OCTOBER 6-8,
OCTOBER 6-8, 2024
OCTOBER 6-8, 2024
OCTOBER 6-8, 2024
OCTOBER 6-8, 2024
OCTOBER 6-8, 2024
OCTOBER 6-8, 2024
2:45 – 3:00 PM
3:00 – 3:45 PM Plenary 4
Thank you for taking the survey to form the FOR-NY 2025 Policy Agenda. The purpose of this survey is to create a peer participatory statewide policy statement that is re ective of the statewide recovery community.
Judge Linda Davis was appointed to the bench in 2000 by Michigan Governor John Engler. Prior to her judgeship, Davis spent 13 years as an Assistant Prosecutor with the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office. She played a crucial role in the inception of Face Addiction Now Formerly Families Against Narcotics (FAN) and has been instrumental in the success and growth of the nonprofit. In 2019, Davis retired from the 41B District Court to become Executive Director of FAN. She was appointed as a voting member of Michigan’s Opioid Advisory Commission in 2022.
Donald McDonald, MSW is a person thriving in sustained recovery from mental, learning, and substance use disorders. Donald’s background includes being a consumer of services, provider of non-clinical & clinical services in multiple settings, health policy advocate, and recovery community leader. Previously, Donald served as the National Field Director of Faces & Voices of Recovery, the Executive Director of Addiction Professionals of North Carolina, and the Director of Advocacy & Education at Recovery Communities of North Carolina. His current role is Technical Expert Lead at JBS International, where he provides training and technical assistance to HRSA-funded rural consortia across the country as they build prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery capacity in response to the overdose crisis.
Donald is a veteran, husband, father, grandfather, social worker, member of the 2016 inaugural cohort of Recovery Coach Professionals at Center for Addiction Recovery Training, and formerly Licensed Clinical Addictions Specialist in North Carolina. He holds a Bachelor of Education from NC State University and a Master of Social Work from UNC Chapel Hill. Donald is a proud recipient of the NCADD Bronze Key Award and the North Carolina Attorney General’s Dogwood Award. Donald is the producer and host of No Thanks But Yes, a podcast featuring chill conversations with splendid people who’ve overcome problematic relationships with substances and behaviors via many, many pathways.
Dr. Smith-Wilson brings over 25 years of human service and addiction experience to Friends of Recovery-New York. Angelia’s career spans across working with human service agencies that have served individuals with mental health, substance use, residential, and homeless issues. She has worked as an intensive case manager, a primary therapist, a director of client services and eventually progressing to level of vice president throughout the greater Rochester and Albany NY area.
Angelia has centered her career around improving recovery and treatment outcomes for those in recovery, as well as exploring research designed at substance use counselor development.
Dr. Mina Tanaka earned her medical degree at the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford and completed her Internal Medicine Internship and Residency at Massachusetts General Hospital’s primary care program. She also earned her Master of Public Health at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health in New York. Growing up, Mina Tanaka, MD, never imagined she would live in a rural community. She spent her childhood in urban locations – Tokyo, Los Angeles, Chicago – and always assumed her health care career would one day unfold in a similarly bustling place rich with resources. Then a high school field trip to Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota changed everything. Nearly a decade later, Tanaka practices full-spectrum internal medicine at Northern Navajo Medical Center in Shiprock, N.M., where she works with the Indian Health Service doing both inpatient and outpatient care. Dr. Tanaka sees patients for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases from routine care to complex illness.
Elizabeth Addison is a multi-hyphenate whose work exists at the intersection of recovery and the performing arts. She has written three musicals inspired by her recovery journey, one of which “Chasing Grace,” is set to have an Off-Broadway run in 2025. Elizabeth is a creative recovery coach and trauma informed group facilitator with The Meghann Perry Group where she facilitates Recovery Storytelling, Embodied Storytelling and Embodied Songwriting workshops. She is also a consultant for ORN and The Grayken Center at Boston Medical Center.
pAUL aLVES is the Founder of Choice Recovery Coaching, Inc, a non profit organization dedicated to Coaching Recovery across the continuum of care and systems alike. He has been developing the Peer Recovery Workforce across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and beyond focusing on Wellness Recovery Oriented Systems ( WROS ) in order to diminish stigma while enhancing systems efforts and multiplying community wellness.
Mr. aLVES is a person in Recovery from Substance Use Disorder, Food Addiction and Mental Health affliction. He has presented Internationally on topics from Mental Wellness, Resiliency, during Covid-19, Peer Supervision, Working with MultiDisciplinary Teams, Recovery and more.
With a positive attitude and contemporary perspective, he believes that all individuals have the ability to recover.
Christopher Assini hails from the New York State Senate, where he worked in Senate Revision. There, he was an essential member of the team, analyzing, verifying and approving legislation for introduction for all members of the Senate. His position was integral on budgetary and legislative matters, in a bi-partisan fashion, allowing him to formulate working relationships with Senators and staff as well as different divisions of government.
Christopher is no stranger to advocacy, having developed and planned advocacy campaigns for a local nonprofit based in Albany where he was Program Manager prior to his work in the NYS Legislature. As Program Manager, he founded and led a steering committee which helped foster advocacy while promoting empowerment for individuals with disabilities. He was responsible for all advocacy efforts and planned many advocacy events, including lobby days at the capitol.
Advocating for recovery efforts is not only extremely important to Christopher, but it is personal.
Doug Bisher is a beacon of hope in the mental health and substance use disorder recovery field. His own journey of recovery was fueled by a strong commitment to a 12-step self-help program, which he remains actively involved in. Since achieving long-term recovery in February 2016 Doug has become a powerful voice for those struggling. His story of resilience and determination inspires countless individuals, proving the transformative power of unwavering support.
Fueled by a loving family and a purpose-driven life, Doug actively contributes to positive change. Married to the woman of his dreams (Kelly) and raising three wonderful children, he embodies the strength found in healthy relationships.
His dedication extends beyond personal fulfillment. Since joining A2A Niagara in 2018, Douglas has been a driving force for recovery in the community.
Since 2018, Benjamin Blair III has overseen Road Recovery’s Trax Program activities and monitors role-fulfillment of Creative Staff Mentors working at OASAS Youth Clubhouses currently at Creative Connections Clubhouse and previously at Youth Clubhouses of Columbia-Greene Counties. Responsibilities include fulfilling a leadership role in overseeing and directing all staff to ensure program model is followed and programmatic objectives are reached, serving as a conduit to Road Recovery’s Program Administrator to setup and operate each Trax Program session, collecting survey/data from participants, overseeing creative content collection, demonstrating a commitment to spending program time to build and foster healthy, supportive and positive role-modeling relationships and sharing life skills and wisdom with participants, and working with youth to express themselves in peer support meetings and creative workshops by sharing life skills and teaching creative performance arts and music.
Jack Bookbinder understands the importance of doing service and giving back to young people, while receiving support himself as a diabetic, after 20 years of experience in the music business working with artists like Gregg Allman, Jeff Buckley, The Strokes and Ben Folds. At Road Recovery, Bookbinder utilizes his experience of marketing artists through both grass roots methods and online marketing to help bring awareness, credibility and word-of-mouth endorsement for the charity. Bookbinder works with federal, state and local program partners to mainstream Trax Programs throughout statewide OASAS Youth Clubhouses to provide youth with engaging peer support and creative activities for their recovery from personal adversities. By joining music industry colleague Gene Bowen to launch Road Recovery in 1998, Bookbinder looks forward to guiding the charity’s steady expansion yet retain that personal touch distinct to its programs that reach thousands facing addiction or other adversities.
Gene Bowen is one of the lucky ones who have embraced recovery since 1992. Before entering treatment, he had been a tour manager of artists for ten years. After getting sober, he understood how lucky he was to survive, so he set out to build an organization to educate young people about addiction and other adversities in the hopes of helping them find their way towards a healthy future. He looked to publicize the many strengths and resources from the entertainment industry and mental health field. With support of mental health specialists and entertainment industry professionals who faced their own personal adversities, Bowen founded Road Recovery in 1998 and remains as the charity’s President to this day. Bowen functions as the Program Administrator for Trax Programs at statewide OASAS Youth Clubhouses, oversees Trax Program staff and activities, and ensures the program model he developed is followed and programmatic objectives are reached.
Cathie Campbell has been a Peer Since 2003 for WNYIL, Mental Health Peer Connection in Buffalo, NY. Today she is the MHPC Assistant Director, and previously was an A2A Recovery Peer. For A2A, she worked at Erie County Medical Center’s ER and their Detox Unit offering ongoing support and linkages for recovery services. She also spent time in the community training as many people as possible for Narcan.
Cathie counts her recovery as beginning in her late 20’s (over 20 years ago) because that is when she began focusing on her mental health issues which fueled her substance use on a daily basis. In her early 30’s she made her first attempt to quit drinking. However, when she was 35 she returned until she found recovery at the age of 36. Today, at 53 she couldn’t be more thankful for her crazy, magical, swerving, slippery road into recovery and feels very grateful to be part of the process of guiding others down their road to recovery.
“I am a Recovery Scientist with previous training in psychology, criminology, human development, substance use counseling, and recovery coaching. My more than seven years of counseling and coaching experience have provided insights into the recovery process. As a doctoral student, I am involved in research projects that aim to describe and empirically assess recovery among adults in the US. I am trained in using statistical software, including R, RStudio, and SAS, to analyze national datasets such as the National Survey of Drug Use and Health and data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the US Census Bureau.”
Nicholas Durkin is an extremely humbled peer professional who has had a monumental impact on the individuals he has encountered. He has been completely abstinent since April 1, 2022. Since joining the A2A Erie team his presence throughout the Erie County court programs along with Erie County Medical Center Emergency Department & detox reaching countless people. He has been able to connect with people from various backgrounds, meeting them where they are and helping them to find freedom from what once enslaved them. Nick started with the Erie County team in January of 2023. He is a loving husband, and father of 4 beautiful children. His parents had 6 boys in 9 years and unfortunately lost 2 of his brothers as a result of their addiction. Nick has truly turned his pain into purpose in more ways than one by pouring everything he can into the work he does day in and day out.
Wilvena Gordon is a person in long term recovery who has done service commitments for the addiction recovery community continuously since 1986, including Public Relations coordination on the multi-state, Regional and Zonal level for the past four years. Ms. Gordon taught as a Lecturer at Queensborough Community College and was a public-school English teacher for over 20 years.
Ms. Gordon has extensively traveled in relation to professional addiction recovery service in Thailand, Indonesia, Switzerland, Poland, Canada, and Peru. Ms. Gordon is a graduate of Harvard College, Bank Street College of Education and has graduate course work at New York University, Oxford University and Columbia University Business School. Ms. Gordon is a mother of three sons. She sponsors women internationally and is an ally of the LGBTQ community.
Lindsey Groffenberg has been a lifelong resident of Niagara County who is a beautiful mother of 4 wonderful children. She has been completely abstinent since August 23, 2018. Lindsey has 2 amazing daughters, Alyena (20-years-old), Mila (9-yearsold) and a baby boy named Gio (1 year old) and recently fostered RJ (2 years old). She has worked in various settings as a peer from methadone clinic, outpatient settings, as well as her current role with Addict2Addict Niagara. She has helped countless men and women set goals for their personal recovery and achieve them. Lindsey is a priceless peer in Niagara County courtrooms working with local treatment courts helping people struggling with substance use disorder to navigate through their early stages of their recovery. She is very knowledgeable and has a great deal of amazing relationships that help her to advocate for those that she serves.
Meghan Hetfield is a Peer Support Specialist, Peer Advocate and Harm Reductionist committed to changing the narratives of addiction, recovery, substance use and mental health. From Hospitals, Jails, Communities, Schools, Medical Clinics and Virtually, Meghan has supported folks through their wellness journey in many diverse settings. She believes that radical compassion and support without shame or punishment are foundational for healing individuals and communities impacted by the drug poisoning crisis.As an organizer for Harm Reduction Works-HRW and someone with lived experience navigating her own chaotic substance use, Meghan hosts and develops mutual aid support groups for folks interested in Harm Reduction for any reason, including family and loved ones of PWUD.
In 2017, Chelsea Kehrli began her recovery journey from substances at the young age of 26. After a few years of actively working to get back on her feet with the support of others, she was led to a career supporting others in the recovery field.
Today, Chelsea enjoys hiking mountains (literal and metaphorical), creating art in all forms, spending time with loved ones on adventures, and engaging in deep conversations with her peers about life in recovery. She is a true advocate who values collaboration and understands firsthand how important connection, safe spaces, and support for young people can be.
Chelsea feels grateful for the opportunity to be the person she needed when she was younger. She is currently the Youth and Young Adult Education & Training Coordinator for Youth Voices Matter NY, where she uses her lived experience to promote courageous conversations and encourage young people to bring their best selves to the table while embracing their autonomy.
Parker Kindred is a New York based drummer who has worked with artists Jeff Buckley, Antony and the Johnsons, Joan As Police Woman, Adam Green and Luke Temple. Kindred started working with Road Recovery’s Trax Program as a Creative Staff Mentor in early 2016 and continues working as Creative Site Director/ Mentor at Youth Clubhouses of Columbia-Greene Counties and Creative Connections Clubhouse. Kindred contributes to collaborative recording projects involving Trax Program youth and featured music recording artists. Prior Road Recovery experience included stints as a Creative Staff Mentor for Road Trax Programs at The Jewish Board and Fortune Society from 2010 through 2018. Mr. Kindred comments “I’ve been blessed to represent Road Recovery’s work inside various institutions for at-risk youth. It’s beautiful and joyous to see kids open up to new ideas, within themselves and others, and to see what the power of music can do to humans as a way to heal, build self confidence and trust.”
Theresa Knorr, CARC RCP-F is a family member in recovery, a family member of loss, and in recovery from process addictions and relinquishment trauma. She has been volunteering as an organizer of the recovery community since 2015. Theresa served as the Director of Education and Training at FOR-NY since 2016 and the Senior Director since November 2023.
Theresa has over 30 years of professional experience in counseling, coaching and case management, and has trained and developed curriculum focused wellness/self-care, and recovery community education. Additionally, she has been teaching meditation and esoteric psychology as a volunteer for over 20 years for an international organization.
She is a former Credentialed Alcohol and Substance Abuse Counselor (CASAC) in New York, and CADAC in Arizona., Theresa has been a trainer, coach, clinician, clinical supervisor and program director. She is founder of BALANCE Recovery Consultation and creator of “Tai Chi for Recovery”.
Deborah LaBello, a Neuro Recovery Coach BS CRPA CPS has a compelling story of overcoming substance use and finding healing. Let’s explore her journey and expertise.
Deborah has overcome substance use since 2009. She comes to you with experience of sustained recovery, street smarts, and an educated professional, who is trained by Dr. Caroline Leaf who is a communication pathologist, and clinical and research neuroscientist.
In summary, Deborah LaBello’s expertise lies in using Recovery Spirituality and Neuroscience to heal and empower individuals, drawing from her journey of recovery and resilience and believing in God.
Kyle LaFever is the Assistant Director at Friends of Recovery of Delaware and Otsego Counties, Inc. based in Oneonta, NY. In this position he assists with managing three Recovery Centers in Chenango, Otsego, and Delaware Counties, two youth clubhouses, an ARC funded workforce project, multiple State Opioid Response grants, and a SAMHSA grant. His wide range of work experience and education from earning multiple degrees in chemistry, being a church musician, to his time as a college professor at multiple colleges gives him strong leadership and public speaking skills while still being relatable to the Recovery Center’s participants. Kyle is very invested in the recovery community with personal lived experience and has become a personification of hope for those who still struggle with Substance Use Disorder. With a loving wife, beautiful daughter, a new baby boy, assisting with multiple family businesses, being a worship leader at church, Kyle also enjoys reading and playing piano.
Sarah K. Lanzo is a person in long-term sustained recovery. With a background in advocacy and nonprofit leadership, Sarah is an alumni leader with FOR-NY and works with Stutzman ATC. She is an active volunteer in the recovery community, participating locally, regionally, and internationally, and advocates for equality for all people.
Originally from Lockport, NY, Sarah has been in recovery since 2007.. Ms. Lanzo spent over a decade as the director of Independent Living of Niagara County, overseeing and supporting substantial changes and growth to the organization, including the development and implementation of programs for people with substance use disorders (SUD). She enjoys reading, being active and staying fit, traveling and spending time with friends and enjoys the company of her two cats - Mischief and Shadow.
Kenzie Laughlin has been in the Human Service field for 7 years as an advocate in child services, mental health, and Substance Use. In addition to being in the field, she has accomplished a Bachelor’s Degree in Human Services along with a CRPA certification. Outside of her professional endeavors, Kenzie is a cheerleading coach at her local high school and assists with their wrestling team.
Rachel Lauria is a recovery ally. She has been working at the New York Council on Problem Gambling for 6 years as the Bureau Director of Treatment and Recovery. For close to 20 years, Rachel has been working in the field of social work and striving to bring direct or changes through policy and/or programs to help people live well. Rachel is also active in her home community and lives in rural New York with her husband and four children.
Cortney Lovell is a public health professional who currently serves as a Director of Practice Improvement and Consulting at the National Council for Mental Wellbeing. Cortney brings over 15 years of lived experience, along with professional expertise working within substance use, harm reduction and peer support services. Prior to joining the National Council, Cortney worked throughout the US and abroad to expand mental health and substance use peer support training, credentialing and integration through various roles and capacities. She actively serves on the National Academy of Medicine’s Opioid Collaborative and the Foundation for Opioid Response Effort’s Scientific Advisory Council.
Sandra Marnell, RNCD, MA, CASAC, NCACII, Best Practice Trainer for FOR-NY and CCAR Recovery Coach Professional Facilitator (RCPF) and New York Certification Board (NYCB) Approved. Sandra has worked in the Behavioral Health Field for more than 45 years as a Chemical Dependency RN, Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor, Healing Touch Practitioner and Health and Wellness Trainer. Since retirement from the OASAS Bureau of Recovery Services in 2011, she has continued to provide trainings and teach self- care techniques specializing in Recovery Health & Wellness Self –Management. Join her to address Stage One of Recovery, referred to as Stabilization and defined as, firmness of purpose and character. Learn to manage your response to stress, boost your brain power with health-promoting behaviors, and medically endorsed methods such as, eating specific foods, functional exercise and utilizing “epigenetics”to protect brain function and keep your brain young, healthy, and sharp.
Connie Pacheco, a Puerto Rican Latina raised in the South Bronx, began her counseling journey in 1987 after completing a 3-year residential program. Since 1994, she’s been a CASAC in NY and internationally recognized. With a BS in Human Services and an LMSW in Community Development, she’s also pursuing an Executive MBA. Connie’s extensive qualifications include certifications as an Addiction Recovery Coach and Peer Advocate. For over 30 years, she taught and directed programs in NYC, specializing in diverse populations. She’s a certified Women Safety Instructor, martial artist, and proud mother of a son who served in the Army National Guard. Connie is an LGBTQ advocate, featured in the White Shirt Project campaigns, and host of Recoveries R US TV talk show. In 2013, she founded Recoveries R US, LLC, offering educational services for the provision of CASAC, CRPA and CARC ,Connie’s lifelong commitment is to carry the message of CHANGE through education and mentoring programs.
Brandy Richards has been in the field of prevention for over 20 years. She began her career working as a Substance Abuse Prevention Educator for Hamilton County working in rural school districts and supporting community based coalition work. In 2018 she joined the NY Council on Problem Gambling as the Team Leader of the Northeast Problem Gambling Resource Center. There she worked alongside her team to raise awareness about the issue of problem gambling across 15 counties by providing education and training to a variety of organizations. In 2022 she became the Bureau Director of Prevention and Special Programs at the NY Council on Problem Gambling where she continues to advocate for prevention at the statewide level,, working with statewide partners such as FOR-NY and the NYS PTA. Brandy works closely with the Bureau of Treatment and Recovery and is a strong advocate for those impacted by gambling harm.
Certified Addiction Recovery Coach, Ruth Riddick, incorporated recovery coaching into her training practice in 2004. She pioneered the non-clinical coaching model more than a decade previously in her native Ireland, where her principles and procedures are still taught at university level. She has delivered the CCAR RCA on multiple occasions since 2015, earning an inaugural Recovery Coach Professional Facilitator designation. Her NYCB-approved Becoming a Recovery Coach foundational training provides all 60 hours required for CARC certification. She has served as a curriculum developer and lesson writer for two separate parenthetic roles in the peer recovery profession, CRPA-Family (2019) and CRPA-Youth (2023). Current commitments include consulting Subject Matter Expert at the New York Certification Board Trainer Registry program, as well as on the Board of the International Association of Recovery Coach Professionals and the New York Association of Treatment Court Professionals.
Jonathan Rosen is the Principal Consultant for AJ Rosen & Associates LLC, providing occupational safety and industrial hygiene services to labor unions, government agencies, and organizations throughout the U.S. Jonathan works for the National Clearinghouse for Worker Safety & Health Training, National Institutes of Environmental Health Sciences Worker Education Training Program. In that capacity he has developed worker and leadership training programs on disaster preparedness and response, resilience, stress, trauma, opioids and the workplace, and infection prevention and control.
Jonathan completed a master’s degree in industrial health at the University of Michigan and is a Certified Industrial Hygienist. Jonathan is a founding member of the NYS Coalition to Prevent Addiction and Support Recovery in Employment (PARSE).
Doug Smith, BS, CADC II, Founder & Developer of Innovative Realities, has 20 years of experience working in behavioral health services, including serving as a direct clinician, Clinical Director and Director of Clinical Development. He has a BS in Psychology from Eastern Oregon University and is a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor Level II. Doug has innovated many modern approaches to treatment services, including developing new patient-centered treatment models. He developed the Emotional Attachment Behavioral Therapy (EABT) model and speaks nationally to professionals in the field about its positive outcomes. Doug is the recipient of the Oregon Association of Addiction Professional’s 2023 Innovator of the Year Award as well as the 2018 Addiction Professional of the Year Community Service Award.
Thomas Stein, CRPA, CARC, is the Lead Peer Specialist at Compeer Rochester. I am also the Chair of Compeer’s Cultural Responsibility Committee.
“I have struggled with substance use disorder for many years and am proud to say that September 2024 will mark 5 years of continuous sobriety. With the collaboration of many resources, including AA and NA, I have achieved things that I never thought possible, including obtaining my Master Barber License. My barbering specifically focuses on individuals who do not have the means or capacity to make it to a stand-alone shop. I enjoy being able to bring this service into the homes of children and families facing difficulties such as travel, mental health barriers and other issues.
I started my Human Services career at Helio Health, in the detox center, assisting clients that were suffering from substance abuse. In 2021 I expanded my interests into Mental Health specifically focusing on youth.”
Morgan Thompson is a local graduate from the College of Saint Rose with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Forensic Psychology. She has a long-standing background working with at-risk youth in community outreach long before finding her niche in rehabilitation and recovery. Her efforts have helped emerging adults establish their role in determining what is both required and desired to achieve the change they want to see, and even be, in their communities. She is confident that her knowledge and skill-set will help to continue achieving the goals set out by the young advocates of Youth Voices Matter.
Since graduating, in 2021, she has continued to work in mental health and human services to aid in providing stellar resources so people can have easier access to the wellness and health care options they believe best fits their needs. Morgan has joined FOR-NY in hopes of continuing this same support in advocacy, de-stigmatization, and delivery of compassionate care to the youth in recovery.
Michelle Varvaro holds an MA in Rehabilitation Counseling, as well as an MA in Special Education. She has worked directly with youth and families for the past 30 years in both Substance Use and Mental Health Services.
Michelle has always believed in collaboration amongst services and connecting with community resources. In her present position at CHHUNY, Michelle connects families and young adults with services and resources throughout NYS and heads a large Community Youth Collaborative that allows great resources and providers to network and share resources.
Allison Weingarten supports the National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences Worker Training Program, focusing on training workers, supervisors, and employers on preventing addiction and supporting workers in recovery in the workplace. Allison is a co-founding member of the NYS Coalition to Prevent Addiction and Support Recovery in Employment (PARSE). She previously served as Director of Policy for Friends of Recovery-New York. Allison is a trained social worker and has experience in the NYS legislature and State Government.
Stephen White has worked in the substance use disorder field for over 20 years. His background includes working in different milieus including inpatient, outpatient, residential and recovery support services. He currently lives and works in Buffalo, New York. When not working, he tends to the garden and rides his bike. Largely due to his work, over time he has come to appreciate in a deep and meaningful way “the stories” of the people he’s worked with and supported. Initially his work had him wanting to “save” everyone, borne out of his experience of being ‘saved” by finding a pathway of recovery. Now, when he meets people and hears their stories, he thinks about who they are, how the influences of family, community, lineage, folklore and story has shaped them and their perspectives. He reflects upon people in recovery as “Griots” of a sort, as they transverse the world with a new set of eyes, ears and a different “song” if you will.
Tim VanValkenburg is a CRPA Certified Peer Support Specialist for Western New York Independent Living under the Mental Health Peer Connections. He is a person of long-term recovery with 26 years and lives with an AIDS diagnosis. Tim has been in the recovery field and HIV and AIDS field for 28 years. He currently is positioned at ECMC in the Detox Unit and in the Emergency Room giving and finding resources and Identifying Individuals with Substance Use Disorder who are seeking treatment. He was in active SUD for 21 years and currently has been in recovery for longer than his SUD days. He worked for American Red Cross, Group Ministries and Hispanics United. Tim also has had the opportunity to sit on the board of directors for Columbus Hospital as a Resident Director for The Refuge House of Western New York, which was a home for people living with HIV and AIDS. Tim has had the opportunity to speak at several Narcotics Anonymous Conventions across the United States. His strengths are in presentations and communication, in relaying information and identifying with people in and out of Substance Use. Tim above and beyond to help any person suffering or recovering from substance use disorder.
Erin R. Zych is currently the Recovery Coordinator at Western New York Independent Living, Inc. A graduate with a B.S. in Human Services Management from Alfred State College, she was inspired to pursue a career in the non-profit sector as her parents chose to do years ago. She was following in the footsteps of those who showed her that positive change can happen. Originally starting with adult Developmental Disability/Mental Health services, Erin worked her way up the administrative track very quickly. With a move to South Carolina, her gears changed due to familial Substance Use Disorder interactions. Being back in her home area of WNY, Erin is continuing her work and aspirations by being leader of a phenomenal team with A2A, F2F, and the SOR members that she oversees under WNYIL. Outside of the daily chaos, Erin enjoys whatever time she can get with family, friends, and especially with her husband Joe and their fur-child Junior Thomas all while working on their home in Niagara Falls.