Mahoning County drug court judge and filmmaker to co-present at the Centofanti Symposium

Judge Jack Durkin from the Mahoning County drug court and court of pleas and filmmaker Nancy Bannon will discuss the documentary “If You Are Breathing” for the Centofanti Symposium. The symposium will take place Oct. 15 at 7 p.m. in Stambaugh Auditorium.

Durkin established the Mahoning County Felony Drug Court in 1997, and it was the second drug court in the state of Ohio. Following the court’s establishment, Durkin was named Lawyer of the Year by the Mahoning County Bar Association. He continues to preside over the court nearly three decades later.

Drawing on his extensive experience with drug-related crime, Durkin formerly served with the Regional Judicial Opioid Initiative and was co-chair for the Prescription Drug Monitoring Committee.

Speaking alongside Durkin is Nancy Bannon, a performer, writer and director who has written and directed several short films and stage plays.

Bannon’s work has been recognized by many festivals, labs and contests including New York Stage and Film’s Filmmaker Workshop, the Slamdance Film Festival and New York Women in Film and Television.

As a performer, Bannon has been in multiple productions. She was last seen as an actress in Mark O’Rowe’s “The Approach” and later in the Off-Broadway “Occupied Territories”, which she co-wrote. Bannon continues to work in many other ongoing productions.

Bannon’s documentary “If You Are Breathing” examines the national opioid crisis with a focus on Youngstown through the lens of frontline caregivers.

Admission to the discussion is free, but tickets are required and are reserved on a first-come, first-served basis. Tickets are currently available at the Stambaugh Auditorium box office or online through the Stambaugh Auditorium website.

The Centofanti Symposium was established in 2013 in memory of James Centofanti, a Marine who served in World War II, successful business owner, philanthropist, and horseman. Centofanti was a long-time member of the Board of Directors of Farmers National Bank and a generous supporter of many educational and community-based initiatives. He was a charitable individual who believed everyone has a responsibility to help those in need.

The James and Coralie Centofanti Center of Health and Welfare for Vulnerable Populations was founded in 2012 with a $1 million gift from the Centofanti Foundation. The Centofanti Symposium is a branch of the Center which features nationally recognized speaker speakers on topics regarding the needs of vulnerable populations.

For more information, contact Jackie LeViseur at jmleviseur@ysu.edu.