William Perno is a Senior Prevention Specialist with SAY San Diego and their ATOD Prevention Program. William is also a retired San Diego County Deputy Sheriff.

William is a subject matter expert for synthetic drugs including Synthetic Cannabinoids "Spice", Synthetic Stimulants "Bath Salts”, Synthetic Opioids, Fentanyl, and emerging drug trends. He was instrumental in the passage of California State laws banning synthetic drugs and has worked with local governments to create city and county ordinances.

William has given more than one-thousand synthetic drug presentations to community groups, school districts, students, teachers, parents, health care providers, prevention providers, treatment providers, policy makers, law enforcement and first responder agencies throughout California.

Presentations include how to recognize opioid overdose symptoms, how to use Naloxone, a medicine that rapidly reverses an opioid overdose and free distribution of Naloxone Nasal Spray.