Kristen Harper
M.Ed.
Kristen Harper, M.Ed. is a nationally recognized leader in behavioral health and recovery support services with nearly two decades of experience advancing policy, funding, and workforce development. She served as a Public Health Advisor and Special Assistant in SAMHSA’s Office of Recovery, where she elevated the role of the peer workforce, embedded recovery-oriented principles across the agency, and advanced harm reduction policy. Prior to that, she was a Government Project Officer (GPO) in SAMHSA’s Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP), managing national prevention grants and serving as a Special Advisor on harm reduction initiatives.
Kristen’s career has spanned higher education, nonprofit leadership, and national technical assistance. She was the Founding Director of the Center for Addiction Recovery at Georgia Southern University, Executive Director of the Association of Recovery Schools, and a Recovery Specialist at C4 Innovations, contributing to the BRSS TACS and Opioid Response Network initiatives. She has secured millions in funding for organizations and programs that expand access to peer recovery services and harm reduction support.
A 2021 Innovation to Impact Fellow at Yale University and active member of Georgetown University’s Recovery Policy Collaborative, Kristen is dedicated to strengthening the peer workforce and advancing equitable, recovery-oriented systems of care.
Join us for a powerful and inspiring closing keynote session that brings together two influential voices in the mental health and substance use recovery peer movement:
Former Director of SAMHSA’s Office of Recovery, Paolo del Vecchio and Special Assistant, Kristen Harper will explore the rich history, dynamic present, and bold future of peer support, with a special focus on unifying our collective efforts across mental health and substance use fields regardless of service setting.
In this unique keynote format, Kristen will engage Paolo—longtime advocate, national leader, and pioneer in the recovery movement—in a candid conversation that draws on their shared commitment to advancing peer-led services and systems transformation. Together, they will reflect on the evolution of the peer movement, highlighting pivotal moments, policy milestones, and grassroots efforts that have shaped the landscape we navigate today.
This session will not be a one-way presentation. It will be an invitation to interact with Paolo and Kristen and the audience. Participants will gain deeper insights into the challenges and opportunities facing the peer workforce, especially at the intersection of mental health and substance use. The discussion will address the historical silos that have often divided our efforts and examine how a unified, person-centered approach can strengthen outcomes and promote greater inclusion, equity, and impact across the system of care.
As the conversation unfolds, Paolo and Kristen will offer practical recommendations for peer specialists, organizational leaders, and system advocates looking to build a more integrated and empowered workforce, while also reviewing the current Administration's policies that could impact the future of peer support. They will discuss how peer roles can be elevated, how values like mutuality and lived experience can remain central in evolving systems, and how to ensure that peer support continues to drive meaningful changes in people’s lives.
Key themes will include:
The origins and trajectory of the peer support movement
Strategies to bridge the divide between mental health and substance use peer work
Policy and system-level changes needed to advance workforce integration
The importance of leadership, advocacy, and cultural humility in peer practice
A call to action for unifying around a person-centered, trauma-informed approach
Whether you are a seasoned peer professional, a new advocate, or a system leader committed to recovery values, this closing keynote will leave you with renewed energy.
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3:00pm - 4:00pm
SLC Navesink
Closing Keynote