations across the state, Prevent advocates for policies and regulations that protect, empower, and nurture youth. Prevent is funded by the Youth Cannabis & Commercial Tobacco Program from the Washington Department of Health, and other state and federal grants. For more information, visit www.preventcoalition.org.