2023 Recovery Conference

8:30a.m.

Registration & Light Breakfast (MV Hall Lobby)

9a.m.

Welcome & Opening Remarks (MV Teletorium)

9:30 - 10:30a.m.

Morning Keynote Panel - Essential Partnerships in Collegiate Recovery (MV Teletorium)

10:45 - 11:30a.m.

Breakout Session #1:

Supporting Students from My Role: This breakout session block will feature a variety of facilitated discussions. Options are listed below. 

1. Building and Maintaining a CRP (MV Teletorium)
2. Creating recovery-friendly environments (MV 210)
3. Teaching to students in recovery (MV 111)
4. Engaging with a CRP (MV 107)
5. Communicating about students in recovery  (MV 105)
6. Living in recovery (MV 103)

11:45am-12:15p.m.

Breakout Session #3

• Unity Recovery Community Support Services (MV 103)

• Greg Young, CRS (He/him) - Director of Recovery Friendly Workplace PA, UNITY Recovery

• Approaching Prevention with Harm Reduction (MV 105)

• Hope McMahan (she/they) - Prevention Specialist, Prevention Education Solutions

• Collegiate Recovery through the Lens of a Sober Living Community, Effective Case Management, and Tiered Supports (MV 107)

• Jane Houtmann M.Ed. (she/her) -Director of Case Management, Synergy Houses

• Reducing Stigma One Episode at a Time - Recovery Podcast (MV 111)

• Meghan Pilotte, CRNP and Chris Pilotte - So I Married an Alcoholic Podcast

• Ethics in Recovery Spaces (MV 210)

• Bernie Bergman (They/Them), Student at Saint Joseph’s University and Valerie Whelan

Networking Lunch

1-1:45p.m.

Afternoon Keynote Speaker:

Katie Greeley, LCSW (she/her), Founder, Prevention Education Solutions

Location: MV Teletorium

1:45p.m. - 2p.m.

Coffee & Conversation Break (MV Lobby)

2p.m. - 2:45p.m.

Breakout Session #3

• People United for Social Healing (MV 111)

• Sarah Laurel - Executive Director, Savage Sisters
• Melanie Beddis - Programs Director, Savage Sisters

• Exploring Stigma and Personal Bias: The Impact on Recovery Based Services (MV 107)

• Eric Rodriguez, MSW, LSW, CAADC (he/him) - Education Director, Caron Treatment Centers,
• Madison Dorschutz M.Ed (She/Her) - Lead Student Assistance Specialist, Caron Treatment Centers

• Supporting Adult Children of Alcoholics (ACA) on Campus (MV 103)

• Thom Nailor, LCSW (he/him/his) - Psychotherapist, Saint Joseph's University

• The Problem Solvers: Providing Comprehensive Care and Support through Higher Education Case Management (MV 105)

• Presented by: Marci Berney, MA (she/her) - Director/Case Manager, Student Outreach & Support, Saint Joseph's University

• Title: Stitching a New Garment (MV 210)

• Angela N. Smith, BFA, MSOLM (she/her/hers) - Educational Administrator and Consultant 

3p.m.-3:45p.m.

Breakout Session #4

• Changing Minds - Louis's Story (MV 111)

• Louis DeSanto, Minding Your Mind Speaker/Mental Health Advocate

• How we think about addiction matters: Unpacking paradigms for substance use disorder (MV 107)

• Kimberly Boulden, PhD (she/her/hers) - Senior Director of SAFE Campuses

• Lowering the Bar: Remapping Recovery (MV 103)

• Priya Nolan (She/Her) and Bernie Bergman (They/Them), Students at Saint Joseph’s University

• Communicating Support for Recovery (MV 105)

• Katie Bean (she) - Director, Health Promotion, Ursinus College

Conference Closing Session (MV Teletorium)

Student Scholarship Award Presentation

Katie Bean (she) - Director, Health Promotion, Ursinus College

With 15 years of experience working with college students around substance use, Katie Bean is an expert in the field and known regionally for her work building collegiate recovery programs on multiple campuses. Katie has presented at local, regional, national, and international conferences on building recovery-friendly communities and best practices related to substance education on college campuses. Katie has also created targeted programs for businesses and non-profit organizations through Katie Bean Wellness Consulting which she started in 2017. Her first book is out now - Fragile Thoughts: A Healing Memoir.

Session: Communicating Support for Recovery

Melanie Beddis - Programs Director, Savage Sisters

Melanie is in long term recovery from her battle with Substance Use Disorder and homelessness. She started as a resident of the Savage Sisters Housing Program and within the last few years, worked her way up from House Manager to Outreach Coordinator to Programs Director. She is now responsible for overseeing the operation of 9 men's and women's recovery homes. She is also in charge of running the Savage Sisters drop-in center and weekly outreach events.

Session: People United for Social Healing

Bernie Bergman (they/their/them), Student at Saint Joseph’s University 

Bernie Bergman is a senior English major at Saint Joseph’s University. They are involved on campus as a harm reduction educator and enjoy reading and learning more about the topic. Most recently, they spent the summer further exploring ideas of queer temporality applied to harm reduction communities. In their free time, Bernie likes to read and obsess over cis and heteronormative reality TV with their cat Pluto.

Session: Lowering the Bar: Remapping Recovery

Marci Berney, MA (she/her) - Director/Case Manager, Student Outreach & Support, Saint Joseph's University

Marci serves as the Director of Student Outreach & Support at Saint Joseph’s University. She works with students, families and campus partners to connect students facing difficult personal, medical, or mental health situations with support resources. With over 13 years of experience in Case Management in Higher Education, Marci coordinates long term follow-up and creates care plans for students following emergency situations, including mental health related concerns and students struggling with substance use, or in recovery from SUD. She also serves as an Adjunct in SJU’s School of Health Professions, teaching undergraduate and graduate courses on mental health and addiction. Marci received her Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology and School Counseling from Boston College.

Session: The Problem Solvers: Providing Comprehensive Care and Support through Higher Education Case Management

Kimberly Boulden, PhD (she/her/hers) - Senior Director of SAFE Campuses

Kimberly Boulden is the Senior Director of SAFE Campuses with SAFE Project (Stop the Addiction Fatality Epidemic). She brings over 10 years of experience working with higher education & community-serving non-profit organizations to this role. SAFE Campuses has helped universities and students nationwide to address the impacts of addiction on their campuses and increase campus support of student mental health and wellness. Kimberly holds a doctorate in Higher Education Administration and has years of experience helping students and families navigate admissions processes, academic program advising, and institutional policies. She has also worked in higher education marketing and outreach, curricular assessment, and teaching innovation. In addition to her advocacy work in the collegiate recovery space, she has worked on publications regarding best practices for university partnerships, research on diversity in university marketing materials, and grant-funded initiatives to decolonize Computer Science and Engineering Education.

Session: How we think about addiction matters: Unpacking paradigms for substance use disorder

Timothy Brooks, Executive Director / Founder, Synergy Houses

Timmy Brooks, founder and CEO of Synergy Houses, created the company motivated by his own experience in addiction and recovery. Following his graduation from Cabrini University in 2019 with a degree in Business Management, he aimed to build a community in which sustainable recovery is more accessible. 

Synergy is a 12-step based structured sober living company that supports men and women in their transition to life in recovery. We are a community-based facility that equips residents with the tools and support they need to balance life, with a foundation in recovery, in order to thrive. Through our structured programming and phase system, our goal is to guide our residents through the necessary steps in order to acclimate their transition throughout the recovery process. 

Session: KEYNOTE PANEL: "ESSENTIAL PARTNERSHIPS IN COLLEGIATE RECOVERY"

Louis DeSanto, Minding Your Mind Speaker/Mental Health Advocate

Louis was a very active child with a supportive family. He was a year-round athlete, and when he wasn’t playing sports, you could find him watching sports, avidly rooting for all Philly teams. Sports were a way he could feel a sense of belonging and connection. This was something he couldn’t find at school.

Louis was bullied in grade school. When the weight of the emotional pain became too much, he changed schools in hopes of starting fresh. Things may have gotten better, but on the inside he was struggling with social anxiety due to his past experiences and fear he wouldn’t be accepted.

By the time he got to high school, life at home was chaotic while his parents were going through a divorce, school was still anxiety-producing, and under all that weight of social pressure, he began to struggle with depression. Due to the stigma surrounding mental health, Louis was afraid to reach out for help. Instead, he turned to alcohol to cope with his mental health.

When he went to college, he continued to drink and once he graduated he was only left with alcohol as his way to cope. What people didn’t know was he was dealing with alcoholism, with the trauma from his childhood, anxiety, and depression buried under the surface.

After Louis’ girlfriend encouraged him to seek help for his drinking, he went to an inpatient treatment program where he was able to unpack events and emotions from his childhood, and finally confront his mental health. Today he is able to live a healthy, fulfilling life.

Session: Changing Minds: Louis's Story

Madison Dorschutz M.Ed (She/Her) - Lead Student Assistance Specialist, Caron Treatment Centers

Madison joined the Caron team in 2019, becoming a Lead Student Assistance Program Specialist in 2021 after graduating from West Chester University with a M.Ed in Transformative Education. Coming from alternative education settings for young adults struggling with substance use disorders and negative experiences in traditional school settings she wanted to move from teaching to student support services. Ultimately she found her home in Caron’s Education Alliance working with students K-12 and supporting the recovery of young adults returning to college.

Working directly with students in recovery as well as those reentering school to pursue their diplomas, has reinforced the importance of age-appropriate substance use prevention and interventions, positive student experiences and role models. This is something she hopes to provide to all students she comes in contact with through groups, assessments, or classroom presentations.

Session: Exploring Stigma and Personal Bias: The Impact on Recovery Based Services

George Downs PharmD, FCPP, Linwood F. Tice Professor of Pharmacy, Saint Joseph’s University

George E. Downs, PharmD, FCPP is Linwood F. Tice Emeritus Professor of Pharmacy and Emeritus Dean at the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy at St. Joseph’s University where he has served for 51 years. Dr. Downs received his BS in Pharmacy from the University of New Mexico and his Doctor of Pharmacy from Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science. He completed residencies with the US Public Health Service and the University of Arkansas. His professional experience of implementing SBIRT training within multiple disciplines at the University and his work with the Philadelphia community regarding the opioid crisis contributes valuable knowledge to his role. 

Dr. Downs has 30 years of experience in working with SUD. In 1986, he was a co-project investigator of a FIPSE grant to utilize students to heighten awareness of SUD on campus. In 2014, he received a grant from Transforming Youth Recovery to support recovery students on campus. In 2015, he was awarded a SAMHSA grant to implement SBIRT training with healthcare professional students at the University of the Sciences. From 2019-2021, Dr. Downs and USCI team secured funding to implement SBIRT and naloxone trainings to community pharmacists in Philadelphia to address patients with OUD.  In 2021 he received a SAMHSA grant to train Physician Assistant students to prescribe buprenorphine for OUD. He has been successful in training over 500 students in various disciplines and over 100 preceptors in the Philadelphia area in SBIRT. 

Session: KEYNOTE PANEL: "Essential Partnerships in Collegiate Recovery”

Jane Houtmann M.Ed. (she/her) -Director of Case Management, Synergy Houses

Jane has worked in the field of education for over 25 years starting first in the classroom, and then moving onto consulting and administration. Her specialized areas are in behavior and restorative practice. With a background in applied behavior analysis, Jane has supported teachers, teams, and administrators with evidenced-based practices for creating a positive school climate. Upon retiring from education last year, Jane began working in the field of addiction. She is currently the Director of Case Management for Synergy Houses. Jane works closely with the residents of a sober living community to restore confidence, to build self-esteem, and to provide guidance with beginning life again. She draws from her professional experience and most importantly, from her personal experience with addiction and recovery.

Jane is currently living her best life in recovery!

Session: Collegiate Recovery through the Lens of a Sober Living Community, Effective Case Management, and Tiered Supports

Sarah Laurel - Executive Director, Savage Sisters 

Savage Sisters founder and Executive Director, Sarah Laurel, created Savage Sisters and its programming after she overcame her traumatic battle with Substance Use Disorder and homelessness. After years of being shuffled through the system, she found herself in a wheelchair and once again being offered substandard care. What began as a desire to have one safe home for a couple of women, grew organically over the past five years. Today Savage Sisters has nine recovery houses, a drop-in center, weekly street-based outreaches, and statewide overdose reversal and harm reduction trainings.

Session: People United for Social Healing

Hope McMahan (she/they) - Prevention Specialist, Prevention Education Solutions

Hope McMahan is a graduate of Bryn Mawr College with a Bachelors of Arts in Growth and Structure of Cities.This degree has allowed Hope to understand the complex physical and social constraints that exist within the urban fabric that perpetuate institutionalized inequalities. They have incorporated this into their current pursuit of a Master's of Social Work at Bryn Mawr College, where they are entering into their second year. Hope is passionate about helping people and before becoming a Prevention Specialist focused their passion as a Sustainability Coordinator for a home building company in Asheville as a way to combat Climate change.Hope's passion to help people has transformed to focus on social work as they have progressed in their healthy recovery from addiction. Additionally, Hope is in long term healthy recovery and uses their own experience of being in active addiction during college to help empower students with knowledge on substance use.

Session: Approaching Prevention with Harm Reduction

Taylor Moran, CRS/CFRS/CPS (she/her), Collegiate Recovery Program Manager, Saint Joseph's University

Taylor Moran joined the Saint Joseph’s University team in December 2021 as the Recovery Program Manager. She is a person in long-term recovery. Taylor assists in the monitoring of SJU's Collegiate Recovery Program members' individual recovery plans, planning social sober programming, and supporting a positive and healthy community for students living in SJU's on-campus recovery residence and in the greater university community. Prior to her time at Saint Joseph’s, Taylor worked as a Recovery Support Specialist and Recovery House Manager for Recovery Centers of America and Sobriety Solutions, LLC.

Session: KEYNOTE PANEL: "Essential Partnerships in Collegiate Recovery”

Keith Murphy, Director of the Alcohol and other Drug Assistance Program, Rutgers University

Keith Murphy is a licensed professional counselor and licensed clinical alcohol and drug counselor in New Jersey.  He has over 20 years of experience in helping those who struggle with addiction and other major life issues rebuild their lives.  In his present role as the Director of the Alcohol and other Drug Assistance Program at Rutgers-New Brunswick, Keith has been tasked to help the students and staff at Rutgers-New Brunswick understand and resolve current substance use trends and issues. 

Education/Degrees: MA in Counseling, Alliance Graduate School of Counseling; Licensed Professional Counselor, Licensed Clinical Alcohol Drug Counselor in the State of NJ

Session: KEYNOTE PANEL: "Essential Partnerships in Collegiate Recovery”

Thom Nailor, LCSW (he/him/his) - Psychotherapist, Saint Joseph's University

Thom Nailor (he/him/his) is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and psychotherapist with Saint Joseph's University Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS). His clinical interests and passions include working with young adults and college/university students; neurodiversity, particularly ADD & ADHD; trauma & trauma-informed care; privilege & oppression; narrative & relational therapies; Acceptance & Commitment Therapy; family-of-origin conflicts and concerns around addiction/recovery; the creative arts as therapeutic; and religious/spiritual concerns.

Prior to joining SJU, Thom worked at JFK Behavioral Health as an outpatient therapist and at University of the Sciences as a Staff Counselor. He graduated from Bryn Mawr College Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research in 2018, completing his internship work with the University of Pennsylvania Counseling and Psychological Services and Community Legal Services’ Family Advocacy Unit. Thom has also worked with children, teens, and adults of all ages at a variety of agencies in the Philadelphia area, including the Philadelphia Senior Center; Valley Youth House; and Ready, Willing & Able Philadelphia. He is also a proud alumnus of the Jesuit Volunteer Corps (Philadelphia 2012-2013).

Thom lives in West Philadelphia with his wife and their cat, Dumpling. In his free time, Thom enjoys reading, writing poetry, hiking, and riding his bike. He is currently working towards a second Master’s degree with the Saint Joseph’s University Writing Studies program and is on the editorial board for the Writing Studies literary journal The Avenue. Thom also identifies as the adult child of an alcoholic.

Session: Supporting Adult Children of Alcoholics (ACA) on Campus

Priya Nolan (she/her) - Student at Saint Joseph’s University

Priya is a rising senior at Saint Joseph's University, where she is majoring in economics. On campus, she is involved in a number of clubs and organizations, including being a research assistant and the co-founder of Project HEAL (Happy Eating and Living). In addition, she has worked with her campus' collegiate recovery program to provide education, resources, and community connection to change the lives of students in recovery & allies of recovery. Priya has talked to many students about raising awareness about substance use disorder, and fighting its stigma.

Session: Lowering the Bar

Meghan O’Meara, MA, NCC, LPC, Director of Thomas Jefferson University - East Falls Counseling Services

Meghan O’Meara (she/her/hers) is the Student Counseling Center director and adjunct instructor in the Community and Trauma Counseling Program at Thomas Jefferson University. Meghan is on Thomas Jefferson University’s Behavioral Intervention and Threat Assessment teams, as well as a tri-lead for JED Campus. She is a trainer for Question, Persuade, and Refer (QPR), a suicide prevention training. She received her undergraduate degree in criminal justice from the University of Delaware. Meghan obtained her Master of Art degree in Clinical Counseling Psychology at La Salle University. She is currently working on her dissertation for her doctorate in Counselor Education and Supervision from Walden University. Meghan has presented at regional and national conferences on student mental health as well as being on keynote panels for regional conferences. 

Session: KEYNOTE PANEL: "Essential Partnerships in Collegiate Recovery"

Meghan Pilotte, CRNP - So I Married an Alcoholic Podcast

Meghan earned a bachelor’s in nursing from Villanova University and a master’s in nursing from Gwynedd Mercy University. She has spent over 17 years as a nurse/nurse practitioner working in Oncology, Drug and Alcohol Rehab and for the last 7 years in College Health! She also has two wonderful children and an over excited dog! Today she is here as a sober woman and the co-host of the podcast, So I Married an Alcoholic. Meghan and her husband started this podcast to break down the stigma surrounding substance use disorder by sharing their lives with thousands of listeners every week! So come live life with us beyond our wildest dreams!

Session: Reducing Stigma One Episode at a Time - Recovery Podcast

Chris Pilotte - So I Married an Alcoholic Podcast

After nearly 20 years in active addiction and a lot of hard work I have 6 years of continuous sobriety! I went from the "man on the missing poster" to a successful, happy, and productive member of society. I have two beautiful children, an amazing wife, and my pride and joy Birdie, the ever enthusiastic counter surfing Bird Dog. I am the creative genius, editor, and co-host of So I Married an Alcoholic podcast! My life's mission is to give the gift that was so freely given to me, sobriety. So come join us in breaking down the stigma surrounding substance use disorder and living a life beyond our wildest dreams!

Session: Reducing Stigma One Episode at a Time - Recovery Podcast

Eric Rodriguez, MSW, LSW, CAADC (he/him) - Education Director, Caron Treatment Centers

Eric currently serves as the Education Resource Director for Caron’s Education Alliance Department, Eric oversees education, training, development, and learning initiatives, with a focus on corporate and organizational education.

Prior to accepting the education role in 2021, Eric worked as a behavioral health therapist for the Caron’s Executive Program, providing individual and family therapy to patients and their families, facilitating groups, offering educational lectures, and helping to set up aftercare plans. He has advanced education in co-occurring disorders, specifically related to anxiety, and is trained in cognitive processing therapy for trauma. He began working at Caron in 2017 as a therapist for the Primary Men’s Program serving in a similar role.

Before joining Caron, Eric worked as a social worker with heart and vascular transplant patients and their families, providing social and family evaluations and post-transplant discharge planning. Prior to his career in health care, Eric worked in sales and marketing within the telecommunications industry.

Eric is a licensed social worker in the state of Pennsylvania and has a certification in advanced addiction and drug counseling. He has a bachelor’s degree in clinical psychology and a master’s degree in clinical social work from Millersville University.

Session: Exploring Stigma and Personal Bias: The Impact on Recovery Based Services

Esperanza S. (She/Her)

PhD Student

Esperanza Onoria Santos is over 10 years sober through a 12-step program. She is a PhD student at Rutgers Newark where she received the Rutgers Presidential Graduate Fellowship. Her focus is Transgender Studies, Latinx Culture, transnationalism, and History. She is a former McNair Scholar and has a history of leadership and received awards such as the Sonoma County “Community Role Model Award” and the Rutgers Newark “LGBTQ+ Leadership Award.” She worked with the Santa Rosa Trans Latinas as a facilitator and organized a Trans Rights March in 2019. In 2023, she received the Newark Pride's Circle of Friends Scholarship.

Session: KEYNOTE PANEL: "Essential Partnerships in Collegiate Recovery"

Angela N. Smith, BFA, MSOLM (she/her/hers) - Educational Administrator and Consultant 

Angela has 25 years experience in education and administration. She has served as a teacher (PreK-12), a counselor, social and emotional learning instructor and supports coordinator and postsecondary director. In addition, she has worked in college admissions, financial aid, scholarship administration and truancy case management.

Angela holds a Bachelors of Fine Arts degree in Illustration and Arts Education from Moore College of Art & Design. In 2020, she completed Penn State Abington’s Nonprofit Management Certificate Program and, in 2021 a Master of Science in Organizational Leadership and Management at Peirce College. She is an avid learner with a spirit of service and a passion for supporting others on their path to growth and emerging leadership. Most recently she served as Head of School at The Bridge Way School of Philadelphia and a member of the Association of Recovery Schools (ARS) Directors and JEDI (justice, equity, diversion & inclusion) Cohorts.

Session: Stitching a New Garment

Greg Young, CRS (He/him) - Director of Recovery Friendly Workplace - PA, UNITY Recovery

I have been in sustained recovery for 5 years from alcoholism, anxiety and depression. Once getting certified as a CRS I was able to land my first position in the recovery community at Unity Recovery and have been here for 3 years now and have had a wonderful time expanding with the organization. I am passionate about what we do, the values we hold and the mission that drives us each and everyday. My program connects participants to employment and trains employers on how to best support staff who are in recovery and/or reentry. I feel we are making a genuinely positive impact on workplace culture in Pennsylvania and I look forward to continuing to break the stigma around recovery and reentry for anyone in need of employment.

Session: Unity Recovery Community Support Services