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Matthew Traver is the president of Never Give Up Inc. (NGULU, www.nguluinc.com), a non-profit organization based in Northeast Wisconsin. NGULU helps people in the community find resources not only for addiction but anything that hinders people from stepping into their power and becoming the best versions of themselves. Matt proudly says, “I now have over 5 years of absolute sobriety and spend my volunteer time driving the mission of David John Peters, founder of NGULU.”

Matt is a success story and spends much of his time giving back to the community. Matt struggled with drug addiction for 25 years. After several arrests, he completed heroin treatment court in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Matt’s drive and dedication pushed him to complete the program in 18 months. After graduating from the program, Matt became the president of the Oxford Sober Living House for over a year and found his passion to be a voice in the field of recovery. Matt strongly advocates for the resources needed to help people get their lives back.

Matt reports: “I try my best to make this world a little bit better than I found it. I wish to see everyone be the best versions of themselves as humanly possible. There is hope no matter how hopeless it may seem. Never give up on yourself and each other! ”

Aaron Clayborn is the Outreach Specialist for the Engagement to Recovery program for Wisconsin Voices for Recovery. Aaron has been involved with the recovery community since 2005. He began his formal education by attending the Recovery Coach Academy presented by WIRCO and CCAR in February of 2018.

Aaron is a Recovery Coach trainer and a state Certified Naloxone Trainer.

He began his recovery mission in order to improve his understanding about the harmful effects of drugs and alcohol in all aspects of life and he loves to inspire others who are seeking a healthy lifestyle.

Because of Aaron’s passion to help change the lives of those individuals who struggle with substance use disorder and mental health, Aaron continues to remain active in the recovery community by advocating for peers and helping to increase outreach with members of the recovery community and recovery-focused, agencies and organizations to foster health, wellness and addiction recovery.

Marisa Van Zile is a Peer Support Specialist and a Sokaogon Chippewa Tribal member. She is a qualified facilitator for (1) Mending Broken Hearts, programs that provide culturally based healing from grief, loss, and Intergenerational Trauma; (2) Linking Generations Strengthening Relationships, a program that promotes strong, healthy and positive relationships; and (3) Motherhood and Fatherhood Are Sacred, a program that assists fathers, mothers, and families to fully realize their potential.

Marisa is based at the Sokaogon Chippewa Community (SSC) Clinic in Behavioral Health and, under clinical providers’ direction, assists with treatment plans; recovery support groups; community outreach; and transportation for recovery-focused appointments, meetings, and events. She offers a Wellbriety circle weekly and Mending Broken Hearts support groups.

Marisa has enjoyed and embraced sobriety for over 10 years.  “I’ve been in recovery myself, and I want to help other people in recovery to live healthy lives,” she shared.  “I like to contribute and advocate for families like my own, and with things that I have been through."

Lashawnda Maulson is a member of the Lac Du Flambeau tribe and her spirit name is Skywoman. For the past 13 years Lashawnda’s passion has been been focused in the field of prevention. She has worked in tobacco prevention and the juvenile justice system. For the past few years Lashawnda has been more involved in working with suicide and substance use prevention in her community. Lashawnda founded Skywoman Consulting LLC a Wisconsin Domestic Limited Liability Company in January 2020 which is located in, Minocqua, Wisconsin.

In this episode, Wisconsin Voices for Recovery Outreach Specialist Aaron Clayborn talks with Amanda Rodriguez about her experience with substance use disorders in her Latinx community.

Amanda Rodriguez has dedicated herself to helping people with substance use disorders for over 12 years. She was instrumental in developing and managing Wisconsin’s first 24/7 OTP in West Allis. Amanda serves as Community Impact Manager and has excelled at developing collaborative community projects such as the Milwaukee Overdose Response Initiative (MORI), implementation of the Hope Kits, the Opioid Fatality Review Team, providing MAT supportive services to Milwaukee County jails, corrections, and prisons, supporting therapeutic courts, and educating the community around medication-assisted treatment. Amanda continues to identify gaps in services and find solutions for individuals struggling to navigate recovery systems. Amanda graduated from Alverno College with a bachelors in Psychological Drug Counseling and graduated at Concordia University specializing in Master of Science in Education with an emphasis on counseling. Amanda currently holds a Clinical Substance Abuse Counselor and Clinical Supervisor in Training licenses.

On this episode of SOBER, Wisconsin Voices for Recovery Outreach Specialist Shelbey Hagen talks with Laura Fabick, Skye Boughman, and Mercedez Butts about the unique challenges and needs of women in recovery from substance use disorders. Laura Fabick, Program Manager, and Skye Boughman, Clinical Supervisor, work with ARC Community Services, a women-specific treatment agency based in Madison, WI. Mercedez Butts is a licensed substance abuse counselor and the owner and operator of Joyce’s House of Milwaukee, a safe and sober home for women recovering from addiction.

On this episode of SOBER, Wisconsin Voices for Recovery Director Cindy Burzinski talks with team members from UW Health’s Hub and Spoke Program, which supports those diagnosed with an opioid use disorder. Guests include Kaitlyn Cole, the Hub and Spoke Program Manager; Megg Kohel, the Behavioral Health RN Care Coordinator; Joseph Galey, CCAR-trained Recovery Coach; Rebecca Foss, Peer Support Specialist with Safe Communities; and Tom Carroll, Program Director at UW Health’s Behavioral Health and Recovery Clinic. The discussion highlights the role of peers and structural support needed to ensure those with opioid use disorder and those in recovery can navigate and have positive experiences within the healthcare system.

On this episode of SOBER, Wisconsin Voices for Recovery Outreach Specialist Aaron Clayborn talks with Tahira Malik about prescription opioid addiction, stigma, and disparities to recovery supportive services in the African American community. Tahira is the is the founder and Chief Operations Officer of Samad’s House located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Tahira has dedicated her life to helping people who live in addiction to become sober and rebuild their lives.

On this episode of SOBER, Wisconsin Voices for Recovery Outreach Specialist Aaron Clayborn, talks with Tamika Glenn about the availability of drugs in African American communities, generational substance use and breaking the cycle, and the disproportionately low amount of recovery-focused facilities in the African American community. Tamika is the 53206 Drug Free Community Coordinator at Community Advocates located in Milwaukee WI. Tamika is also the founder of Glow Up Milwaukee Inc. also located in Milwaukee WI.

On this episode of SOBER, Wisconsin Voices for Recovery Outreach Specialist Aaron Clayborn, talks with Startina “Star” White about using substances as a coping mechanism, the effects of stigma and the availability of illicit drugs in her community. Startina is the Program Manager at Wisconsin Community Services (WCS) and is responsible for supervising staff and the day-to-day operations of their community-based Peer Specialist program.