PAR-People Advocating Recovery

10/15/2026

Today's featured Recovery Summit presenter is Savvy Shabazz!

Savvy is an experienced advocate for justice reform for current and formerly incarcerated individuals. He has over 10 years of experience in community engagement and partnerships that led to him being awarded the Community Peace Award in 2023. He is currently the West Louisville Chapter Lead at Young People in Recovery, where he developed the chapter, recruits and develops programming, and implements community events.

Savvy's presentation, Bridging the Gap Between Reentry & Recovery, is a powerful, lived-experience-driven presentation, designed to highlight the critical connection between successful reentry and sustained recovery. Savvy's presentation explores how individuals returning from incarceration often face overlapping challenges, including substance use, mental health barriers, unemployment, housing instability, and stigma and why addressing these issues in isolation leads to gaps in long-term success.

Through personal testimony, real-world examples, and community-based solutions, this session emphasizes the importance of integrating reentry services with recovery support systems. Participants will gain insight into how life skills development, peer support, employment readiness, civic engagement, and access to resources can create a pathway to stability and transformation.

This presentation also highlights the work of Life Coach Each One Teach One Reentry Fellowship and Savvy Shabazz Solutions, LLC, showcasing innovative strategies that “bridge the gap” by meeting people where they are and walking alongside them toward sustainable success.

We are so excited to hear Savvy's personal story and developments that he has helped create in the field of reentry, and we hope you are too! Snag your tickets today at https://www.tickettailor.com/events/recoverysummit/2170507

10/14/2026

Today's featured Recovery Summit presenter is Shane Ehrhart!

Shane is an experienced behavioral health and reentry leader with a strong background in peer recovery, forensic services, and statewide program development. Shane is currently the director of Integrated Reentry and Correctional Support (IRACS) at Mental Health of America Indiana where he provides statewide leadership for the IRACS program, overseeing accreditation development.

Shane's presentation will be an in-depth look at IRACS. This program was developed to address these gaps by establishing a standardized framework for delivering peer-led recovery and re-entry support within county jail settings while ensuring accountability, fidelity, and measurable outcomes.

His presentation will provide a comprehensive overview of the IRACS model, including its philosophical foundations, operational structure, and statewide accreditation framework. Attendees will learn how IRACS integrates peer recovery support into correctional environments in a way that respects ethical boundaries, prioritizes participant dignity, and complements rather than replaces clinical and supervisory functions. The presentation outlines the IRACS tiered service model, demonstrating how varying levels of peer engagement are aligned with participant readiness, re-entry timelines, and identified support needs.

We are very excited to hear more from Shane about this important service! If you are just as excited as we are, snag your tickets to Recovery Summit 2026 now by visiting https://www.tickettailor.com/events/recoverysummit/2170507

10/13/2026

Today's featured Recovery Summit presenter is Michelle Burns!

Michelle is an experienced budget and grant professional, having previously worked for the University of Kentucky as a contracting officer and value analysis coordinator and for Save the Children Federation as a senior budget and planning advisor. In her current role, she serves as a grant specialist for the Kentucky Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission, tracking funding, expenditures, and progress toward grant objectives.

At the Recovery Summit, Michelle, along with Hallie Mattingly, will give an overview of grants and impact that have come about via funding from opioid settlements that the Kentucky Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission has disbursed. We are excited to hear how these grants have impacted the state positively and we hope that you are too! To register for the Recovery Summit, visit https://www.tickettailor.com/events/recoverysummit/2170507.

10/12/2026

Today's featured presenter for Recovery Summit 2026 is Hallie Mattingly!

Hallie is an experienced social worker with expertise in cross-organizational collaboration, resource coordination, and grant management, supporting programs and initiatives focused on substance use and community access to essential services. Since May 2025, Hallie has served as a grant specialist with the Kentucky Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission.

At the Recovery Summit, Hallie, along with Michelle Burns, will give an overview of grants and impact that have come about via funding from opioid settlements that the Kentucky Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission has disbursed. We are excited to hear how these grants have impacted the state positively and we hope that you are too! To register for the Recovery Summit, visit https://www.tickettailor.com/events/recoverysummit/2170507.

10/09/2026

Need some art and community in your life?
Yeah, us too! 🔽

10/09/2026

Today's featured speaker is Charlie Kendell! He will be on our day 3 plenary panel with Van Ingram, Dan Meloy, and Tara Hyde.

Charlie is an experienced health policy analyst, an expert in Kentucky legislative and regulatory processes, and a longtime observer and analyst of contemporary substance use disorder issues. He has served as the board coordinator for Franklin County ASAP since 2014, where he has planned and organized meetings and prepared board documents. Charlie also serves as the state ASAP board chair.

Charlie brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in the field of substance use disorder, and we cannot wait to hear from him at Recovery Summit 2026! To secure your tickets now, visit https://www.tickettailor.com/events/recoverysummit/2170507.

10/08/2026

Join Team Southeast Addiction Recovery Coalition in congratulating Tara Moseley Hyde on her appointment as Executive Director of the Kentucky Office Of Drug Control Policy by Governor Andy Beshear

Tara is the perfect selection for this essential position as she works to save lives, restore families, and strengthen communities across the Commonwealth of Kentucky

10/08/2026

Our next speaker spotlight goes to Van Ingram! Van will be on a plenary panel on day 3 of the Recovery Summit, along with Dan Meloy, Charlie Kendell, and Tara Hyde.

Van Ingram serves as Executive Director of the Kentucky Office of Drug Control Policy, where he has led statewide efforts to address substance use disorder through prevention, treatment, harm reduction, and recovery supports. A former law enforcement officer, he has been a key architect of Kentucky’s response to the opioid epidemic and is recognized nationally for advancing policies that strengthen the continuum of care and reduce overdose deaths.

We are so excited to hear Van's thoughts on recovery from the lens of his experience as a state official and former law enforcement officer! To secure your tickets now, visit https://www.tickettailor.com/events/recoverysummit/2170507

10/07/2026

We’re excited to welcome Jessica Ashby to the PAR team as our new Chief Policy Officer!

Jessica brings valuable experience and a passion for advancing policies that remove barriers to recovery. We’re thrilled to have her on board and look forward to the perspective, energy, and expertise she’ll bring to our policy and advocacy work across Kentucky.

We’re also excited to share that Tara Moseley Hyde, PAR’s CEO, will be stepping into a new opportunity to support the Commonwealth’s work with the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). Tara will be taking a temporary leave from her role at PAR while she serves in this capacity.

We’re incredibly proud of this opportunity for Tara to bring Kentucky’s recovery perspective to a broader policy table. And while we’ll miss having her around the office, we know the experience and relationships she builds will only strengthen the work ahead.

We’re excited about what’s next for PAR!

10/07/2026

🎉 THE FULL RECOVERY SUMMIT SCHEDULE IS HERE!

You’ve heard about the Summit. Now you can see what’s in store. 👀

With 41 sessions and 65 speakers, this year’s Recovery Summit is packed with opportunities to learn, connect, share ideas, and strengthen the work of recovery in our communities.

From advocacy and recovery community practices to breaking down systemic barriers, personal wellness, and supporting friends, families, and allies. There’s something for everyone.

📅 November 9–11, 2026
📍 Embassy Suites | Covington, KY

👉 Check out the full schedule, explore the sessions, and start planning your Summit experience.

Tickets are available now. Don’t miss your chance to be part of it!

🔗 Visit recoverysummit.org to see the full schedule and get registered.

Every session, speaker and break across the three days of Recovery Summit 2026.