I am a person in long term recovery. Since December 23, 2016, I have been sober and have rebuilt my life around community, my children, recovery and advocacy. As a parent in recovery who had been stigmatized, advocating for compassionate care of people is a passion that I'm emboldened to pursue.

I learned through my recovery that what keeps a large number of people from active addiction is genuine connection within their community. Coming to the actively addicted person with care and empathy instead of judgment or persecution will help them recover. Giving them community and support, something to focus on, the ability to learn to make things with their hands and being active in the footprint in their community are all core values I try to exemplify and share with others. As such, I am the Co-Founder, Co-Director and Board Vice President of Skillbury Makerspace. We are a community makerspace providing services to enable people to learn, build, create, learn trades and take part in their community. Being of service, support and a safe space for people is so important to me. Community is an important foundation for all recoveries and I'm happy to bridge the gap where people feel they are lacking in support personally and professionally.

I am a woman in long-term recovery. What that means to me is that I haven't found it necessary to put a substance (drug) in my body since 6/18/2014. My recovery date is 6/19/2014. Since my recovery journey started, I have rebuilt my relationships with my family, and I love to be available and be a mom, daughter, most recently became a Mimi to my first grandchild, TJ, and a committed girlfriend.

During the beginning of my recovery, I went back to school, not knowing what direction I wanted to go, and I ended up becoming a Certified Addiction Recovery Coach and Recovery Coach Supervisor. This became my passion! It's not work when you love what you do! I wish I had someone out there offering me support, removing barriers, and showing compassionate care when I was actively using. I am a professional trainer on recovery, a motivational speaker, a recovery community leader, and a recovery advocate. Out of all the different recovery roles that I work in, I absolutely love all of them! I can use my negative experience from active addiction and turn it into a positive by supporting and/or educating others.

I am first and foremost a woman in long-term recovery. I have not been on illegal substances or been in the judicial system since the start of changing my life 13 years ago.

Currently I am the Lead Case Manager for Spectrum Health Systems (ATS) Acute Treatment Services detox in the Westborough, MA campus.

Things that are important to me are: My recovery and mental wellness, my three children and granddaughter, my extended family, my significant other, my closest of friends, learning and growing, paying it forward, doing better than I did yesterday, laughing and loving along with giving myself a break when I need to.

I am a retired Worcester Police Officer with 41 years of service. My last assignment was working in the Crisis Intervention Team where I conducted outreach in the community and post overdose follow-ups with recovery coaches from the Worcester Program for Addiction Recovery (WPAR). During this time I became a Certified Recovery Coach (CARC). My passion for this work is personal, my daughter suffers from this chronic disease of addiction and has been in recovery for nine years. I’m currently working part-time as a recovery coach at Restoration Recovery Center in the Choices Program in Fitchburg, Ma. #Recoveryispossble#Endthestigma