Board of Directors
April Babcock
Founder & President
Following the loss of her son Austen, who died from fentanyl poisoning in 2019, April launched Lost Voices of Fentanyl in 2021 when she saw a lack of urgency of elected officials on the state and federal levels.
Working full-time to support her work as an advocate, April has built a movement that has played a central role in raising awareness, and changing policy. She has testified on multiple occasions for stronger legal consequences for fentanyl distribution and lobbied lawmakers directly. Her work helped pass the HALT Fentanyl Act without amendments. Since the establishment of LVOF, she has advocated for designating Mexican cartels terrorist organizations, calling fentanyl a “poison,” and ending the de minimis loophole.
LVOF's victim impact banners display 56 faces of fentanyl victims on each banner. To date, over 50 banners have been created, honoring thousands of lives. April also manages the largest Fentanyl Focus Facebook group (36,000 members) dedicated to addressing supply issues.
April conducts direct outreach in Kensington, Philadelphia, connecting with people affected by addiction and distributing resources.
She was featured in People magazine's "Women Changing the World,” and has appeared multiple other outlets, including Fox News, Newsmax, Real America's Voice, NTD, as well local news stations. She has also appeared in documentaries and podcasts.
Through press conferences, testimony, and nationwide events, Lost Voices of Fentanyl drives change and works to prevent other families from experiencing similar losses.
Patricia Drewes
Vice President
Patricia Drewes is a dual citizen of the United States and Canada and resides in North Carolina. In 2019, she lost her 24-year-old daughter and only child, Heaven Leigh Nelson, to illicit fentanyl poisoning.
She joined Lost Voices of Fentanyl in 2020 and now serves as Vice President. Patricia is deeply committed to supply-side accountability, law reform, and ending the stigma surrounding fentanyl deaths. She has organized rallies, awareness events, and community outreach efforts across North Carolina.
That same year, Patricia founded Forgotten Victims of North Carolina, a statewide network supporting families impacted by fentanyl loss, now with eight chapters across the state.
In addition to her advocacy work, Patricia supports grandparents raising grandchildren after the loss of a child and is especially proud of raising her grandson.
Laura Woody
Secretary
Laura Woody is a mother and grandmother whose commitment to Lost Voices of Fentanyl is shaped by lived experience, profound loss, and a lifelong devotion to family. After raising four children, she is now raising her two grandchildren, marking nearly five decades devoted to caregiving.
In 2021, shortly after being granted guardianship of her grandchildren, Laura lost her son, Jimmy, to illicit fentanyl poisoning. In response, she became deeply involved in fentanyl-accountability efforts and now serves as Secretary of Lost Voices of Fentanyl, Inc.
Laura’s work focuses on stopping the supply of illicit fentanyl, strengthening accountability, and improving education, enforcement, and policy responses. She also supports families impacted by fentanyl loss, including grandparents raising grandchildren after the death of a child.
She brings research-driven insight to her role, working with state and national policymakers to improve drug-death investigations and reporting, informed by firsthand experience navigating system failures.
Anita Puckett
Treasurer
Anita Puckett is a board member of Lost Voices of Fentanyl (LVOF), where she serves as Treasurer. She became an active voice within the organization following the death of her 27-year-old son, Kevin, who died from illicit fentanyl poisoning on July 27, 2021.
Within months of Kevin’s death, Anita became a moderator for LVOF and has remained deeply engaged in the organization’s mission. She has supported and attended LVOF
National Rallies in Washington, D.C. since 2022, standing alongside other families impacted by illicit fentanyl poisoning.
In 2024, Anita testified before the Maryland Senate in support of SB 1075 (Victoria and Scottie’s Law) during the 2024 legislative session. The bill sought to prohibit the distribution of lethal fentanyl and allow prosecution in the county where a death occurs, rather than solely where the drugs were sold. She also provided written testimony in support of HB 1398 / SB 0604 (Victoria, Scottie, Ashleigh, and Yader’s Law) during the 2025 legislative session, which proposed the creation of a new felony offense for distributing heroin or fentanyl resulting in death or serious bodily injury, with penalties of up to 20 years in prison.
In May 2025, Anita was invited onto the lawn of the White House alongside April Babcock and other angel parents in advance of the American Border Hero Awards, which she also was honored to attend.
Anita was invited and attended the signing of the Halt Fentanyl Act, which was signed into law by Donald Trump on July 16, 2025.
Through her advocacy, Anita continues to fight for stricter laws against drug traffickers and distributors. She strongly supports enhanced legal consequences for those who supply fentanyl and believes these crimes should be prosecuted as homicides.
Following her son’s death, she made a promise that his name and handsome face would never be forgotten. She has kept that promise
Mark Murphy
Chairman of the Board
Energee, LLC CEO and advocate Mark J. Murphy turned personal tragedy into a national mission after losing his 21-year-old daughter, Lizzy, to fentanyl poisoning. Since her death, he has become a powerful voice in the fight against the fentanyl epidemic, working alongside law enforcement, lawmakers, and community leaders to raise awareness and drive meaningful change.
Mark is the only known American father who has lost a child to fentanyl to be embedded twice at the southern border, witnessing firsthand the trafficking of fentanyl and the devastating impact it has on families and communities across the United States. He has supported major fentanyl legislation, including Ohio House Bill 88, and has shared his family’s story nationally through appearances on NewsNation and Cincinnati Channel 12 News.
In business, Mark serves as CEO/President of Energee, LLC and as Vice President of Sales & Marketing for U.S./Middle East/Canada at U.S. Global Petroleum Inc., where he leads strategic partnerships, oversees key accounts, and drives international growth initiatives. Known for transforming struggling companies through operational excellence, sales leadership, and strategic execution, he has consistently generated multimillion-dollar revenue growth throughout his career.
Mark is a published author, public speaker, and respected business profitability consultant whose expertise has been sought by organizations including Gerson Lehrman Group. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Illinois State University
Debbie Santini
Board Member
Debbie Santini has been a passionate advocate in the field of substance use and recovery for many years. While raising her sons, Debbie began her professional work with Maryland Coalition of Families in 2018, where she served as a Certified Family Peer Support Specialist. Through her work, she provided families with peer support, resources, guidance, and compassionate understanding – drawing not only from her professional training but also from her own family’s experience
As a mother with lived experience, Debbie understands firsthand the challenges families face when a loved one is struggling with addiction because she has walked that journey with her own family. In 2011 her youngest son was prescribed opioids after a car accident and then, like many others, became addicted.
In 2022, Debbie suffered the devastating loss of Jesse to fentanyl poisoning after just 5 days in a ‘recovery’ house. His death transformed her grief into a powerful mission: to raise awareness about illicit fentanyl, the need for safer, more accountable recovery housing and the stigma that continues to prevent individuals and families from seeking help.
Since finding Lost Voices of Fentanyl in 2023, Debbie became deeply involved in its’ mission. She has worked tirelessly on both the statewide and national levels to educate communities, support families, and advocate for meaningful change. Debbie has testified on Maryland legislation in support of stronger laws for individuals who traffic illicit drugs. She has met with senators and delegates to advocate for greater oversight and accountability of recovery homes. She organized a local fundraiser supporting recovery efforts and helped bring public attention to unsafe recovery home practices through a billboard campaign in Annapolis.
Through years of family peer support, community outreach, legislative advocacy, and personal lived experience, Debbie is committed to giving families a voice and helping them navigate systems that can often feel overwhelming. She carries Jesse’s memory into her advocacy while continuing to stand beside her oldest son and countless other families affected by substance use.
Debbie’s mission is simple but deeply personal: to turn heartbreak into action, give families hope and support, and work toward a future where fewer families experience the devastating loss of a loved one to illicit fentanyl.