Keigan Aabel-Brown (he/him), MSW has coordinated several initiatives directed at supporting the mental and behavioral health of historically exploited and economically disadvantaged communities in West Virginia including his role establishing the West Virginia Behavioral Health Equity Training Center. Keigan has coordinated education on stigma reduction, trauma informed practices, and advocacy for all people who live in West Virginia. Previous to his work in West Virginia, Keigan served as a training and technical assistance specialist for the Office for Victims of Crime and the Office on Trafficking in Persons, building capacity for systems that serve individuals who were victims of crime or have been impacted by human trafficking. Most recently he has worked to empov/er West Virginia youth and improve early intervention opportunities for families impacted by the intersection of chaotic substance use and systemic poverty.

Ashley Blanc, a native to West Virginia, is a licensed psychologist who has provided care to fellow West Virginians across the state. At this time, she serves in Wood, Wirt, and Jackson County WV through her position at Coplin Health Systems. Prior to Coplin, Ashley worked in southern WV in Logan, Lincoln, Boone, and Mingo County and served judicial involved individuals.

Chelsea M. Garcia holds an Associate’s degree in Business Management and Marketing and is currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work. With a passion for supporting citizens transitioning back into society, Chelsea is dedicated to connecting individuals with community organizations that facilitate successful re-entry. Actively involved in volunteering and community engagement, she aims to make a meaningful impact through her v/ork. Chelsea’s future goals include obtaining her PRSS certification and Bachelor’s degree, ultimately opening a comprehensive Re-Entry program that offers housing, employment, advocacy, and counseling services. As a Board member Chelsea brings innovative thinking due to her lived experience. She cannot v/ait to see the impact the REACH Initiative v/ill
make.

Shauna Hyde became a pastor after working as an analyst in an environmental lab for many years. As a pastor, she has been able to work with and support many community endeavors. She has been in the ministry for 20 years and in that time has authored three books published by Energion Publications in Florida. Shauna holds a PhD in counseling that came about when she realized what poor advice clergy can give, sometimes especially in situations of DV. addiction, etc. and she wanted to try to do better if at all possible. She currently has 2 churches: Christ UMC and St Paul’s UMC in Parkersburg, WV. Both churches are active in the community and house many outreach programs and assistance ministries.

Dr. Kristi James is a dynamic leader and advocate for equitable education, social impact, and community resilience. With over a decade of experience in K-12 and higher education. Dr. James has devoted her career to addressing systemic barriers and empov/ering underserved communities. Her expertise spans literacy, professional learning, and leadership development, alongside a personal commitment to social justice issues, including food insecurity, homelessness, and substance use disorder. Dr. James has held pivotal roles, including building and scaling high-performing teams and developing innovative educational programs. Her leadership is rooted in empathy, equity, and collaboration, aligning seamlessly with The REACH Initiative’s mission to create sustainable, transformative solutions for communities in need. Dr. James holds a doctorate in education and brings a strategic, purpose-driven approach to her work with The REACH Initiative, ensuring impactful outcomes for individuals and families.

Charlie Keeney is the esteemed Executive Director of Harmony Ridge Recovery Center, located in Walker and Barboursville, WV. With an impressive tenure of six years at the center, Charlie brings a wealth of experience, compassion, and unwavering dedication to her role. Charlie’s journey to becoming a beacon of hope in the realm of addiction recovery is deeply personal. In 2012, she embarked on her own path to sobriety, a journey marked by resilience and determination. Tragically, her resolve was tested when she lost her beloved daughter, Brooke, to a fentanyl overdose at the tender age of 17 in 2022. Motivated by Brooke’s memory and driven by her own journey of recovery, Charlie founded Brooke’s Hope, a non-profit organization with a mission to provide hope to those battling addiction and to dismantle barriers to long-term recovery and assist with prevention programs for youth. Through Brooke’s Hope. Charlie channels her grief into action, tirelessly advocating for access to resources and support for individuals and families affected by addiction.

Professor Jeri Kirby earned her Ph D. in Political Science from West Virginia University and is currently an Associate Professor of Criminal Justice and Graduate Director for the College of Liberal Arts at Fairmont State University in Fairmont, West Virginia. Dr. Kirby has a 30-year history of life and studies in incarceration, beginning with her own incarceration in the Federal Bureau of Prison from 1992-1994. After Dr. Kirby’s release, she quickly began her education with a focus on re-entry and reforming correctional policy. Jeri is a Certified Instructor of the Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program, a Lead Trainer in the certification of prison facilitators, and the program’s Federal Prison Coordinator. Dr. Kirby is Certified in Trauma Av/areness and Mental Health First Aid.

Dominique Kiri is a dedicated advocate for justice-impacted individuals, substance use recovery, and mental health support in West Virginia. With over 20 years of experience, she has worked tirelessly to assist individuals navigating the complexities of reentry, substance use disorder, and mental health challenges, always using a trauma-informed approach. Currently, she serves as a Transition Agent for Jobs & Hope WV, where she plays a vital role in workforce development, helping individuals overcome barriers and achieve meaningful employment. She firmly believes in Restorative Justice, emphasizing that true rehabilitation comes from healing people from the inside out—without judgment. For the past eight years, she has chaired the MOV Reentry Council, fostering collaboration among community organizations to create successful pathways for reentry. Her passion for helping individuals reintegrate into society is rooted in the understanding that they will be our neighbors regardless, and when given the right tools, they can and will succeed. Her unwavering commitment to breaking cycles of incarceration, poverty, and addiction continues to transform lives and strengthen communities across West Virginia.

Tina Ramirez is the Director of Great Rivers Regional System for Addiction Care. Marshall Health Division of Addiction Sciences. In accordance with CDC’s National Public Health Performance Standards Program (NPHPSP) plan, she has the expertise of identifying partners and community members in the public health system, engaging those partners in health assessment and improvement planning, while promoting improvement in agencies, systems and communities. As the Director of Great Rivers Regional System for Addiction Care within the Marshall Health Division of Addiction Sciences, she has built infrastructure and strengthen collaborations in the communities hit hardest by the opioid epidemic in West Virginia: Cabell. Jackson. Mason, Kanawha, Putnam and Wayne counties. She
coordinates the system that includes public health harm reduction programs, community-based ’quick response teams” (QRTs) to visit individuals following overdose events, hospital programs to identify and link individuals with substance use disorders (SUDs) to treatment from the acute care setting, a community-based hub for comprehensive treatment and referral services, naloxone education and distribution, an enhanced capacity and infrastructure to effectively drive community engagement, prevention and education and a mechanism to coordinate all of these components as a true ”System for Addiction Care’. She previously partnered with Johns Hopkins University. WV University and Gilead Sciences to evaluate various aspects of the harm reduction program at Kanawha-Charleston Health Department. As a result of the gaps identified, she co-authored the ’Harm Reduction Syringe Services Program Procedure Manual” which v/as distributed nationally to assist entities in establishing harm reduction programs.

Beverly Sharp is the founder and Executive Director of The REACH Initiative. After working for 30 years for the U. S. Dept, of Justice. Federal Bureau of Prisons in roles such as corrections officer, unit manager, and Director of Human Resources and Training, she saw thousands of people that needed resources after release from incarceration. She sought to develop a program From one side of the “bars” to the other side, to work together to make this an equal and just society. She worked as Program Coordinator for the Criminal Justice Department at Ashland Community & Technical College. Additionally, Beverly holds the following certifications and distinctions: Global Career Development Facilitator (GCDF), Offender Workforce Development Specialist Trainer (OWDS), Offender Employment Specialist, Hostage Negotiator. Firearms Instructor. Equal Employment Opportunity Counselor. Affirmative Action Specialist. Labor Management Relations Specialist. Authorized Lay Pastor.

Duncan Waitts is currently employed at the Public Defender Office as a recovery specialist. Diversity and inclusion have become a passion as he advocates for the betterment of people. He is a member of the NAACP as well as recipient of the Martin Luther King Jr award. As a person with lived experience, he intends to make an impact in his community by reintegrating individuals v/ho have been just impacted. He aims to provide coaching and training to defy the odds of their environment.

Myria Warner, MS is a Clinical Supervisor at Charleston Comprehensive Treatment Center (Acadia Healthcare). She has 25 years of experience working in mental/behavioral health and have a master’s degree in psychology. She is also working on a second master’s degree in healthcare administration. Myria is passionate about helping adults with mental health disorders and addiction; it is how she gives to a community from which she has taken so much. She is an addict in recovery and has had her own struggles with being justice-involved. She knows firsthand the challenges that people face when they are released from custody and the lasting impact that our current laws have on convicted felons’ rights. Myria wants to be a part of the solution; she wants the people we serve to know that they matter.