When Women Speak, Families Heal: A Global Recovery Gathering on International Women's Day
Join us for the 2026 International Women’s Day (IWD) Event: “When Women Speak, Families Heal: A Global Recovery Gathering” on Sunday March 8th at 1:00pm EST.
This year’s theme is especially close to our hearts: raising the voices of affected family members: mothers, daughters, sisters, spouses, and loved ones whose lives have been shaped by addiction and the recovery journey.
We’re gathering a global community of leaders to spotlight a message the recovery movement urgently needs: family members are an integral part of the recovery movement.
Our featured speakers will:
Name the hidden grief and strength many families carry
Offer practical hope—not just inspiration
Share a clear call toward compassionate, recovery-centered support for families
Model how families can move from survival to purpose and leadership
Can’t wait to see you there!
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Featured Speakers:
Caroline Beidler, MSW, is the managing editor of Recovery.com and founder of the Women's Recovery Leadership Foundation. She helps others find healing through her newsletter and podcast, Circle of Chairs. Caroline’s next book, When You Love Someone in Recovery, is available now for pre-order.
Brandi Mac — Critical care nurse practitioner, author of Do What You Can Live With, and family advocate who blends medical expertise and lived experience as a mom to reframe recovery as a family process rooted in compassion, boundaries, and repair.
Nadine Machovech — TEDx speaker, author, and award-winning advocate in long-term recovery who helps communities name what’s hard (burnout, shame, identity loss) and build life-saving connection through honest, practical tools.
Pam Lanhart — Founder and Executive Director of Thrive! Family Recovery Resources, Pam equips families impacted by substance use and mental health challenges with evidence-based education, support, and hope.
Jaclyn Brown — CEO of Stay Golden Coaching & Consulting and host of “Dark and Enlightened,” Jaclyn is a harm-reduction and recovery advocate who turned the loss of her brother to overdose into powerful education and stigma-shattering conversation.
Rev. Dana Sally-Allen — Founder and CEO of the Dana Sally Allen Foundation, Rev. Sally-Allen is a motivational speaker and community leader with 32 years in recovery who champions “Love is all that matters” through recovery, housing, and peer-mentorship initiatives.
Nicole Bright — Transformational speaker and life coach who helps women navigate divorce and recovery-centered life transitions, rebuilding confidence, resilience, and whole-person wellness through practical, hope-filled guidance.
Shannon Rouse Ruiz — Founder and Executive Director of the P.E.A.C.E. Foundation and the NC Recovery Network, Shannon is a policy reform advocate, wellness coach, and peer-support leader advancing recovery systems and community care.
Lisa Wall — Neurodivergent creative in long-term recovery and SHE RECOVERS® Foundation mission leader who blends trauma-informed, somatic, and science-meets-spirit practices to help people reclaim inner wisdom and build sustainable healing.
Dr. Chekesha L. Ellis — Certified family recovery specialist and founder of ChaseNoMore.org, Chekesha is a long-term recovery advocate connecting individuals and families nationwide to treatment and support while working to reduce stigma and expand access.
Rozlyn Locust — Executive Director in rural Oklahoma leading behavioral health and recovery initiatives who brings lived-experience leadership to building partnerships and systems that make healing visible and sustainable.
Rachel Labus — Founder and Executive Director of a recovery housing program and co-founder of the Tarrant Recovery Housing Alliance, Rachel builds community through outreach, collaboration, and recovery-centered housing support.
Meghann Perry (Post-event workshop) — Internationally recognized educator (CARC, RCPF) whose work at the intersection of storytelling and stigma helps organizations across prevention, harm reduction, and recovery create engaging, effective behavioral health training.