04/17/2026
Grateful to be in spaces where the full response to the Rx and illicit drug crisis is being shaped across enforcement, policy, public health, and recovery.
At this year’s Rx and Illicit Drug Summit, I had the opportunity to be in conversation with leaders from across the country, from federal agencies like DEA, FBI, and national policy leaders, to state systems, researchers, and community-based organizations doing the work on the ground.
I was especially grateful to connect with and learn alongside leaders including Monty Burks (HHS Center for Faith), Sam MacMaster, Amber Williams (Florida Dept. of Children and Families), Nyla Christian Christian (Center for African American Recovery Development / Global Recovery Initiatives Foundation), Eliza Zarka Zarka (National Recovery Friendly Workplace Institute), Susan Nyamora (South Florida Wellness Network), Nathan Payne (Tennessee Opioid Abatement Council), and others who are driving meaningful change in their communities.
What stood out most was the complexity and urgency of this moment.
Across sectors, there is strong focus on:
• Addressing the realities of the illicit drug supply, including fentanyl
• Strengthening prevention and treatment systems
• Expanding the behavioral health workforce
• Building more coordinated, cross-sector responses
And alongside that, a continued and growing recognition that community-based organizations, peer support, and lived experience must be part of the solution.
As someone leading this work through The Happier Life Project, I left both affirmed and focused.
Affirmed that community-rooted models are aligned with where the field is moving.
Focused on continuing to build solutions that bridge systems and truly meet people where they are.
Grateful for the space, the conversations, and the collective commitment to this work.
PeerSupport Reentry
