Our Team
Kathleen Hawkins, Co-Founder
My name is Kathleen Hawkins and I am a person in long-term recovery. My passion for this project comes from my personal and professional life. I have a Master's in Social Work from Virginia Commonwealth University and a Bachelor's in Social Work from Norfolk State University. I have worked in a variety of settings with families with children. I have worked within the child welfare system, the education system, and in multiple clinical settings.
Many of the people that I love have lived in sober living homes after treatment to support their recovery. While working at an adolescent substance abuse treatment facility, I observed that this was not an option for teens leaving treatment, but one that was desperately needed.
As a social worker, I learned that if the service that people need doesn't exist, you build it.
Ella Peels, Co-Founder
My name is Ella Peels. My drive for this project comes from my confidence in the fact that I would not be in long-term recovery today without sober living and a twelve-step program. It was critical in the maintenance of my own recovery after leaving treatment. I want the resources that I had in early sobriety to be accessible to anybody and at any age.
My passion lies in helping children become strong adults. My work as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (i.e., CASA) helps me to understand the unique challenges of nurturing adolescents with special needs. This work has also deepened my empathy for individuals who have had a rough start to life.
I hold a Bachelor's Degree from St. John's College, and am pursuing a Masters Degree in Clinical Psychology.
I am dedicated to using my experience with this disease and my education to uplift those currently unsupported by our recovery system.
