Nov 29, 2023 | ABOUT MNAPG
A: Before coming to work at Lutheran Social Service (LSS), I was an elementary school teacher, and along with teaching the kids you get to really know them and their families. There was a lot of addiction and financial struggles going on in the home, which then carried over into the classroom through their kids. It was hard to see these great families going through such tough times and not have a lot of knowledge or resources to help them. So, when I saw the opportunity to make a career change and become a financial counselor, it was a path that held a lot of interest for me. In my work as a financial counselor, I supported families directly, and then as a trainer and now senior director I bring in experts to ensure our counselors have the best knowledge and tools to help our clients achieve their financial goals.
Q: What do you hope you can contribute to the board and the mission?
A: Working at various levels in financial counseling has really allowed me to understand the struggles, whether large or small, that everyone has with their finances. It is important to me to normalize financial counseling so that folks reach out for help when they need it.
Q: Are there particular areas within problem gambling that are of special interest to you?
A: I am passionate about working to take the shame out of problem gambling. There are great services, tools and people out there who truly care and can help folks get back on track with their finances.
Q: What are some of your hobbies and interests?
A: I enjoy watching my kids play sports and spending time outdoors traveling, hiking and snowshoeing with family and friends.
Q: Tell us a little bit about your background.
A: As a person in long-term recovery, I offer a unique perspective to the group. My understanding of recovery and specifically the continued sustainability of positive growth, is evidenced by my achievements in the field. I am a certified peer recovery support specialist, forensics peer recovery specialist, certified peer support specialist, as well as a certified wrap 1 facilitator. In addition to the titles I have earned, I've engaged in numerous other trainings and community endeavors. I am the host and creator of The Rise Up Hour, a weekly radio broadcast on WFNU 94.1 FM. The Rise Up Hour has given me the platform to reach the community by embracing all forms of recovery, celebrating allies to recovery, and espousing opportunities of involvement available. In addition to my focus on recovery, I am in the process of re-launching my eyecare business, EyEs Limited. I have taken every experience I've had, as well as everything I've learned from those experiences, to enhance my success to build the entity I've always envisioned.
Q: What do you hope you can contribute to the board and the mission?
A: Given my unique perspective, I hope to bring my lived-life perspective to the board. I want problem gambling to receive the recognition and inclusion, in terms of services available for recovery, that it demands. That includes the inclusion of problem gambling in the peer support recovery coach curriculum. I intend to offer my common sense, my background as a professional in a business context and the insight I've gained through my certifications and training. One of my biggest goals in serving on this board is to help remove the stigma of problem gambling and make getting help in dealing with the situation less taxing and more common.
Q: What are some of your hobbies and interests?
A: In my spare time, I am an avid volunteer in the community for a variety of causes, including The Steve Rummler HOPE Network, Minnesota Recovery Connection, the Peer Support Alliance and others. I also enjoy a variety of hobbies, including rock collecting, bird watching, gardening and playing with my two energetic dogs. I've recently embraced journaling and have begun to explore my artistic aspirations through sketching and painting.
Aug 14, 2023 | ABOUT MNAPG, ADVOCACY
Over the last six months, we contracted with Preston Spire’s public relations team, One Simple Plan, to increase the visibility of numerous issues pertaining to problem gambling. Since starting this effort, MNAPG has had two op-ed pieces published, one which is circulating among various statewide outlets. This is important, as we want to reach as many Minnesotans as possible. The first piece was published in the Star Tribune and the second in the Duluth News Tribune. MNAPG also received air time on local stations, with interviews on KTTC (Rochester), KARE11 (Twin Cities) and Fox News 9 (Twin Cities). Our media communications can be found at mnapg.org/news.
Aug 14, 2023 | ABOUT MNAPG
MNAPG is undergoing a refresh of its strategic plan, initially approved in 2019. We’ll be reaching out to our stakeholders for additional input as we get closer to finalizing our goals and strategies. The updated plan will capture and reflect some of the changes that have taken place in the industry since the original plan was created.
Aug 14, 2023 | ABOUT MNAPG, PROBLEM GAMBLING, PROFESSIONALS, RECOVERY
The gambling landscape continues to shift with rapid expansion and responses to regulations that seem insufficient. Those working in prevention, treatment and research need to understand and be responsive to these changes.
The MNAPG conference will feature presenters from across the country and Canada sharing their perspectives as clinicians, financial advisors, people in recovery and researchers. It will be a great way to network with others committed to minimizing the harms caused by gambling disorder and to learn more about recent trends and new tools available for those who need help.
Who Should Attend?
The conference is appropriate for many people, including:
o Gambling, alcohol and drug addiction counselors and therapists
o Other health care and social service workers
o Law enforcement officers
o School and church leaders
o Lawyers and financial professionals
o People in recovery and their families
CEU credits are available from various Minnesota professional licensing boards.
Programs and Speakers
While conference details are still falling into place as of this writing, here are some of the programs and speakers that will be part of the conference:
o Resources and Tools for Financial Counseling in Gambling Disorder Treatment, presented by Cara Macksoud, CEO of Money Habitudes, and Alex De Marco, founder and CEO of MoneyStack, Inc. and GamFin.
o The All-In Podcast Comes to Minnesota!, presented by Brian Hatch, peer recovery specialist for Bettor Choice, and Jeff Wasserman, MPA, JD, ICGC-I, CPRS, judicial outreach and development director for the Delaware Council on Gambling Problems.
o Using Affordability Guidelines as a Tool for Player Protection Online in a North American Context, presented by Lia Nower, J.D., Ph.D., a distinguished professor and director of the Center for Gambling Studies at Rutgers University.
o Working with Clients and Gambling Harms: Why it Matters and How to Lower Resistance to Treatment, presented by Jay Robinson, JR Consulting, an internationally sought-after expert in the field of preventing and responding to gambling harms.
o The Public Health Impact of Sports Betting Expansion, presented by Dr. Timothy W. Fong, M.D., a Professor of Psychiatry at the Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at UCLA.
What:
MNAPG annual conference
When:
Sept. 18
Where:
Hilton Minneapolis/Bloomington, 3900 American Blvd W., Bloomington, MN
Cost:
$30 (free to those in recovery)
Registration deadline: September 8
For More
Information:
mnapg.org/conference
Register and and learn more HERE.
Aug 7, 2023 | ABOUT MNAPG
The Minnesota Alliance on Problem Gambling (MNAPG) received two national awards at the recent conference of the National Council on Problem Gambling. MNAPG received awards for the best affiliate newsletter and the best affiliate website.
“We have devoted considerable time and resources into both of these important communication tools, so we’re thrilled to see our work recognized at a national level,” says Susan Sheridan Tucker, MNAPG executive director. “I am grateful to my team for their contributions in making these useful resources.”
The 2023 Affiliate Website Award from the National Council on Problem Gambling recognizes an outstanding website that has increased awareness of problem gambling.
MNAPG’s new website is the culmination of in-depth planning into MNAPG’s various audiences. MNAPG strives to be the central hub for all things Minnesota problem gambling-related, offering access to treatment information, research findings, recovery stories and podcasts.
The 2023 Affiliate Newsletter Award from the National Council on Problem Gambling recognizes an outstanding problem gambling-related newsletter.
Northern Light, MNAPG’s quarterly newsletter, has earned several national awards since it was created in 2010. The newsletter seeks to educate visitors and readers about the latest trends in problem gambling, treatment and prevention, as well as provide updates on the organization’s outreach efforts and highlight stories of hope in recovery.
