Meet Our Team

Lisa is a person in long-term recovery from substance use disorder and mental health challenges. She was granted a second chance at life (or maybe third or fourth) and is honored to use this opportunity to help others overcome their challenges. She believes recovery is possible for everyone who has enough desire and willingness to experience discomfort.

Lisa has a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Michigan State University, is a Certified Alcohol and Drug Addiction Consultant, and a Peer Recovery Coach. She enjoys using this training, along with her lived experience, to help Café members discover their own potential for greatness. Her favorite part of her role in the cafe is seeing the light in people that they may not know exist and creating opportunities for them to rediscover that light within themselves and each other. Through School for Recovery courses, members can explore their abilities and interests. Through Café Companion roles, members are given the tools to help others feel heard and loved. Through our Member Leader program, members are promoted to a position of trust and responsibility and given an opportunity to truly shine.

Outside of the cafe, Lisa is a mama to two young children and is married to a fellow person in recovery. She enjoys strong coffee, walks in the woods with her family, and creepy TV shows. She is living a life she once didn’t believe was possible for a person like her. She hopes to show café members that recovery happens when we allow ourselves to be known and loved, one step at a time!

Sean is a person in recovery from mental health challenges, physical health, and substance use.
Sean’s prior experience includes obtaining his CHW/CRS, (Community Health Worker/Certified Recovery Specialist) certification, NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) representative, and MHA (Mental Health America) certification for Mental Health/Addiction certification. Sean graduated from Wes-Del High School in 2003. He was nominated, and attended, the National Youth Leadership forum on Medicine at Northwestern University, earned Academic Honors in Architecture, and A.P. English and A.P. Biology. Sean earned a radio broadcasting diploma after high school and did his internship at HOT 107.9 in Ft. Wayne. Sean then graduated from the Men’s Home School of Discipleship in Rockford, IL, and is now attending Indiana Wesleyan University for his Associates of Science in Human Services.
Prior to working at Recovery Cafe Muncie, Sean says, he was blessed to have the opportunity to start as a guest, become a Café Companion, become a Member Leader, then a Senior Member Leader. He was then promoted again to the position of Chair of the Member Advisory Board and through the course of over two years. He is now honored to hold a staff position at the Recovery Café Muncie!
Sean’s full mental health and physical health diagnosis includes Pschizo-Affective disorder with PTSD, Neuropathy from the waist down (most likely from an old sports injury), and substance use disorder of alcohol. Sean sees these challenges as motivational tools to connect with others in a way that is understanding and promotes ones “best self,” “higher self,” and “true self.” Sean believes we can conquer the “darkness” with “light,” and he is honored to help others by Motivating, Empowering, Navigating, and helping them Discover their life of freedom and “true self.”
Sean says that authenticity is a value that drives him in a few ways. Firstly, it requires openness and honesty with oneself. Secondly, it allows others to see you in a genuine way. Authenticity can be nerve racking and completely freeing at the same time. Authenticity holds yourself accountable to yourself. Sometimes, the flaw is with the man in the mirror.
Sean believes that the work he does is amazing because of the people he gets to work with. Being able to help, serve, work and even protect others is a satisfying payment, but now he gets paid to do what he loves… 😊 Seeing the Cafe’s members grow, develop, and become their higher self, motivates Sean to hold himself at a higher standard as well. Promoting health and supporting life is a calling for Sean, and there is no better place to start than with his own people.
Outside of work, Sean works with individuals from Courtside Ministries at the Delaware County Rehabilitation Center, he enjoys sci-fi movies, and loves to zone out and jam to music (when he isn’t doing homework). Sean enjoys learning about Quantum Physics and how life operates. Sean is also the on-call Mental Health Coach for FHR Racing, which is a 501 (c) non-profit for youth via Motocross.
Sean’s words of encouragement for new and current members of Recovery Café is, “Stay strong. The battle starts within the mind. Before you “did it,” you “thought it.” Re-framing your brain to think differently can be a life-long challenge. However, with time and effort, you will build your resilience and your true self will conquer the challenges before you and you will be victories. So, stay strong, you got this. Find you.”

Abby is in recovery from substance use, trauma, and mental health challenges. She hit her lowest point mentally while studying in college. With the help of her family, Abby addressed her issues by starting her recovery at the Safe Harbor Behavioral Health Crisis Center where she learned coping skills, was provided the right medications, but most importantly, she was able to learn self-respect and self-love again.

Abby graduated from Mercyhurst University with her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and is currently completing a master’s program for School Counseling. After graduation, Abby moved from Pennsylvania to Muncie to continue her self exploration. With this, Abby discovered the Recovery Cafe Muncie through a previous co-worker. It didn’t take very long for Abby to fall in love with her job, because it didn’t feel like a job at the Cafe. Being able to spend time with people from different walks of life is one of Abby’s favorite aspects of her job. She loves seeing the members and guests connect through each other’s unique stories, because at the end of the day, we are all just trying to feel loved and live a happy life.

Outside of work, Abby loves spending time with her fiancé, family, friends, and her Golden Retriever, Aspen. Going to the gym, trying new foods, traveling, and attending concerts are some of Abby’s favorite hobbies.

Abby’s encouragement for new and current members of the Cafe are: “When a flower doesn’t bloom, you fix the environment in which it grows, not the flower.” Especially in recovery, it’s so important to acknowledge what your triggers are, and sometimes you need that change to take place with the people, places, and things that you surround yourself with. The Recovery Cafe Muncie respects the recovery journey, and you will always find people that love and support your full story, journey, and goals.