Our Team.
The HRCSD -Our team has over 30 years experience with harm reduction and lived experience.
As the founder and Executive Director of the Harm Reduction Coalition of San Diego’s (HRCSD’s) mobile syringe services program (SSP), OnPoint, Tara Stamos-Buesig have worked tirelessly over the years to facilitate change and advocate for evidence-based best practices, specifically as it pertains to drug user health. As a harm reduction specialist, substance use counselor, case manager, and social worker with 30 plus years of experience and deep knowledge of community needs across San Diego County, she has built the trust of providers, treatment facilities, community members, those impacted by overdose death, the recovery community, and people who use drugs. Tara Buesig has both professional and lived experience with harm reduction and have successfully engaged PWID and key academic, government, and community stakeholders in harm reduction research and practice.
Amy Knox has been focused on writing and administering grants for the last 5+years. At the beginning of her career she was a corporate and governmental auditor, where she oversaw and conducted audits including grant funds. Her background is in finance and accounting and directing financial decisions for companies.
Amy wrote the RFP for Harm Reduction Coalition of San Diego to secure the current San Diego Naloxone Distribution and Education Program. She also manages and facilitates the vending machine placements and contracts, as well as the other subcontractors. Her relationships within the community allowed us to secure the first vending machine on sovereign land in the United States.
In addition she has also wrote and secured funding for the Syringe Service Program Grant through Sierra Health to grow our other side of the business OnPoint.
Becca Evans is a substance use counselor with over 10 years of professional experience working with folks of all different backgrounds and needs, and has dedicated their career to the support, advocacy and liberation of PWUD and folks with challenging mental health. Becca has lived experience as a queer, former IV opiate user who benefitted immensely from harm reduction services, and believes strongly in the rights of PWUD. With a background in mindfulness meditation, holistic healing modalities, and community activism, Becca brings years of dedication to the wellbeing of folks impacted by stigma and the drug war. Becca enjoys witnessing empowerment and focusing on the strengths of those they work with. Becca is also focused on increasing community and institutional harm reduction education to combat stigma and is always searching for opportunities to provide trainings to the San Diego community.
Mateo Chavez comes to the table with years of experience in Indian Country. As a Local Native Tribal Member from Mesa Grande Tribe, he has traveled all over the County working on Various Projects.
His most prominent work has been in the field of Tribal Monitoring, where he was working on job sites with Archeologists and General Contractors, where his people's artifacts are discovered and returned to their rightful owners.
Mateo has also had a vast skill set in Construction and Customer Service. He has amazing personal communications and has a great persona everyone loves and respects.