I am writing this letter of recommendation for David Gust who was an amazing force to the education of a school district and many of its community members, including local public agencies.
As the Coordinator of the Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Prevention Program in the late 80’s and 90’s for Yuba City Unified School District, I was responsible for implementing a district wide program to address alcohol and other drug abuse. I was extremely fortunate to discover that David had a very busy practice called New Directions in nearby Sacramento, counseling adolescents and their families dealing with these issues. He literally had written the book on these issues. As a result, I was able to contract with David to present on multiple occasions to district personnel and community members regarding alcohol and other drug abuse concerns.
David’s knowledge is incredible, and what makes that even more important is that he has a gift of being able to communicate his knowledge which resonates with his audience every time. His use of true stories and weaving these into the facts was very powerful. Over the next couple of decades David was always available for consults and was the district’s primary resource for families and staff who may have needed private counseling to address addiction issues.
I recommend David, without any qualification, as one of the more talented people I have met. My only regret was not being able to have him present to even more people than he did.
