Our Staff

Suzie Walker

Executive Director

Suzie is a woman in long-term recovery who describes herself as an accidental nonprofit director. She transitioned from educational publishing to the peer-recovery field after becoming captivated by the work of supporting people seeking or maintaining recovery from problematic substance use and collaborating to promote healing in the community.

Her personal recovery and her family’s recovery give her a deep sense of kinship with this work. A temporary role as interim director led to 14 years of deep involvement in Vermont’s peer-recovery community. Suzie became a leader in statewide recovery-related initiatives, including advocating at the State House, speaking with the media, securing and managing grants, developing and documenting training and other materials to bolster peer work, and became a certified recovery coach.

Suzie later joined Faces & Voices of Recovery as a curriculum development specialist focusing on workforce development tools for peer-recovery specialists and leaders. In 2022, Suzie received a Lifetime Achievement Award from Recovery Vermont for her “dedication, passion, and leadership in recovery.”

Suzie enjoys hiking, quilting, reading, traveling, especially to Texas (Go, Horned Frogs!), art and music, and spending time with her dear ones, including her feline beasties. She also serves on the board of directors for the Brattleboro Museum & Art Center, a museum deeply connected with the community and its needs, and the Brattleboro Housing Partnership, an organization that seeks to ensure quality affordable housing opportunities for lower-income households.

Allie Mullin

Information Specialist

Allie Mullin is a graduate of Northern Vermont University with a bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies, with a focus in Human Services. As the Program Director and Aftercare Coordinator for a resident treatment facility in Vermont, she helped young adults navigate their mental illness by developing coping skills with a final goal of successfully living alone or going to college. Also, for years she has worked as a caregiver for the elderly. Allie is committed to bringing all communities the care and support they need. In her spare time, she knits scarves during the holiday season for veterans. From hiking to fishing to gardening/foraging and everything in between and beyond – she loves it all!

Amanda Nevius

Director of Development – Grants and Deputy Director

Amanda was born and raised in Windsor County but now lives in Boston where she moved for school and work. After completing her Masters, she worked for just over 10 years in academic health sciences libraries where she honed her research and writing skills. As a person in long-term recovery herself, she’s excited to be pivoting into grant writing for the nonprofit recovery community. In her free time, she reviews books, writes speculative fiction and poetry, gardens, and spends time with her husband and their talkative tortie.

Cielo Phillips

Fundraising Manager

Cielo was born and raised in Vermont and began her passion for recovery when she got sober from alcohol in 2019, just before the COVID pandemic. Cielo is driven, compassionate, and determined, with a heart to help others in all aspects of life. For the last 12 years, she has been an LNA and taking care of special needs adults who have lived in her home. She also is a mother to three young children. Cielo’s passion for fundraising started with animals and animal rescue groups over a decade ago. She has helped raise over $25,000 for different animal groups. She has 7 senior and special needs dogs and has a small chicken farm. This led Cielo to become our Fundraising Manager due to her passion for recovery, helping others, and her love for fundraising.