About Recovery Month

Ivette Torres

Ivette A. Torres, MEd, MSc
Associate Director for Consumer Affairs

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 oversees the CSAT team responsible for generating and disseminating substance abuse treatment information to SAMHSA's mission-related constituents. 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 was an active member of Boston's Hispanic community. She went on to work for the Office of the Governor in Massachusetts, as a Special Aide, Office of Community Services. She also 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 from 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. Ms. Torres is also a former President of the Department of Health and Human Services' Hispanic Employee Organization

Ivette A. Torres, MEd, MSc
Directora Asociada de Asuntos al Consumidor Centro de Tratamiento de Abuso de Substancias, SAMHSA, DHHS

Ivette Torres es parte del equipo de trabajo del Centro de Tratamiento para el Abuso de Substancias (CTAS), de la Administracion de Servicios de Abuso de Substancias y de Salud Mental (SAMHSA) del Departamento de Salud de EE.UU. La Sra. Torres esta a cargo del grupo responsables por generar y difundir la informacion de tratamientos de abuso de sustancias para el publico estadounidense. Ella desarrolla estrategias de comunicacion nacional y al igual, campantildeas incluyendo el Mes Nacional de la Recuperacion, el cual se celebra cada septiembre. Ivette es la ex Directora de la Division de Servicios de Comunicaciones en la Union de Consumidores, los editores de la revista Consumer Reports. Antes de comenzar a trabajar en CTAS, la Sra. Torres ofrecia consultarias de comunicacion y de desarrollo organizacional sirviendo a una multitud de clientes en el campo de salud publica. En el inicio de su carrera, la Sra. Torres trabajo para la Oficina del Gobernador de Massachussets, Michael Dukakis como Ayudante Especial de la Oficina de Servicios a la Comunidad La Sra. Torres tiene una maestria en Ciencia Politica en el campo de Telecomunicaciones de la Universidad George Washington y una maestria en Educacion de la Escuela de Administracion de Rehabilitacion de la Universidad Northeastern en Boston. Fue participe en el Programa de Becarios de la Comunidad del Instituto de Tecnologia de Massachussets a partir de 1982-1983. Es ex miembro de la junta directiva de la Coalicion Nacional Puertorriquentildia y, ex Presidenta Nacional de la Conferencia Nacional de Mujeres Puertorriqueas.