Lizzy is a Certified Peer Support Specialist and a proud person in recovery since 2012.  Her own journey through recovery drives her to share her experience, strength, and hope with others.  She is a passionate advocate for the rights of all people with substance use disorders. 

Lizzy grew up in Tokyo, New Jersey, and Singapore, but her family have deep roots in the Quaker communities near Greensboro, NC.  She has B.A. in Asian History from New York University and has previously worked in visual effects and television production.  Her previous working and volunteering experiences have built a strong skill set in event planning, project management, community building, and community organizing.

Lizzy and her husband are the proud parents of two wonderful children.  In her spare time she loves baking, crossword puzzles, and volunteering in the substance use community. By putting her sobriety at the forefront, Lizzy has been given the gift of a life beyond her wildest dreams and for that she is truly grateful.

Mariel is a staunch recovery ally, having experienced directly the heartbreak and challenges of having multiple family members suffer from Substance Use Disorders. She grew up in the suburbs of Washington, DC, in a politically active family, and received her BA in English, History and Mass Communications. Over her career, she worked for several national advocacy groups and two major universities before turning to freelance writing and social media work after the birth of her first child. She has been published on multiple outlets, and has graduate level training in Teaching and Education. 12 years ago, she began working for Pavillon in community relations and social media coordination. 

Mariel worked closely with Tom Edwards as the ideas behind the Recovery Alliance Initiative took shape. The more she saw of it’s work, and potential for more, she became more convinced that bringing the entirety of the recovery community together is a bigger challenge than it seemed at first.  But she realized it was crucial to making real strides in changing how we as a larger society address this serious health crisis. 

Mariel happily relocated to NC 25 years ago and has been a volunteer at the Raleigh Rally for Recovery, at her local rec club, and in tutoring at the local elementary school. She lives in Cary with her partner, two children, 4 dogs, 5 cats and a guinea pig.