Speak Out for Recovery 2021!

Speak Out for Recovery celebrates the truth that people can and do recover! Speakers from across the State nominated by their Recovery Coalition will share their Recovery Story and various recovery resources will also be presented. This year’s theme is “Recovery is for Everyone: Every Person, Every Family, Every Community.” Please join us as we celebrate recovery and have a thoughtful dialogue about amplifying varied voices and experiences in the recovery community.

Register HERE

Thank you to the co-sponsors of this event:

Moderator: Danie Eagleton Danie Eagleton is a licensed mental health counselor in the State of Washington. Danie earned a B.A. in psychology from Seattle University and a master’s in education in Counseling Psychology from Howard University. She has worked in mental health for 16+ years with both kids and adults. Danie is a passionate advocate for people living their lives with mental illness and other disabilities. Her areas of interest and experience in mental health include at-risk youth, communities of color, multicultural/ diversity issues, crisis/trauma, integrated health, supported employment and recovery –oriented mental health services.

Danie splits her time and interest between the fields of mental health and education.
She has worked in Student Development at Seattle University, Howard University and
Tufts University. Danie has worked as a counselor at both Lake Washington Technical
College and Seattle Central Community College. She has been a part-time instructor at
Seattle Central Community for over 10 years and is currently an adjunct professor in
Seattle University’s Clinical Mental Health program.

Danie’s past positions include: Clinical Supervisor for The Heart Team-Adult Services Outpatient and Director of Community Outreach, Program/Business Development at Navos Mental Health Solutions, Vice President for Clinical Excellence at Valley Cities Behavioral Health. Currently, she serves as the Vice President and Chief Clinical Officer for Seattle Counseling Service as well as a board member for Recovery Café and The Recovery Café Network. Danie is a graduate of The National Council of Behavioral Health’s Addressing Health Disparities Leadership program and maintains a small private practice that focuses in the areas of mental health, employment, clinical supervision and consultation.

Panelists: 

Reagan Dunn: Reagan currently serves as Vice Chairman of the Metropolitan King County Council, the nation’s 13th largest county, which includes Seattle and 38 other cities. He represents nearly a quarter of a million people and nine cities in Southeast King County.

Reagan was first elected to the County Council in 2005. In addition to serving as Vice Chairman of the Council, he has served as the Chairman of the King County Law, Justice, Health and Human Services Committee, Employment and Administration Committee, Transportation Committee, Regional Transit Committee, and Government Accountability and Oversight Committee. In these capacities, he received numerous awards including Washington State’s Outstanding Local Elected Official of the Year in 2012.

One of the subjects closest to Reagan’s heart is the issue of addiction and recovery. One in six Americans suffers from some sort of addiction; one in eight from addiction to drugs and alcohol. Reagan has been an outspoken supporter of King County’s Mental Illness and Drug Dependency program. Because of Reagan’s leadership, Washington State is now the first state in the nation to recognize a legal privilege in civil law between addicts and their sponsors participating in recovery programs.

Reagan is also the Founder and a Board Member of the National Alliance for Parents in Recovery (NAPIR). This alliance was created to bring hope back to families that have been broken by addiction through resources and community. To learn more about NAPIR and access its resources, visit napir.org.

Victor Estrada: I’m a person in long-term recovery. What that means to me is I have been free from all mood or mind altering substances since March 26 2015.I struggled with addiction for close to 30 years. I’m also a formerly incarcerated person.  Who spent alot time trying figure out my life’s purpose.  Once I found a 12 step program that works for me. I knew there was more. I got involved with the WRA in 2017 if I’m correct..From there things changed for the better. Since being in Recovery I have found a purpose.  And that purpose is to help other people. Those seeking a new way of life and those seeking Recovery. I’m now a Recovery Coach.  Who works with inmates trying to help them find their path. I’m also the Chairperson for Central Washington Recovery Coalition.  I’ve been a Board member of the WRA.  I have a seat on the Governor’s Re-entry team. And also have worked as a Homeless Outreach Coordinator. Today I’m a productive member of society.  Who has found his purpose and passion. 

Michele Gerber: Dr. Michele S. Gerber retired from a long career in historical and scientific
research. She provided the historical research behind a successful class-action
lawsuit on health effects in Washington State. She authored a best-selling book
that has been published in four editions, and has consulted nationally and
internationally to multiple government and private entities including the State of
Washington, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Park Service, and the
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. She struggled for more than 20
years with the addictions of two of her children. In retirement, she is President of
the Benton Franklin Recovery Coalition. Her principal interest is in breaking
barriers and creating opportunities for persons with Substance Use Disorder (or
addiction), erasing stigma and educating about addiction as a disease.

Melody McKee: Melody McKee is the Program Director for the Behavioral Health Training, Workforce and Policy Innovation Center through Harborview Medical Center’s Behavioral Health Institute. She has a Master’s Degree in Mental Health Counseling, is a licensed SUDP, and has worked in the Behavioral Health Field for 17 years. Melody is a person in long-term recovery. Her journey towards recovery was a long and difficult one and included severe complications from a substance use disorder that brought her to a place of incarceration, houselessness, isolation and despair. All that was stripped away during that painful time has been replenished and restored through the gift of recovery. Melody identifies as a member of the LGBTQ+ community and is married to the girl of her dreams. They share a beautiful life with amazing children and are blessed beyond measure. She believes in “recovery for all” and serves as the board president for the Washington Recovery Alliance. She acknowledges her lived experience as the driving force behind her passion for recovery advocacy and for improving the behavioral health system in Washington State.

Seth Welch: Seth Welch has been a chemical dependency counselor for 10 years. He attended Seattle Central College where he attained a Chemical Dependency certificate and a Bachelor’s degree in behavioral science. He attended graduate school at the University of Washington where he earned a Master’s of Social Work. 

After stints at Washington Asian Pacific Islander Community Services, Therapeutic Health Services, Navos Mental Health and Juvenile Drug Court in Seattle, Seth joined the team at Seattle’s first recovery high school, Interagency Recovery School, midway through its first year of existence, in 2015. 

Since that time, he has served as the school’s recovery counselor and student family advocate, and been largely involved in the development and oversight of its recovery program. He’s also a member of the board of the Association of Recovery Schoo

Stephanie Tompkins, SUDP is an enrolled elder of the Squaxin Island Tribe and identifies as a person in long term recovery who is passionate about helping others achieve their goals. 

She has over sixteen years’ experience in addiction treatment and twelve years in peer services. Her work experience includes Director for Northwest Indian Treatment Center, Thunderbird Residential Center and currently is Director of Peer Olympia. 

She has been involved in projects to offer recovery support and peer services to clients and tribes and is a Recovery Coach and Ethics in Coaching trainer. She has worked with most of the tribes in Washington State in some capacity through referrals, recovery coaching. She is a co-founder of the Washington Recovery Alliance where she served as a board member and a full-term as board president.