About Us
Advancing Recovery. Changing Systems.
At Recovery Alliance Project (RAP), we believe recovery is more than overcoming substance use—it is about rebuilding lives, restoring hope, and creating communities where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.
Founded to address critical gaps in recovery support, particularly for individuals returning to the community after incarceration, RAP provides peer-led services that meet people where they are. We understand that recovery does not happen in isolation. It happens through connection, support, opportunity, and belonging.
As a Recovery Community Organization (RCO), we offer non-clinical, relationship-centered services rooted in lived experience. Our work focuses on empowering individuals, strengthening recovery capital, and reducing barriers that often stand in the way of long-term success.
Our Mission
To advance recovery through advocacy, peer support, and services that empower individuals and strengthen communities.
Our Vision
We envision communities where recovery is embraced, stigma is eliminated, and equitable access to recovery resources exists for all.
What Makes Us Different
Recovery Alliance Project is built on the belief that lived experience is a powerful catalyst for change. Our peer-led approach creates authentic connections, fosters trust, and helps individuals navigate challenges with support from people who understand the journey firsthand.
Through recovery coaching, peer support groups, community engagement, reentry navigation, and wellness-focused programming, we help individuals build the tools, relationships, and confidence needed to sustain recovery and achieve their goals.
Our Commitment to Community
We are committed to creating a recovery ecosystem that is inclusive, culturally responsive, and accessible. By partnering with community organizations, employers, reentry programs, and recovery advocates, we work to strengthen support networks and create pathways to housing, employment, wellness, and long-term recovery success.
Our Core Values
Empowerment
We help individuals reclaim their voice, purpose, and direction in recovery.
Respect
We foster environments grounded in dignity, compassion, and belonging.
Accountability
We operate with integrity, transparency, and responsibility to those we serve.
Advocacy
We challenge barriers and work toward systems that support recovery for all.
Community
We believe healing happens through meaningful connection—with people, culture, and place.
Building a Future Where Recovery Thrives
Recovery Alliance Project exists to create lasting change—not only for individuals, but for families, neighborhoods, and entire communities. Every connection made, every barrier removed, and every life strengthened brings us closer to a future where recovery is visible, valued, and supported at every level.
Interim Executive Director
Interim Executive Director
Michelle Ryder is a mission-driven community engagement professional and collaborative leader with over two decades of experience spanning recovery advocacy, public service, and operational management. Throughout her career, Michelle has been a passionate champion for individuals and families impacted by substance use disorder, trauma, and systemic barriers, consistently working to advance equity, dignity, and sustainable recovery-oriented systems of care.
Most recently, Michelle has served her community in key public governance and legislative roles, including as a Trustee for the Grand Blanc Township Board and as a Legislative Assistant within the Genesee County Board of Commissioners. In these capacities, she has masterfully navigated policy development, budget coordination, and strategic partnerships, acting as a vital liaison between government agencies, healthcare providers, and community stakeholders to improve public health outcomes and expand access to resources.
Michelle’s leadership is deeply rooted in both professional expertise and lived experience. As the former Board Chair for Serenity House Communities, she provided strategic governance and oversight to expand recovery-focused programming, drive fundraising initiatives, and foster organizational growth. Her background also includes extensive operational leadership, having spent years as a Director of Operations, where she managed organizational workflows, compliance, human resources, and budget tracking while building accountable, compassionate teams.
A recognized voice in advocacy, Michelle sits on the Genesee County Opioid Steering Committee, contributing to crucial strategies surrounding overdose prevention, stigma reduction, and equitable care accessibility. She is a skilled public speaker on addiction recovery and community resilience, uniquely adept at balancing rigorous operational oversight with a deeply empathetic, mission-first approach. As Interim Executive Director, Michelle brings the strategic vision, administrative acumen, and community-centered focus necessary to guide the organization forward and deepen its impact.
Founder & Director of Strategy
Founder & Director of Strategy
Tara Moreno-Wallen is a nationally recognized recovery advocate, nonprofit leader, and systems-change strategist dedicated to expanding access to recovery support services and strengthening recovery communities.
With more than a decade of leadership experience in the recovery field, Tara has built and led innovative, peer-driven programs that bridge gaps between treatment, recovery, reentry, and community support. As the founding Executive Director of a Recovery Community Organization, she successfully stewarded approximately $1.7 million in public and private funding, developed sustainable recovery support programs, and helped establish peer services as an essential component of the continuum of care.
Tara's work is grounded in the belief that recovery is possible for everyone and that communities thrive when people with lived experience are empowered to lead. Her expertise spans recovery community organization development, peer workforce advancement, advocacy, grant development, organizational leadership, and systems transformation.
She has received national recognition for her leadership and impact, including being named Advocate of the Year by Faces & Voices of Recovery. Throughout her career, she has championed recovery-friendly policies, expanded peer recovery support services, and worked to reduce stigma while increasing opportunities for individuals and families affected by substance use and mental health challenges.
As Founder and Director of Strategy of Recovery Alliance Project, Tara is focused on building a community-led recovery infrastructure that advances equity, strengthens recovery capital, and creates meaningful pathways to hope, healing, and long-term recovery.
"Recovery is more than surviving—it's about building a life filled with purpose, connection, and possibility."
Board Chair
Board Chair
Theresa Roach blends deeply personal lived experience with over 15 years of professional expertise in community well-being. Guided by a passion for healing, Theresa has dedicated her career to creating spaces and programming that support mental and emotional health. Her diverse credentials include certifications in trauma-informed yoga and social-emotional learning, mindfulness instruction, and facilitating for the Search Inside Yourself Leadership Institute (SIYLI). As an ACEs Community Champion, Theresa’s work has left a profound mark on Flint and Genesee County. By championing mindfulness and trauma-informed care, she empowers local residents to navigate life's challenges, heal from substance use and trauma, and build deeply connected communities.
Board Secretary
Board Secretary
Julie Hall is a dedicated nonprofit professional, strategic leader, and a woman in long-term recovery who uses her lived experience to drive meaningful community change. Currently serving as the Grant Writer for Carriage Town Ministries, Julie secures vital funding to support the organization’s mission of serving those in need.
In addition to her work in human services, Julie is the Co-Founder and Director of Advancement and Strategic Partnerships for Outreach Optical, an initiative she proudly launched alongside her father, a practicing optometrist. In this role, she drives growth and builds community partnerships to expand access to essential vision care.
Julie’s personal journey informs her deep commitment to recovery and community wellness. She has a rich history of advocacy and board service, having previously served as the Board Secretary for Serenity House Communities (2016–2017) and contributing her financial oversight skills as the Treasurer for the Recovery Alliance Project. Through all her endeavors, Julie remains dedicated to breaking barriers and creating sustainable, impactful support systems for others.