Summary

We were thrilled to welcome Ester Nicholson as our 2014 Women in Recovery guest speaker. Ester is a person in long-term recovery and a successful vocalist who has toured with music legends’ Bette Midler and Rod Stewart. She survived addiction and trauma and learned to transform addiction into power. Hers is a story that speaks not only to those who’ve faced addiction to alcohol or drugs, but also to anyone who has lost connection with their true identity and found themselves addicted to fear, materialism, or a deep sense of unworthiness. Ester will share her journey, and the process that made that possible, including excerpts from her new book: Soul Recovery – 12 Keys to Healing Addiction.

Our 2014 Honoree was Scarlet Gleeson, former board member, Women in Recovery Luncheon planning committee member and all around Ashley champion. Scarlet is a marketing professional, recovery advocate, and has been celebrating recovery for the last 25 years. Scarlet served on the Board of Directors for Father Martin’s Ashley for 12 years, focusing on governance and management issues, while providing guidance and strategic oversight.

As a champion for recovery rights, Scarlet has been involved with many advocacy efforts to bring parity and prevention to the behavioral health community, as well as eliminate the stigma surrounding substance use disorders. Scarlet is currently engaged with the FED UP! Coalition, a grass roots advocacy group whose mission is  to create one voice calling for an end to the epidemic of addiction and overdose deaths attributed to opioids (including heroin) and other prescription drugs.