Alice Dembner

Alice Dembner is the Director of the Substance Use Disorders Project at Community Catalyst, which focuses on promoting new ways to prevent and treat alcohol and drug problems. Key initiatives include advancing early intervention with youth, ensuring access to quality services, promoting treatment and social services rather than incarceration, and integrating substance use treatment fully into the health system. Alice’s role includes strategic direction, project management, fund-raising, overseeing state issue campaigns, policy analysis, and public speaking, coaching, and working with state and national partners. She and her team do direct advocacy in Washington and provide technical assistance to state and local organizations across the nation.

Alice is also a Senior Policy Analyst for long-term services and supports and participates in Community Catalyst's other initiatives to improve access to quality, affordable health care and social support for vulnerable people by transforming their health care system.

Prior to joining Community Catalyst in 2008, Alice was an investigative and analytic journalist. During her 30 years as an award-winning reporter and editor, she informed policymakers, influenced public opinion and spurred change. She holds a bachelor's degree from Yale University, magna cum laude.