MEET THE SPEAKERS

Judge James Bryan III

James T Bryan III served as a District Court Judge in North Carolina’s 18th District from 2012 to 2020, presiding over Adult and Family Drug Treatment Courts. Prior to his judgeship, he practiced law for over 30 years, focusing on criminal defense, family law, juvenile justice, and personal injury. He is a certified mediator and has served as a parent coordinator and civil custody Guardian ad Litem, working to reduce family conflict and support child well-being.

Judge Bryan is the founder of Jay Bryan Consulting & Mediation LLC, where he continues to support recovery and justice initiatives. He serves as a Technical Advisor for All Rise (formerly NADCP), evaluating treatment courts nationwide.

He also co-founded and co-leads a legal coaching program at UNC’s Horizons Treatment Program, with Dr. Hendree Jones. This program helps mothers in recovery navigate legal issues critical to their long-term stability.

https://jaybryanmediation.com

Dr. Hendrée Jones

Dr. Hendrée Jones is a licensed psychologist and internationally recognized expert in treating substance use disorders in pregnant and parenting women. She serves as Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at UNC-Chapel Hill, with joint appointments in Psychology at UNC and Psychiatry at Johns Hopkins University. She is Senior Advisor to UNC Horizons, where she previously served as Division Director for ten years.

Dr. Jones has led over 43 international projects focused on improving the lives of women and children and has authored more than 350 publications, including national and global treatment guidelines. She has received continuous NIH funding since 1994 and is ranked a top world expert in neonatal abstinence syndrome and opioid-related disorders. She consults for the UN and WHO and serves on multiple national advisory committees, including NIH’s HEAL Initiative.

Brie Rust

Brie Rust is a mitigation specialist and defense attorney. She focuses on juvenile murder cases and capital cases as well as defending parents when their children have been taken into D.S.S. custody. Previously, Ms. Rust has worked with small law firms in Columbia and clerked with the Richland County Public Defender’s Office before opening Rust Law in 2013. She is the President of the Board of Directors for Artists for Africa, Inc., a non-profit founded in Columbia, South Carolina and she previously served on the Foster Care Review Board in Richland County. She graduated from Charleston School of Law in 2012 and the University of South Carolina in 2003.