Godfrey Woelk is a Senior Program Officer at the Patient-Centered Outcome Research Institute (PCORI) in Washington DC. In this role he supports program development and provides scientific oversight for a diverse portfolio of funded research awards, works collaboratively in developing funding announcements, and in evaluating and implementing program activities. Previously, he was Director, Global Implementation Research at the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation for 13 years. In this position, he led and provided technical and management oversight, and strategic thinking for the global implementation research activities of the Foundation. Prior to joining the Foundation, Dr. Woelk was a senior research epidemiologist at Research Triangle Institute (RTI) International in the international health program within the statistics and epidemiology unit for three years. Before joining RTI, Dr. Woelk carried out teaching and research for 20 years at the University of Zimbabwe Medical School, where he became Professor of Epidemiology and Chair of the Department of Community Medicine. Dr. Woelk taught epidemiology and health systems research at graduate and undergraduate levels across the various programs in the medical school of public health, medicine, nursing science, pharmacy, occupational and physical therapy, and medical laboratory sciences.

Anthony is a person in long term recovery from substance use disorders. He is a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist (CPRS) and has years of direct experience working with people in recovery. Through his passion for working with people new in recovery, in 2016 he started his first certified recovery residence. In 2017, Anthony co-founded a recovery residence foundation in Richmond, VA, that has grown from 21 beds to currently 103 certified beds in Virginia. In 2019, Anthony was hired as the first full-time paid executive director of the Virginia Association of Recovery Residences (VARR), which is the Virginia state affiliate of the National Alliance for Recovery Residences (NARR). VARR certifies recovery residences throughout the commonwealth of Virginia that meet the national standards set forth by NARR. VARR is also a credentialing entity for the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS) state certification. During Anthony’s tenure, VARR has more than doubled in the number of certified recovery residence operator’s and bed capacity, and as of early 2023 has 1,170 certified beds. In 2020, VARR received its first budget amendment placed in the Commonwealth’s budget, which was passed through the Virginia General Assembly, which allocated $250,000 dollars a year to VARR for two years. In 2021, the second-year of the budget line was increased to $500,000 dollars. This allowed, for the first time in Virginia, operators to receive indigent bed funding through VARR, thus allowing individuals access to quality recovery residences whose primary barrier to access recovery housing is a financial barrier. Through this, VARR data shows that the percentage of populations being served in VARR recovery residences went from 80% Caucasian and 20% non-Caucasian to 70% Caucasian and 30% non-Caucasian indicating that minority populations largest barrier to recovery residences is a financial barrier. In August 2021the General Assembly re-convened for a special session to allocate funding from the American Recue Plan Act (ARPA). VARR received a $10 million dollar allocation, which was used for additional indigent bed reimbursement for recovery residence operators, thus continuing to promote equitable access to safe, certified recovery housing. With these additional funds, VARR data shows the populations served are 54% Caucasian and 46% non-Caucasian. Additionally, funds were used for expansion of certified residences in rural areas, as well as for a minority ownership and mentorship program. Since, VARR has continued to receive a budget line item in the Commonwealth’s budget. Under Anthony’s leadership, Virginia has also hosted the NARR Best Practices Summit back-to-back years in Virginia (2021 and 2022). Anthony co-authored a published research paper with leading addiction recovery researcher Dr. David Best and other esteemed collogues. The study entitled “Using Recovery Capital to Predict Retention and Change in Recovery Residences in Virginia, USA” was published in 2023.Anthony was named to Style Weekly’s Top 40 under 40 class of 2023. Anthony is proud and humbled to now be on the NARR Board of Directors.

Dr. Mohannad Kusti is a global physician executive and healthcare consultant with unique expertise and experience related to corporate healthcare benefits serving a variety of employers as their consulting corporate medical director and chief medical officer through Optimal Workplace & Environmental Wellness Corporation. Dr. Kusti is currently working at Pivot Onsite-Innovations as their Regional Medical Director. Prior to that, he completed a successful tenure as Corporate Medical Director & Chief Medical Officer at United States Steel Corporation headquartered at the Pittsburgh, PA. Prior to that role at USS, he had been a Plant Medical Director for several years at the frontline steel mills. He also serves Teradata, Med Bar/Floss Bar Inc., & MyHouseCall, Allegheny Technologies Inc. (ATI) as a consulting CMO and has joined the “Corporate Medical Advisors - International SOS” consulting organizations. Currently, Dr. Kusti is considered one of the industry experts on COVID-19 corporate management and is consulting for numerous employers and corporations nationally and globally. Dr. Kusti served as an Associate Service Fellow at the National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health (NIOSH) at the CDC for one year following the completion of an occupational medicine residency at West Virginia University School of Medicine and the School of Public Health in Morgantown, WV. He completed his master’s degree in Public Health at West Virginia School of Public Health. Dr. Kusti is Board certified as a specialist in Occupational Medicine by the American Board of Preventive Medicine, and is a certified Medical Review Officer, a Certified Professional Supervisor for Audiometric Monitoring Program, as well as a Certified Medical Examiner for the FMCSA. Dr. Kusti is an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Occupational and Environmental Health Sciences at West Virginia University and serve as board member of the leadership council for WVU School of Public Health. He is furthermore a member of the Occupational Medicine Residency Advisory Committee for the Environmental & Occupational Health Science Institute at Rutgers School of Public Health in NJ, and a member of the Greater Pittsburgh Executive Claims Council. Dr. Kusti serves as a member of the Pittsburgh Business Group on Health Service Board (PBGH) and is the Medical Director for PBGH. He is also a council member of the National Purchaser Leadership Council of the National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions and a member of the National Alliance Medical Director on Demand Advisory Group. Dr. Kusti holds an active license to practice medicine in the states of Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Illinois, and Minnesota, as well an active license to practice in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Michael Santillo is an LCADC with 35 years of experience in the behavioral health field. He is currently the Chief Operating Officer at Prevention Links (PL). Prior to his tenure at PL, he was the Chief Executive Officer at John Brooks Recovery Center. He has designed, implemented and supervised a wide array of prevention, treatment and recovery support services including: residential and outpatient substance use and mental disorders treatment programs, medication-assisted treatment programs, mobile methadone vans, mobile low-threshold buprenorphine and outreach vehicles, supportive housing services, recovery/sober housing services, jail and prison re-entry programs, primary healthcare services, opioid overdose recovery programs and recovery community centers. Mr. Santillo has worked as a consultant to the New Jersey Administrative Courts and Public Defenders office. He has served as a member of SAMHSA’s State Best Practices Opioid Misuse, Prevention and Treatment Panel and Recovery Research and Evaluation Technical Expert Panel, NJ-DMHAS Professional Advisory Committee, NJ BRSS TACS Policy Academy, Drug Court Treatment Subcommittee, Coalition for Addiction Recovery Supports Advisory Committee, National Council for Behavioral Health Addiction Committee and Pew Charitable Trust, Bloomberg Opioid Initiative COVID-HARTS Advisory Board. Michael is the recipient of the NJAMHAA Visionary Leadership for Substance Use Recovery Award, and the NJ-CARS Outstanding Community Leadership and Service Award.

Van Smith is the Founder and Executive Director of Recovery Houses of Rochester Inc. (RHOR), a leading organization dedicated to supporting individuals recovering from alcohol and drug addiction. With over 20 years of experience in Human Counseling Services, Smith has worked across various treatment settings, including detoxification, counseling, and managing halfway houses. Smith is a person in long-term sustained recovery, having maintained sobriety for 28 years. His personal journey with addiction deeply informs his work, reflecting a commitment to providing a supportive environment for those seeking to improve their lives. RHOR distinguishes itself from traditional halfway houses by employing a staff composed entirely of individuals in sustained recovery. These staff members, who are certified Professional Peer Recovery Counselors, use their personal experiences to offer genuine, empathetic support to others facing addiction and mental health challenges. Under Smith’s leadership, RHOR has developed a unique approach to recovery residence services, emphasizing the value of lived experience in supporting recovery. This model fosters a relatable and understanding support system, benefiting both individuals within the organization and the broader community.

Dr. Michael Ganon, Board Member, a 1982 graduate of UMDNJ/SOM, Dr. Ganon is board certified in Family Medicine and Addiction Medicine. In a busy career spanning over 35 years, Dr. Ganon has taken on many clinical and leadership roles.  Dividing his primary care between Family Medicine and Emergency Medicine, he has been an Emergency Department Director and a Paramedic Medical Director. With an early interest in Addiction Medicine, Dr. Ganon directed an active detox and rehab center in Delaware in the early 1990s. More recently, he has worked extensively in an Outpatient Treatment Program in St. Mary’s, Georgia; overseeing the care of those seeking treatment for substance use disorders, as well as consulting for a detox here in NJ.  In 2018, he decided to dedicate all of his efforts to Addiction Medicine, starting a program aimed toward easy treatment access to a mostly indigent rural patient population in NW NJ as consultant for a local non-profit organization.  Dr. Ganon is a vital part of Excel's treatment team, as a medical consultant for several years before assuming the Medical Director role.  Dr. Ganon’s interests outside of medicine include running, fishing, and drumming.

Dylan McKinney is a committed recovery advocate and milestone alumnus, using his personal journey to support and inspire others in their own recovery. In addition to his advocacy work, Dylan is a business owner and content creator.

Michael Cavallo, a Boston native, shifted his focus from college hockey to the music industry after injuries cut his athletic career short. Over a 15-year span in music, he grappled with severe addiction, enduring numerous detoxes and multiple treatment programs across the country. In 2016, after over 40 detoxes and 10+ 90-day treatment centers in five states, Michael committed to a year-long inpatient program in Blairstown, New Jersey, followed by another year at Milestone House. At Milestone, he engaged deeply in Intensive Outpatient Treatment, participated in a Recovery Fellowship, volunteered at the Recovery Outreach Center, and immersed himself in the supportive community. By December 2017, he achieved certification as a Peer Recovery Specialist and began advocating against the opioid epidemic by speaking at high schools and sharing his personal journey. In 2018, Michael won the Knock Out Opioid Abuse Songwriting Contest, using his artistry to make a positive impact. He performed original songs at schools, treatment centers, and community outreach events, striving to prevent others from falling victim to addiction. The COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 brought new challenges for Michael, as he struggled with isolation from his recovery community, a demanding job, and personal responsibilities. After relapsing with drugs and alcohol, he recognized the importance of returning to treatment. In March 2023, he reconnected with Milestone House, engaging in therapy, medically-assisted treatment, and reestablishing the supportive practices that once helped him. Today, Michael enjoys a fulfilling life, reunited with his family, maintaining a trusted role in his workplace, and finding peace and perspective that enrich every aspect of his life. He is committed to reducing stigma surrounding addiction and treatment, and continues to advocate for recovery education and support.

Carrie Bailey is the Director of Operations for the Hope Institute in New Jersey, bringing over a decade of experience in the recovery field. Originally from Northeast Pennsylvania and now based in Northern New Jersey, she combines her personal journey of recovery with her professional expertise to support and inspire others. Carrie holds qualifications as a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC) and a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist (CPRS), integrating professional guidance with lived experience. Her approach emphasizes empathy, connection, and creating a non-judgmental environment, particularly within the LGBTQ+ community. Outside her professional role, Carrie enjoys skiing, beach outings, motorcycle riding, and sports. She also loves traveling, with recent trips to Thailand and Italy, and finds relaxation at home with her wife and their dog, Porter. Carrie is always open to connecting with others who share a passion for recovery and the simple pleasures of life.

Timothy Gulick, a person in long-term recovery, began his journey by volunteering, unsure if he could hold a job. His dedication led to a role as a driver for the Mental Health Association and then as a technician at a treatment center, where he won an award for outstanding excellence. Timothy's passion for supporting others blossomed as he excelled in the nonprofit sector, eventually becoming the director of a recovery center. He was honored with a proclamation from a New Jersey state senator for his work with the New Jersey Coalition for Addiction Recovery Supports. Since 2018, Timothy has been facilitating family support meetings using Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT) and became a Nationally Certified Family Recovery Coach, helping families one-on-one. With nearly a decade of experience, he has a deep understanding of addiction, treatment, and support. Guided by his instincts and a strong sense of community, Timothy is committed to creatively alleviating the suffering of others and empowering them on their recovery journey.

Christopher DiIorio is the Community Outreach Specialist and Alumni Coordinator for Excel Treatment Center. A Certified Peer Recovery Specialist (CPRS) and a man in long-term recovery, Chris understands the challenges of substance use disorder and alcoholism firsthand. He provides support and guidance to clients, walking with them through their darkest days and helping them build a network of recovery. Chris is deeply involved in the community, organizing meetings and activities for clients, speaking at schools and events, and working with families to foster understanding and support. Outside of work, you can often find him at a concert, embracing his love for music.

Patrick F. Hibbard, PhD, is an Assistant Research Scientist at Chestnut Health Systems’ Lighthouse Institute, working on several NIH-funded projects dealing with recovery support services, as well as pursuing independent lines of research. He received his doctorate in public management from the O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs (Indiana University-Bloomington) in 2021. He studies programs and policies in the public safety and substance use disorder policy areas, using a variety of methodologies, and advocates for the inclusion of people with lived experience throughout the research enterprise. His interest in these areas stems from lived experience in both the US criminal legal system and recovery from substance use disorder.

Fiona Conway received her Ph.D. in social work from the Rutgers School of Social Work and completed her postdoctoral training at the Center of Alcohol & Substance Use Studies at Rutgers University. Her research focuses on substance use behaviors emphasizing recovery support services, digital health solutions, and substance use among adolescents and young adults. She also collaborates with biomedical scientists to investigate the relationships between behavioral health and human biology. She is particularly interested in the relationships between psychological distress, neuro-cardiac self-regulation, and substance use. Her interdisciplinary research seeks to facilitate the transfer of new and innovative scientific strategies to substance use prevention specialists and treatment providers.

Dr. Miles is an Instructor at the Institute for Health’s Center for Health Services Research and the Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, and completed her doctorate in Social Policy at the Brandeis University Heller School for Social Policy and Management. Using primary survey and qualitative data in combination with population-level administrative and health care claims data, her research aims to build a reliable evidence base on effective strategies to increase equitable uptake of evidence-based practices for people with substance use disorders. Her work has been funded by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (K99DA057372), and the Preparedness and Treatment Equity Coalition. Her research has been published in high-impact journals such as Health Affairs, Drug and Alcohol Dependence, and JAMA Open.

Dr. Amy Mericle, Research Scientist at the Alcohol Research Group at the Public Health Institute, is an addiction health services researcher with expertise in recovery support services. She received graduate degrees from the University of Michigan and the University of Chicago and completed post-doctoral training at University of California, San Francisco. As a Research Scientist in the Alcohol Research Group at the Public Health Institute, her work focuses on identifying unmet need for treatment and recovery support services as well as examining innovative approaches to meet these needs. Her research on recovery, recovery support services, and recovery housing spans two decades. She currently leads the NIAAA-funded National Study of Treatment and Addiction Recovery Residences (NSTARR) project and co-leads the NIDA-funded Infrastructure for Studying Treatment and Addition Recovery Residences (I-STARR) project.

Leonard A. Jason is currently a Professor of Psychology at DePaul University and the Director of the Center for Community Research. Jason is a former president of the Division of Community Psychology of the American Psychological Association. Jason has edited or written 30 books, and he has published over 900 articles and 100 book chapters. He has served on the editorial boards of ten psychological journals. Jason has served on review committees of the National Institutes of Health, and he has received over $47,700,000 in federal research grants. In 2011, Jason was presented with the Tom Fellows Award by the Oxford House Organization for his 20 years of research documenting the process of long-term recovery from substance use addiction. In 2015, he was presented the American Psychological Association’s Award for Distinguished Professional Contributions to Applied Research.

Kevin Wenzel, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist and the director of research at Maryland Treatment Centers in Baltimore, MD. Dr. Wenzel provides research oversight to the study teams, participates in the design and implementation of clinical trials and other research projects, and helps disseminate results through presentations and other scholarly work. Recent scientific work includes investigating a peer delivered intervention to improve adherence to medications for opioid use disorder among individuals living in recovery residences or long-term residential treatment. He also is a passionate clinician, providing individual, group, and family therapy to patients at Mountain Manor with previous clinical appointments within the Veteran's Administration Healthcare System.

Dr. Corrie Vilsaint is a recovery scientist who serves as faculty at Harvard Medical School, Associate Director of Recovery Health Equity at the Recovery Research Institute, and research scientist at the Center for Addiction Medicine. Dr. Vilsaint is a community psychologist and an international speaker, whose work has been recognized by an award from the American Psychological Association. Her research endeavors have focused on racial health equity in recovery, reducing recovery-related discrimination, building recovery capital, and the effectiveness of recovery support services.

Dr. Best is Professor of Addiction Recovery at Leeds Trinity University, Honorary Professor of Regulation and Global Governance at The Australian National University and Adjunct Associate Professor of Addiction Science at Monash University (Melbourne). He is also chair of the Prisons Research Network of the British Society of Criminology. He is also an Affiliate Senior Scientist at the Public Health Institute in California and a founding member of the College of Lived Experience Recovery Organisations in the UK. Trained as a psychologist and criminologist, he has worked in practice, research and policy in the areas of addiction recovery and rehabilitation of offenders. He has authored or co-edited seven books on addiction recovery and desistance from offending, and has written more than 230 peer-reviewed journal publications and around 70 book chapters and technical reports. He is one of the leading academics in the area of addiction recovery and a key innovator in developing recovery capital measurement tools and methods.

Dave is nationally recognized and highly acclaimed as a leading authority in the substance use disorder and the recovery housing sectors. Dave is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of the National Alliance for Recovery Residences (NARR) and has been a member of its executive committee since the organization was founded in 2011. NARR created and administers the nation’s most widely adopted standards for recovery housing. It has also developed a model for the support, growth, and oversight of state recovery housing systems, and serves as a support and policy advocacy organization for state-level recovery housing organizations. Dave’s principal focus is the establishment and growth of sustainable and effective systems of recovery housing. He and NARR colleagues are actively engaged in several state-level initiatives to build or improve recovery housing capacity, partnering with state agencies and private organizations. The work includes standards, policies, instruction, technical assistance, and leadership development. Dave has been in the substance use disorder sector since 2005 and has served as a consultant for SAMHSA’s Opioid Response Network, providing technical assistance to state governments and other organizations on recovery housing matters. He has co-authored several papers and policy guides on recovery housing topics. Dave is active nationally in fair housing issues affecting recovery residences, including threats to the rights of disabled individuals to live in the housing and communities of their choice. He regularly presents at industry and government events on recovery housing system development and resident rights. In addition to his role with NARR, Dave serves on the board of the Chandler Lodge Foundation, a men’s recovery residence and recovery community organization in North Hollywood, California. Prior to cofounding NARR, Dave was on the board of a California recovery housing standards and support organization that became one of NARR’s charter affiliates. He also served as CFO and Chief Operating Officer of a well-known Southern California residential addiction treatment provider. Prior to Dave’s work in the SUD and recovery housing sectors, Dave was also a seasoned financial services executive and held several senior institutional investment management positions. His experience includes quantitative portfolio management, investment strategy and new product development, with management and executive positions at firms including PIMCO, Prudential, and Bank of New York Mellon.

In his capacity as a recovery advocate has been a Board Member of C4 Recovery Solutions and the NCADD-NJ. Chris has hosted XM Satellite radio shows, hosted the web-based show Afflicted and Affected - interviewing leading figures in addiction and alcoholism treatment, worked as a Media Director and hosted cable TV shows. Chris has lectured at and consulted with treatment centers for over 20 years on best practices and recovery philosophy. Chris has a true calling to help those suffering from addictive illness and alcoholism and those having difficulty achieving sobriety. Chris has a way of communication that will inform anyone of the nature of this illness and how it can be overcome. He lives with his wife Andrea in Blairstown NJ.