Laurie Johnson-Wade is the Co-Founding Director of Lost Dreams Awakening (LDA) Recovery Community Organization (RCO), a 501c3 non-profit in New Kensington, Pennsylvania. Laurie is an Advanced Implementation Specialist (AIS) with the Opioid Response Network (ORN); a Steering Committee Member for the Peer Recovery Center of Excellence Workforce Development; an adjunct faculty member of Faces and Voices Recovery Training Institute (RTI);
Laurie is a Certified Behavioral Consultant (CBC), a Certified Recovery Specialist (CRS); a Recovery Support Supervisor (RSS); a Forensic Peer Specialist (FPS); a Recovery Coach Professional (RCP); and has a degree in Health Administration.Laurie brings over 31 years of lived recovery experience (Established May 30, 1991), to the revolutionary and rewarding work of Recovery Support Services and Recovery Coaching.
Laurie is a trainer of the CCAR Recovery Coach Academy and Ethical Considerations for Recovery Coaches; a facilitator of the PA Family Support Alliance (PFSA) Recovering Families Program, and the PROACT Family Education Series. Laurie was named the 2020 Recovery Advocate of the Year by the Pittsburgh Recovery Walk. Ms. Johnson-Wade serves on the Board of Directors of Faces and Voices of Recovery - Chairing the CAPRSS Committee, as well as serving on the F&V DEI Committee. Laurie is a proud member of Black Faces Black Voices (BFBV) and seeks to integrate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) within all systems of care - spanning Prevention, Treatment, Recovery, and Harm Reduction.
Laurie is the founder of LDA Ubuntu Recovery and LDA Ubuntu Recovery Circles - a recovery pathway, based on the ancient African Philosophy of Ubuntu.
Funding for this initiative was made possible by grant no. 1H79TI083022 from SAMHSA. The views expressed in written conference materials or publications and by speakers and moderators do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services; nor does mention of trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.
