Belinda Ballah, former CPS Director for the Hood River County Prevention Department, received her bachelor’s degree from Eastern Oregon University. She worked in the Hood River County School District for many years before transitioning into the prevention field. She received her Prevention Specialist certification from the Addictions Counselor Certification Board of Oregon in 2013. In 2015 she became the director of the Hood River County Prevention Department. During her tenure, the department received various grants that promoted healthy lifestyles, substance misuse prevention, education on opioid misuse with training on Narcan/Naloxone use, suicide prevention, and grants to reengage youth in high school education and beyond. Belinda was also a Tobacco, Marijuana, and E-cigarette (TMEC) instructor.