Colleen Connaughton was born and raised in Queens, New York. She earned a BA in political science from Columbia University and worked as a foreign journalist and television producer for Reuters TV for 16 years, traveling the globe to report stories. Colleen now lives on Long Island with her teenage sons and beloved pets.
Emerson Dameron is a writer, storyteller, playwright and occasional comedian based in Los Angeles. He's performed at RISK!, Write Club LA, Drunkalogue, The Ruby, Choose Your Own Religion and elsewhere. He's written for Vox, Psymposia, Not For Tourists, Public Assembly and many other fine media. He likes to save bees from drowning in his swimming pool.
Monique Elise is a storyteller and advocate, who empowers women to heal their trauma and transform their lives. She is the creator and writer of Girl Talk and Coffee, a platform in which stories and experiences are used to help others. Monique believes storytelling has the power to not only heal trauma and addiction but also combat societal stigma and mobilize meaningful change in how we treat addiction. You can find her on Instagram at @girltalkandcoffee and on Facebook at facebook.com/GirlTalkCoffee.
Ryan Hampton is a former White House staffer who has worked with multiple non-profits and national recovery advocacy campaigns. He was singled out by Forbes as a top social entrepreneur and has been featured by—and is a contributor to—media outlets such as USA Today, Fox and Friends, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, NPR, MSNBC, HLN, Vice, Forbes, Slate, HuffPost, The Hill and others. His first book, American Fix — Inside the Opioid Addiction Crisis and How to End It, published by St. Martin’s Press, was released in August 2018. You can find him on Instagram at @ryanjhampton and on Facebook at facebook.com/AddictionXAmerica.
Tawny Lara is an NYC-based writer who covers all things sex, sobriety and rock n roll. She's even been dubbed The Sober Sexpert. Her words have been published in Playboy, Men's Health and HuffPost. Check out her podcast, Recovery Rocks, and her blog, SobrieTeaParty.com. Fun fact: Tawny has a spicy taco dish named after her (“La Chica Diabla”) in her hometown of Waco, Texas. You can find her on Instagram at @tawnymlara.
Christy Leis is an innovative creative like her mama, mother of three amazing beings, life-long dream worker, brown girl and recovering codependent who is constantly evolving. She is trained in the Compassionate Inquiry process, a psychotherapeutic approach developed by Dr. Gabor Matè. In her decade of experience as a Speech Pathologist working with children and families, she learned that every being is uniquely gifted and uniquely challenged—an insight she brings to her work today.
Jessica Lopez is a native to the Pacific Northwest, where she lives with her husband of 10 years and their five-year-old twins. She works from home, partnering with the #1 skincare brand in America. Passionate about empowering other women, Jessica spends much of her time helping those around her to succeed in their dreams. In her previous life, Jessica graduated with a degree in Administration of Justice and worked as a Corrections Officer and a Domestic Violence Advocate. As a survivor of domestic violence, she is a huge supporter of giving women the support and tools they need to safely escape abuse. You can find her on Instagram at @all_things_jess_lopez and on Facebook at facebook.com/allthingsjesslopez.
Jennifer Lovely is an Ontological and Recovery Coach who empowers those who want to reclaim their lives back and desire to be more than what their trauma has told them they are, She loves the messy grit of life and getting her hands dirty with her clients. In addition to her Reclaiming Grace program, she works with clients on an individual basis. She also has a podcast called Wet P*ssy, which is all about living our lives from the juiciest place possible. You can find her on Instagram at @jenniferllovely and on Facebook at facebook.com/jenniferlovelycoaching.
Sean Paul Mahoney is a writer based in Portland, Oregon. His works have appeared on The Fix, The Good Men Project and AfterParty Magazine. A collection of his essays, Now That You've Stopped Dying was released last year and is available on Amazon. He also works as a recovery mentor, advocate and program manager for the Mental Health and Addiction Association of Oregon. His works can currently be found on Medium and his own site seanologues.com. You can find him on Instagram at @seanpaulmahoney and on Facebook at facebook.com/sean.p.mahoney.7 .
Jacq Maren is a writer and recovery advocate whose work has appeared in MindBodyGreen and Elephant Journal. She brings more than 20 years of marketing and business development to Girl Put a Cork In It, the anonymous and judgment-free online community for sober-curious women she owns and operates. In her advocacy, Maren promotes a health-focused perspective for women in all stages of their lives. You can find her on Instagram at @girlputacorkinitand on Facebook at facebook.com/girlputacorkinit.
Victoria English Martin is an author, Certified Recovery Coach, Integrative Nutritionist, Pilates instructor, breast cancer advocate and host of the podcast After the Crisis. She helps clients discover why they develop maladaptive coping skills after trauma, and leads them toward empowerment, self-advocacy and healing. You can find her on Instagram at @victoriaenglishmartin and on Facebook at facebook.com/victoria.e.martin.5.
Patrick O’Neil is the author of the memoirs Anarchy at the Circle K (forthcoming), Gun, Needle Spoon (Dzanc Books, 2015), and Hold-Up (13e Note Editions, 2013). His writing has appeared in numerous publications including Salon.com, The Fix, AfterParty Magazine, The Nervous Breakdown and Razorcake. Patrick is a contributing editor for Sensitive Skin Magazine, a Pushcart nominee, a two-time nominee for Best Of The Net and a PEN Center USA Professional and former Mentor. He's on the Board of Directors for REDEEMED, a non-profit Criminal Record Clearing Project that brings lawyers and professional writers together to help others move beyond their pasts. He teaches creative writing at various rehabs, correctional facilities, institutions and workshops. You can find him on Instagram at @patricksoneil.
Emily Lynn Paulson is a certified professional recovery coach, She Recovers Designated Coach, This Naked Mind Institute Trainee, founder of Sober Mom Squad and a member of the long-term recovery community. She has appeared on media outlets including The Doctors, Parade, Today Parents, Bustle, and USA Today, discussing how to end the shame and stigma of mental health by and substance abuse disorder. The bestselling author of Highlight Real: Finding Honesty & Recovery Beyond the Filtered Life, Emily has been sober since January 2, 2017. She resides in Seattle with her husband and their five children.
You can find her on Instagram at @highlightrealrecovery and on Facebook at facebook.com/emilylynnpaulson
Emily Redondo is a 45-year-old married mother of four children ranging in age from 9 to 21 years old. She’s a college graduate in psychology who was working on a master’s degree in counseling and is now a stay-at-home mom and a certified writing coach. She’s been published at The Fix, Genius Recovery and is a contributor to Launch Pad on Medium.com. Currently, Emily is finishing her memoir and continues to help others caught somewhere in the middle of addiction, madness and recovery. You can find her on Instagram at @emily_redondo.
Paul Roux is a writer, life coach, former financial advisor and recovery advocate. He believes everyone has unique gifts they can use to find meaning and bring joy and freedom to their lives. In his coaching practice, Paul works with courageous individuals who are ready to embrace their superpowers, become financially empowered and learn to “play for their dreams." You can find him on Instagram at @masterproux and on Facebook at facebook.com/paul.roux.5243.
Becky Sasso is a writer and editor with more than a decade of experience in publishing, nonprofits and higher ed. She developed recovery literature at the world headquarters of the international nonprofit Narcotics Anonymous, Inc. Her work can be found on rehabreviews.com, Afterparty Magazine, The Fix, In Recovery Magazine and soberinfo.com. You can find her on Instagram at @bookybeckyj.
Lauren Schwarzfeld is a writer, coach and leader in community engagement. She helps women rediscover their strengths, passion and confidence to reclaim a spot in their life as they step outside the box of perceived expectations. Her goal is for women to create a future that is authentically and unapologetically their own. You can find her on Instagram at @lschwarzfeld and on Facebook at facebook.com/lauren.schwarzfeld.
Bucky Sinister is the author of four books of poetry, two self-help books, and a science fiction novel, Black Hole. When he's not writing, he competes in kettlebell sport. He has been clean and sober since 2002. You can find him on Facebook at facebook.com/buckysinisterprofile.
Lisa Smith is a recovery coach, writer, speaker and podcast host, as well as a former practicing lawyer and law firm executive. She is the author of Girl Walks Out of a Bar, her award-winning memoir of high-functioning addiction and recovery in the world of New York City corporate law. She co-hosts the podcast Recovery Rocks. Sober for more than 15 years, Lisa now lives in the San Diego area with her husband, Craig. You can find her on Instagram at @girlwalksout and on Facebook at facebook.com/girlwalksoutofabar.
Anna David is the New York Times bestselling author of eight books who has been a featured speaker at three different TED events. She’s been published in The New York Times, Time and The LA Times, among many others, has appeared repeatedly on Good Morning America, The Today Show, The Talk, The CBS Morning Showand dozens of other programs and has been written about in Entrepreneur, Forbes and Martha Stewart Living, to name a few.
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