Marisa Boyd is a woman in long term recovery and is quick to tell you how grateful she is for her life and her recovery. Marisa has a passion for helping addicts and alcoholics find a new way of life and experience being a productive member of society. At the beginning of her recovery she watched the start-up of Recovering Hands and has maintained a great deal of admiration for the dedication, passion and hard work she has witnessed. Marisa, herself, attended a extended private treatment program and credits it with saving her life.  Similar to Recovering Hands, she learned coping skills and tools necessary to be successful in recovery In that treatment program, but regrets the fact that attending her specialized treatment center came at a huge cost.   For the past 3.5 years Marisa has worked extremely hard to pay off that $20,000 debt and feels strongly that extended treatment should be more accessible and affordable. She is very supportive of the Recovering Hands program and it's more affordable fees.  As a self-employed female business owner, Marisa brings a great deal of  business knowledge and experience to Recovering Hands. Her goal is to enhance the Recovering Hands scholarship fund by finding investors to share in her dream of making recovery more accessible to women seeking to turn their lives around.  She recognizes a need to also raise awareness about this resource in our community. Marisa feels Recovery has afforded her a life beyond her dreams. She is happily married and feels blessed to have 4 of her 5  children in her life. Marisa started a painting business 4 years ago and with hard work, her program and her husband, has amazingly been able to grow that business to over $300,000 a year. Marisa says, "I'm so grateful to live a life of recovery! My life and being a part of Recovering Hands is truly beyond my wildest dreams! My hope is to help as many addicts and alcoholics as we can to find this new way of life." 

Tony Whitlow is a local contractor specializing in paint and drywall.  He is happily married with children, a dog, and some chickens.  He can be counted on for his annual award winning fund raiser stews and much more.  Hope to see you at his booth at the fairgrounds where you can be sure to get a heaping serving of Butt Fries!

Ned Covington is an attorney practicing in Halifax, Virginia and the surrounding areas.

Judith Anderson joined our board in the Fall of 2023. Her interest in Recovering Hands stems from knowing how much this resource is needed in our area. Judith feels Recovering Hands provides life re-orientation to the person, the abuser had before addiction. She hopes to be able to lend her medical expertise to the residents with their health and well-being.

Before Judith retired she was a Family Nurse Practitioner in private practice with Dr. Paul Buckman for 24 years. She followed many patients that were prior or present users of barbiturates, benzodiazepines, narcotics (pain meds., cocaine, etc.) and users of Marijuana. Judith has experience pill monitoring of pain meds., and urine testing and she referred many clients to local Mental Health Services. In her practice Judith helped families of loved ones and patients get hospitalized for detox.

Prior to working as a Family Nurse Practitioner, Judith  worked as an RN in Public Health for 19 1/2 years. She made home visits to persons upon referrals for various reasons and home visits of patients after release from Mental Health hospitalization.

Judith is serving her second term as a deacon at Beth Car Baptist church. She has a strong faith and finds this at Recovering Hands also. Judith is also a member of Union Ruritan Club that is carrying for all persons and hopes her connections within the community will also benefit Recovering Hands.  

I’m a mother of two grown sons and a grandmother to 3 grandsons.  My greatest joy is to play with my grandsons by engaging with them in their imaginary play as well as playing tag and any other activity they want to do.  When they say “Nana,” my heart melts EVERY time.

I have spent the last 30+ years working as an Admissions professional and Business Development Director and realized the further away I got from working directly with people and more into management, the less fulfilled I felt.  My mom used to always tease me and say that I was always bringing home stray pets and never knew a stranger when it came to people.  Those parts are still very true for me.  I love listening and engaging with people (even people I have never met), and my two dogs are pretty spoiled.

I have a BA in Psychology and an MA in Human Behavior. I am also a certified parent coach and I have completed a course in health and wellness and gut health.

Tabitha Burton is a 27-year founding partner and Administrative and Operations Director of The Ward Burton Wildlife Foundation and a community volunteer. She is wife to Daytona 500 winner and philanthropist, Ward Burton, mother to current NASCAR Xfinity Driver, Jeb Burton, Sarah Graper, and Ashton Burton. She is a graduate of Mary Baldwin College, and in the final stages of pursuing her master’s degree in addiction counseling

Tabitha was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015 and is grateful to report she has been in remission since 2016. Since her diagnosis, she has been an advocate for others diagnosed. Most recently, she served as an ambassador for earlier.org, an organization dedicated to early detection of breast cancer.

In her free time, Tabitha enjoys traveling, reading, and spending time with family, friends, and her loyal pet companions. Tabitha resides in Halifax, Virginia with her husband Ward.

Barbara Spina

Greta, originally from NJ, graduated with an MA in Psychology and Counseling from Goddard College in 2013. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor Associate in NC and a Licensed Associate Counselor in NJ. Greta has over 8 years experience as a life coach, tutor, and mentor, and 5 years providing professional and personal development seminars focused on psychological, developmental, and educational issues. She is currently a doctoral candidate for her PhD in Interdisciplinary Studies in Humanities and Culture, with certificates in Women and Gender and Creative Writing. Greta is a social justice advocate and uses her clinical and academic experiences to inform her work. Creative writing, story-telling, and fine art contribute to Greta's overall approach, with a focus on the client's needs and the way in he or she understands their goals.

​

Greta works with clients age 5 to adult and has specific training in  cognition and learning, identity, and socio-cultural issues.

Tamara hails from VA, by way of NY and PA. She holds an MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, is a Licensed Clinical Addictions Specialist -  Associate,  and a Licensed Professional Counselor Associate in NC. She has a background in dance, movement, and art which she uses in combination with her experiential, trauma, and substance use/abuse training.  Her prior work experience ranges from corporate business and restaurant management to teaching and extensive group work. In addition to experience, she also brings a strong dedication to self-empowerment and healing arts.

​

Tamara works with adolescent and adult clients, as well as couples, families, and groups. 

Kathy Woods, SPHR - Kathy (Woodsy) has 25 years in human services.  For many of those years she served as the Living In Safe Alternatives Inc. (LISA Inc.) Executive Director. When she took over that agency was financially in the red and in need of new leadership. She was able to triple the annual revenue,(from $1 million to $2.96 million) put the agency back on sound financial ground, develop new sources of revenue, build a new corporate headquarters, and improve the quality of service delivery.   Before working with LISA Inc., she spent 18 years working through the Society for Human Resource Management as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR).   From 2001 to 2006, as Operations Director at Marrakech Inc., she was able to expand the number and types of different populations they served, add more geographical areas, as well as secure new grants and services.  Woodsy brings her strong track record with start-up operations, and the ability to work with state and local government officials regarding contracting, funding, budgeting, and regulatory and coordination of care matters and other strategies to our Recovering Hands Board.

We were very fortunate to have Michele Pastorius, MSNEd, RN, CCRN from the University of Pennsylvania Health System, Philadelphia, PA. Michele’s incredible enthusiasm and unwavering belief in what we are doing was evident in all she has did to help open the doors here at Recovering Hands.  

 LaVerne Williams, CPRS, ALWFT, CIT has 13 years experience in recovery from substance abuse. She is a  48 year old mother of two and is blessed with 3 grandchildren. LaVerne enjoy Jazz music, shooting pool, and traveling. LaVerne has successfully completed and is certified as a Crisis Intervention Team Member.(CIT) Her credentials also include Certified Peer Support Specialist through Virginia Certification Board. (CPSS), and she is an Advanced Level Wrap Facilitator Trainer (ALWF) through the Copeland Center. Laverne is currently employed with South Side Community Service Board as a Peer Specialist for SA and MH and she is very active in the local community as well as the local recovery community.  She is  a 12-step Bible based group facilitator and a Sunday school teacher for teenagers.  

Jack Cook One of our original Board Members, Jack Cook, is a successful local entrepreneur and wonderful friend who has a wealth of experience as a businessman and is also a person with a strong background in the Recovery Community.

For over 30 years the field of behavioral health has held interest for Enid, but it wasn’t until 1989 when she entered the doors of Metro-Dade Detox in Miami, FL as a Clinician that she would eventually learn about the disease of addiction and understand and admit that she had a problem. A few short months later she surrendered and as of January 11, 1990 has not found it necessary to use any mind altering substance, and made the conscious decision to turn her life around and dedicate it to helping others, while working on her own recovery. Over the past 27 years, Enid has continued to work in substance use prevention and treatment as a provider, program director, evaluator, and for the last seven years as a Project Officer for the Access to Recovery grants funded through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, part of the US Department of Health & Human Services. Enid is active in a 12-Step program and participates in bringing meetings into a local women’s jail program. During her 27 years in recovery she has sponsored many women and fulfilled numerous service roles in the places she has lived. While working full time and raising her daughter as a single parent, Enid has managed to complete her educational goals, completing a Master in Social Work, a Master in Public Health, and a Doctorate in Health Education. Dr. Osborne brings a myriad of education, professional, and most of all lived experience to Recovering Hands.

Linda Oberst, MA, LCP, LSATP is a Psychotherapist from Dry Folk, VA. Linda has been in private practice at Labyrinth Counseling Services, Danville, VA since 2007.  Her career experience includes work in the public and private sectors, working with Community Services Boards, US Navy ARC, prisons and currently she is contracting with Onsite Workshops.  Linda has a heart and compassion for those in recovery and feels honored to be of help to the work of Recovering Hands. Without Linda’s faith and vision our dream would more than likely still be unrealized. Linda is indeed a force of nature. Her services will be made available to our residents as needed.

Lisa Ann Wallace is a real estate agent with Almond & Hack Realty LLC in Newport News, VA and the nearby area, as well as Halifax County, VA and surrounding areas.  Lisa is a mother of two sons.  Tragically, she lost her oldest son, Lucas, to an  accidental heroin overdose laced with fentanyl on September 30th, 2019, one day before he and his girlfriend planned to announce they were expecting a baby.  Lucas' blessing, Lucas II, was born March 10th 2020 and is the apple of his grandmother's eye.   Lisa, serves Recovering Hands Board of Directors as its Chairwoman and devotes quite a bit of time and energy to helping raise funds in Lucas' memory for the Recovering Hands  Scholarship Fund.  Lisa says,

"Luke is no longer fighting his demons. He is finally at peace.  My son’s death will not be in vain. I keep his memory alive by raising funds and helping those who want to be in recovery.  If you’d like to help please contact me 757-615-9669."

Aimee began her career as an  Emergency Medial Service Technician in 2008 and is currently working full time in Brunswick County Emergency Medical Services.  She has worked in other settings such as a regional jail facility, Virginia Department of Corrections, and has also done some prevention work for Southside Behavioral Health in South Boston, VA.  Aimee has worked at multiple facilities throughout the Virginia Department of Corrections including working as a sergeant at a major female facility.  Aimee is married with two children and a dog. She is currently enrolled in Liberty University to obtain her LPC license and graduate degree in Clinical Counseling.  Her hobbies include weight training in the gym and time with friends and family. Aimee's goal is to assist with continuous improvement of Recovering Hands by working alongside other board members on fundraising and grant writing efforts.

Jennifer is born and raised in Virginia. In 2020 she was named Volunteer of the Year for her community. For the past 10 years she has worked for the Mecklenburg County YMCA. Currently she is employed as their Marketing and Event Coordinator. She has a grant writing and capital fundraising background and is an advisor for  a non-profit community services group in Clarksville, VA known as the MCCSC.   If Jennifer is not with her family, or at work, she is volunteering around her community.   Jennifer puts her many great fundraising ideas into play for Recovering Hands.  She loves being out and about in her community, helping in any way possible, which makes her an ideal member of the Recovering Hands Team! Jennifer enjoys photography in her "spare" time and donates her great skill in this area to Recovering Hands marketing efforts.