One pill or substance can kill. And for parents, waiting until there’s a problem may already be too late.
In this episode of Worthy for Thirty, I spoke with Leah Shepherd, Executive Director of Victoria’s Voice Foundation, for a candid conversation about fentanyl, drug and alcohol prevention, naloxone (Narcan), teen substance use, and what parents can do now to help protect their children.
A tough but worthwhile listen as the new school year gets underway.
Victoria’s Voice was born from unimaginable loss. In 2015, David and Jackie Siegel lost their daughter, Victoria, to a drug overdose. What followed was a mission to help prevent other families from experiencing the same tragedy through education, advocacy, overdose prevention, and greater access to naloxone.
Leah explains how that mission has evolved into a national effort focused on reaching parents and young people before substance use becomes a crisis.
For parents, one message comes through clearly: **have the conversation early.**
Eric and Leah discuss why parents need to move beyond simply asking, “How was your day?” and start asking more specific questions about what their children are experiencing anywhere. From being in school, with friends, on their phones, and especially across social media.
They also explore the growing danger of fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills and the reality that young people may encounter drugs through platforms they already use. Leah explains why prevention education, parental involvement, and direct conversations about drugs can be critical tools for keeping kids safe.
The conversation also goes inside Victoria’s Voice Foundation itself: how Leah transitioned from the for-profit world into nonprofit leadership, why she believes nonprofits must be operated like businesses, how the organization measures impact, and why collaboration between nonprofits can extend the reach of prevention programs.
Leah also discusses Victoria’s diary, which the Siegel family published as a cautionary resource for other parents, along with the warning signs and conversations they wish they had recognized sooner.
In this episode:
• Why David and Jackie Siegel founded Victoria’s Voice after losing their daughter Victoria
• What parents should know about fentanyl and counterfeit pills
• Why naloxone/Narcan awareness remains an important part of overdose prevention
• How parents can recognize potential warning signs of teen drug or alcohol use
• Why talking openly about substance use can help break the stigma surrounding addiction
• The role social media can play in exposing young people to drugs
• Why Leah encourages parents to ask their children direct, specific questions
• How Victoria’s Voice approaches drug prevention education in schools
• How nonprofits collaborate to reach children from elementary school through high school
• Why approximately 70% of Victoria’s Voice funding comes from individual donors
• How nonprofit organizations can measure impact beyond dollars raised
• Why Leah believes prevention works and conversation is one of its most important tools
This is a difficult conversation, but a necessary one.
Whether you’re a parent of a young child, teenager, or college student, or simply want to better understand fentanyl, opioid overdose prevention, naloxone, substance use, and addiction, this episode offers a practical perspective on why education needs to begin before a family is facing a crisis.
Worthy for Thirty features conversations with founders, executives, and nonprofit leaders working to build organizations where purpose and performance can coexist.
