Most of what Americans know about addiction is based on the images of people in the depths of their illness. The story of the millions who overcome their illness and make solid contributions to their families, neighbors and the country is a story that does not penetrate. Honoring recovery is not the top story on television.
On September 25, 2008, the Johnson Institute will host the Fifth Annual “America Honors Recovery” Luncheon at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. The luncheon will honor six Americans in recovery making a difference for future generations.
Honorees are individuals who havesuccessfully overcome their experience with alcohol and other drug addiction, either personally, or as a family member or significant other and are making a difference in their community, their profession, and/or the recovery movement. Help us change the focus from the illness to honoring the hope and healing of recovery.
Christopher Kennedy Lawford will chair the 2008 America Honors Recovery Luncheon.
Mr. Lawford is the first child of Peter and Pat Kennedy Lawford. For much of his young adult life Mr. Lawford battled drug and alcohol addiction, but today he has been sober for more than 21 years.
Mr. Lawford has spent over fifteen years in the film and television business as an actor, lawyer, executive, and producer. He began his career in the Universal Studios Independent Film Acquisition unit. As an independent producer Lawford arranged financing for and produced films including Kiss Me Guido & Drunks, both films were selections in the Sundance Film Festival.
In September of 2005, Harper Collins Publishers released Mr. Lawford’s memoir Symptoms of Withdrawal: A Memoir of Snapshots and Redemption, which immediately became a New York Times Bestseller. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Tufts University, a JD from Boston College Law School and a Masters Certification in Clinical Psychology from Harvard Medical School where he gained an academic appointment as a Lecturer on Psychiatry.
Download the 2008 America Honors RecoverySponsorship Packet
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Steve Brugge
Steve Brugge is the Western Region Business Development Director for CRC Health. He exemplifies the philosophy that recovery can change your life. Steve has 24 years in long term recovery, and for over 20 years has worked in the field of chemical dependency as a counselor, a clinical consultant, a mentor, and in business development. He has also been successfully intervening on addicts and alcoholics for over 15 years. Steve has been a long standing supporter and consultant to The Other Bar, a lawyer’s statewide recovery group in California that provides confidential assistance to any lawyer with a drug or alcohol problem. Steve was also instrumental in gaining the support of the local treatment providers for efforts in establishing one of the first drug courts in California.
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Robert Carter
Robert Carter is vice chairman of Archimede Philanthropy Partners, a leading national consulting firm serving individuals, families, foundations, and corporations. He has also been a member of the Gateway Rehabilitation Center Board of Directors for the past 10 years, serving 6 as chairman of the board. Under his leadership, Gateway has decentralized its operations so that it has become more community centered and responsive to its clients. He has lead efforts to expand services through the opening of the only half-way house for teenage boys in recovery in Pennsylvania; the opening of a 28-day unit for men, and the launching of a research effort at Gateway. Robert also was instrumental in creating a partnership with the local housing and behavioral health care agency to establish housing, recovery management, and job preparation for men and women leaving the local jail system. He never hesitates, whether in a small gathering or an auditorium filled with people, to share that he is a recovering alcoholic; the sincerity and confidence with which he tells his story is an inspiration to all who hear it.
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Carol Colleran
Carol embraced recovery from alcoholism 25 years ago, and since then she has committed her work and passion to help older adults around the country recover from the disease of addiction. She currently serves as the Executive Vice President of Public Policy and National Affairs at the Hanley Center in West Palm Beach, Florida. Her pioneering clinical work and her broad efforts in raising awareness of the need for age-specific treatment has impacted treatment, attitudes, policy, intervention, and education. Her innovative efforts continue as she relates the future impact of the aging and addiction with her leading work in the area of Baby Boomers. She has published numerous articles, and is the co-author of the definitive guidebook, Aging and Addiction: Helping Older Adults Overcome Alcohol or Medication Dependence. She has been instrumental in the development of a widely implemented community-based prevention program for older adults in greater Palm Beach County.
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Elizabeth Currier
Elizabeth (Betty) Currier is a consultant for the Council on Addictions of New York State. She enjoys 27 years of long-term recovery, based on her Christian faith and determination. It was her own struggle with alcohol and lead her to co-found LEAF (Leatherstocking Education on Alcoholism Foundation) modeled after the National Council on Alcoholism. Betty often says, “I’m not retired, I’m rewired.” She is a founding board member of Faces and Voices of Recovery and the Northeast Regional Representative. Betty was instrumental in carrying the “Our Stories have Power: A Workshop for Media Advocates” by Faces and Voices of Recovery to four sites throughout New York State. She continues to play an active role leadership role in the development and implementation of recovery services in New York State as an outspoken voice for the needs and concerns of individuals in recovery and their families.
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C. West Huddleston
Celebrating 20 years this past spring of continuous recovery from drugs and alcohol, West went on to develop a wide range of treatment programs for addicted individuals caught within the web of the criminal justice system. In the 1990s, he co-founded with Judge Jeff Tauber the National Association of Drug Court Professionals (NADCP) and its research and training arm, the National Drug Court Institute (NDCI). In November of 2007, West was unanimously confirmed by the NADCP Board of Directors as Chief Executive Officer for NADCP and Executive Director of NDCI. Now representing more than 22,000 treatment professionals, judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys and law enforcement/probation officers, West is at the helm of the largest national organization dedicated to providing treatment and rehabilitation in lieu of incarceration for 120,000 addicted citizens coming before the U.S. courts each year.
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Merlyn Karst
Merlyn’s personal path to recovery began 20 years ago. His recovery has given him the opportunity to be in the vanguard of the growing national recovery advocacy movement. At the community level, he is a founder and leader in the Advocates for Recovery – Colorado (AFR) and at the national level, he leads Faces and Voices of Recovery as its board chair. He reaches out all over the country to allied individuals and organizations, people in recovery, their families and friends, spreading the message of hope and reality of recovery - and the message that there are still myths and stereotypes keeping people from getting the help they needs. He also serves on the advisory council for the Betty Ford Children’s Program, attending their graduation ceremonies every month without fail.
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