The Rise Up! Glendale Coalition is a group of concerned community leaders and members working to reduce youth alcohol, marijuana, and prescription drug use/abuse in the city of Glendale.
Why we started… 
Rise Up! Glendale began in October of 2020, when it was discovered that Glendale had no localized substance abuse prevention efforts in place.
Rise Up! Glendale works with law enforcement, healthcare, education and various other community-based organizations and volunteers to reduce the demand for drugs through several methods such as websites and social media awareness, education campaigns, drug take-back events, Naloxone and Deterra drug disposal kit distribution, community surveys, assessment of community needs and in-school resiliency and prevention education, specifically tailored to meet the needs of our community.
Our Mission
Unite Glendale in preventing substance use among youth while providing the life-skills to RISE UP to their potential.
Our Vision
Empowered youth choosing healthy, drug-free lives.
Get to Know the Staff
Brandi Jordan, Executive Director
After working for a major corporation as a manager and regional trainer for 17 years, I saw the need and importance of preparing our next generation for the work field and life in general, which led me to go back to school. So began my work in the public-school system. I am a certified elementary education, special education and physical education teacher. My favorite time teaching was in P.E., where I was able to combine my personal passions of health and well-being and education to inspire and teach skills for young people to live healthier lifestyles. I thought I would stay in this position forever until I was approached about applying to lead a new coalition in Glendale. To be honest, I had no idea what a coalition was, but I loved the mission and vision of the founders, so after that school year, I stepped away from traditional education to focus full time on bringing our community together to support the overall wellbeing of youth.
Marcela Seesholtz, Program Coordinator (español)
I’ve been working in education for about 10 years, with the last 5 years focused on being a Physical Education (PE) teacher. I truly love what I do, and it’s been rewarding to see how much the kids enjoy our classes—many of them tell me I’m their favorite teacher! I believe in making PE fun and engaging, helping students not only stay active but also build confidence and teamwork. Outside of school, I enjoy traveling to new places and visiting family and friends around the world. Exploring different cultures and spending quality time with loved ones brings me so much joy.
Olivia Dalley, Prevention Specialist & Social Media Manager
I am a student at ASU studying business communication. My hobbies include playing the violin, exercising, enjoying nature, listening to music, and hanging out with friends and family. I absolutely love educating youth in classrooms, managing the coalition's social media accounts, and leading our Youth Council. It is my goal to help youth become more involved in substance awareness and education!
Gabriel Torres, Prevention Specialist
I am a student at GCC studying biological sciences. One thing I like to do in my free time is play the piano. I also like to watch movies and TV shows.
Rise Up! Glendale in Action
Enjoy pictures of activities we participate in to help our youth grow up drug and alcohol free!
