Dr. Smith-Wilson brings over 20 years of human service and addiction experience to Friends of Recovery-New York. Angelia’s career spans across working with human service agencies that have served individuals with mental health, substance use, residential, and homeless issues. She has worked as an intensive case manager, a primary therapist, a director of client services and eventually progressing to level of vice president throughout the greater Rochester area.

Angelia has centered her career around improving treatment outcomes for those in recovery, as well as exploring research designed at substance use counselor development. Her doctoral dissertation, entitled, “Examining the Relationship between the Substance Abuse Counselor Knowledge of the Models of Disability and their self-assessment of cultural competence working with the Deaf Sign Language User,” afforded her the opportunity to learn and study addictions from the counselor’s perspective.

Dr. Smith-Wilson has a B.S. in Psychology from SUNY Brockport, Master of Social Work from Roberts Wesleyan College and a Doctorate in Education from St. John Fisher College. Dr. Smith-Wilson is adjunct faculty at the School of Social Welfare, Graduate MSW Program, University of Albany, where she teaches Macro Practice Social Work.

Dr. Smith-Wilson comes to us from her most recent position as the Assistant Director of Local Program Operations at the New York State Office for the Aging, within the Local Programs Division.

Prior to joining FOR-NY, Ms. Weingarten served as an Empire Fellow at both the New York State Division of Budget (Nonprofit Coordination Unit) and the New York State Commission on National and Community Service. She was the Program Director for the After School Enrichment & Summer Discovery Day Camp at the Queens Community House (QCH) in Forest Hills, New York. Prior to working for QCH, Allison served as Legislative Director of the NYS Assembly Subcommittee on Workplace Safety under its Chair Assembly Member Rory Lancman (now, a New York City Councilman). Allison’s achievements have resulted in several honors including being named one of New York State Nonprofit News’ “40 Rising Stars under 40” (2016) and New York State News’ “40 Rising Stars under 40” (2010).Allison holds a Bachelor of Science in Industrial and Labor Relations from Cornell University and a Masters in Social Work; Community Organization, Planning and Development from the Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College.

Paulette brings numerous years of non-profit marketing, communications, event planning and fundraising experience with her to FOR-NY. She has worked for various local-area organizations successfully assisting them in reaching their financial goals and raising their community profile. In addition, Paulette also ran her own marketing consulting and event management business, fostering start-up non-profits with their fundraising needs and working with small businesses to market their launch.

Paulette is very involved in her church community, particularly with the youth programs, and also helps with fundraising activities for both the church and school communities. She has been a member of two non-profit Board of Directors and continues to utilize her organizational skills and graphic talent to benefit many other groups as a volunteer.

Ben is a father of two, a person in long term sustained recovery and a passionate advocate for intelligent evidence-based policy surrounding education, treatment and recovery from substance use disorders. His professional background includes all aspects of organizational peer-professional integration and programming including training, coaching, and supervision as well as community and professional education and outreach.
Ben is a New York State Certified Recovery Peer Advocate (CRPA), a Certified Peer Specialist and a Friends of Recovery – NY Best practice Trainer.
“For me, sustained recovery came as I began to make honest human connections with others whom I shared similar lived experiences. Through those connections I found my voice and my purpose. As the Youth Recovery Program Coordinator, my goal is to empower my team to facilitate dynamic and engaging opportunities for youth and young adults from all over New York State to create meaningful and supportive peer-to-peer connections.”

Lori is the Capital Region’s Youth Recovery Program specialist for Youth Voices Matter-NY. In her own words, “I would like to say how incredibly thankful and excited I am to be starting this new position. I look forward to working with you all and to contributing to a part of the recovery movement in a vast way.” Lori is a young person in long-term recovery and what that means to her is that she has not taken a self-prescribed sunstance since September 6th, 2012! Something she’s learned throughout her recovery journey, which began at the age of 21, is that everyone has an individualized path to recovery; also, that her perspective on what recovery means has evolved with her as she has grown. Lori grew up in Columbia County and, as the Co-Chapter Lead for a non-profit organization known as Young People in Recovery (YPR) in Hudson, NY, was able to collaborate with young people in her community through volunteering outside of continuing her education, working part-time, and building her own recovery. Additionally, Lori held workshops encompassing education, employment, housing, as well as addiction and recovery messaging. Thus, she was able to present and speak to numerous institutions, including both middle and high schools, within the community by sharing her personal recovery experience with students. Today, Lori has equipped herself with vital resources and established an immense networking system to continue making the difference needed to provide recovery options for youth in our communities. She enjoys music, writing songs about her recovery process, and living in the present. Likewise, she enjoys capturing the beauty of sunsets and sunrises to share with others. Lori’s passion is speaking up and being the voice for both her younger and present self and for others to advocate for recovery resources needed in our communities.