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The Community Impact Committee (CIC) is a multi-disciplinary taskforce made up of community advocates that provide ongoing guidance to various elements of the Georgia Recovers campaign. The goal of the CIC is to ensure the voice of the community is present and being heard at the decision-making table.
Kaela Brown is a nonprofit communications and development professional with experience in refugee and girl-serving organizations. She is a proud first-generation college graduate of The Ohio State University, with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and minor in Women's Gender & Sexuality Studies. She began her career in nonprofits as an AmeriCorps Member with New American Pathways, a refugee resettlement organization in Atlanta, GA, and continued with the organization as the Communications Coordinator leading multilingual marketing projects including vaccine outreach for New American communities. She now serves as the Executive Director for Girl Talk, Inc. Girl Talk is a national nonprofit with a mission of inspiring all girls to be confident leaders through peer-to-peer mentoring.
Kaela has a passion for storytelling and supporting initiatives for mental health awareness, women’s empowerment, and violence education and prevention.
Michael W. Davis serves as GUIDE’s Associate Executive Director of Prevention. In this role, Michael oversees all GUIDE’s prevention strategies, activities and campaigns.
As a student at Buford High School, Michael participated in Georgia Teen Institute, GUIDE’s summer leadership conference, and has been involved with GUIDE and GTI as a volunteer ever since. In August 2018, Michael joined the GUIDE family as a full-time employee in his current role.
Prior to working at GUIDE, Michael’s career background was focused mainly on college students, serving in several roles in housing, financial aid and the Dean of Students office at four different universities. In his last role at Iowa State University, he served as interim coordinator for prevention services during the university restructuring. Michael was reminded of his passion for working with prevention programs. In that role and with his work at the Chi Phi Fraternity, Michael frequently presented on alcohol risk reduction, bystander intervention, consent and health relationships education, power-based violence prevention and social justice issues.
Michael has volunteered and served on many different boards during his career, most recently serving as Treasurer of Mosaic Georgia’s Board of Directors, Wellness Counselor for the Chi Phi Fraternity Grand Council, 2023 President of Let’s Be Clear Georgia’s Board of Directors, the Georgia School for Addiction Studies Board of Directors and recently finished up his two terms on the University of West Georgia Alumni Association Board of Directors.
Michael is an Internationally Certified Prevention Specialist through the Prevention Credentialing Consortium of Georgia and regularly trains others in the Core Courses required by PCCG.
In 2023, Michael received the Ray Avant Excellence in Prevention Award for his contributions to the field. Michael is a 2022 Leadership Gwinnett graduate and serves on the Justice Learning Day Planning Committee.
Michael holds a Ph.D. in Education from Iowa State University, a Master of Science degree in Professional Counseling from Georgia State University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Early Childhood Education from the University of West Georgia. Michael has presented on the local, state, and national levels on leadership, education, prevention and social justice issues. Michael believes in the quote, “ True prevention is not waiting for bad things to happen; it’s preventing things from happening in the first place” by Don McPherson.
Toni is a true advocate for underserved communities and marginalized populations due to her roots and upbringing in Atlanta, GA. While her 1st love was cosmetology and boosting black women’s self-confidence, being exposed to people’s different trials/tribulations naturally catapulted her into more impactful social work. She is currently the Director of Community Response Services with Policing Alternatives & Diversions Initiative, a nonprofit that dispatches teams into the community to divert from arrest for offenses related to substance use, mental health, and poverty. As an Atlanta native, she hasn’t been afraid to get involved with community organizing and outreach as she’s previously worked for and volunteered at various social service agencies. She has supported people from all different walks of life by helping them establish employment, housing, medical/mental healthcare, mindset shifts, and ultimately, safer lives. With each endeavor, she is dedicated to exemplifying what it means to be a leader of integrity and advocacy, often going to bat for basic human decency. She finds social service rewarding and what it means to live in and on purpose. In her free time, she enjoys hiking with her sons, painting, and finding cool new things to do in the beautiful city of Atlanta!
Her mantra? “Be the change that you wish to see in the world.” - Gandhi
Keya Jest is a person in long term recovery. What that means is that she has not found it necessary to use drugs or alcohol to cope with life. Keya has been on her recovery journey since January 28, 2014. While on her journey, she developed a passion for helping others who were struggling in the areas which she gained strength. This desire helped her create a career with CARES as a Certified Peer Specialist (CPS) and a Forensic Peer Mentor. Keya was recently accepted in the CPS Mental Health training as well.
During Keya’s recovery journey, she received an associate’s degree in business management and is presently a senior at Savannah State University pursuing a Bachelor's in Social Work. After graduating she will continue her education to receive a master’s in social work. With a global mindset, she was able to work with different cultures on social issues. Keya was recently awarded a scholarship to study abroad in Ghana, ACCRA, and volunteered at the Supreme Court in Ghana. Her service learning experience was in the Ministries of Police Services in the domestic violence unit and family services.
Chetana Mastroberardino is a person in Long Term Recovery. What that means to her is that she has lived without any mind and mood-altering substances since 2017.
In 2022, she made a giant leap of faith, left everything she knew for the last 30 years, and moved to North Georgia. She made a point of finding online meetings in the area where she knew she would be living and met some lovely supportive people in the area. This is where she blossomed as she found folks who not only believed in her but supported her life changes.
Her work is her passion as she is an emergency responder for the 988 number working for Benchmark Human Services, covering 8 counties. She goes out to homes with a clinician and speaks to those who are in a mental health crisis. She draws on her own experience with mental health issues and AUD. Chetana often says “this is not a job, this is a calling!”, as she is passionate about collecting and distributing resources for those in need, assisting women in recovery, outreach, and participation in community events.
Chetana is currently a Certified Peer Specialist, Mental Health, and is currently working towards getting into the CARES program. She is diligent about attending community outreach meetings and goes to as many Family Connection meetings in her counties as she can. She also is a resident advisor at a women's recovery center in Clarkesville, GA.
Chetana's goals include talking to and sharing with as many folks as she can about recovery and being a part of the elimination of the strong stigma we still find in our communities around alcohol use disorder and substance use disorder. Chetana is thrilled to be a Georgia Recovers Community Impact Committee member and is looking forward to getting involved with this important initiative.
Jimbo Partin is a person in long-term recovery and what that means to him is that it's been four and a half years since he’s felt the need to put mind or mood altering substances into his body to change the way he thinks or feels. Jimbo is a Certified Peer Specialist in Addictive Disease, Certified Addiction Recovery Empowerment Specialist as well as a Forensic Peer Mentor. Jimbo is a Peer Support Specialist at Gardens of Hope Recovery Community Organization in Toombs County. Jimbo really enjoys coming alongside the peers he serves to help them navigate their way into a new life free from substances.
Catherine Tootle is a woman in long-term recovery. What that means is that it's been 6.5 years since she used any illicit substances to cope with her life! Catherine speaks up for recovery because she believes that we can regain custody of our children and create a beautiful life as a family. After all, that is her experience.
Catherine is the Executive Director of Freedom Through Recovery RCO (FTR) located in Statesboro, GA. She is a Certified Addiction Recovery Empowerment Specialist (CARES) where she advocates for peers' self-directed care. In 2022, FTR was voted "RCO of the Year" by our peers across the state and Catherine received "The Karen Daniels Spirit of CARES" award. Because of her recovery, she was named an "Everyday Hero" of Bulloch County in 2020 and was highlighted as a recipient of the "20 under 40" award for Statesboro community leaders in 2021.
Jocelyn Wallace is the founder and Executive Director of The Never Alone Clubhouse, an addiction recovery support center located in Douglas County, GA. Since March 4, 2017, Jocelyn has been thriving in long-term recovery, having overcome a 26-year battle with opioid use disorder. Her journey to sobriety has been supported by a Higher Power, the transformative 12-Step program, and the unwavering encouragement of countless individuals. Today, Jocelyn is deeply grateful for the authentic life that recovery has granted her—a life she once thought unattainable. Sobriety, to her, is an ongoing transformation that can only be truly understood by living it. It's a gift that allows her to share her story and inspire hope in others. In addition to her work at The Never Alone Clubhouse, Jocelyn is actively involved in Waymakers Motorcycle Ministry, where she enjoys riding motorcycles with fellow enthusiasts. Family is central to her life; she has two children of her own—a son and a daughter—and together with her incredible husband, they are raising an incredible little boy.
Obtaining a CARES certification and CPS-AD, medications for addiction treatment (MAT) has been pivotal in her journey, enabling her to work passionately in the field of recovery in Georgia. Every day, Jocelyn has the privilege to give back to those seeking a new way of life, witnessing the miracle of transformation and igniting hope in their eyes. Her role is to encourage individuals to find empowerment within themselves and discover their capabilities. Most importantly, Jocelyn walks in freedom, cherishing each day as it unfolds. As a peer support provider and advocate, she is privileged to witness the miracle of transformation in others and to empower them to discover their inner strength.
In the words of Confucius, "Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life." For Jocelyn, working in recovery isn't just a job—it's her passion and calling. Each day, she is honored to walk alongside individuals seeking a new path in life, guiding them toward empowerment and freedom.
Heather Woodard is a person in long-term recovery. What that means for her is it has been over 5 years since she used a substance to change the way she feels or to help her cope with life on life’s terms. Recovery has provided Heather with the opportunity to become the best version of herself. She believes everyone deserves, and is capable of achieving, long-term recovery. But not everyone has the support they need. Heather is founding a Recovery Community Organization for Glynn County and is passionate about advocating for stigma reduction. Heather understands that not everyone has someone in his/her/their corner, and she wants to be that person.
Georgia Recovers is an evidence-based public health campaign striving to address the prejudice and discrimination faced by people impacted by substance use disorder (SUD) throughout Georgia. This initiative is brought to you by the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD) in partnership with Shatterproof.
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Jennifer Langston is the executive director of Reboot Jackson, a recovery community organization based in Jefferson, GA. She has been living in long term recovery from substances since 2013. Jennifer holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Brenau University. She began working in recovery in 2018 and is a certified peer specialist in addictive diseases as well as a medication assisted treatment specialist. Outside of her work with Reboot Jackson, Jennifer volunteers as an ambassador for the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce, an advisory board member for the Jackson County Division of Family and Children’s Services, and chair of the board for the Jackson County Family Connection.
