Mary Jo McMillen a licensed Substance Use Disorder Counselor who has worked with people in treatment and recovery since 1987. She has been in long-term recovery since 1985 and is passionate about empowering others to celebrate their own recovery.

Mary Jo is well recognized for her leadership and advocacy work with state and local governments, treatment agencies, healthcare entities, and community partners, promoting public awareness about substance use disorders and recovery through listening to people with lived experience.

In 2007, Mary Jo joined a group of colleagues and people in recovery to establish USARA as a non-profit advocacy organization. In 2010 she became the Executive Director and USARA became a statewide peer-run Recovery Community Organization (RCO). In 2011, with the support of community partners and the Board of Directors, she opened Utah’s first Recovery Community Center in Salt Lake County.

Mary Jo is most proud of USARA’s dedicated team of Peer Recovery Coaches, Family Recovery Coaches, volunteers, and administrative staff that have developed and implemented non-clinical Recovery Support Services and best practices for peer coaching and family support. USARA’s entire staff collaboratively works with local community leaders, government entities, treatment providers, healthcare clinics, hospitals, public health, courts, jails and probation services, homeless shelters, and others to help individuals and family members connect with resources they need to support recovery from addiction. There is a saying she learned in early recovery that holds true for her and others today, “What we can’t do alone, we can do together.”

Mary Jo loves the life she lives and is truly grateful for a loving family and dear friends. Her greatest blessing is being a mom to two amazing daughters and being married to her best friend Shawn. She adores children of all ages, dogs, and her happy places are on a yoga mat, walks with her family, going to the beach, and spending time in Utah’s beautiful desert!

Evan Done began as a volunteer at USARA in 2015 and has extensive experience in the non-profit sector. Originally a systems administrator and programmer by trade, he has used his wide array of information technology skills to assist non-profit, social service, and public policy organizations to further their mission and heighten their impact.

Evan is a person in long-term recovery from both a substance use and mood disorder and has been on USARA’s staff since April 2017. With over ten years of experience in social justice advocacy, he is dedicated to creating a more equitable and sustainable world.

Mitchel Staheli has been in long term recovery since November of 2016. He holds a Master Degree in Business Administration from Western Governors University. Mitchel is able to mix his passion for business as well as recovery in his role as Finance Manager at USARA. Support services played a vital role in being able to build a strong foundation in his recovery. He is happy to give back in his role at USARA by ensuring those services are around and available for others.

Becca is a woman in long-term recovery, beginning her Recovery journey in September 2008. Becca credits her successes in life to her Recovery journey and to the connection she was offered through Recovery Support Services. Now, she is determined to give those struggling with addiction that same investment that was offered to her.

Prior to joining USARA, Becca dedicated over 15 years in the Social Services sector, cultivating a specialty in Career & Life Coaching for individuals with significant disadvantages. In Early 2015 Becca joined USARA’s team and now serves as the Education & Training Director, working toward the vision of statewide Recovery Services that are accessible to all who desire.

In her free time, Becca loves to read and write. However, her greatest pride & joy in life is her family. She treasures the gift of watching her children thrive and loves going on adventures with her husband, children, and fur-son, Yoshi.

Marcie Gray, a woman in long term recovery, is blessed with a clear passion for recovery and desire to help others get what she’s got. Beginning on May 4th, 2002 (May the 4th be with you) Marcie began her personal journey to wellness with spirituality as her anchor and cornerstone. Her number one job is being a mom, followed by by being a devoted wife, and an advocate for recovery. She enjoys boating on Lake Powell, where she gets her spiritual mojo replenished, and uses her passion and skills for understanding to be an empathetic ear for those starting to engage recovery.

Patrick is a person in long term recovery for 30 years who wishes to help others navigate their personal recovery path. He has 30+ years of experience with providing a range of services for mental health and substance use in a range of duties including residential aid, case manager, and therapist. He retired from a public mental health authority in 2015 after working 2 jobs for most of his adult life. Now that he works only 1 job, he has more time to enjoy his family and hopefully help others in a more effective way. Patrick enjoys watching his children perform and participate in their passions. Listening to music is his go to self care tool. Patrick previously enjoyed riding motorcycles for over 35 years but has since shifted to enjoying the open air in a Jeep. If you find yourself driving past him in a Jeep you will surely get the ‘Jeep Wave’!

Tiffany is a woman in Long-Term Recovery. Her recovery journey started in May 2017 and was initially supported by her engagement in Felony Drug Court and as a USARA program participant. She ultimately began volunteering with USARA in December 2017 by helping at events, contributing to the Salt Lake Peer Advisory Council, and assisting with Recovery Days. She loves giving back to the community at large and spending time with her 3 children. She says that traveling keeps her life and recovery fresh and exciting.

Jareth is a person in long-term recovery. His journey in recovery began on January 1st, 2018 at The Haven in Salt Lake City, Utah. Prior to working at USARA, he was employed at the Volunteers of America Adult Detox Center as the facility coordinator as well as support staff at The Haven residential treatment center.

Jareth wants to be able to give back the same support to the recovery community that he received when he first began his journey.

Jareth has two beautiful daughters that are his world. Some of his hobbies include: D&D, Magic the Gathering, video games, reading fantasy books, and going on walks.

Teresa is a recent graduate from the University of Utah with a degree in Psychology and Human Development. Her interest in the non-profit sector with the goal of helping people in our communities and being a family member of a person in long term recovery led her to USARA. She is eager to be part of an organization dedicated to helping those with substance use disorders and their loved ones, and looks forward to expanding her knowledge on the function of non-profits and how to be an ally for those in recovery.

In her free time, Teresa enjoys spending time in the outdoors with family, friends, and of course, dogs.

Kayla is a woman in long term recovery. Her recovery began in 2018 when she was faced with a decision to continue the way she was living or to fight to regain custody of her daughter. Starting her use at a young age led her to many treatment stays, jail, and eventually prison. Continuously searching for connection and acceptance, she failed at finding true recovery. She eventually found unconditional support at USARA by first becoming a participant which led to volunteering and eventually employment. She is able to use her lived experience to offer others the same unconditional support that she received and to help empower each person to find what is going to help them live their best life possible in recovery. She is passionate in the fact that recovery is not one size fits all. Her growing family motivates her to continue to grow and strengthen her recovery daily.

Andy was born and raised in SLC and has been here most of his life. He has been in recovery since March of 2014 and has a passion for helping others reach their full potential. He is currently a student at SLCC and working on getting a Master’s degree in Social Work. Andy hopes to become a therapist working with those suffering from substance use disorder and mental illness in the future. He loves being outside in the mountains and going hiking whenever he can get the chance. He also loves to travel and being able to learn as much as he can in life. He recently became a new father and has enjoyed all the new experiences that have come with it as well!

Tryana is a woman in long term recovery. She has been active in her recovery journey since March 30th, 2020. She has been battling and surviving substance use disorder, abuse and neglect since her early childhood. When her first child was born she was unable to care for her, and is now able to live her life every day knowing that she is someone worth finding. She now has a 5 year old son that has survived through some of the same unfortunate life events. They are both survivors of domestic violence, gun violence, and SUD. In June 2021, Tryana graduated and was granted back custody through Family Recovery Court because she proved to be a present and capable mother.

Tryana proudly serves the community that so freely gave her the support that she needed. She loves to play softball, loves to cook, go camping, go hiking, have nerf gun wars, and drive around with the music all the way turned up! She is very proud of her journey and the woman she has become along the way.

In March 2017, Julie began her long-term recovery with USARA as a program participant. She received her Masters degree in Rehabilitation Counseling in 2011 from Virginia Commonwealth University. Through her recovery journey, Julie has reconnected with her passion to help people in need, and now shares her story with others as an example of continued recovery success.

Julie has an inspiring 17 year old daughter, Hannah, and an angel-baby, Jaxon. She and Hannah know how to make an adventure out of any situation. Her life motto is, “Everything is better with a little country music.” (preferably Tim McGraw).

Brandy is a woman in long-term recovery. Her recovery journey started in April 2019 after experiencing homelessness and removal of her children to DCFS. Through hard work, determination, continued support from her husband, Family Recovery Court, and USARA, she regained custody of her children in June 2020. While participating at USARA she started volunteering with the Addiction Recovery Council to plan and facilitate many community events. She enjoys being the guiding light of hope for people in the early stages of recovery while giving back to the community. Today, Brandy enjoys cooking, playing games, movies, the outdoors, swimming, trying new restaurants, and spending quality time with the people that are important in her life.

Karissa is a person in long-term recovery. Her sobriety date is November 25, 2017. She is active in recovery and helps others to achieve sobriety. She has fought a long battle with addiction for over 13 years and hopes to continue to help others as it is her passion. Karissa has two kids that are her world, and never have to see her struggle or know what its like to have a parent in active addiction again.

Ashley is a woman in long term recovery. She struggled with substance use disorder for 20+ years. Her recovery journey began in February 2021 after being incarcerated and then being released into treatment at the House Of Hope in Salt Lake City, UT. Ashley’s passion is to help others who struggle with substance use and mental health by sharing her lived experience and helping to connect people with resources. She believes in what USARA does to help people in recovery as she was a participant who utilized support services and found them to be very beneficial. She enjoy dancing like nobody’s watching, cooking, reading, and planning events for the recovery community. She is a mother of two kids who are her world and has been married to her amazing husband for 10 years.

Vanessa is a person in long-term recovery. Her recovery journey started in September 2018. She has struggled with addiction for over 10 years, but has learned a lot throughout her battle with addiction. She wants to pay it forward and give back to the community. Her passion is to make a positive impact and be an example that change is very possible.

Valerie Jansen is a woman in long term recovery. She started her journey in recovery on January 1, 2019 at the Haven in Salt Lake City. This is where she gained the skills and mindset needed to set the foundation to be able to rewrite her own story. She is passionate about the purpose in life and feels that her purpose is to make light for others and be able to support and advocate for them. She is determined to break the cycles and set forth new horizons in her life and others.

What keeps excitement in life for Valerie is being able to view it through the eyes of her three children, going for walks, playing at parks, adventures and camping. This is her way out of the sense of self and into theirs for these are the moments in life that she is grateful for. Her favorite quote “You haven’t come this far, to only come this far’ helps keep the momentum under her feet as she paves her way here at USARA.

Sami is a person in long term recovery. She lives her life to the fullest with an opportunistic mindset. She believes in leaving this world better than when she came into it and being the change in the world. She’s a mom of two beautiful boys that give her motivation daily. Having dealt with the life of addiction for over a decade, she is now able to live out her passion of helping others. She strives everyday to lead by example and to be the best version of herself that she can be. She cares for people, plants, animals, and the earth. She loves to do service work that involves cleaning the planet. She enjoys being in nature, such as hiking, camping, and going to the lake. She loves yoga and exercise. She takes pride in being a Pinterest Mom and doing all types of arts and crafts with her kids.

Darlene holds a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from the University of Utah and taught first grade for 35 years, yet her extensive knowledge of addiction and recovery came from lived experience of family members that struggled with substance misuse. She began her journey with USARA as a participant in the CRAFT family support group in 2010. Since then, she has been trained by the originator and author of the CRAFT model and now facilitates a weekly CRAFT group at USARA to educate families on motivational strategies for interacting with their loved ones who struggle with a substance use disorder. As a trainer herself, she holds workshops for those interested in facilitation of the CRAFT model for family support and is striving to develop CRAFT family groups in counties throughout Utah. Darlene works hard to help families find support, resources and recovery.

Darlene is a wife, mother, and a proud Grandma to two very special kids. She lost her son, Adam, to an overdose in 2012, yet continues to change the hearts and minds of people with negative perception toward substance use disorders. She has proven herself to USARA through her deep sense of purpose and commitment to the CRAFT Family Support Group.

Jennifer holds a BFA with an emphasis in sculpture from Brigham Young University. She was a stay-at-home mom to her four children for 27 years. She loves time with family, dates with her husband, learning, writing, basketry, ceramics, stained glass, and cycling. It was after surgery on her feet that she developed Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) and had to give up cycling on her recumbent trike. Dealing with chronic pain led her to find mindfulness as a tool to help her manage it better.

One of Jennifer’s children struggled with SUD and mental health challenges beginning in 2017. She was desperate to help her child. After a particularly difficult situation with her loved one, she knew she needed to change herself because what she was doing wasn’t changing her child. Through a google search she discovered Dr. Robert Meyer’s book “How to Get Your Loved One Sober, Alternatives to Nagging, Pleading, and Threatening”. She ordered the book online and then discovered there were CRAFT groups she could attend right where she lived. She and her husband attended the next available group in person at the beginning of 2020, transitioning to the online format at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Prior to CRAFT, Jennifer had been living in fear and constant stress and not really living her own life as she was so hyper-focused on the choices of her loved one. As she and her husband continued to practice the “alternatives”, life slowly improved. Their family relationships improved, stress was reduced, and they celebrated as their loved one figured out what works best for him in his journey of recovery. Her loved one later told her, “My life started getting better after those books showed up in our house”. She and her husband now co-facilitate an online group every Wednesday through USARA. She is now a trainer and mentor of facilitators and helps coach families to improve their CRAFT skills.

While practicing the self-care she learned in CRAFT, Jennifer began training to become a mindfulness teacher through Breathworks in April of 2021. She will complete her training in the latter half of 2022. Through this training and mindful lived experience, Jennifer has been able to take up cycling again for short rides on her recumbent electrified trike. Jennifer’s life motto is: “Let all your things be done with love.”

After almost losing a loved one to a drug overdose in 2013 John was fortunate to find a CRAFT (Community Reinforcement and Family Training) support group sponsored by USARA. After several years of attending CRAFT meetings, he became certified as a CRAFT clinician, one of only two in Utah. During this time, he also started facilitating 12 Step AA group meetings. Today, as a result of these experience he no longer feels overwhelmed and is beginning to understand his loved one’s substance abuse and mental health disorders. His relationship with his family is much healthier. Everyone is now able to speak more directly and honestly about how they feel. They are all continuing to make progress. This would not be possible without the help of all those John has met in halfway houses, community centers, churches, and recovery agencies while facilitating 100s of face-to-face and phone in meetings. Family members of those struggling with behavioral health disorders have been his mentors and become his heroes. In 2019 John completed the Advanced Substance Use Disorder Treatment Training Certificate (ASUDC) program and is licensed by the State of Utah. He helped create the groundbreaking “12 Steps to Change” addiction recovery video series and other behavioral health-related media for the LDS Church. He also worked for DreamWorks SKG, Warner Bros, Universal, Amblin Entertainment and Disney. Projects included “The Disney Sunday Movie”, “Father of the Bride”, “The Frighteners”, “The Matrix” and the Academy Award-winning “Shrek”. He produced the independent feature films, “The Other Side of Heaven” and “The Legend of Johnny Lingo”. John currently resides at the base of the Wasatch mountains in Salt Lake City Utah.

Joyce was drawn to the high-end cabinet industry 42 years ago. She has been with Craftsman Kitchens for the last 24 years as the General Manager. In 2001, Joyce decided to attend night school at the University of Phoenix to work toward a degree that would help people. Her main goal was to help “at-risk” youth struggling with school, mental illness, and many other life conditions. She graduated in 2006 with a Bachelor’s degree in Human Services, yet decided to continue working for Craftsman Kitchens.

In 2011 Joyce began the biggest challenge of her life in the depths of the addiction world. Being the mother of a child struggling with a substance use disorder is nothing that any school could ever teach or prepare you for. Like so many families who suffer in that darkness and horror, Joyce searched for some sort of relief from the insanity, pain, and hopelessness. Nothing brought any real comfort or felt right to her until she finally found USARA at the premier showing of ‘The Anonymous People’ in 2013. When she learned about the CRAFT Family Support group, she went to the next meeting available. Through attending those group meetings, she learned there were things she could do to encourage her son by changing their communication from “confrontation” into “conversation”. It was finally okay to love him right where he was! Less than a year later, her son began his recovery and she continued to attend and facilitate weekly CRAFT Family Support Meetings.

In 2019, Joyce received the Utah Honors Recovery Ambassador Award in recognition of her contribution for helping families learn the very skills and tools she continues to use every day. She facilitates 2 weekly CRAFT Family Support groups along with individual and family phone coaching. She shares hope with every mother, father, spouse, child, sibling, and friend who loves someone suffering from substance use disorder.

Elizabeth is a person in long term recovery. She believes our lives are too precious to not work on making the best of any given situation. She is grateful to be here today with the mindset of creating opportunities for herself and sharing that with others. Striving to be her best, helping others, and being a part of the world that can and will make a difference is very important to Elizabeth and a passion of hers. She is continuing to further her education and expanding herself to learn and share her strengths and experience with others, letting others know that success and happiness is possible. She enjoys building connections in the community and staying actively involved with organizations that can benefit others with resources and awareness.

Kelsey is 28 years old from Huntington, Utah. She was born in Ogden where she was adopted and brought home to Carbon and Emery County. Kelsey is going on 6 years in long term recovery. She loves recovery, it truly ignites the light in her soul. She dedicates her life to her family, recovery and empowering others.

Margie is a woman in long term recovery. Her recovery journey began September 1st, 2003. She remains active in 12 step mutual aid recovery. Early on she embraced a strong belief in an all pathways approach to recovery. She has served on several service committees and for the last couple of years has had the honor to serve on the Ogden Alano Club’s board of directors. Margie has a strong self-care plan that centers on wellness and continued service to the recovery community. In her free time she enjoys hobbies such as crocheting beanies to donate to shelters and other organizations as well as gifts for friends and family. She also enjoys creating art and reading mystery novels. She is passionate about giving back what was so freely given to her when she entered the recovery community.

Mersades is a woman in long-term recovery, her recovery journey started in May 2016. She acknowledges the life she leads today wouldn’t be possible without her sobriety and recovery from her past addictions.

Mersades prides herself on her passion for helping others out of the hopelessness and depths of addiction. Prior to joining USARA, Mersades has experience working in an inpatient treatment facility where she was Head of Employee Experience and Lead Recovery Advocate working one-on-one with individuals. Her goal is to advocate and empower those that have been affected by addiction. Mersades has a beautiful family of five that she cherishes and credits much of her success to their love and support.

Lanette is a woman in long term recovery since 2014. Her journey has brought her to a place where she is able to share her lived experience as a Peer Recovery Coach for USARA in the Southeastern Utah area.

Recovery is the most important thing in her life, it enables her to maintain her family and the things that are important to her. Lanette’s gratitude seems like a never ending stream and when she wakes up each day to the blessing of having her children with her, a safe home for them, and heading out to a job she loves that allows room for not only helping others; but a space where she can learn as an individual, a woman, and a mother.

She says, “I feel like I have everything that I have ever wanted. I will be celebrating another year in long term recovery in July of this year. I want to shout out to the world that recovery is possible and to never give up!”

Heidi is a person in long-term recovery. She started as a USARA participant in 2017. Her journey took a non-traditional route and shortly after being unsuccessfully terminated from the Grand County family drug court program, Heidi discovered multiple pathways to recovery and reconnected to USARA in June of 2018.
She not only found herself, but also purpose through volunteering to run recovery meetings, helping with recovery day and family fun nights, and being involved in USARA and other recovery community events, both in and out of town.
She is an active member in 12 step meetings, has 2 beautiful daughters and strives to be a positive role model for all those she comes in contact with. She has a passion for helping others find what she found through USARA and that is empowerment, support, and encouragement. And hope is what we create! We DO recover!!

Benjamin “Ben” Martinez is a person in long-term recovery and has been since Christmas day 2014. Ben has been a Recovery Coach with his Certified Peer Support Specialist certification since 2016, and came on board to USARA in July of 2018. Starting his Substance Use Disorder and his subsequent recovery relatively young in life, Ben hopes to inspire other young people (and people of all ages) to find the joys, excitement, and full life that recovery offers. Ben is passionate about recovery and uses his story to help others see the potential in themselves to overcome their own barriers in life.

A Saint George native, Ben enjoys all the wonder that Southern Utah has to offer. He enjoys hiking, climbing, and camping in the natural beauty that surrounds Saint George. He is also passionate about live music and comedy, and can be found at a live show from Vegas to SLC on any given weekend. Ben’s biggest joy in life would be his dog, if his landlord would let him have one.

Crystal began her recovery journey in February 2016. She is a proud graduate of Family and Adult Recovery Courts. She has overcome her legal issues as well as the different placements of her 7 children. She has a passion for women coming into recovery, especially mothers who are facing the barriers of getting their children back and for them to know that it is possible and that they don’t have to do it alone. She has been a peer mentor for the Southwest Behavioral Health Center and Recovery Courts for over 2 years before coming to USARA as a Peer Recovery Coach in July 2019. She enjoys spending time with her children and getting to rewrite her family’s future.