Non-Profit and Recovery from Addiction Expert, Leader & Advocate
Passionate about creating a more effective and sustainable landscape for recovery community organizations, Patrick is dedicated to enhancing the lives of those affected by addiction and shaping the future of recovery. His commitment to people, community, funding mechanisms, and advancing recovery systems of care has significantly influenced both the current and future landscape of state recovery efforts, resulting in more solutions and resources for individuals living in or seeking recovery from addiction.
Patrick was hired as the Executive Director at BWROC – Blue Water Recovery & Outreach Center on October 24, 2018. In this role, he oversees the organization and is responsible for fund development. In addition to his role with MARCO, he serves as Vice Chair of the Michigan Opioid Advisory Commission, and Vice President/Treasurer of the East Shore Leadership Academy.
Before joining BWROC, Mr. Patterson spent 10 years at Freedom One Financial Group, Michigan’s largest independent 401(k) provider, where he served as the Financial Services Manager.
Mr. Patterson co-authored Michigan’s first recovery support services bill in 2018, which was enhanced in 2020. Patrick is a dedicated state advocate for addiction recovery and advisor to local non-profits. Patrick earned his BA in Business from Western Michigan University in 2003.
Outside of work, Patrick takes great pride in his daughter. They enjoy watching and playing sports, helping others, and growing together.
Tara Moreno-Wallen, M.A., ADS, is the founder & executive director of the recovery community organization Serenity House Communities in the heart of Flint, Michigan with a satellite program in Lapeer, Michigan. She also holds a master’s degree in composition and rhetoric from the University of Michigan and a Bachelor’s in Telecommunications from Michigan State University. She is a certified Usui Reiki master teacher, developer of Recovery Reiki®, and a certified Acudetox Specialist. Tara is also the CEO of Green Tara Holistics, LLC, an organization that houses her training & co-owner of New Earth Recovery Housing, LLC. Tara has worked with thousands of people to facilitate healing their healing process as it pertains to addiction, codependency, and trauma.
In addition to her healing work, she is experienced in non-profit board development and recruitment, strategic planning, and budget crafting and implementation. She has worked on projects for the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) & Faces & Voices of Recovery. Tara sits on the Genesee Health System SUD Advisory Council and serves as MARCO’s secretary.
Co-Owner and Clinical Director for Wellness, InX, Chair of the Board, Michigan Association of Recovery Community Organizations, Founder Lifeboat Addiction Recovery Services RCO and Ministry Director for EHM’s Angie’s Place Recovery Home. She has a PhD from Michigan State University, a Master of Divinity from Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary and a master’s in counseling from Spring Arbor University. She is a Kirschstein Postdoctoral Fellow from the University of California, Berkeley and served as a researcher at the Alcohol Research Group. She is a Beatrice Paolucci Scholar, Michigan State University as well. She is a Nationally Certified Peer Support Specialist and a Prevention Specialist. Her work over the years has taken her into hospitals, jails, streets, and mental health settings. She has worked, studied, and designed programs both face to face and virtually with and for many at-risk populations. Why does she do all this? Her most important achievement, for which all this is possible – 21 years of continuous recovery from alcohol and amphetamines – proving to all that recovery works!!
Brenda Maks, President / Founder Live Rite Recovery Corp Brenda Maks, ABA, BBA, CPRM(Certified Peer Recovery Mentor), CPI Instructor, Paralegal, Peer Recovery Coach Facilitator, Licensed Realtor and Entrepreneur. She is a person that has been in long term recovery for over 25 years while mentoring women in recovery. In 2012, Before founding Live Rite Structured Recovery Corp in 2016, Brenda established Live Rite Recovery Homes, for men and women in recovery, in Macomb County. Since then, her business has grown along with her outreach into the community of people seeking recovery and education.
