What is a CARE Talks Event?

Rob is an Army Veteran and in recovery from addiction.  He is self claimed "The Grateful One" because he loves living in gratitude day to day.  He is a father of two children that he adores and loves helping people in recovery.  He is a peer leader at The McShin Foundation.  

Doug Levy is the National Partnerships Manager for The Phoenix. As a person in long term recovery, Doug has been drawn to finding ways to use his own experiences in recovery to help others. He is a volunteer outpatient peer counselor with the Community Service Board (CSB) of Fairfax, Virginia. He serves on the Board of the Unity Club in Falls Church, Virginia and is a Certified Peer Recovery Coach. Doug’s journey towards recovery has not been a completely smooth ride. He has spent time in jail, worn an ankle bracelet and lost his driving privileges for nearly five years. He was on probation for 3 plus years and spent that time in outpatient therapy in addition to becoming a regular member of the 12 step community. In 2017 as the result of a serious health scare, Doug got a new clarity and perspective for his life. Following his passion for recovery and finding pathways to make recovery happy, joyous and free for all, Doug started and served as the Executive Director of the R1 Foundation – whose mission was to provide tools, training, and resources to underserved recovery communities. 

The bulk of Doug’s career was spent in the private club industry. Doug graduatied from James Madison University with a BBA in Business Management and Hospitality, and throughout his career has been recognized as an accomplished and energetic director and a motivated leader with strong organizational and prioritization abilities. His areas of expertise include people, processes and communication. Doug serves on the advisory board for his alma mater, the Hart School of Hospitality, Sport and Recreation Management at James Madison University. In 2015, he was recognized with the Dolley Madison Award by the Hart School for his contributions to the program. He is a member within the Club Managers Association of America (CMAA), and in 2012, attained his Certified Club Manager (CCM) designation.

Kyle Brewer, BS, PRPS, is the Peer Specialist Program Manager for NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals. He works for NAADAC remotely from Little Rock, AR, managing the Arkansas Peer Specialist Program Grant. He oversees the development and implementation of an innovative three-tier credentialing process (Core, Advanced, Supervision) for the Arkansas Peer Support Model. 

Brewer earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Addiction Studies from the University of Central Arkansas in 2013. He went on to use his lived experience with drug and alcohol addiction to become a Certified Peer Recovery Support Specialist, where he led the implementation of this position in an emergency department at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. In 2020, he became one of the first ten Certified Peer Support Supervisors in Arkansas. He serves on numerous committees and boards to develop and strengthen the Arkansas Model and improve peer support services across the United States. Most recently, he was awarded the 2021 Arkansas Peer Leadership Award which acknowledges and celebrates exemplary leadership that has significant and positive impact on advancing the peer movement and practices of the peer support profession.

Wade Runge serves as senior pastor of M3 Church (Mountain Movers Ministry) in Richmond, Virginia. He has a passion for reaching the lost, and helping others discover their purpose. Pastor Wade has been a part of the recovery community since January 19, 1992. He believes in being a “Hope Dealer” and has been giving back to help others on his journey of recovery. Under his leadership, M3 Church has experienced tremendous growth while simultaneously reaching numerous needs in their community. He is a graduate of Southeastern Theological Seminary and Liberty University. In addition, much of his leadership and core values have been shaped by being a “graduate” of the United States Marine Corps for more than 20 years. Wade and his wife, Sherrie, have three daughters: Monique, Gabby, and Alannah, and one son, Antonio. 

Sara Barkley is a veteran, serving 4 years of active duty in the United States Air Force. She is a woman in long term recovery since November 5, 2013 and started working in the recovery industry as a Recovery Residence Manager at the Women’s Fellowship Living Facilities in 2014. In 2015, she played an instrumental role in opening Fellowship Recovery Community Organization (FRCO), the first Recovery Community Organization (RCO) in Florida. The Fellowship RCO strives to end discrimination and remove barriers to recovery through advocacy, education, and service. In 2017, Ms. Barkley was promoted to Chief Operating Officer of Fellowship RCO, which includes FARR Certified Recovery Residences, where she oversees both the Men’s and Women’s Recovery Residences, which houses over 200 residents. Ms. Barkley assisted FARR (Florida Association of Recovery Residences) in formulating strict guidelines for MAT (Medication Assisted Treatment) Housing. In 2018, Sara helped create the Fellowship Recovery Community Respite, which offers a safe, temporary sober housing environment for those who have had a recurrence of use. Ms. Barkley is an active member in the local Chamber of Commerce, Margate Initiative for Community Action & Hope (MICAH), Broward Re-Entry Housing Coalition, Broward Community Response Team, and Broward Community Surveillance Team. She is a member of the Association of Recovery Community Organization (ARCO) Membership Review Committee and is also on the Executive Committee (Secretary) for Floridians for Recovery (Florida Statewide RCO).

Leslie MacNabb, owner of Rise with Recovery, is a leading Holistic Self-Care and Relationship Recovery coach. While in a relationship with a man who struggled with addiction and then entered recovery, Leslie utilized the wisdom of yoga, holistic wellness and her own gifts to create calm and resilience in her life and relationship. She believes families play a crucial part in recovery. When she was ready to recover out loud to support others, she created the Relationship Recovery Roadmap, the Accelerate Joy ebook and other tools to help others have a long-lasting and healthy relationship with themselves and their partners. You can also find her at The Partners of Recovery Podcast, where she shares all about self-care and relationship recovery, as well as interviews with other recovery experts.