About myCHOiCE

Athena Haddon is a woman with over 30 years of lived experience in addiction recovery and a dedicated advocate for individuals in recovery. As the Executive Director of Peer Services and Recovery Supports at Spectrum Health Systems, Athena leads initiatives designed to empower those in recovery by providing the essential resources and support they need to rebuild their lives and achieve lasting wellness.

Athena holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Springfield College. She has been recognized with numerous accolades for her leadership, including the SAMHSA Voice Consumer Peer Leader Award, the Worcester Woman of Consequence Award, and the Association for Behavioral Health (ABH) Moe Armstrong Award for Peer Leadership.

As a tireless advocate, Athena remains deeply committed to the power of peer support and the creation of inclusive, supportive recovery communities. Her work continues to inspire and uplift individuals, reinforcing her belief in the powerful potential of recovery.

Lt. Sarko Gergerian, MS, MA, MHC is a law enforcement leader, mental health counselor, certified recovery coach, and national advocate for psychedelic decriminalization, harm reduction, and first responder wellness. A Lieutenant in Massachusetts assigned to both public safety and public health, he is the co-founder of the award-winning CLEAR (Community & Law Enforcement Assisted Recovery) initiative, which bridges policing and public health through compassionate crisis intervention, proactive outreach, and multidisciplinary collaboration with people who have lived/ living experience. He is the first police officer to get certified as a recovery coach in Massachusetts. Sarko holds a double major/ minor in philosophy, religion, and psychology from Northeastern University. He completed his Master of Science in clinical mental health counseling and psychological services from Salem State University. He recently graduated from Pacifica Graduate Institute with a Master of Art degree in depth, Jung, and archetypal psychology. Sarko integrates clinical mental-health training with over 16 years of frontline police experience, advancing guardian-style policing and trauma-informed recovery-oriented response models for mental-health crises. His work has been recognized by the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) and featured nationally for pioneering the “police-to-public-health pipeline.” Dedicated to creating safer spaces for altered states of consciousness, he serves as a subject matter expert on psychedelic crisis response and promotes ethical, evidence-based, human-centered approaches to community and first responder wellness. His work is showcased in Michael Pollan’s How to Change Your Mind (Netflix, Episode 3), and his interview on The Joe Rogan Experience (#2357) has been viewed over 500,000 times, it earned a “most shared” badge on Spotify. Sarko is the co-author of A Recovery-Oriented Model for Community Policing (Police Chief Magazine) and is featured in the upcoming documentary More Than Medicine by Kerthy Fix and Paul Kloss, which chronicles his personal – professional journey and awakening process. His research led to the publication of the article Dionysus Rising! In the peer reviewed journal Psychological Perspectives Volume 69, 2026 – Issue 1: What Emerges from the Wilderness. He is on the board, national, and international speaker with Law Enforcement Action Partnership | Advancing Justice and Public Safety Solutions as well as the Co-Program Director at SoundMind Institute. He can be contacted for consulting and coaching at gergerian@gmail.com.

Julie MacDonald has spent more than 40 years working in human services, behavioral health, youth development, and recovery support. For the past five years, she has served as Program Director of Living in Recovery, a peer recovery support center in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. She is also a Recovery Coach and Recovery Coach Supervisor.

Julie’s experience includes sheltering services, working as a CASAC in New York State, clinical work in detox, outpatient and inpatient treatment, and serving as Program Director of a residential substance use treatment program. She also worked as a Staff and Program Development Director with Boys & Girls Clubs of America. A person in long-term recovery herself, Julie believes strongly in the power of lived experience, peer support, and honoring the many different ways people find and sustain recovery. She is proud to bring both her personal and professional experience to the Board of Choice Recovery Coaching.

Hello! My name is Sarah Colby and I am a passionate Recovery Coach at Westfield Peer Recovery Center, whose journey through recovery has given me a deep understanding of the strength it takes to rebuild your life. Being a woman and mother in recovery, I know what it feels like to struggle, to feel lost, and to search for hope during some of life’s hardest moments. Because of this, I bring genuine compassion, understanding, and unconditional support to every person I  meet.

I believe recovery is about more than overcoming challenges; it’s about rediscovering self-worth, healing, connection, and learning how to truly love yourself again. I am  dedicated to creating a safe space where individuals feel seen, heard, accepted, and never judged. My goal is to remind people that they are not alone and that their story does not define their future.

With kindness, empathy, and an open heart, I  walk beside others on their recovery journey, offering encouragement, hope, and support every step of the way. I am passionate about helping people find their inner strength and believe some of the most powerful healing comes from knowing someone truly understands.

Attorney by training, sustainable investing professional by trade, and now a clinician in addiction treatment and recovery support, I have dedicated my career to advancing positive change. For more than two decades, I led sustainability and stewardship initiatives at major global asset managers, helping to shape responsible investment practices and drive progress on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues.

While that work focused on influencing change at the institutional level, I have come to believe that some of the most meaningful impact happens within individuals, families, and communities. Drawing on my background in Family Studies, legal training, and lived experience, I transitioned into the behavioral health field and currently work in addiction treatment while completing Recovery Coach training. I also serve as a CASA volunteer advocate, supporting children and families involved in the child welfare system.

Today, I am focused on helping individuals build resilience, strengthen recovery, and access the support they need to thrive. I am passionate about creating lasting change through service, advocacy, and community engagement.

Sarah Ahern, NCPRSS, NREMT, RCPF, CARC, CPS, is a person with lived and living experience with substance use, a harm reductionist, a certified recovery coach, and a licensed Emergency Medical Technician. For more than a decade, she has supported people who use drugs and individuals seeking wellness through harm reduction, peer support, recovery coaching, community outreach, and systems advocacy.

Sarah currently serves as a Recovery and Harm Reduction Service Coordinator at CHOiCE, where she works at the intersection of medical, behavioral health, and peer-based systems. In addition to providing direct support, she serves as a supervisor, facilitator, and systems specialist, helping organizations and communities strengthen person-centered practices, improve service coordination, and expand access to harm reduction and recovery support services.

Driven by both her lived and living experience and personal losses related to substance use, Sarah is committed to supporting people where they are and helping them achieve greater wellness, safety, stability, and connection on their own terms. Her work is grounded in the belief that people deserve dignity, respect, and access to care regardless of where they are in their journey.

Throughout her career, Sarah has advocated for harm reduction and recovery support services at the local, state, and national levels. She has provided technical assistance, community education, and training on overdose prevention, naloxone administration, peer support, stigma reduction, and evidence-based approaches to addressing substance use.
Sarah has also been a leader in municipal opioid abatement efforts in Greenfield, Massachusetts, helping shape community-driven strategies for addressing the overdose crisis. Among her accomplishments was supporting the creation of an official opioid abatement commission that centered the voices of people with lived and living experience and families impacted by substance use, ensuring that those most affected had a meaningful role in determining how abatement funds would be invested to support their community.

Jim Higgins is a person in long term recovery from alcoholism.  His recovery support service work includes being the Manager of the Hartford Recovery Community Center and the Recovery Coach Program Manager for the Connecticut Community for Addiction Recovery (CCAR); a Recovery Coach Supervisor and Consultant for Behavioral Health Network (BHN); a CAPRSS and RSS Technical Assistant for The Massachusetts Bureau of Substance Addiction Services (BSAS) and a Recovery Coach Trainer/Facilitator for both Choice Recovery Coaching and The Massachusetts Recovery Education Collaborative.

Jim is a graduate of Holy Cross College in Worcester (A.B. Economics) and the University of Connecticut School of Law (J.D.).  He has been certified by the State of Connecticut Certification Board and the IC&RC as a CPRS (analogous to a CARC) since 2015; he has been designated by CCAR as a Recovery Coach Professional (RCP) since 2017 and a Recovery Coach Professional Facilitator (RCPF) since 2022.  Jim lives in South Windsor, CT with his wife, Betty.

Community Engagement Specialist and Recovery Coach with lived experience, bringing authenticity, compassion, and purpose to the work I do each day. For a long time, I struggled to see a way out of my own experiences, but I made a shift that transformed my life and set me on a new path rooted in growth, resilience, and service.

Today, I am not only a dedicated parent but also a passionate resource for individuals navigating their own recovery and wellness journeys. My path from incarceration to motherhood, recovery coaching, and community leadership, has shaped my belief that while life is not always easy, it is always full of possibility and purpose.

I have rebuilt my life with intention, focusing not only on my own well-being but on supporting others through health, wellness, and individualized care. I am committed to helping people curate pathways that honor who they are, their strengths, their experiences, and what truly resonates with them. Through meaningful community engagement, I strive to show up in a positive, supportive way, offering guidance rooted in my own personal journey.
I am deeply passionate about helping others build resilience, discover their drive, and persevere through challenges in ways that feel authentic to them. Creating lasting change, serving my community, and strengthening recovery and wellness as a whole are at the heart of everything I do.

Edwin Suarez was born in the Bronx, NY and Moved to Worcester in 1988 and has been a resident of Massachusetts since. Edwin is a person in long term recovery and became a Recovery Coach in 2018 as a participant of the first Recovery Coach Academy facilitated by Choice Recovery Coaching. Edwin is a Certified Addictions Recovery Coach and a Certified Peer Specialist that resides in Central Massachusetts. He is also a graduate of the Latinx American Substance Abuse Counselor Education Program. Edwin was a member of The Springfield Public Health Council for the City of Springfield Massachusetts from 2019 to 2023 before he moved to Central Massachusetts in 2023. Edwin was also selected to be part of the LEAP 8 for The Board of Governors Stepping Up Initiative. Edwin has been part of the Lived Experience Working Group for The City of Worcester since 2024. Edwin is a Recovery Coach for a PATH team in Worcester and a Recovery Coach Professional Facilitator. Edwin is currently the Central Mass Regional Coordinator for The Recovery Coach Exchange as part of the Recovery Education Collaborative. He is fluent in both English and Spanish. Edwin is an Advocate and continues to be a role model in his community.

Mark Muhammad serves with CHOICE Recovery Coaching as a Certified Recovery Coach, Recovery Coach Supervisor, and Recovery Coach Professional Facilitator (RCPF), supporting individuals in their pursuit of recovery, personal growth, and long-term wellness. He specializes in reentry and recovery support and has worked extensively with the Lakota population in South Dakota, bringing a culturally responsive and person-centered approach to his work with diverse communities.

Mark is also an RCPF with the Recovery Education Collaborative at Bay State Community Services, where he trains individuals throughout Massachusetts to become Certified Recovery Coaches and provides ongoing education and recertification training for practicing recovery coaches, helping to strengthen the statewide recovery workforce.

Mark holds a Bachelor of Science in Sociology from Boston University and completed the Alcohol & Drug Counseling Certificate Program at Cambridge College. With more than 15 years of experience in recovery support services, he brings a compassionate, strengths-based approach rooted in dignity, accountability, hope, and the belief that sustained recovery is possible for every individual.

Angela Dalessio is an accomplished Recovery Education Consultant, Certified Addiction Recovery Coach (CARC), curriculum content expert, and nationally recognized leader in peer recovery support. With more than 20 years of experience in substance use recovery, she has dedicated her career to creating social change, strengthening the peer recovery workforce, and building recovery-friendly communities.

In 2008, Angela opened one of the first state-funded peer recovery support centers, creating a thriving recovery hub in the heart of the local community. During her 10 years as program director, she managed daily operations, trained and mentored staff, advocated for recovery support services, and helped individuals make a successful transition from the culture of addiction to the culture of recovery. Her experience also includes facilitating Domestic Violence Prevention and Driver Alcohol Education programs.

Angela holds nationally recognized Recovery Coach Professional (RCP) and Recovery Coach Professional Facilitator (RCPF) designations through the Connecticut Community for Addiction Recovery (CCAR). As an RCPF, she is authorized to facilitate CCAR’s Recovery Education courses. She also completed the Medicine Wheel and 12 Steps Training Program and Facilitator Training through the Wellbriety Training Institute.

Her additional professional development includes the Massachusetts Department of Public Health Bureau of Substance Addiction Services’ Mentoring Facilitator Program, with a focus on adult learning theory; Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion 101 for Recovery Trainers; the Virtual Facilitator Trainer Certification through NetSpeed Learning Solutions; and Recovery Coaching: A Harm Reduction Pathway. Angela has also earned her Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor II credential.

In 2022, Angela served as a subject-matter expert, collaborating with instructional designers hired by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s Bureau of Substance Addiction Services to develop peer recovery support training curricula.

Angela received the 2011 Moe Armstrong Peer Leadership Award from the Association for Behavioral Healthcare in recognition of her outstanding peer leadership. She has also presented nationally at SAMHSA’s Innovation in Treatment and Recovery Systems Conference.
Through her compassion, experience, and commitment to multiple pathways of recovery, Angela has prepared professionals, people in long-term recovery, and community allies to serve effectively as peer recovery professionals. She believes recovery support should be person-centered, inclusive, respectful, and grounded in the understanding that each individual’s path to recovery is unique.

Kurt Gerold is a CRC, pastor, facilitator of recovery coach trainings, and Executive Director and co-founder of The Anchor of Hull, a community wellness and recovery center on the South Shore of Massachusetts.
Kurt brings both professional experience and lived experience to his work in the recovery field. After years of addiction and involvement in the criminal justice system, Kurt entered recovery in 2012. His own journey has shaped his belief that recovery is not one size fits all, and that people are most likely to heal and thrive when they are met with dignity, compassion, hope, and genuine community.

Through his work at The Anchor, Kurt has helped develop a community centered approach to recovery that brings together recovery coaching, peer support, wellness, faith, and connection. He has worked with individuals and families at many different stages of the recovery journey and has developed partnerships with treatment providers, law enforcement, community organizations, churches, and local government.

As a facilitator of recovery coach trainings with Choice Recovery, Kurt is passionate about helping coaches develop the skills, confidence, and self awareness needed to walk alongside others without trying to control or dictate their journey. He believes some of the most powerful things a recovery coach can offer are presence, curiosity, encouragement, and the ability to help people discover their own path toward healing and a meaningful life.

Above all, the most important part of Kurt’s life is his family. He is married to an amazing woman, Rachel, and they have three incredible children, Elijah, Maggie, and Sammy. His family keeps him grounded and reminds him every day why the work of recovery, healing, and helping people build meaningful lives matters so much.

Matthew Johnson is a Recovery Coach Supervisor with Choice Recovery Coaching, a business owner, and a person in recovery. He began his professional career in management before transitioning into the food and beverage equipment industry as a technician. More recently, Matt opened his own food and beverage equipment repair business, which he continues to operate while remaining actively involved in recovery coaching and supervision. He joined Choice Recovery Coaching about a year ago and continues this work because of the meaning and purpose it brings to his life.
Matt believes recovery is deeply personal and that the person seeking support is the expert on their own life. His approach centers on meeting people where they are, listening without judgment, and supporting multiple pathways to recovery rather than imposing a single definition of success.
Integrity, dignity, accountability, and advocacy are central to Matt’s values. He believes leadership sometimes means asking difficult questions, speaking up when something does not feel right, and helping ensure that people receiving services have a meaningful voice in the systems meant to support them. As a supervisor, he brings that same philosophy to mentoring coaches—encouraging honesty, growth, strong boundaries, and an authentic approach to peer support.

Kartia is a motivated leader and lifelong learner focused on creating opportunities, inspiring growth, and making meaningful connections. Through determination, creativity, and a commitment to excellence, Kartia aims to build a lasting impact while empowering others to reach their full potential.

Dallas Clark is the Founder and Executive Director of Cultivating Better Minds Inc. and the Executive Director of Better Minds Recovery Café, a community-based recovery support center in Springfield, Massachusetts. He is dedicated to empowering individuals and families to overcome barriers, discover purpose, and embrace transformed lives through recovery, faith, mentorship, and community connection.

Born and raised in Springfield, MA, Dallas is a devoted follower of Christ and an active member of Restoration City Church, where he leads the Prison Ministry and teaches a 12-week curriculum called Freedom. Since 2022, he has facilitated this program inside the same correctional facility where he was once incarcerated, bringing hope and practical life-changing principles to men seeking transformation.

Dallas’s life is a powerful testimony of redemption, perseverance, and faith. After living a street-influenced lifestyle, his life changed dramatically when he surrendered his life to God. Following his release from jail in 2017, he committed himself to serving others facing similar challenges. By 2018, he was actively mentoring individuals impacted by addiction, incarceration,
gang involvement, homelessness, and other life barriers. In 2023, he founded Cultivating Better Minds Inc. to expand community-based support services throughout Western Massachusetts.

In 2026, Dallas became the Executive Director of Better Minds Recovery Café, one of Massachusetts’ newest Recovery Café communities. The Café provides a safe, welcoming, and healing environment where individuals can access peer support, recovery resources, workforce development opportunities, life skills training, community meals, and meaningful connections that promote long-term recovery and wellness.

Dallas is a Certified Addiction Recovery Coach, a Volunteer Mentor for the Hampden County Sheriff’s Department, and is currently pursuing certification as a Community Health Worker. He has completed the Black Addiction Counselor Education Program and continues his education
toward a Bachelor of Arts in Christian Ministry. He is also the founder of Men with Purpose, a program designed to inspire and equip men to live with integrity, accountability, and purpose.

Dallas’s journey from incarceration to leadership reflects his unwavering commitment to faith, community, recovery, and transformation. Through every role he serves, he strives to create pathways of hope, healing, and opportunity for individuals seeking a better future and a renewed
sense of purpose.

Mission Statement: “We believe that community brings healing and transformation, and together, we can change lives.”

Pioneering advocate and clinician with 25 years in recovery and over 30 years developing accessible substance use treatment and recovery services for Deaf and Hard of Hearing communities. Licensed mental health and addiction counselor specializing in culturally affirmative, linguistically accessible care. Proven track record of systems change through grassroots advocacy, legislative engagement, and collaborative leadership resulting in $3 million in state funding and establishment of Massachusetts’ first Deaf Recovery Coach program.

Clinical Expertise: Substance Use Disorder Treatment • Mental Health Counseling • Recovery Coaching • Co-Occurring Disorders • Trauma-Informed Care • Motivational Interviewing
Leadership & Advocacy: Legislative Advocacy • Grassroots Organizing • Systems Change • Policy Development • Community Engagement • Stakeholder Collaboration • Grant Development
Specialized Knowledge: Deaf Culture & Identity • ASL Communication • Accessibility Compliance (ADA, Section 1557) • Health Equity • Recovery Capital Framework • Peer Support Models