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.

Laurie is a former math teacher, residing​ in Dartmouth, MA, and extremely active in the recovery community. She currently devotes most of her energy to REST, a non-traditional support group that offers land and online video meetings, access to training in the CRAFT method, and a crisis toolkit helping families create their own individualized crisis plan. ​Her work is guided by a desire to improve the community’s response and end the​ stigma associated with Substance Use Disorder. Laurie loves skiing and ice hockey, and is at her happiest when spending time with her husband and three children. Read her articles on our blog or tune in to the podcast she co-hosts for Allies in Recovery: Coming Up for Air.

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.

Pascal Beuve is a man of many trades (music, sound engineering, yoga teaching!) but his current incarnation centers around the creation of websites and eLearning platforms. He is very enthusiastic about being part of the Allies in Recovery team and feels honored to contribute to the mission of helping families struggling with addiction. Pascal resides in Normandy, France.