Team

In my role as chief executive officer, I have the honor of leading the team and assuring that we meet the needs of our clients, our grantors and our donors. As a person who is in long-term recovery and as an alumni of the Next Step program, I am committed to seeing Next Step succeed in helping people recover from Substance Use Disorder. I have served as a Peer Coach and as the COO of the organization before stepping into this leadership role and I am blessed to bring my experience, strength and hope into this leadership position.

In my role as chief clinical officer, I serve the clinical team to assure that our services meet the needs of our clients. I also get the joy of facilitating groups and teaching psychoeducation classes.

As someone in recovery from codependency, I am known as the “boundaries” lady since I love teaching people how to say “no” as an important step in the recovery journey.  

I am a wife, a mother and a grandmother and my family brings me great joy. My biggest blessing is watching God build and expand this ministry in order to reach the lost and the broken. At Next Step, we get a front row seat in a theater of miracles.

Ron is a co-founder of Next Step and brings his many years of experience in the manufacturing and technology industries to his role as the assistant director. Ron oversees the facilities management of all the Next Step properties and is responsible for all bookkeeping and purchasing activities. With several years in recovery, Ron is also able to provide his experience, strength and hope to those who are embarking on a life of recovery.

Amber is a wife and a mother of two daughters. After battling addiction herself, she has now been in recovery for many years, decided to go back to school to get her GED and then went on to college to gain her Bachelors Degree in Social Work. She has dedicated herself to working in the recovery field to share her experience with others. While working with Next Step, she found that she enjoys working with numbers and insurance. Amber is now the Billing Manager at Next Step. 

Andy serves Next Step as an addiction educator and licensed addiction counselor. Although an Illinois native, Andy earned degrees from the U.S. Naval Academy and the University of Maryland. During the past 30 years, he has served at-risk populations, military families, and congregations across the East Coast. Andy has been the lead pastor at Christway Church in Terre Haute since 2015.

“My life has been a journey continually enriched by intersections with others. After 50+ years of living, I have come to realize that I am not motivated by the numbers or the bottom line of a P&L sheet. My deepest desire is to influence. Being invited to be a face in someone else’s story is the high honor of my life and ministry. I am so grateful that it happens every week at Next Step. These moments bring purpose to my own path of mistakes and suffering. These touches bring purpose and redemption to my life and to others. How good and pleasant it is for brothers to walk together in unity (Psalm 133:1). After all, we know it is not about the destination. It’s all about the journey.”

Curtis is a graduate of the Next Step residential program and brings the experience of his own recovery journey into his role as a Certified Peer Recovery Coach. Curtis also brings a vast array of knowledge and skills to help maintain our facilities, often while teaching our residents important life skills.

Curtis shares his passion for life in recovery with those that come into contact with him. His light shines on others, guiding them to find the light within themselves. Curtis has a heart for Jesus and greatly enjoys spending time adventuring in nature and on his bicycle at the park.

Eric spent 25 years working in the field of communications. He was a field service tech in the Telecommunication Industry.  Eric first became aware of Next Step when he had moved back to Terre Haute area. He started attending Agape Christian church and became friends with several of the families providing support to Next Step. Eric realized that Next Step needed someone to help with IT related needs. He supported the IT growth demands for many years and later served on the Next Step Board.  Eric served on the Next Step Board for 9 years. Eric left his job of 19.5 years and resigned the Next Step Board accepting a IT staff position when Next Step was awarded a grant along with Ivy Tech to develop the Recovery Scholars Program. Eric has helped develop the pilot program that allows Next Step clients to continue their education. Eric teaches computer skills classes in the Next Step Computer lab. Eric says he fights technology so the rest of staff does not have to and they can do what they do best. Since joining the staff, Eric has also helped out with the daily operations. He has accepted the position of Director of operations. Eric is thankful he gets to see lives transformed every day.

Might be too long but feel free to cut out what you do not see fit. Personal Bio and Credentials- I am a man in long-term recovery whose personal journey through substance use disorder has become the foundation of my passion for helping others find freedom, purpose, and hope in recovery. My lived experience has taught me that recovery is more than simply abstaining from substances—it is about transforming the mind, strengthening the body, developing meaningful relationships, and building a life rooted in purpose and faith.

Today, I serve others as a Licensed Addictions Counselor, MRT Facilitator, and Peer Supervisor, using both professional training and personal experience to support individuals as they navigate the challenges of addiction and recovery. I believe that people can change when they are given the opportunity, support, accountability, and tools necessary to build a different life.

Gwen is the first face you will see when you enter Next Step. She is fondly known as the “hugger-in-chief”. She serves as a Certified Peer Recovery Coach. She has a passion for helping others and feels most called to lead people to the light and love of Jesus. Gwen most values family, freedom, connection, faith, love, and giving people a chance. Gwen loves to spend time doing activities and playing games with her children and grandchildren. She enjoys spending time camping in nature and has a heart for prayer.

Roy has lived in Terre Haute since 1973 and is fully retired from ISU where he served as a Career Counselor.   He currently volunteers at Next Step teaching a class each week called Bible Stories and fills-in in various ways to enrich the lives of Residents.

When you first meet me and ask, ‘How are you?’, I will tell you, ‘I’m happy’.   This is not emotional ‘Happy’, but rather ‘Happy’ by declaration.   The first chapter of Psalms promises that if a person chooses to not walk with the ungodly, and not stand in the path with sinners, and not sit around with scoffers (the cynical and sarcastic), doing everything God wants them to do, thinking about the truth day and night—they will be ‘Happy’.   I reap the harvest of that promise every day.

Amanda is serving at Next Step as an Admissions Counselor and Substance Use Disorder Counselor. She enjoys bringing lived experience, passion, empathy, and life-skills to her daily interactions. Amanda graduated from Ivy Tech with her associate’s degree in Human Services and Addictions Counseling Certificate. She went on to earn her bachelor’s degree in Human Services and Master’s degree in Leadership Development at Saint Mary of the Woods College. When Amanda is not sharing her passion for recovery at work, she is enjoying time with her family and friends, volunteering in her community, and enjoying God’s many blessings.

Amanda’s favorite quote is: “I speak not for myself but for those without voice… those who have fought for their rights… their right to live in peace, their right to be treated with dignity, their right to equality of opportunity, their right to be educated.” Malala Yousafzai Education activist and the youngest-ever Nobel Prize laureate. Amanda is a natural advocate who will stand by those who walk through the doors of Next Step, she will meet them where they are, and make sure that they feel heard, loved, and celebrated, so that when they leave, they are set for success.

As the Kitchen Manager at NextStep Recovery Program, I bring years of lived experience in recovery, along with extensive experience in management and leadership, to everything I do. My journey has given me a unique understanding of the challenges that come with recovery and the importance of having a safe, supportive, and encouraging environment where people can begin building a better life. At NextStep, I oversee the kitchen and help ensure that our staff and clients receive nutritious, comforting meals each day. I also help coordinate donations and take on many of the behind the scenes responsibilities that help keep our program running smoothly. Whether I’m preparing a meal, organizing donations, solving a problem, or making sure something gets done that may never be seen, I believe every part of the work matters. One of the things I value most about my role is the opportunity to connect with the people we serve.

I teach life skills classes designed to give clients practical tools they can carry with them beyond the program. I believe recovery is about more than simply getting sober, it’s about learning how to live, grow, make healthy choices, and build a life worth staying in recovery for. My goal is to use both my professional experience and my lived experience to serve others, encourage growth, and remind the people we serve that their past does not have to define their future. I am proud to be part of the NextStep team and to contribute to the work happening every day both in front of the scenes and behind them.