Our Team

Chief Executive Officer

Northern Illinois Recovery Community Organization

Project Director, SAMHSA Grants 

Navy Veteran

Recovery Champion

NIRCO Program Manager, Lake County ROSC Project Coordinator, Health Educator

​

Debra is a 20-year Navy Veteran with over 12 years in nonprofit experience. Serving the Lake County area as a CPR Instructor, Diabetes Educator, and Mental Health First Aid Instructor. Using her Master’s degree in Human Resources Development provides organizational development and training across several organizations, nonprofits and faith-based organizations.

Organization Accountant ~ CPA

Extensive Experience

Delta, LINK and NAUW Member

Recovery Ally

Organizational Liaison Capacity Building Project
 

Tina serves on our new Capacity Building project developing processes and initiatives to build our organization capacity building and sustainability efforts. Using her years of corporate knowledge and experience, she hopes to assist NIRCO in striving for future growth and opportunities.

Recovery Coach/Operations Manager

Person with lived experience

​

Retired Salesman, Army Veteran

Deacon at Jesus Name Apostolic Church

Actively involved in Mens Department

​

RSJII Program Manager

​

Arlander has been working with individuals to promote the principles of recovery for the past 15 years.

​

He specializes in recovery support, gang intervention, and is a trainer for many evidenced-based practices that support individuals along their recovery journey.

RSJII Program Coordinator
 

Professionally MoDena has worked in social services since 2004. Her contributions have been a combination of lived experience, education, and professional development. Her current roles include Social Worker/PRC for University of Illinois Chicago, Reducing Opioid Mortality in Illinois project (ROMI), Project Coordinator for the Recovery Support for Justice Involved Individuals (RSJII) w/ Northern Illinois Recovery Community Organization (NIRCO).

Building Communities of Recovery (BCOR)

Project Coordinator

 

Marie, a person with living experience. A combination of education and professional development beyond 15 years has molded her into a multifaceted professional behavioral health and community advocate. Marie has claimed “a seat at the table” to help create impactful change in the community. Her mission is to build on individual strengths, promote self-sufficiency, providing supportive services to navigate through the process of change. Empowering individuals served to participate in their life and celebrate their path to recovery.

PRSS, Public Notary, Administrative Assistant & Peer Recovery Support Specialist
 

Amanda brings a wealth of lived experience and compassion to her role. She is currently the facilitator for our “Family Advocacy” group that focuses on assisting families with children during the recovery journey. Her passion for working with families & children has enhanced the services NIRCO provides to the community. Her skillset in marketing & media helps to enhance NIRCO’s branding and messaging.

NIRCO Administrative Assistant

 

Wanda is a person with lived experience in recovery. She is devoted to helping others on their journey to seeking & maintaining recovery for themselves.

 

Wanda has over 20 years of administrative experience working for state organizations. Currently working on obtaining training and certification to become a recovery coach, she is driven to help others. She is the facilitator for our “Sister2Sister” group that provides support and services to women across Lake County.

Education Administrative Assistant

Workforce Development Lake County Intern

 

Pam has lived experience in recovery and uses that experience to help all that we serve at NIRCO. Serving as an administrative assistant and member of the NIRCO Advisory Council, Pam is “boots on the ground” helping to assess the needs of the community with Narcan training and recovery support services in the community. Pam hopes to be a role model in the community, so people can see that Recovery is possible!

BCOR Recovery Coach

​

Robert Taylor joined NIRCO February 2023, as a Recovery Coach for the Building Communities of Recovery (BCOR) project. Robert attended Howard University and has over ten years of experience in the social services field. Robert has a high emotional intelligence and is knowledgeable of traditional and alternative substance use recovery approaches.