What is a CARE Talks Event?

Walter Randall, a native of Portsmouth VA is married to Tracy L. Randall who brings three (3) daughters while he brings four (4) sons and together seven (7) grandchildren to their wonderful family. Walter graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School in 1985, then immediately joined the Army to start his military career as a Chaplain Assistant. In 1993, he began addressing his struggle with addiction and has been clean from drugs since September 2, 1995 (25 yrs clean). Walter was called to the ministry and licensed and ordained as an Elder on October 21, 2018, by Bishop Melvin Williams Jr., Senior Pastor of The Temple of Judah in Richmond, VA.

Chekesha Kay Ellis is a certified family recovery specialist living in recovery who is personally in sustained long-term recovery after a decade of prescription opioid addiction and abuse. She has joined with several programs and organizations to bring awareness and change to the opioid crisis. She is currently enrolled in the Recovery Corps Program. Upon completion, she will be licensed as a Certified Peer Specialist (CPS).

She works with Mobilize Recovery which trains people to advocate within their own communities. They work with "people in recovery, harm reductionists, families and allies impacted by substance use. Anyone who wants to make a difference in their community on drug policy and recovery advocacy." Their initiative is a response to the ongoing drug epidemic, which is the biggest public health crisis of our time. She participates in an annual convening to learn innovative strategies and tactics for grassroots organizing. (www.mobilizerecovery.org)

She works with Recovery Advocacy Project (RAP) as a New Jersey (Region 2) State Lead for a network of people and organizations across the country advocating and training on local, grassroots levels for addiction recovery policies. (www.recoveryvoices.com)

She works as a Shatterproof Volunteer Ambassador (New Jersey), a national nonprofit dedicated to reversing the addiction crisis in the United States. It works to eradicate stigmas associated with substance use disorder or addiction. (www.shatterproof.org)

She is a member of Inclusivity Caucus that was organized due to the concern there were not many folks from the Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC), LGBTQIA+ and people living with disabilities present at the table voicing the need for culture change within the recovery community.

She is the founder of ChaseNoMore.org which serves as a bridge to help people all across America by pointing them to resources that can assist with treatment and recovery. 

Tiffinee 'Tee' Scott is the President/CEO of MPAC. Tiffinee has dedicated over 30 years to public service, from emergency medical service, correctional services, family dependency drug court, health department, behavioral health authority, along with recovery support services. She is passionate about public health and safety within communities, social justice, policy reform, and recovery. A leader, recovery community organizer, and national advocate. She is a graduate of the University of Phoenix for Criminal Justice Administration. Tee attended the University of Baltimore and Coppin State University for Human Service Administration and recently accepted to Harvard Kenndey School of Government. Tee is a Maryland Organizer for Recovery Advocacy Project, and Chapter Lead for Young People in Recovery, and founder of the Maryland Peer Advisory Council (MPAC). Tee has been Awarded numerous citations,  proclamations and honored as Advocate of the Year. She enjoys spending time family with her wife Ava, mother of 5 adult children, 6 energetic grandchildren, and dog Duke. Tee Currently is residing and leading the MPAC Advocacy & Leadership Program in Baltimore, Maryland. For more information about MPAC visit: www.marylandpeeradvisorycouncil.org

Executive Director of Message Carriers of Pennsylvania 

With over twenty plus years in the Human Service field, Ms. Horston Spencer has worked the last 16 years exclusively in the recovery supportive services of addiction field. Her start in the Human Service Field began as a Teacher’s Aide in the Pittsburgh Public School system in that capacity she worked with severely physically challenged children. Robin believes in volunteering for other organizations in the roles of mentoring school children and oversight of the school board. She has worked with families on reunifications, individuals with mental health, drug & alcohol issues; as a group facilitator, trainer of trainers, certified counselor and mobile therapist. 

Ms. Horston Spencer holds a Master Degree of Science in Human Service (MHS) from Lincoln University, Philadelphia, PA where she was inducted into the Pi Gamma Mu, International Honor Society in Social Science and was awarded the Rose B. Pinky Award for Outstanding Contribution in the Human Service Field. While attending Lincoln University she wrote “Training Recovering Individuals with Criminal Histories to Become Advocates and Mentors”. She is a firm believer that learning is lifelong in addition, one must become a change agent. In 2004, she helped to create as workforce development certification the Certified Recovery Specialist (CRS) that is being used throughout the state. This certification was designed to assist those with lived experiences an opportunity to find gainful employment in the Drug &Alcohol field. In 2007 through 2009, she attended Carlow University where she received two more masters’ degrees. A Master of Science in Professional Leadership, specializing in Training and Development (MSPL) and Master of Business Administration (MBA). Ms. Horston Spencer also was one of the first in Pennsylvania to become a Certified Offenders Workforce Development Specialist (OWDS) and is a certified Recovery Coach Trainer (RCT). 

She currently writes in two publications the Soul Pitt magazine and Pennsylvania Recovery Community-Alliance Quarterly Report. Robin has been acknowledged by several entities for her work in the community, such as 2011, New Pittsburgh Courier Women of Excellence, on the cover of Soul Pitt as one of the people to watch in 2014 and 2017, she was recognized as a Women of Purpose. In June of 2018 became an ordained Minister at Petra International Ministries, in Pittsburgh, PA. 

Ms. Horston Spencer is in long term recovery and will attest that to mean since being in recovery she has given back to the community in various ways. She is well known by many from all walks of life and venues of services, through her collaborative efforts with churches, agencies and the 12 Step communities. Presently, she sits on several advisory boards locally, statewide and nationally. She has made it her life’s work to promote recovery by educating anyone who will listen. Her passion is to put a positive face and voice for recovery wherever she goes! She has a magnetic personally that most people who have the pleasure to meet her feel that they have not met a stranger. Her approach of making one feel that they are the only person to exist at time of distress is amazing. She is also known for her loyalty, trustworthiness and has the heart of gold to care for all those who come into her life. Ms. Spencer resides in Pittsburgh, PA and is the proud mother of Leigh Horston (Malika), granddaughters, Jazmine and Jordan all of Columbus, Ohio

Founder and Executive Director of a faith-based nonprofit organization, Rainbow of Love Recovery Foundation. The organization provides transitional living and treatment services for women recovering from substance use disorders and allows them to do so with their children. Executive Director of Nathan's Ridge, Inc which provides re-entry services for men and women coming from incarceration. Maryland State Lead for Recovery Advocacy Project. 10 years in the clinical addiction field as a peer and eventually an addictions counselor prior to founding my nonprofit. A person in long term recovery