Attached you will find the biographies of members who are interested in joining the LaPAAC Board of Directors.

Please review the bios, and remember, these members will be available at our membership meeting

on April 13, at 10 am for questions and/or comments. 

The Zoom link for the members meeting is listed at the end of the page.

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Jo Ann Pack-Quincy

 

Jo Ann Pack-Quincy is a Certified Peer Support Specialist with fourteen years of lived experience and 5 years of continuous recovery. Jo Ann has gained a wealth of knowledge relating to healthy healing during her recovery process. She is eager to share her knowledge and story with others in hopes of helping them in their recovery process while maintaining her recovery process. Jo Ann Pack-Quincy holds an associate degree in Human Service Management along with twenty-four credit hours in Psychology from the University of Phoenix.

 

Currently, Jo Ann is an active member of the Louisiana Peer Action Advocacy Coalition, LaPAAC, the professional organization for Peer Support Specialists (PSS) in Louisiana. Her current responsibilities and duties include heading our fundraising efforts for the day-to-day operations with the main attraction being our annual summit calling PSS from all over the state to connect enjoying in-person energy. She also coordinates representing LaPAAC at Louisiana community

events networking in efforts to grow our membership.

 

Her skills include but are not limited to:

• Infectious positive personality

• Organized and loyal

• Understanding of mutuality and diversity

• Sensitive regarding mental health challenges and recovery

• Effective listening, oral, and written communication skills

• A healthy understanding of self-esteem building an encouraging positive self-talk

• Understanding of peer confidentiality and ethics

• Demonstrates her authentic self by telling her lived experience stories to help others know recovery is attainable

 

Jo Ann is a newly called Evangelist in the Five-Fold Ministry of God. She is the youth director and one of the youth Bible study teachers. Jo Ann is a published author of two books. “Mama’s Jo’s Book of Prayers: A Prayer for Almost Every Situation Including Scriptures for Study and Meditation” and “Scooter Squirrel: Adventures Through the Ten Commandments.”

 

Her love for LaPAAC is and will always be in line with LaPAAC’s vision. To be impactful in promoting long-term recovery and empowering individuals to again become productive members of society.

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Dr. Christi Hunter- Brown

 

Dr. Christi Hunter-Brown is a distinguished licensed professional and addiction counselor with a Ph.D. in Addiction Psychology, boasting an impressive 25 years of experience in the mental health and addictions field. As the owner and director of Kingdom Kounsel Healthcare, a leading statewide behavioral and social service agency, she has established herself as a beacon of hope and transformation in the industry.

Dr. Christi Hunter-Brown champions psychological wellness in young people and adults of all ages, empowering them to overcome hardships and reach holistic well-being. Her expertise extends beyond individual counseling sessions. She has consulted with and provided services to healthcare, education, social services, governmental and legislative bodies, emergency planning and relief agencies, workforce development programs, and children's service organizations throughout the state,

During the challenging times of the pandemic, she embarked on a bold initiative to launch a mobile statewide vaccination clinic that not only provided essential vaccines but also addressed the critical issues of vaccine hesitancy and confidence among marginalized communities across the state. The mission was clear: to bridge the gap, build trust, and empower individuals from BIPOC communities to make informed decisions about their health. Fighting for health equity and the well-being of all, Dr. Hunter-Brown sought to illuminate the interconnected nature of psychological and physiological health with the support of committed stakeholders.

In her many years of service, Dr. Christi Hunter-Brown has led and managed several organizations that contributed to better Louisiana and beyond. She is a sought-after speaker and facilitator, who has presented workshops and keynote presentations at national conferences for the American Psychological Association and American Counseling Association.

Dr. Hunter-Brown is not only a sought-after public speaker, but also an accomplished writer and co-author. She has penned numerous publications and educational materials on addiction, mental health, and behavioral issues, with an emphasis on those topics for healthcare providers, clergy, and clinicians. Public officials at the state and local levels have acknowledged her lifelong commitment to helping others and her groundbreaking work in addiction treatment and mental health advocacy, solidifying her place in history as an influential figure in these fields.

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Katherine (Katy) Penton

 

Katherine (Katy) Penton is a person in long term recovery from substance use and mental health challenges. She works for Volunteers of America under contract with Florida Parishes Human Services Authority. She has been a peer support specialist since April of 2019.

Katy is the first peer support specialist in Louisiana to provide individual peer support services with prior authorization from Medicaid. Through doing this work, she has learned how to create and submit requests for prior authorization with each of the five MCO’s under the supervision of an LMHP (Licensed Mental Health Professional).   

 

Katy has been a part of LaPAAC (Louisiana Peer Action Advocacy Coalition) since inception and participated in the naming and strategic planning of LaPAAC. She continues to be an active member and has been closely involved in the work LaPAAC has done with LSU and the trainings they are conducting for the Louisiana Crisis Response System.

Katy has been a part of the NOWS (Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome) Pilot Stakeholder Workgroup that was convened by the Louisiana Perinatal Quality Collaborative (LaPQC) with the Office of Public Health since December of 2020. She also does contract work with the LaPQC as a patient advisor providing support to the different hospital-based teams that are participating in the ICSED (Improving Care for the Substance Exposed Dyad) initiative.

Katy has been a panelist for the past two years at the Community Opioid Symposium that has been facilitated by Foundation for Wellness (formerly known as the Woman’s Foundation). She is considered a subject matter expert in the area of recovery from opioid addiction with MOUD (Medications for Opioid Use Disorder) and has spoken at LaSOR 3.0’s Learning Community events on this topic. Katy has also created a blog for OBH and a series a videos for the Office of Public Health on this topic as well.

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Denise Smith

 

Denise Smith is a highly experienced Peer Support Specialist and Recovery Coach with over ten years’ experience in helping individuals with substance abuse and mental health challenges. Prior to earning her certification in peer support from Recovery International in 2018. She worked as a Licensed Local Pastor for the Louisiana United Methodist Church for three years.  She is certified in various therapeutic methods and specializes in assisting individuals to develop the skills to cope with substance abuse and mental health challenges.

Denise currently works for UnitedHealthcare as the Recovery and Resiliency Market Lead for Louisiana.

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ZOOM LINK FOR MEMBER MEETING

​

LaPAAC is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: LaPAAC Member Meeting /BOD Elections

Time: Apr 13, 2024 10:00 AM Central Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84698507548?pwd=bjl0eHZuam1JcVQraWd5UGFBZlh0Zz09

Meeting ID: 846 9850 7548

Passcode: 724098

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