2026 Meet the Speakers: ADAO Conference Session III — From Awareness to Action: Policy, Advocacy, and Strategic Communications

Register Today | Conference Details | “Meet the Speakers & Honorees” 7-Week Series 

Posted on August 10, 2026

ADAO is proud to launch our 2026 “Meet the Speakers & Honorees” seven-week blog series in celebration of ADAO’s 21st Annual Asbestos Awareness and Prevention Conference, taking place on September 25–26, 2026. Each week, we’ll spotlight the distinguished speakers, honorees, sponsors, and ADAO leaders whose expertise, leadership, and dedication are advancing asbestos awareness, prevention, and the law.

We are deeply grateful to these individuals and organizations for generously sharing their time, knowledge, and experience with our community. Their commitment to science, public health, advocacy, and justice continues to inspire action and strengthen our shared mission to prevent asbestos exposure and eliminate asbestos-caused diseases.

Join us in Washington, D.C., this September for two days of education, collaboration, and action. Register today and be part of the conversation shaping the future of asbestos prevention and public health.

Speaker information for Session III — From Awareness to Action: Policy, Advocacy, and Strategic Communications 

Celeste Monforton — Opening Perspective: From Awareness to Action

Celeste Monforton, DrPH, MPH serves as liaison to the Science Board and Prevention Board of the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization, and she is a fellow in the Collegium Ramazzini. Monforton collaborates with and provides technical assistance on occupational health and safety policy to community organizations and national groups. Her book, On the Job: The Untold Story of Worker Centers and The New Fight for Wages, Dignity, and Health, written with Jane M. Von Bergen, was published by The New Press in 2021. Monforton is an active member of the American Public Health Association, including leadership in the Occupational Health and Safety Section. In 2019, Monforton testified on behalf APHA in support of the Alan Reinstein Ban Asbestos Now Act.

 

Warrior Altadena — Warrior Perspective: Turning Awareness into Action

Tony Rich — The Power of Images: Documenting the Legacy of Asbestos and the Cost of Inaction

Tony Rich, Industrial Hygienist, Photographic Historian and ADAO Prevention Advisory Board Member, has literally served “in the trenches” as an industrial hygienist and environmental technician in the consulting field for the past 32 years, specializing in asbestos-related work, including: inspection surveys, abatement monitoring, regulatory compliance, and worker training. He has also received microscopy training from McCrone Research Institute for identification of bulk asbestos via polarized-light microscopy (PLM). 

Through the course of his occupation and personal endeavor, Tony has developed an extensive and compelling collection of asbestos-related photographs, product materials, artifacts, historical publications, industry documents, film archives, and other related media which have been utilized in a multitude of applications for various organizations worldwide, including, but not limited to: product and material research, asbestos awareness education blogs and presentations, corporate and governmental training programs, regulatory guidance documents, science and trade publications, university textbooks, museum & conference exhibits, and even as legal evidence. Sharing his expertise on asbestos awareness he has presented at several national and international conferences and as a speaker at ADAO’s 6th Congressional Staff Briefing in Washington DC. In 2023, he received the European Asbestos Forum award for Global Leadership in Raising Asbestos Awareness.

Tom Laubenthal — Why Legacy Asbestos Matters: Americans Are Still Being Exposed

Tom Laubenthal serves as the Regional Technical Consultant for the national engineering/environmental firm Terracon. There he helps to manage technical issues for their Building Environmental Services division. He has 42 years of industry service and is considered by peers across the U.S.as a nationally recognized subject matter expert within the asbestos and lead-based paint control industries. He has served in a variety of industry leadership roles including current National President of the Lead and Environmental Hazard Association (LEHA) and serves as an officer of ASTM International’s Committee D22 (Air) and manages four asbestos standard practices, and is a past National President of the Environmental Information Association (EIA). He has published extensively in print and e-media on asbestos and lead-based paint issues, and is regularly invited to speak at technical meetings on topics of asbestos detection and control. He is a recipient of the Snider Lifetime Achievement Award by EIA and recently was awarded the Moyer D. Thomas Award from ASTM. He received his B.S. in Geology from Georgia State University.

Chris Carberg and Linda Reinstein — Winning the Battle for Truth: Digital Advocacy in an Age of Misinformation and Polarization

Chris Carberg is a passionate digital health advocate and the founder of multiple digital health advocacy efforts. He used the heart-wrenching experience of caring for his father during a service-related cancer battle to fuel his mission: providing a beacon of hope for families fighting mesothelioma.

To create a supportive online space, Chris bridged talent and technology, developing essential resources that educate readers about their options, maximize the precious time families have left, and uplift those battling mesothelioma. His work using digital media to connect with various communities has led him down a path as a founder also of digital advocacy platforms, AddictionHelp.com, PostpartumDepression.org (co-founded with his wife, Jenna).

Through digital health advocacy, Chris has aimed to transform the journey for so many in the mesothelioma community, providing solace and a sense of belonging during their most challenging times. His deep-rooted dedication enables him to form personal connections with patients, amplifying their stories and preserving their legacies for years to come.

Chris lives in Orlando, FL, with his incredibly supportive wife, Jenna, and their two children, Elsie & Meyer.

Linda Reinstein is a leading public health advocate and serves as the President & CEO of the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO). Her journey into advocacy began in 2003 when her husband, Alan, was diagnosed with mesothelioma — a cancer caused by asbestos exposure. In response, she co-founded ADAO in 2004, focusing the organization on increasing awareness about the hazards of asbestos, advocating for a global asbestos ban, and providing support to those affected by asbestos-related diseases.

ADAO has grown into the largest independent nonprofit in the U.S. dedicated to preventing asbestos exposure, eliminating asbestos-related diseases, and pushing for regulatory reform. Focused on evidence-based advocacy, Reinstein has been a vocal presence, frequently testifying before Congress and other governmental agencies, and influencing national and international policies related to asbestos.

Reinstein’s work has significantly contributed to asbestos awareness and the protection of public health around the world. She continues to be a key figure in advocating for a global asbestos ban and supporting individuals and families affected by asbestos-related diseases. Currently, she is involved in organizing the 21st Annual ADAO Awareness and Prevention Conference and advancing the Alan Reinstein Ban Asbestos Now Act (ARBAN).

Greg Russell — Turning Advocacy into Action: Strategies for Advancing Asbestos Policy and Legislative Change 

A fierce and dedicated advocate for firefighter and public safety, Greg Russell is a leading voice in the crucial fight to pass the Alan Reinstein Ban Asbestos Now Act. For Greg, this legislative battle is a personal mission, born from witnessing the devastating toll of asbestos-related diseases on his colleagues.

Following a distinguished 33-year career where he rose to the rank of Fire Marshal, Greg embarked on a second career as a Government Affairs Representative for the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF). There, he was instrumental in advancing critical legislation on carcinogen exposure, occupational illness benefits, and the overall health and safety of first responders and the public.

From the front lines of the fire service to the halls of government, Greg has leveraged his extensive, hands-on experience to champion the well-being of his fellow firefighters. His unwavering commitment continues to effect meaningful change, working to protect future generations of first responders from preventable harm.

Christine Oliver, MD, MPH, MS — Session Moderator 

Christine Oliver, MD, MPH, MSc is an adjunct professor in the Occupational and Environmental Health Division of the University of Toronto’s Dalla Lana School of Public Health in Toronto, ON. She is a medical consultant to the Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers (OHCOW), Inc. Dr. Oliver was formerly an associate clinical professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and a member of the Pulmonary and Critical Care Division of the Department of Medicine at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. Her primary specialty is occupational and environmental medicine, with an emphasis on occupational lung disease. She has taught, done research, and published in the area of occupational lung disease, including asbestos-related disease.  Dr. Oliver is a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO) and a Fellow of the Collegium Ramazzini. She has testified before Congress and OSHA on issues related to asbestos and other respiratory toxins. She has offered expert testimony on behalf of injured and ill workers with asbestos-related disease.

 

Tune in next week for Session III’s speakers. Register today and join the movement towards an asbestos-free future. 

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