Our Team

Melissa Tran

Melissa Tran began working with children, young people and families at the age of 16, as a volunteer. Professionally, she’s provided leadership at Job Corps Centers around the country, in multiple director, corporate and consultant roles, excelling at driving center/school turn arounds, developing positive culture and implementing peer directed programs. After the devastating loss of one of her students to illicit Fentanyl, Melissa turned her attention to the national opioid crisis. Leveraging what she has learned, she is fiercely committed to educating and informing young people, educators and families about the dangers of illicit Fentanyl poisoning in ALL illegal drugs. Melissa loves spending time with friends and family, especially her nieces, nephews and Godkids, and is dedicated to working towards a safer world for all families, everywhere.

Hung Tran

Hung Tran is an artist, photographer, builder, creative problem solver, uncle, Godfather, husband, and friend. He is deeply committed to those roles and envisions a safer future for all children. When Melissa’s Fentanyl research evolved into a full-blown mission, he used his decades of experience as a Creative Director to bring her vision to life, and Beat Fentanyl was born. Leveraging his skills as a designer and media developer, Hung amplifies our message through the website, brand identity and marketing collaterals. He loves animals, kids, art, music and sports. He was a 2 sport athlete (Judo and soccer) at VCU and commissioner of ACK, a coed soccer league in Arlington, Virginia for over 20 years. Hung is interested in pursuing the influence of mentors and coaches in ensuring young people have the information they need to make good choices.

Rashein Gibbs

Rashein Gibbs is a life-long advocate for youth, and has played multiple roles in their service through the Job Corps Program, For My Kidz, and David’s Loft Clinical Programs, providing mental health and substance abuse supports for young adults in Maryland. Gibbs is also a devoted husband, and Dad to Tim, a freshman at Arch Bishop Curley High School. Gibbs envisions a safer world for Tim and all of the kids in his life. He excels at building strong, authentic connections and believes the fastest route to real change is through relationships; that by connecting with people, sharing information and building mutually supportive partnerships, we can solve tough problems. The Fentanyl crisis is no exception.

Founders Club

These lead ambassadors of our mission, members of the Founders Club, are exponentially improving the odds of preventing other young adults from inadvertently falling victim to this crisis.

Maia Gabriel

Cofounder and president of the Founders Club, Maia Gabriel is a senior at Cohasset High School. Maia has been integral in developing Beat Fentanyl’s model and approach. Maia has a passion for educating her peers and believes that if people have the right information, they will make better choices. Last year Maia participated in Technovation Girls through independent study and coded and developed an app to facilitate searches for community service opportunities, placing as a quarter finalist in a technology and entrepreneurial competition. Maia had a busy summer working on the launch of Beat Fentanyl, securing donated education materials from the Hingham Health Department, completing a service trip to Honduras and testifying at the State House regarding the need for adolescent mental health supports. Maia is captain of her soccer and tennis teams, participates in debate club, works at a local restaurant and loves skiing, surfing and spending time with family and friends.

JoNya Luckey

Founder of Woodlawn High’s Club chapter, senior JoNya Luckey is on track to graduate in June with two full years of college credits and an associates degree completed! JoNya is persistent, conscientious and determined. When she learned about the Fentanyl crisis, she was immediately inspired to take action. She believes that people need information NOW, before it’s too late and is especially dedicated to reaching as many of her peers as possible before they graduate. JoNya participates in local presentations and is preparing to become a peer presenter in the near future. She participates in Student Government, Cheer Leading and also has a part-time job. She is especially busy right now, preparing for her drivers license and exploring colleges with excellent pre-Med programs. The head start JoNya has earned through completion of her AA will serve her well as she aspires to become an anesthesiologist. With her outstanding work ethic, we expect to be calling her “Doctor” in no time!

Erin Rinier

Erin Rinier is a sophomore at Virginia Tech and is our first college club Founder. Erin is studying to become a physical therapist and is especially interested and concerned with the science behind the Fentanyl crisis and the lack of knowledge she’s observed in her peer group. She feels that drug classes offered in high schools are outdated and don’t brush the surface when it comes to helping young people understand the threats they need to consider related to illicit drugs. Erin enjoys walking and running, movies and spending time with friends and is working hard to keep up with a very challenging anatomy class this semester.

Jack Gabriel

Jack Gabriel is a freshman at Cohasset High School. He loves sports, especially skiing, football and lacrosse, and spending time with friends. He also enjoys creating and editing videos. After a serious skiing accident put him on the bench last spring, Jack focused on developing his skill as a videographer to create media for his lacrosse team. Now he is leveraging his multimedia knowledge and skills to support Beat Fentanyl. This summer a personal experience led him to become actively involved in the Founders Club. Jack and his friends witnessed a 16 year old girl overdose in a frozen yogurt shop and the dangers of Fentanyl quickly went from theory to reality. Jack is now our Media Advisor. He views and helps us curate and create the content we share and understand how our messages may be received by teens and young adults.

Tim Gibbs

Timothy Gibbs is a freshman at Arch Bishop Curley High School in Maryland. Tim is a gifted and committed scholar athlete. He’s run track for two years recreationally, and qualified for junior olympic trials in 2022. This year, he is on the junior varsity track and football teams at his highschool, sings in the choir, participates in robotics club and youth ministry. Tim loves comic books, especially DC comics and his favorite super hero is Batman. Tim believes that everyone, everywhere should know about the dangers of Fentanyl so that they can make good decisions and keep themselves and their friends and family safe. We agree and are thrilled to have him on our team!

Get Involved

TeamUp

We need your help. Below are just a few ways to get involved and save lives! Please join us!

Founders Club

The Founders Club is comprised of talented, caring, and inspired young adults across the country. These incredible trailblazers are leveraging their creative, academic, social and leadership talents and abilities to work together and Beat Fentanyl! As early adaptors of Beat Fentanyl’s mission, they act as boots-on-the-ground advisors and shape our work's form and function. They are relentlessly focused on amplifying the impact of our efforts in their own families, schools, peer groups, and communities. As lead ambassadors of our mission, members of the Founders’ Club are exponentially improving the odds of preventing other young adults from inadvertently falling victim to this crisis.

Peer Ambassadors

Peer Ambassadors are committed to learning about Fentanyl poisoning and informing and supporting their peers in making informed and safe decisions. They may not be ready to commit to projects at the Founders Club level but they are firmly committed to becoming well-informed and sharing information with their closest peers and family members.

Booster Club

Boosters are parents and other members of the community who rally behind our cause and support our mission. They may participate in activities like those of the Founders Club but with their own peers. They may volunteer services and support. Above all else, they commit to A.C.T.ing in accord with our Mission to Beat Fentanyl by Amplifying the great work of others, Clarifying messaging, and Teaming up! Getting our messaging out to friends, families, communities, schools, colleges, and corporations is the most important function of the Booster Club. Supporting us in making impactful connections is one of many examples of the way Boosters contribute.

Partners

Together, we amplify one another’s messages and broaden the reach of our impact. If our mission resonates with yours, let’s work together. Contact us.