RICARES Staff
Recovery Coach
Wayne Feeley
Operations Director
Denise Howard
Recovery Housing Coordinator
Olivia Jenkins
Olivia Jenkins(they/them) works with RICARES as the Recovery Housing Program Manager and the Recovery Housing Inspector for the state of Rhode Island. Olivia is the Vice President of the board for 2nd Act, a national theater company that provides educational performances and workshops on addiction and recovery. As a community trainer and Certified Peer Recovery Specialist they are an active member of the SUD support and recovery communities. In partnership with NARR (Nation Alliance of Recovery Residences), their focus on LGBTQ advocacy in the recovery community is currently impacting the landscape of recovery housing.
Program Director
Ian Knowles
Ian lives in rural Rhode Island and is in long term recovery from his addiction to alcohol and other drugs. He has worked in the substance use disorder field as direct care staff at the state detox unit, a case manager, an alcohol/drug counselor, Administrator of Community Services at the now Department of BHDDH, and Executive Director, now Program Director, at RICARES. He serves on the Executive Committee of the ACLU, the Executive Committee of CODAC, and is an appointed member of the Governor’s Council on Behavioral Health.
Recovery Coach
Kevin Monteiro
Communications Coordinator
Arame Sembene
Executive Director
Sandy Valentine, RCP
Sandy is a person in long-term recovery who is passionate about bringing recovery tools and practice to those seeking and in recovery from substance use disorders, and their families. Prior to joining RICARES, Sandy led the collegiate recovery program at the University of Connecticut, and was awarded the Association of Recovery in Higher Education’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2022 for her efforts. Sandy also brings over 30 years of experience leading operational, learning, and performance consulting teams at the The Hartford Financial Services Group.
A Recovery Coach Professional since 2019, Sandy is also the co-host of the Recovery Matters! podcast, a certified facilitator for CCAR’s Recovery Coach Academy and a member of the International Association of Recovery Coach Professionals (IARCP). A graduate of Eastern Connecticut State University, Sandy is currently pursuing her graduate degree in Social Work at the University of Connecticut.
