Angela Anderson

Host

Angela Anderson, an accomplished businesswoman, aspiring Master Life Coach, community advocate, public speaker, published writer and director. She is better known as local radio personality, programming producer and host of her weekly radio talk show "Speak On It"- an informational bridge that focuses on both local and national news, events and the like.  You can tune in Saturdays from 12pm - 2pm on 95.5FM and 1560 AM The Touch. Angela holds degrees in both Business Management and Family Life Education. From 8am -5pm, you can find Angela operating in her role as a Community Engagement Specialist.  Angela strives to live by her favorite mantra:  When each one reaches one, a change will come!

Dana Scott

Host sidekick

Dana Scott, LLMSW, is a professional therapist, singer and musician. She has performed at many venues in the region with her band Big Trouble, most notably at the Annual Blues Fest.

Joel Smith is the Director of Substance Use Disorder Services at Southwest Michigan Behavioral Health.

Kimberly Whittaker

Kimberly Whittaker works at Southwest Michigan Behavioral Health and is a person in long-term recovery. She has been committed to the service of individuals who are challenged with substance use and mental health disorders for the past 15 years.

Cortney Afton, registered dietitian, works at Integrated Services of Kalamazoo. She provides nutrition education and counseling services in order to help individuals prevent and manage chronic diseases, improve physical and mental health, as well as learn how to use Food As Medicine. She has been with Integrated Services of Kalamazoo for two years and works with individuals who receive behavioral health services at ISK, Bridgeways/MRC, Interact, and Senior Services.

This recipe comes from a partnership between KVCC and Integrated Services of Kalamazoo. The aim was to create a cookbook that focused on accessible, affordable, healthy ingredients. The average price of each meal is a $1/ serving and aimed to keep the EBT/Food Stamp budget in mind. All recipes/cookbook can be accessed at https://www.kvcc.edu/communityculinary/. A new cookbook that was developed during the COVID-19 quarantine, is set to launch on Sept. 30th and can also be accessed on the KVCC website.

The ISK nutrition program serves those who receive behavioral health services at ISK, have a Serious Mental Illness diagnosis, and also have a nutrition related chronic disease. The program focuses on prevention and management of chronic diseases through Food As Medicine.

Julie Dieterman has been practicing yoga for 10 years and teaching since 2014. She is the owner of Om Yoga Kalamazoo where she leads many classes including Yoga of 12-Step Recovery (Y12SR). Y12SR is a safe space where the spiritual practice of yoga is combined with the practical tools of the 12-steps.

One of my favorite poses is Warrior II (and sooooooo many others too lol).  I like the attention to alignment and using the core to find balance and strength to hold the pose.  It's such a powerful pose and I think anyone going through recovery is a warrior.  Whether you've been sober for years or recently relapsed or new to recovery, YOU ARE A FIERCE WARRIOR!

Nancy King is the Executive Director of COPE Network. She is also and a Certified Trauma Coach and Acudetox Specialist.

George Roeder works as a Transition Peer Support Specialist at ASK Family Services. He is also a local Kalamazoo musician who loves nature, art, healthy living and spreading happiness.

My goal is to help facilitate the development and growth of adult life skills through collaborative engagement with the youth. I bring my own lived experience to everyone I serve hoping to provide a model for success that can be achieved by each individual in their own unique way. Overcoming the obstacles in our lives can be challenging and it is an honor to empower and uplift individuals in that pursuit.

Jeff Patton is the Chief Executive Officer for Integrated Services of Kalamazoo. ISK is the mental health authority for Kalamazoo County, Michigan. All public funding for mental health services for Kalamazoo residents is authorized and flows through ISK. ISK assures a comprehensive and coordinated array of services available to Kalamazoo County consumers who may have a mental illness, substance abuse disorder, or developmental disability.

Allen Jake Ramsey has been involved in the mental health and substance abuse Recovery realm since 1990. He is currently pursuing dual graduate degrees in social work and addiction sciences at Western Michigan University.  Artistic expression is an important part of Allen’s journey in Recovery, and he especially enjoys painting, drawing, and wood and metal sculpting.

Samantha Sojka, peer in recovery, wants people to understand that she used her active addiction to cover up the way she felt. She remembers when she was at her worst in her depression and she never showed the pain she was experiencing. She has since learned to cry in front of people. Samantha feels that as children we are programmed to stop the crying, and as an adult she has had to get past that.

It’s okay...it’s not a bad thing to cry. It’s okay to do that.

Jason Knight is a Peer Support Specialist, Recovery Coach and Outreach Coordinator for Urban Alliance. He is also a Desert Storm Veteran who has been living recovery for over 7 years. Jason is the proud father of 4 daughters and grandfather to 2 grandsons.

Marsha "Shay" Pounds, CPSS, CPRC, works at Recovery Institute of Southwest Michigan. She facilitates SMART Recovery and Rainbow United. Shay provides peer support online and in the Kalamazoo Public Libraries as a Peer Navigator. Shay is also the PoWeR Group Coordinator and official Recovery Coach to Kalamazoo's 8th District Women's Drug Treatment Court.

Jonathan Stewart, MSW, CPSS, works at Recovery Institute of Southwest Michigan. Jonathon works one-on-one with members and facilitates the Transformations group and the Pathways to Recovery group. He also works offsite at the Integrated Services of Kalamazoo (ISK) Access Center helping peers get connected with RI services.

Vince Miller and Chris Forestieri are The Old Laughing Ladies. During The Recovery Tonight Show, they performed a cover of the Rolling Stones' "You Can't Always Get What You Want." Vince is a Recovery Coach and person in long-term recovery who works at Community Healing Centers in Kalamazoo, MI.

Our wish is for everyone to remember that music is medicine.