Meet Our Staff & Board

Melissa Story

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER (COO) & Director of Training

Melissa Story (she, her, hers) is a person in recovery and a fierce advocate for the reduction of the stigma associated with substance use disorder. Melissa first discovered Recovery Vermont when she attended the Vermont Recovery Coach Academy in 2017. For years prior to the Academy, Melissa had her own business as a Wellness Coach, specializing in disordered eating. She felt called to change the course of her career after witnessing the power of Recovery Coaching, and has been a recovery coach ever since! As Chief Operating Officer and Director of Training, she works to help educate, engage and provide leadership opportunities for Vermont’s Recovery Workforce. Out of the office, you will find Melissa dancing to live music, studying astrology, and seeking adventure.

Danielle Sessler

VICE PRESIDENT & Director of Communications

Danielle (she, her, hers) has been working with Recovery Vermont since 2019. Danielle comes from a background of marketing and working alongside mission-driven nonprofits. She moved to Vermont from New York City in 2017, where she worked in video production, producing commercials and social videos. As the Vice President and Director of Communications, Danielle is inspired by her work with the recovery community and feels honored to help get the message out about the power of recovery to Vermonters.

Lisa Lord

Director of Workforce Development

Lisa Lord (she, her, hers) is the Director of Workforce Programs at Recovery Vermont. Her work is focused on creating a state-wide network of Recovery Friendly Workplaces and supporting Vermont’s Recovery Coaches and the life-changing work they do as they gain and maintain their nationally and internationally reciprocal certification. She is inspired daily by the transformative nature of recovery and how transferable the skills learned through a recovery journey are to the workplace – and she looks forward to the day that there is no longer SUD-related stigma.

Emma Henderson

Training Coordinator

Emma Henderson (she/her/hers) came to Recovery Vermont in July 2021. Emma received her Master of Science in Leadership from Norwich University in 2021 and comes from a background in higher education. Her passion for helping others, supporting her community, and working for a mission-driven organization is what brought her to Recovery Vermont. She is looking forward to celebrating recovery through connection. Outside of work you can find Emma hiking around Vermont, reading a good book, or cooking a delicious meal for friends.

Board of Trustees

William Keithcart, MA, LADC, Chair

Catherine Kalkstein, MSW, Past Chair

Mary Donnelly, Prevention Consultant

Gary Miller, Writers for Recovery

CONTACT US

Recovery Vermont
A program of VAMHAR
100 State Street, Suite 352
Montpelier, VT 05602

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