JON DOWER ICADC, CCS, CIP, SAP | Executive Director
Jon Dower was born and raised in Morgantown, WV, and completed a master’s degree in clinical rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling from West Virginia University. Mr. Dower holds several addiction-related certifications, including alcohol and drug counselor, clinical supervisor, substance abuse professional, and intervention professional. Additionally, he is a nationally certified counselor and certified rehabilitation counselor. Jon serves as the Executive Director for West Virginia Sober Living. Mr. Dower is also the Director of Recovery Services for Ascension Recovery Services, an organization that provides turn-key substance use disorder treatment center development and direct SUD services to individuals and families. Mr. Dower is an adjunct professor at WVU teaching in the College of Applied Human Sciences. He serves on several SUD-related organizations’ boards of directors, including the Governor’s task force on Substance Misuse and Prevention as the Chair of the Recovery Subcommittee. Jon is a person in long-term recovery.
DAN MCCAWLEY | Director of Operations
KRISTA WHITE | Director of Recovery Housing & Intern Coordinator
Krista was raised in Cowen, WV and is currently a student at West Virginia University. Ms. White serves as our Director of Recovery Housing & Intern Coordinator, and Charleston staff manager. She is the mother to her daughter Brittany, and now a grandmother. Krista managed a 16-bed halfway house, and a 10 apartment complex women and children’s residence in Charleston WV, for women struggling with substance use disorders. She is now a certified Peer Recovery Support Specialist, certified naloxone trainer, is active in her recovery community, and participates in various initiatives to improve substance use disorder services across our state. Krista is also a person in long term recovery.
JOE MYTRO, B.S., PR | Business Services Manager
Joe is a certified recovery coach and peer mentor specialist in West Virginia. He graduated from Mountain State University with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. Prior to joining Ascension Recovery Services, Joe worked at a 28-day inpatient treatment facility in West Virginia and has run multiple sober living homes in the state. He is the Men’s Program Director for the West Virginia Sober Living house in Morgantown, West Virginia. He is father to three children, Jonah, Amber and Autumn and grandfather to three young boys, Tatum, Hawkin and Maximus. Joe is also a person in long-term recovery.
JENN DOWNEY | Peers Manager, Charleston
Jennifer was born and raised in Morgantown, WV. She is a mother of three wonderful children, two boys and one girl in which are all teenagers. She is the women’s house manager for West Virginia Sober Living in Kanawha County, Charleston area for women who struggle with substance use disorder, and she is our Lead PRC in Charleston for WV PEERS, she is currently working toward her certification to become a Peer Recovery Support Specialist. She is a person in long term recovery and remains active in her recovery, as well as the local recovery community.
RUSSELL WYATT | Peers Manager, Morgantown
Russell is a West Virginia Native and a person in long term recovery. He is a Certified Peer Recovery Support Specialist. He has a burning passion for helping others find and maintain recovery and is deeply embedded within the local recovery community himself. Russell has worked in multiple roles as a PRSS. He currently manages WV Peers here in Morgantown and leads a team of peers for the Monongalia County quick response team. He also helps train and mentor peer coaches throughout our state. He is a proud father of four and loves spending time with his family. Beyond that he enjoys softball, fantasy football, and traveling to new places.
TORY WATRING | Peer Recovery Support Specialist
Tory is a WV native and a person in long-term recovery. She is certified as a Peer Recovery Support Specialist. Tory’s role as a peer has given her experience within the emergency room department, as well as public outreach and currently in a peer recovery role on the Mon County Quick Response team. Tory’s passion for recovery steams from being a previous program participant of WVSL. Tory enjoys Yankees baseball, going to the beach, and spending time with her close friends. She also loves spending time with her children and family.
CHRIS ARTHURS | Mental Health Counselor
Chris Arthurs was born and raised in Morgantown, West Virginia; he holds a master’s degree in Clinical
Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling from West Virginia University. Chris has years of
experience working with individuals with substance use disorder and co-occurring mental health
conditions. He focuses on working with vulnerable, marginalized, and stigmatized populations regardless
of their socioeconomic status. Additionally, Chris has completed education on substance use disorder and
is pursuing advanced alcohol and drug counselor certification. Mr. Arthurs’s goals include becoming an
impactful advocate for the recovery movement. Chris has training in multiple modalities, including
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Motivational
Interviewing, Dialectic Behavioral Therapy (DBT), and Solution Focused Brief Interventions (SFBI).
Chris also identifies as a person in long-term recovery.
GEROD BUCKHALTER | Peer Recovery Support Specialist
Gerod Buckhalter is a person in long term recovery and was the first recipient of deep brain stimulation for addiction treatment in the United States. Gerod has been awarded a Global Challenge coin (highest possible honor) from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. He is currently working towards his Peer Recovery Support Specialist Certification. Gerod helps set up treatment plans with residents and assists the Men’s program director as needed. In his free time, he enjoys exercising and playing men’s softball. He is a diehard Pittsburgh Steelers fan and a Nittany Lion at heart.
STEPHANIE KLEMP | Peer Recovery Support Specialist
Stephanie Klemp, originally from Northern California, is now a resident of Morgantown, West Virginia. She is a certified Peer Recovery Support Specialist. Peer Mentorship started her recovery journey as a program participant of West Virginia Sober Living. Having served as a peer leader in the program, she polished skills in peer accountability and conflict resolution and now works with the women in Morgantown’s women’s home to help the women find their path of recovery and wellness. Ms. Klemp also works with the Mon County Health Department’s Quick Response Team, Collegiate Recovery, Chess Health, and WVU Medicine. Stephanie is in the Professional Social Work program at West Virginia University with completed minors in Addiction Studies, Human Services, and Communications. She is an active member of Morgantown’s local recovery community and has a passion for helping others, she has dedicated her life to long-term recovery.
ELIZABETH FARR | Peer Recovery Coach
Elizabeth Farr is from Lester, WV, and a person in long term recovery. She was our first program participant in Charleston & now works with us as a Recovery Coach in our Charleston location. She is currently working towards her Peer Recovery Support Specialist certification. She is deeply passionate about helping persons experiencing homelessness and substance use disorder. She enjoys spending time with her mom, brother, sister-in-law, niece, and uncle. She is active in the local recovery community and is a wonderful example of all the gifts recovery can give.
BEVERLY SADLER | Peer Recovery Support Specialist
Beverly was born and raised in Morehead City, North Carolina but has lived in West Virginia for nearly 20 years. She is a Peer Recovery Support Specialist for West Virginia Sober Living. She has achieved certification and participated in community outreach to reduce the stigma surrounding addiction. As a person in long-term recovery from substance abuse, she is active in the local recovery community and loves helping any new face she meets.
CRAIG HARSH | Peer Recovery Support Specialist
Craig is a Morgantown, WV native and person in long-term recovery. He is a certified Peer Recovery Support Specialist (PRSS). Craig brings with him experience from a variety of jobs, from customer service and hospitality, to providing care for people with developmental disorders and traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). He was an active volunteer at a local drop-in center and has been an active participant in community engagement events both in his personal time and at work. When he is not working, he spends his time working on his own recovery, exploring and expanding his music collection, and hunting his next favorite cup of coffee.
GREG HOLCOMB | Peer Recovery Coach
TEISHA PRIM | Peer Recovery Support Specialist
AMBER CUNNINGHAM | Sober Living House Manager
Bio Coming Soon
ERIK LINK | Sober Living House Manager
Bio Coming Soon
ALLEN YOUNG | Sober Living House Manager
Allen Young is the house manager of 206 Spruce Street in Morgantown, West Virginia and a full-time essential employee at Mon Health Medical Center. Allen is a person in long term recovery and working to complete his Peer Recovery Support Specialist Certification. He is extremely passionate about helping others achieve long term sobriety and hopes to fulfill his dream of working in the field of recovery full time. In his spare time, you can find Allen building models, watching the Cleveland Browns, or spending time with his family.