Who We Are

Dominique launched Allies in Recovery in 2003. Her work has been featured on HBO and NPR. She is a facilitator and a trained speaker on issues of addiction and the family. She has worked extensively developing and evaluating federally-funded substance abuse programs for organizations and clinics throughout Massachusetts and New York. With an interest in recovery and substance abuse that spans 20 years, she sees a huge need to help families develop the skills to help a loved one recover fully in a supportive, whole, and lasting way in their families and in their communities. Her mission is to have Allies in Recovery fill that gap.

David is a retired clinical psychologist and professor emeritus in the Psychological and Brain Sciences Department at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. He worked with adolescents and families for over 35 years and did research and published on adolescent development and how to most effectively treat troubled adolescents. David has been involved in CRAFT clinical trials and in providing therapeutic interventions for and training psychotherapists to work with children, adolescents, and families.

After working in both western and eastern healthcare facilities, Emily joined Allies in Recovery in 2019. She is excited for the opportunity to combine her empathy and passion for helping others with her knowledge around technology. She holds several degrees and certificates in a wide range of areas, from Liberal Arts and General Studies to Pre-Health Sciences and Health Wellness & Public Safety. Born and raised in the East Mountains of New Mexico, Emily still calls the Land of Enchantment home. She currently lives in Albuquerque New Mexico, along with her husband and two sons.

Diane is a French speaking travel and outdoor enthusiast from the beautiful Eastern Townships region of Quebec. She has been working with AiR since January 2021 as the accountant. She and Dominique met as volunteers at an animal shelter and is grateful to be practicing the English language. Diane is the mother of two adult children. She loves the outdoors, mostly skiing and hiking. For over 20 years she owned a travel agency and thus had many opportunities to travel the world. Today, she is proud to be part of the Allies team.

Annie Highwater is a Writer, Speaker, Podcast Host and Family Advocate. She has a particular interest in family pathology and concepts of dysfunction, addiction, alcoholism and conflict. Annie published her memoir, Unhooked: A Mother’s Story of Unhitching from the Roller Coaster of Her Son’s Addiction, in 2016. Her story sheds light on the personal challenges facing the affected parents and family members, and illustrates how family dynamics both help and hinder the recovery process. Annie’s second book, Unbroken, Navigating the Madness of Family Dysfunction, Addiction, Alcoholism and Heartache was published in August of 2018. She resides in Columbus, Ohio and enjoys writing, long distance running, hiking, the great outdoors and visiting her son in California as often as possible.

John is a licensed counselor in private practice with an expertise in addiction treatment. He holds adjunct positions in the Department of Psychiatry at Oregon Health & Sciences University and the Graduate Program of Systems Science at Portland State University. For the past decade, he has been developing digital therapeutic solution for addictions.

Michelle is a writer, photographer, consultant, and the founding editor of Gwarlingo, a popular online arts and culture website. In addition to producing web and video content for Allies in Recovery, Michelle provides Allies in Recovery members with creative inspiration through the Sanctuary, a unique section of the Allies in Recovery member site that features music, video, photography, writing, and other restorative posts.

Jeanine is Allies in Recovery’s Treatment Resource Specialist. She developed Allies in Recovery’s methodology for identifying substance abuse treatment and matching it to the needs of a family’s loved one. Bedard has studied treatment systems throughout the United States and abroad, and has worked extensively with families to help them understand treatment systems and to facilitate program admissions.

James is a writer of speculative fiction, an editor, and a musician, and lives in Western Massachusetts. His book of poems, Krakatoa Picnic, came out in 2017. For Allies in Recovery, he edits the podcast Coming Up for AIR and other video and written content. He holds master’s degrees from Hollins University and UMass Amherst. 

Robert V.S. Redick is a novelist, teacher, editor, and international development consultant with 30 years experience in the Neotropics and Southeast Asia. He is the author of seven novels, including The Chathrand Voyage and The Fire Sacraments epic fantasy series. With books published in six languages, he is the winner of the New Millennium Writings Award and a finalist for the Booknest Award for Best Novel and the Thomas Dunne Novel Award. Robert has taught writing in three graduate programs and worked for Oxfam America, Friends of the Earth International, and the Center for International Forestry Research in Bogor, Indonesia. He lives with his partner, Dr. Kiran Asher, in Western Massachusetts.