Shelly Dimitrijevic

Shelly Dimitrijevic’s professional and philanthropic activities have always focused on improving the lives of others. She began her nursing career at Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital in St. Louis and went on to become a LifeFlight nurse specializing in neonatal, pediatric, and cardiovascular intensive care.

Shelly has been involved with numerous charities focusing on children and education including the Charlee and the Chocolate Factory gala, The Venus Orbit, Design For A Cure, Jackson Memorial, and Impact Oasis. In 2010 she founded the Lotus program, a program that focused on educating parents on the nutritional needs of children and basic child development. Shelly also served on the Frost Science Museum gala committee for 7 years before Co-Chairing the event in 2015.

After a diagnosis of Celiac disease and subsequently receiving Certification as a Nutritional Consultant, Shelly recognized that topically applied products have an effect on her Celiac Disease and overall health. She turned her focus to developing skincare that was free of toxic and hormone-disrupting ingredients.

Since she lost her only sibling in 2012 Shelly has been determined to find a way to contribute to the recovery community in a way that can make a great impact and ensure that others have the resources necessary when they are struggling.

Shelly’s substantial contributions to SHE RECOVERS of both time and resources have been instrumental and deeply appreciated.

Kirsten Newquist

As a result of being introduced to SHE RECOVERS through retreats and meet-ups, Kirsten will be starting her yoga teacher training in the fall. These retreats also led her to become more deeply involved with SHE RECOVERS in a volunteer capacity. Kirsten was instrumental in setting up some of the Foundation’s grassroots groups and currently volunteers her time helping SHE RECOVERS Foundation to design and implement the Volunteer Chapter Network.

Kirsten and her husband recently moved from Southern California to Roswell, Georgia to be closer to Kirsten’s sister and two young nieces. When she isn’t spending time being an aunt, you can find Kirsten hanging out with their rescue Labrador or exploring their new state.

Mary Beth O’Connor, BA, JD

BOARD MEMBER AT LARGE
she / her

In addition to being a board member, Mary Beth is a founding member of SHE RECOVERS Support for Legal Professionals and is active at the local level with SHE RECOVERS in the Bay Area. Mary Beth has been living a sober life in recovery since 1994. She has a history of trauma and abuse, from which she’s worked hard to recover as well. Six years into her recovery, Mary Beth attended Berkeley Law. She worked at a large firm in Silicon Valley, then litigated class actions for the federal government. In 2014 Mary Beth was appointed an Administrative Law Judge, from which she retired in 2020.

Mary Beth’s award-winning memoir, From Junkie to Judge: One Woman’s Triumph Over Trauma and Addiction, was published in 2023. She also writes opinion pieces, such as I Beat Addiction without God for the Wall Street Journal and I was a federal judge, and I support Safehouse. Here’s why for the Philadelphia Inquirer. Mary Beth advocates about multiple topics related to trauma, substance use disorder, and recovery. She has appeared on television, radio, and podcasts; speaks at conferences and other events; and trains judges, attorneys, and medical professionals.

Taryn Strong, RYT, CPRC

FOUNDER AND BOARD VICE-CHAIR
she / her

Taryn Strong is co-founder of the SHE RECOVERS® Foundation and a Certified Recovery Coach, Somatic Coach, and Trauma-Informed Yoga Teacher. Her work is grounded in the belief that healing must include the body.

Through somatic practices, Taryn supports others in reconnecting with their bodies, releasing patterns shaped by trauma and survival, and expanding their capacity to feel embodied, present, and alive. This approach is deeply personal, rooted in her own recovery and reconnection after years of disconnection.

She is also a Certified Aromatherapist, AromaPsychologist, Botanical Perfumer, and Community Herbalist, with a deep respect for the emotional and psychological power of scent.

Teaching yoga since 2007, Taryn has hosted over 60 women’s recovery retreats, presented internationally, and co-taught with leading voices in the field of behavioral health. She currently leads the SHE RECOVERS Trauma-Informed Yoga Instructor Certification, SHE RECOVERS Embodiment Studio, and SHE RECOVERS Podcast.

Susan Carter

CEO
she / her

I am recovering from:
Alcohol use disorder, codependency, disordered eating.

The Identity-based group I belong to:
Chronic pain & auto-immune disorder, healthcare & allied professionals.

My personal definition of recovery:
My personal definition of recovery is the continual process of expanding my awareness to grow spiritually, mentally, and physically enhancing my life-long journey to wholeness.

What led me to SHE RECOVERS:
A desire to give back what I have been so graciously given that has led to an amazing life of sustained recovery and spiritual growth. I truly believe that every moment in my life has led me here. One of my favorite stories to share is how I came to find SHE RECOVERS – or rather, how they found me. In short, it involves a spark of curiosity over coffee and a remarkable moment at a SHE RECOVERS Conference that changed the trajectory of my life both professionally and spiritually. You can hear all about it here.

Why I love being a part of this team:
It brings me immense joy to work alongside such smart, passionate and committed colleagues and volunteers. I learn so much from them. Not a day goes by where I am not deeply inspired by this team and community.

Those that know me best might describe me as:
Tenacious, resourceful, and loving.

How these qualities show up in my everyday life:
Love is the foundation for all my thoughts and actions, I am resourceful when confronted with a challenge, and I am tenacious like a “dog with a bone” – I’ll never stop chasing the dream.

Something unique you may not already know about me:
I have four kidneys and a double bladder. I have vitiligo, an auto-immune disease that destroys or suppresses pigment producing cells on the skin.

Something I am most proud of is…
Launching a global nonprofit for women in or seeking recovery from all things.

Radical self-care look for me looks like:
Being mindful of ease and learning to pause. And, pampering myself with modalities that foster a healthy body, a clear mind, a pure spirit, and service to others.

What I wanted to be when I grew up:
An artist.

Something that is inspiring me right now:
Supporting people to find, create, and nurture a relationship with the God / Creator / Higher Power of their understanding.

The SHE RECOVERS Intention & Guiding Principle resonating the most with me right now is…
Connection is our sole (soul) purpose. We’re stronger together.

My favorite SHE RECOVERS resource is…
The SHE RECOVERS Together Online Group where connection, support, and empowerment is available 24 / 7.

SRF Blogs I’ve authored:
sherecovers.org/a-peek-behind-the-curtain/

Dawn Nickel, PhD, CPRC, SRCD

ACTING CEO, CO-FOUNDER & BOARD CHAIR

she / her

I am recovering from:
Substance use, trauma including sexual assault, intimate partner violence, codependency, anxiety, and workaholism.

The identity-based group(s) I am a part of:
Healthcare & allied professional, cancer survivor, mature woman.

My personal definition of recovery:
It changes often, but these days my definition of recovery is simply that recovery is a lifelong journey of healing. I think that not having a solid, static definition is a good thing. It opens the door to empower us all to create individualized and diverse definitions for our own recovery, and it’s a reminder that recovery differs across populations, cultures, and settings.

What led me to SHE RECOVERS:
Taryn and I talk about SHE RECOVERS being our ‘accidental movement.’ So not sure what led me here other than a true desire to create a connective, supportive, and empowering space for women to think / talk about and experience recovery.

Why I love being a part of this team:
I want to leave behind a legacy of hope for women in or seeking recovery.

Those that know me best might describe me as:
Grateful, curious, and a survivor.

How these qualities show up in my everyday life:
I believe that I pass recovery on to express my gratitude, and I call upon my curiosity to figure out what else I can do to support women in recovery. Oh, and I have survived a few near death experiences including surviving cancer.

Something unique you may not already know about me:
I really dislike cilantro.

Something I am most proud of:
My daughters, more than anything.

Radical self-care look for me looks like:
Rest, hanging with other women in recovery, walking in fresh air, reading novels, long hot baths, and sweet, milky tea.

What I wanted to be when I grew up:
An actress.

Something that is inspiring me right now:
The women working or volunteering to help grow SRF.

The SHE RECOVERS Intention & Guiding Principle resonating the most with me right now is…
We are all recovering from something. It all started there!

My favorite SHE RECOVERS resource is…
Definitely the SHE RECOVERS Together Online Gatherings – they are such an amazing display of everything that we are about. Volunteerism and support, vulnerability, celebration, and information.

A few of the SRF Blogs I’ve authored:
https://sherecovers.org/recovering-from-intimate-partner-violence/
https://sherecovers.org/dear-women-in-twelve-step-programs/
https://sherecovers.org/we-are-all-recovering-from-something/
https://sherecovers.org/when-your-mother-dies/
https://sherecovers.org/do-you-know-what-workaholism-looks-like/

Want to support SHE RECOVERS® and help fuel our mission to redefine recovery, inspire hope, end stigma, and empower women and nonbinary folks who identify with women’s communities to increase their recovery capital, heal themselves, and help other women do that same?

You can make a difference while having FUN!

We’re excited to announce our goal of raising $100,000 by the end of 2025 to invest in our mission and the incredible women we serve. Your participation as a FUNdraiser in Canada or the US can make a real impact.

By starting a FUNdraising campaign — such as WILD — you’ll be helping us extend our reach to more women in or seeking recovery, just like you, while sustaining our vital programming and ensuring it remains accessible to all.

Become a FUNdraiser

SHE RECOVERS FUNdraisers are independently hosted events and activities approved by the Foundation that smash stigma and center women’s recovery from mental health issues, trauma, substance use, and related life challenges.

Third-party SHE RECOVERS FUNdraising events allow you to showcase your talents, follow your passion, maximize your creativity, and raise FUNds while you do so!

Your FUNdraiser can be something you already have FUN doing such as:

• Hosting a dinner party
• Creating handcrafting goods
• Organizing a walk

We’re here to help you integrate the FUNdraising into it!

Your FUNdraiser could also be a special event like:

• A WILD concert or potluck in the park
• An embodied movement activity or practice for our Movement=Medicine® campaign in a studio
• A farmstand with homemade goodies for sale at your local market.

Whatever it may be, let’s put the FUN back in FUNdraiser!

APPLY NOW

Toolkits

SHE RECOVERS has created toolkits for the following SHE RECOVERS branded activities:

She Recovers WILD - Women Inspired to Lead Dinner

WILD – Women Igniting a Legacy (of Recovery) Dinner

VIEW TOOLKIT

Movement=Medicine

VIEW TOOLKIT

These toolkits will include all the promotional and educational assets you need to position you and/or your organization as an integral supporter of our mission and the women we serve.

Promotional Assets

All approved SHE RECOVERS FUNdraisers can receive:

A dedicated badge to showcase your support of the Foundation
A customizable 5 X 7 printable postcard outlining your support of the Foundation (i.e. % of funds donated, how to get involved, etc.)
Print-ready SHE RECOVERS brochures

To begin planning, hosting, and executing your SHE RECOVERS FUNdraiser, complete the application form. A member of the development team will be in touch with your next steps, and will provide you with everything you need to host a fun, engaging, and successful FUNdraiser!

APPLY NOW

Helpful Tips

Deciding to host a SHE RECOVERS FUNdraiser is a huge accomplishment in itself – you are amazing!

Here are a few steps to help you get started:

Form a planning committee.

Bringing together a group of enthusiastic and dedicated people who share an interest in raising money for a great cause will help not only improve the success of your event but can serve as a collaborative opportunity to build your recovery community as well.

Brainstorm.

Gather members of your planning committee to brainstorm ideas for your FUNdraiser. We have the power and presence to be a mighty force (for good) in the world. Creative energy thrives on collaboration and including others in the early stages will help you to envision the event, gain new perspectives, and remain committed to the cause.

Choose an event type your community is most likely to participate in.

The type of event you choose should fit the size, interests, talents, goals, capacity, and time availability of your planning committee and potential participants.

Identify your target audience.

Consider who is most likely to attend and support the type of event you have selected and design a communication strategy that speaks to their needs and interests.

Develop a budget.

Take time to identify all the potential expenses involved with your event (invitations, postage, rental space, signage, food and catering, promotional materials, website, advertising, etc.)

Consider possible sources of funds

– people, businesses, and organizations you know who may be able to donate products (food, equipment) or services (like design, printing, photography) – to reduce your costs.

Create an event timeline.

A timeline is important in planning a publicity and execution strategy for your event.

Schedule the event.

Select a time that is appropriate and convenient for those who will be attending. Be sure to check local community calendars for conflicting events.

Collect all funds.

We ask that all event proceeds designated for SHE RECOVERS are forwarded to the SHE RECOVERS Foundation within 30 days following the conclusion of your event.

Share your gratitude!

Sending thank you letters, notes, or emails to everyone who participated in or supported your event shows your appreciation and reinforces their goodwill about supporting SRF.

FAQs

Can I use the SHE RECOVERS name and/or logo for my benefit or fundraiser?

Yes, as long as your FUNdraiser has been approved by the Foundation. All prospective FUNDraisers are required to complete an application form here to begin the process.

Please include event details such as date, place, and what your FUNdraising event will look like in your application. A member of our team will provide guidelines during the application process about using our name and logo. We have also created branded visual assets for you to use to draw attention to your FUNdraising endeavors!

Without approval from the Foundation, the SHE RECOVERS and Movement=Medicine name, logos, and slogans cannot be used as they are trademarked by the organization.

Can I share details about my FUNdraiser in SHE RECOVERS spaces?

Absolutely yes — as long as what you are sharing is considered general information and not a specific call to action for folks to purchase your goods or services. Restrictions are in place to protect our non-profit status.

All approved FUNdraisers will receive a detailed toolkit that includes suggestions for sharing info about your fundraising activities within SHE RECOVERS spaces. Promoting your support as a FUNdraiser is a great way to educate friends supporters, and the rest of the world about what you have to offer.

Shelly Dimitrijevic

Kirsten Newquist