Nicky Fadley
Founder and Executive Director
Nicky Fadley is the founder and Executive Director at Strength In Peers. Grounded in her lived experience with mental health recovery and overcoming trauma, she focuses on developing peer recovery support programs and advocating for individuals who struggle with behavioral health challenges. Nicky has over 12 years of experience in the field of nonprofit public health, including seven years in grant writing and program management. She has a Master’s Degree in Public Policy from George Mason University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from James Madison University.
What recovery means to Nicky:
“Recovery means that I understand who I am, how I feel and what I need. It’s knowing that I will always walk through thunderstorms, but they will pass. And it’s believing that I am worth the same love and grace that I shower on others.”
Ragan McManus
Deputy Director, Certified Peer Recovery Specialist
Ragan is a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist and serves as Deputy Director at Strength In Peers. Ragan joined the team in 2017 and has provided peer support through all of the organization’s programs. She is a certified Supervisor of Peer Recovery Specialist and utilizes various recovery models and methods including 12-step recovery, Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP), Intentional Peer Support (IPS), and Motivational Interviewing. She is a qualified ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experiences) Interface trainer and a Certified Personal Medicine Coach. Ragan also serves as a Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Instructor and trains CPRSs throughout the Commonwealth in the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services Office of Recovery Service’s Crisis Service Training for Peer Recovery Specialist. In addition to her work as a Peer Support Specialist, Ragan holds a Master’s degree in Fine Arts from CalArts and a B.F.A. from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Prior to working at Strength In Peers Ragan served as Chief Curator and Director of Education at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Virginia Beach. Ragan has been in recovery since May 28, 2008. In her spare time, Ragan enjoys hanging out with her family and pets, creating art, going for nature walks, and volunteering.
What recovery means to Ragan:
“For me, recovery is about recognizing my strengths and weaknesses so I can work daily to change and counteract negative thoughts and behaviors with wellness and activity that brings me, and hopefully those around me, joy. It’s a constant work in progress.”
Lindsey Eye
Director of Programs and Services, Certified Peer Recovery Specialist,
Certified Anger Management Specialist
Lindsey Eye is a dedicated and compassionate professional who graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor’s degree from James Madison University. Certified as a Peer Recovery Specialist and Certified Anger Management Specialist, she is deeply committed to guiding individuals on their journey to wellness and emotional resilience.
As the Director of Programs and Services for Strength In Peers, Lindsey leads impactful community health initiatives, including the Comprehensive Harm Reduction Program and the Status-Neutral HIV and HCV Testing Program. Her leadership plays a vital role in advancing harm reduction and public health efforts in her community.
Since 2015, Lindsey has also embraced a holistic approach to well-being as a Registered Yoga Teacher and mindful meditation instructor. These practices complement her professional expertise, offering clients and colleagues a well-rounded perspective on navigating life’s challenges.
Lindsey’s personal journey through childhood trauma, adversity, and loss has uniquely shaped her approach, equipping her with the empathy and insight to empower others in overcoming obstacles and making informed life choices.
What recovery means to Lindsey:
“Recovery is being willing to be vulnerable, to grow through what you go through, and being open to continuous self-development.”
Alex Boudreau
Program Manager, Certified Peer Recovery Specialist
Alex is a Certified Peer Support Specialist and a Registered Peer Recovery specialist with Strength in Peers who is from the Northern Shenandoah Valley. She is the Program Manager of the New Market Office and oversees the Compassionate Crisis Care Network, Side-by-Side Recovery Program, Youth Mentoring Program, and Grambling Program. Additionally, Alex is trained to provide HIV and Hepatitis C testing and harm reduction services. Alex is in long-term recovery from substance use and mental health challenges. She pursued being a peer specialist because she has first-hand experience seeing how Peer Support has helped her life. Now she enjoys being able to use her lived experience to help others move forward in their recovery. She is also a SMART (Self-Management and Recovery Training) Facilitator, APPR (Action Planning for Prevention & Recovery) Facilitator, and trained in Motivational Interviewing, and Intentional Peer Support.
What recovery means to Alex:
“Recovery has allowed me to have the life I had long dreamed for. I am able to be a present and dependable mother to my children. I am able to spread hope and inspiration to those seeking, and have patience and understanding to those who are not. Recovery to me means that I believe in myself and know I am worth it!”
Mandie Bishop
Program Manager, Certified Peer Recovery Specialist
Mandie Bishop, a native of Southwest Virginia, began working at Strength in Peers in October of 2021. She serves as Program Manager of the Community Recovery and Resource Center in the Harrisonburg office and satellite office at Rocktown Health. Mandie has an associate’s degree in Legal Assisting from Mountain Empire Community College. In November of 2021 she completed her training to become a S.M.A.R.T Recovery facilitator. In January of 2022 she completed the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS) 72-hour Peer Recovery Specialist training and completed her 500 hours of peer services. On February 25, 2022, she became Certified in the State of Virginia as a Peer Recovery Specialist. Mandie pursued becoming a Peer Recovery Specialist after many years of battling a substance use disorder. Her personal recovery comes from a 12-step background and the hope she received from others in long-term recovery. Her passion is showing others that recovery is possible through her own lived experience with addiction and recovery.
What recovery means to Mandie:
“Recovery to me is working on successfully managing my addiction and regaining control and stability in my life. It is the ability for me to finally be a mother to my children. Recovery is person-driven and emerges from hope!”
Mary Beth Hill
Resource Center Coordinator
Mary Beth Hill is the Coordinator of the Community Resource Center. She has a background in social work and worked with the Head Start Program before coming to Strength in Peers. After losing her infant son in 2014, Mary Beth became active in the Sadie Rose Foundation, a local organization providing support for child loss. This is where she was first introduced to non-clinical peer support and the healing that comes through peer support groups. Recently, Mary Beth also completed the Peer Recovery Specialist training offered by the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services – Office of Recovery Services. Through the Community Resource Center, Mary Beth offers one-on-one support to help connect community members with local resources. She enjoys listening to people’s unique stories as they work towards improving their lives.
What recovery means to Mary Beth:
“Recovery is accepting the challenges life throws my way and sharing my experiences with the hope that it will help others on their recovery journeys.”
Chris Shope
Data Support Coordinator, Certified Peer Recovery Specialist
Chris serves as Data Support Coordinator and manages the organization’s participant data systems for service quality monitoring and program evaluation. He is in long-term recovery from substance abuse, trauma, and mental health challenges. Chris has an associate’s degree in Human Services from Blue Ridge Community College, and is trained in Intentional Peer Support, Motivational Interviewing, SMART Recovery, and W.R.A.P. (Wellness Recovery Action Plan). His personal recovery comes from a 12-step background and is grounded in his lived experience.
What recovery means to Chris:
“What recovery means to me-living my best, most authentic life.”
Maegan Carvajal
Program Coordinator – Harm Reduction, Certified Peer Recovery Specialist
Maegan Carvajal is a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist and serves as a Program Coordinator for the Comprehensive Harm Reduction program. She has an associate degree in applied sciences with a major in Human Services and plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree in social work. As a person in long-term recovery, Maegan is passionate about helping others struggling with mental health, trauma, and substance use related challenges. Her lived experience allows her to connect deeply with participants and offer nonjudgmental, compassionate support. When she is not providing harm reduction and testing services at the office, she is out in the community doing outreach with the mobile unit. In her free time, Maegan is adventuring with her hilarious and sassy three-year old daughter.
What recovery means to Maegan:
“Recovery is a journey, not a destination. It means being able to show up as the best version of myself. Recovery means treating each person with unconditional positive regard and love. I get to share my story – listen, advocate, educate and walk beside people on their journey.”
Richard Jackson
Certified Peer Recovery Specialist
Richard is a Virginia Certified Peer Recovery Specialist who moved from Florida to Virginia in 2002. It is his desire to assist others in achieving their life goals and overcome addictions, trauma and mental health issues. He and his wife are Statewide Volunteers with the Virginia Department of Corrections, conducting Christian services in prisons. He is also associated with Kingsway Family Outreach/Prison Ministry. Prior to being employed with Strength In Peers in November 2015, he worked with Open Doors Shelter and saw the great need in the community for hope and recovery.
What recovery means to Richard:
“When we realize that substance use has destroyed our life, there are choices to make. We can seek recovery and support but our desire has to be strong. Without recovery our future is bleak, our lives are out of control. We must choose wisely, recovery is the proper choice.”
Megan Rohrbaugh
Program Coordinator, Certified Peer Recovery Specialist
Megan is a Program Coordinator with Strength In Peers for the HIV and Hep C Testing Program and Comprehensive Harm Reduction Programy. She is in long-term recovery from substance use and mental health challenges. Megan believes that recovery is possible for all and hopes to share her own lived experience with others and walk beside them in their own journey. She is currently working on her degree in Human Services, and it is her goal to become a Substance Use Counselor. In her spare time, she likes to spend time with her family and 4 children and stays busy with their various sporting events.
What recovery means to Megan:
“Recovery to me is finding my true self, being the best mom to my kids, and having a new beginning in life.”
Stephanie Reedy
Program Coordinator, Certified Peer Recovery Specialist & Certified Community Health Worker
Stephanie is a Program Coordinator for the Safe and Secure Respite House and Recovery Houses. She is in active recovery for mental health and substance use challenges. Stephanie’s recovery foundation is based on a 12-step program and she is an active member of the 12-step community. In her spare time Stephanie likes gaming and listening to music. She is grateful to have the ability to give back to a community of her peers and to have the opportunity to make a difference.
What recovery means to Stephanie:
“Recovery has given me the opportunity to reinvent a new life for myself. I am able to help those in the community that have struggled with the same things I have. I love seeing people thrive and have lives they can be proud of.”
Madelyn Adams
Program Coordinator, Certified Peer Recovery Specialist & Certified Community Health Worker
Madelyn is a Certified and Registered Peer Recovery Specialist with Strength In Peers and serves in the organization’s Community Recovery and Resource Center which provides services for residents in the City of Harrisonburg & Rockingham County. Madelyn is a native of Page County and began working at Strength In Peers in June of 2022. In May 2022 Madelyn completed her DBHDS Peer Recovery Specialist Training and after finishing her internship hours, Madelyn passed her certification test in January 2023 becoming a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist for the Commonwealth of Virginia. In February 2023 Madelyn became a Registered Peer Recovery Specialist through the Virginia Board of Counseling. Madelyn is motivated to help the community get connected to resources as well as find support through peer recovery. She is in long-term recovery from substance use and mental health challenges and she believes that recovery is a gift and that anyone can recover. Madelyn shares her lived experience so others know they are not alone. In her free time, she loves spending time with her family, her husband, and her four-legged kids.
What recovery means to Madelyn:
“Recovery to me is having a positive outlook on life, and having the power of personal choice and freedom. I’m progressing every day to be a better version of myself — one day at a time.”
Dasha Shifflett
Program Coordinator, Certified Peer Recovery Specialist
Dasha joined Strength In Peers in April 2024 as a Peer Recovery Specialist (PRS). She works on the organization’s Side-By-Side program, which delivers peer support, counseling, and tele-psychiatry services to residents in the rural areas of Shenandoah and Page Counties, Virginia. Dasha provides one-on-one peer support to individuals struggling with substance use, mental health, and trauma-related challenges. Leveraging her lived experience, she connects with incarcerated individuals at the Page County Jail. Dasha is a trained facilitator in SMART Recovery and utilizes Motivational Interviewing. She facilitates weekly peer recovery groups to support individuals on their recovery journeys.
Over the past four years, Dasha has navigated the challenging path of recovery, drawing strength from her beautiful family and the unwavering support around her. Her personal transformation has not only brought her sobriety but also a profound sense of purpose. By overcoming her challenges, Dasha has gained invaluable insights and empathy, which now empowers her to guide others on their recovery journeys. Her work and certification as a peer recovery specialist (C-PRS) is a testament to her resilience and dedication to helping others find hope and healing.
Holly Hanks Wanta
Program Coordinator, Certified Peer Recovery Specialist
Holly first joined Strength In Peers in September 2023 as a Project Coordinator in the training department, assisting with developing and delivering the Crisis Service Training for Peer Supporters DBHDS endorsement course and corresponding Training-of-Trainers (ToT) program. As Program Coordinator for the Lion’s PRIDE internship program, she helps manage recruitment, training, field placement, and certification preparation for new Peer Recovery Specialists in the Shenandoah Valley. In addition to being a Master Trainer in the Crisis Services endorsement course, Holly is a qualified SMART Recovery, SMART Family & Friends, and APPR facilitator with training in trauma-informed care, motivational interviewing, Alternatives to Suicide (Alt2Su) and Hearing Voices/Unusual Beliefs (Maastricht), and Youth Mental Health First Aid. She has also served as a peer supporter and youth mentor with Strength In Peers.
Holly is in long-term recovery from mental health, substance use, and trauma-related challenges and uses a wide variety of daily wellness tools to build and maintain a life where she can help others to do the same. She is eternally grateful to her extended support network of family and friends who also believe that recovery is always possible. In her personal time, she enjoys theatre and vocal performance, mindfulness meditation and yoga, and spending time in nature on her family’s farm in Augusta County.
What recovery means to Holly: “Recovery is the long, slow process of being seen – first by yourself, and then by others – until what has been hidden or buried can live in daylight without collapsing. Visibility and acceptance gradually replace shame and disconnection until we are standing fully in the light.”
Emily Bartley
Certified Peer Recovery Specialist
Emily is a Registered Peer Recovery Specialist who uses her lived experiences to support others seeking recovery. She began her journey with Strength In Peers in October 2024 after completing an internship with Recovery Corps, where she was later offered a full-time position. Emily has been in recovery for three years, and her sobriety has given her the strength and compassion she now shares with others. She is certified in trauma-informed care and crisis services, and she facilitates both SMART Recovery and Anger Management groups. Her recovery has taught her resilience and empowered her to turn struggles into strengths, and she brings that same encouragement to those she works with.
For Emily, recovery means creating peace in a world that once felt like chaos and continuing to overcome anything that comes her way.
Richard Haymaker
Respite Care Specialist
Richard joined Strength In Peers in 2024 as a Respite Care Specialist, where he supports guests staying at the organization’s respite home following hospitalization. In this role, he provides peer-based support, helps guests maintain stability, and offers encouragement grounded in lived experience. Ritchie completed his 72-hour Peer Recovery Specialist (PRS) training through DBHDS in 2024 and completed CPR and Suicide Prevention training through Strength In Peers. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Social Psychology from the University of Georgia, with an emphasis on Structural Functionalism and Conflict Theory, as well as an Associate of Arts from Brevard College. His academic background in social systems and human behavior strengthens his ability to connect with others in meaningful and practical ways.
Ritchie brings more than four decades of professional experience across business, leadership, and skilled trades. From 1984 to 2000, he served as Vice President of Sales and Marketing for H. N. Funkhouser & Co., Inc. He later worked as an Aviation and Motor Fuels Specialist with W. H. Emmart & Co./Shell Petroleum, USA from 2000 to 2010. In 2010, he founded Haymaker Masonry & Restoration Services, specializing in vintage stone and brick restoration, which he owned and operated through 2018. Most recently, he has worked as a Front-End Associate with Food Lion/Delhaize. This breadth of experience informs his steady, grounded approach to supporting others in recovery.
What Recovery Means to Richard:
“I finally admitted to myself that the way I was living was certainly costing me way too much! My peace, my relationships, my sense of self. I could feel something inside me quietly asking for a different life, a steadier life, a life where I didn’t need to run from myself. It wasn’t dramatic; it was simple, knowing that I couldn’t keep going the way I was. Recovery became the path back to honesty, stability, and a deeper part of me that wanted to live with intention instead of escape. To summarize my path to recovery, 95% spiritual based, 5% smart recovery based. How did I arrive at the percentage rate? Smart Recovery gave me a road map to pursue methodologies of holistic spiritual practices. I term this, “Holistic Recovery.””
Marcy Parlett
Certified Peer Recovery Specialist
Marcy Parlett is a passionate professional who graduated Magna Cum Laude from Shenandoah University with an Associate of Applied Science in Nursing.
She joined Strength In Peers as part of the Harm Reduction team and has since become a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist, SMART Recovery Facilitator, and HIV/Hepatitis C Testing Administrator and Prevention Counselor.
Marcy is in recovery from many years of substance use and addiction, which fuels her passion for helping others. She believes in meeting people exactly where they are in life and recovery, offering compassion and understanding drawn from her own lived experience.
She holds a deep love and devotion to God, her husband of more than 30 years, their four children and granddaughter, her extended family, church community, coworkers, and friends.
What recovery means to Marcy:
“No matter how messy your past or present may be, you have the power to write your own future. With God and faith the size of a mustard seed, anything is possible.”
Lisa Waters
Certified Peer Recovery Specialist
Before joining Strength In Peers, Lisa worked at New Season Treatment Center as the Collection Specialist for over two years. She began her journey with Strength In Peers as a part-time intern in August 2024, quickly transitioned to full-time employee, and recently celebrated her first anniversary with the team.
In September 2024, Lisa became a SMART Recovery facilitator and in early 2025 she was certified in Crisis Services Training for Peer Supporters. She also became a Registered-Certified Peer Recovery Specialist. Lisa provides one on one peer support through our Rocktown Health Clinic location and leads peer groups in Rockingham County Jail and Middle River Jail, where she teaches the MISSION Model and provides re-entry workshops for individuals preparing for release from incarceration.
During her time at Strength In Peers, Lisa has gained vital coping skills that have supported her own recovery journey. She has been alcohol-free for over a year and has found new ways to manage her mental health symptoms.
What recovery means to Lisa:
“Today, I know my story isn’t over yet—it’s just getting started. And if I can keep moving forward, so can you. There is always hope, and every day is a new chance to grow!”
Samantha King
Peer Recovery Specialist
Samantha joined Strength In Peers in November of 2025, bringing more than 12 years of recovery from lived experience from substance use, mental health challenges, and physical trauma. This journey fuels her passion for the Mom2Mom program, where she supports pregnant women by meeting them exactly where they are—whether they are ready to enter recovery or simply seeking a safe, supportive connection. Samantha believes recovery offers families an opportunity to reset, rebuild, and move forward with hope. She is committed to listening without judgment and helping individuals find a path that works for them. Her long-term professional goal is to specialize in youth and adolescence within the recovery field, focusing on early intervention to help break cycles and build a strong foundation for the next generation.
Before joining Strength In Peers, Samantha spent a decade working in the school system as a school secretary and student advocate. She focused on supporting students with behavioral health needs and partnered with school leadership to strengthen student support systems. Samantha has completed her 72-hour Certified Peer Recovery Specialist (C-PRS) training, which guides her advocacy and family-centered approach to care. Outside of her professional role, she coaches girls’ youth softball and volleyball and is the proud mother of two—an 11-year-old daughter and an 8-year-old son who is autistic—both of whom inspire her daily to lead with compassion and purpose.
What recovery means to Samantha:
“Recovery is about the power of a reset. It’s a commitment to breaking cycles of trauma and building foundations of hope not just for my own children, but for every family and young person I encounter.”
Eric Keck
Peer Recovery Specialist
Eric began his journey with Strength in Peers as a participant in 2020 and successfully graduated from the program. He first engaged with employment at the Strength in Peers Respite House, then transitioned into the Comprehensive Harm Reduction Program. Today, he proudly serves the community as a Peer Recovery Specialist.
Eric was introduced to the Peer Recovery Specialist role while incarcerated at Indian Creek Correctional Center, an experience that helped shape his passion for walking alongside others in recovery. He is actively involved in both a 12-step fellowship and a faith-based recovery program. Eric has maintained sobriety since December 21, 2023.
For Eric, recovery is more than abstinence—it is about finding the key to release himself from his own prison. It has empowered him to break destructive cycles, rediscover peace, and live with purpose. He believes in “recovering out loud” so that no man or woman has to suffer in silence, and he is honored to support others as they begin and continue their own recovery journeys. Through God, Eric was given a purpose.
Board of Directors
Natalie Gazzara, President
Lineweaver Property Manager
Harrisonburg Redevelopment and Housing Authority
Dr. Jacquelin Maxwell, DSL, CSAC
Coaching & Consulting
JacLovelle Coaching & Consulting
Jason Kidd
Bureau Commander – Captain – Patrol Division
Harrisonburg Police Department
Marsha Rodeffer, BSN, RN
Nurse Manager Senior
Central Shenandoah Health District, VDH
Dr. Daniel Finseth
Assistant Professor, Economics and Business Administration
Bridgewater College
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Laura Black, Past-President
Systems Administrator
Institute for Community Alliances
Jennie Amison, Past-President
Cognitive Therapeutic Community Supervisor
Virginia Department of Corrections
Peggy Plass, Past-President
Professor of Justice Studies
James Madison University
