Biography

Ivette A. Torres
Associate Director for Consumer Affairs
Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT)

Ivette Torres joined the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) in the fall of 1997. Ms. Torres manages the CSAT team responsible for generating and disseminating substance abuse treatment information to SAMHSA's mission-related consumers. She develops national communication strategies and campaigns including the observance of the National Alcohol and Drug Recovery Month, celebrated each September.

Prior to joining CSAT, Ms. Torres was a communications and organizational development consultant serving a multitude of clients including the Children's Television Workshop, Consumers Union, CSAP/SAMHSA, and a number of health promotion publishing houses. She is a former Senior Director, Communications Services Division, at Consumers Union, publishers of Consumer Reports magazine.

At the start of her career, Ms. Torres helped organize and coordinate the 1st Puerto Rican Festival in Boston, Massachusetts. She went on to work for then-Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis as his Special Aide, Office of Community Services. She has served as Director of Minority Affairs at the Corporation for Public Broadcasting where she promoted diversity within the system.

From 1984 to 1988 Ms. Torres honed her fundraising and management skills while employed at the National Coalition of Hispanic Health Service Organizations (COSSMHO), where within two years she was promoted to Vice-President for Development.

In 1988, Ms. Torres joined the National Education Association (NEA) as Senior Professional Associate. At NEA, she developed and oversaw projects to support the association's many initiatives and continued her working relationships with the mass media to promote such projects. She also chaired the Association's team on "Education in a Pluralistic Society."

Ms. Torres has a Masters of Science in Telecommunications Policy from George Washington University and a Masters of Education from the School of Rehabilitation Administration from Northeastern University. She participated in the Community Fellows Program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1982-1983.

Ms. Torres is fluent in both English and Spanish and has been active in many associations and coalitions, including the Public Relations Society of America. She is a former board member of the National Puerto Rican Coalition, a former National President of the National Conference of Puerto Rican Women.