Morgan Thompson is a local graduate from the College of Saint Rose with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Forensic Psychology. She has a long-standing background working with at-risk youth in community outreach long before finding her niche in rehabilitation and recovery. Her efforts have helped emerging adults establish their role in determining what is both required and desired to achieve the change they want to see, and even be, in their communities. She is confident that her knowledge and skill-set will help to continue achieving the goals set out by the young advocates of Youth Voices Matter.

Morgan first started her work at a small wellness camp for inner-city children ages 12-18 to identify that there are options and resources available to them despite what they might have been told or even believed was possible for themselves. Being a mentee in, and then later a mentor for, this same program allowed her the opportunity to see how peer-to-peer advocacy and youth voice collaboratives can truly make huge impacts on sustainable change in various communities, and is what drove her to wanting to pursue a career in advocacy and human services after high school.

Since graduating, in 2021, she has continued to work in mental health and human services to aid in providing stellar resources so people can have easier access to the wellness and health care options they believe best fits their needs. Morgan has joined FOR-NY in hopes of continuing this same support in advocacy, de-stigmatization, and delivery of compassionate care to the youth in recovery.

Brittany Pokorski is a RSPS,MHPS Program Specialist with Recovery Communities, where she provides peer support and advocacy for individuals navigating their recovery journeys. A Dallas native, Brittany is deeply committed to breaking the stigma surrounding addiction and incarceration, ensuring that people in recovery are recognized for their resilience, not their past.

With over 11 years in long-term recovery and 11 years of lived experience in the Texas prison system, Brittany brings a unique perspective to her work, drawing from her own journey of overcoming generational incarceration and addiction. She uses her experiences to inspire, educate, and empower others, reinforcing the message that recovery is possible and that everyone deserves a second chance.

Meghann Perry, CARC, RCPF, is an award-winning storyteller, educator, and substance use professional whose work sits at the nexus of peer support, advocacy, the arts, and health. Recognized internationally for her leadership in storytelling and stigma-reduction, she has spent the past decade developing and delivering transformational learning experiences for diverse audiences.

Meghann is an international trainer of the behavioral health workforce and a designer of innovative interventions that integrate theatre, narrative practice, and coaching. She has provided high-impact training and presentations for organizations such as NIH, NIDA, NAADAC, HRSA, the Peer Recovery Center of Excellence, the Hazelden Foundation, and the Lisbon Addictions Conference, and she consults widely with state agencies and government partners.

Her work spans the full continuum of prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery, with a strong emphasis on youth and young adult populations. Meghann is the founder of the Meghann Perry Group, where she leads a team of facilitators committed to redefining education and intervention across the substance use and mental health fields.

Jules Wells, CPFS is the Denver Metro Regional manager for Advocates for Recovery to a team of peer recovery coaches and family support specialists. Jules has been working in the mental health and substance use field for close to a decade and found significant healing, recovery, and wellness with the support of peers and family specialists. Jules values the Peer and Family framework, and all the Advocates For Recovery stands for!