RICARES Staff

Mustafa Ali

Recovery Support Services Assistant

Tiffany Barry

Director of Workforce Development

Tiffany Barry (she/her) is a passionate advocate, educator, and leader currently serving as the Director of Workforce Development at RICARES, joining the team in April 2025. In her role, Tiffany supports statewide workforce initiatives centered on addiction recovery, peer support, and community advocacy. As RICARES transitions from direct services to a more advocacy-focused model, Tiffany leads efforts in training design, curriculum development, and the formation of a statewide Peer Association. Her approach to training is deeply rooted in accessibility and equity—ensuring all participants, regardless of learning style or background, can fully engage and thrive.

Prior to joining the recovery field professionally, Tiffany spent over 15 years in public education. She began her career as a Special Education teacher after earning her B.S. in Elementary and Special Education from Rhode Island College in 2010. Her journey took her from a kindergarten classroom in Rhode Island to coordinating Special Education programs in Wake County Public Schools in North Carolina—the 14th largest district in the U.S.—where she also served as a district-wide trainer, developing and delivering professional development to audiences ranging from groups of 20 to 700. Tiffany later served as a Director of Special Education in Rhode Island, where she led inclusive programming, legal compliance, and instructional design for diverse learners.

Tiffany is a proud Providence native and graduate of Classical High School and Rhode Island College. After more than a decade living and working in North Carolina, she returned home to Rhode Island, where she now resides with her partner and two daughters. A self-described sunshine chaser, she’s always ready for a spontaneous weekend getaway and is an avid sports fan who enjoys playing and watching basketball in her free time.

While new to the recovery field by profession, Tiffany is a longtime Recovery Ally with deeply personal ties to addiction through her immediate family. Her work is grounded in a firm belief in human dignity, inclusivity, and the importance of meeting people where they are. She champions multiple pathways to recovery and centers the voices of people in recovery in all advocacy efforts. Whether in the classroom or the community, Tiffany’s mission remains the same: to foster growth, empowerment, and opportunity for every individual she serves.

James Freeman

Recovery Housing Specialist

Email: jfreeman@ricares.org

James Freeman Jr. (he/him) brings a decade of experience in youth development, mentorship, and advocacy into his work at RICARES as a Recovery Housing Specialist. His passion lies in bridging systems with real people, creating opportunities for healing that feel personal—not procedural. With a history of launching community initiatives and mentoring inner-city youth, James views recovery housing as more than shelter— You’ll usually find him in conversations about mental or emotional health, shopping, or getting a lift in at the gym or probably rewatching Inside Out 2.

Tricia Kehl

Membership Engagement Specialist

Email: tkehl@ricares.org

Tricia (she/her) recently relocated from Ohio and brings a background in community behavioral health and community services, with experience in both the nonprofit sector and insurance services. She is passionate about supporting people not just in navigating their recovery journeys, but in truly thriving.

Tricia is honored to be part of an organization that values lived experience, community, and empowerment. Outside of work, she loves exploring new coffee shops and thrift stores, biking, hiking, and curling up with a good book. She’s looking forward to connecting with others and making a meaningful impact here at RICARES!

Stacey Levin

Director of Recovery Housing

Email: slevin@ricares.org

Stacey (she/her) has worked in the community outreach and recovery housing space since 2012. Stacey came to Rhode Island on a work assignment in 2020 from Southern California and immediately knew she was going to relocate. As a person in long term recovery from SUD, Stacey is excited to join RICARES, to use her knowledge to increase access to recovery housing through education and propagation.

In her down time, Stacey is a backyard chicken farmer, avid baker, adoring aunt to four nephews and one niece and cat mom to Chicken Nugget Matzo Ball.

Christopher Lloyd

Recovery Housing Inspector

Email: clloyd@ricares.org

Cassy Setzler

Digital Media Manager

Email: csetzler@ricares.org

Cassy (she/her) is RICARES’ Digital Media Manager. She has been with the team part-time since May 2023, where she utilizes her passions for public health & harm-reduction, health communications, and design to lead RICARES’ social media & web strategy and efforts.

Cassy holds both a Master of Public Health and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology & Human Development and Family Studies from the University of Connecticut. By day, Cassy works full-time in college health, overseeing sexual health and peer education programs. With over 10 years of experience in higher education, she’s also worked extensively in alcohol & other substance education and prevention. In her former role, Cassy was responsible for creating inclusive, evidence-based alcohol and other drug educational workshops, and facilitating BASICS (Brief Alcohol Screening & Intervention for College Students) to help students make decisions around alcohol & substance use.

Cassy is also Certified in Public Health (CPH) and volunteers as Marketing & Communications Coordinator for NASPA, Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education, Wellness & Health Promotion Knowledge Community.

When she’s not working, Cassy enjoys crocheting, collecting vintage clothing, and spending time with her Havanese pup, Pepper.

Sarah Liew

Special Events and Volunteer Program Manager

Email: sliew@ricares.org

Sarah is thrilled to be part of the RICARES team as the Special Events and Volunteer Program Manager. Her day-to-day is all about creating meaningful opportunities for connection—whether that’s organizing community events, supporting volunteer efforts, or just being present for people in recovery. She’s passionate about building spaces that feel welcoming and supportive, and believes in the power of showing up for one another.

Before joining RICARES, Sarah worked in student mentoring, partnership development, and volunteer coordination—experiences that reinforced her belief in the value of relationships and the impact of small acts of care. She has also worked extensively with international students, drawing from her years of living abroad to offer mentorship and support. In addition, Sarah is the founder of a volunteer-run nonprofit focused on tackling litter in the city and beyond, bringing together community members and collaborating with city, state, and nonprofit partners to make a difference.

Outside of work, Sarah enjoys sewing, mushroom hunting, and gardening with her son—they’re always off on some kind of adventure together!

Christa Thomas-Sowers

Director of Recovery Advocacy

Email: csowers@ricares.org

Christa (she/her) is a staunch believer that individuals should be treated with dignity, respect, and that, regardless of the outcomes they seek, people should be seen as human beings first. She believes in working towards equity for historically marginalized communities and acknowledges the deep rifts inherent within in the system which have been allowed to persist and swallow people whole. Her passion for this work is rooted in the loss of people she has loved to preventable, fatal overdose, and a desire to educate people about the communities and resources that may be available to help them in their own journey.

She comes from a background of front-line, “boots on the ground” harm reduction work. She worked with an exceptional team of peers in Woonsocket, RI from 2018-2025, where she was responsible for establishing the Street Outreach team, and helping to open a drop-in center serving anywhere from 60-100+ individuals daily. Through this work, Christa was led, taught, and inspired by people in every phase of their recovery journey.

Christa joined RICARES in April of 2025, and she is thrilled for the opportunity to engage with and amplify the voices of our RI recovery community. She hopes to use her experiences from direct service work to inform policy and provide support for Peer Specialists, people in any stage of recovery, and people who are exploring the idea of recovery, as well as their allies and loved ones.

Outside of work, Christa enjoys spending time in nature, helping to grow flowers and veggies on her partner’s farm in Vermont, being “Auntie Christa” to her sweet niece and nephew, and spending time with family and loved ones. To unwind, she loves curling up with her two tuxedo cats and watching a favorite horror film.

Sandy Valentine

Executive Director

Email: svalentine@ricares.org

Sandy is a person in long-term recovery and who is passionate about bringing recovery tools and practices to those seeking and in recovery from substance use disorders, and their families. As Executive Director of RI Communities for Addiction Recovery Efforts (RICARES), Rhode Island’s recovery community organization, she combines her professional expertise with the wisdom gained from her personal journey and family experiences.

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. With over 30 years of experience leading operational, learning, and performance consulting teams for a Fortune 500 insurance carrier, Sandy brings a wealth of knowledge to her current role.

A Recovery Coach Professional since 2019, Sandy co-hosts the Recovery Matters! podcast, is a certified facilitator for CCAR’s Recovery Coach Academy, and a member of the International Association of Recovery Coach Professionals (IARCP). Sandy earned her masters in social work from the University of Connecticut and is a LCSW in Rhode Island.