We’re excited to announce that Meghann Perry will be speaking at the AMERSA 49th Annual National Conference, taking place November 13–15, 2025, in Portland, Oregon (pre-conference on November 12). Meghann will present in two separate sessions:
Session 1: From Stigma to Strength: Storytelling for Dignity in Substance Use Discourse
In this session, mirroring her recent AMERSA Talks podcast episode, Meghann draws upon her training in applied theatre and her experience as a behavioral health professional to challenge how dominant narratives, even when well-meaning, can unintentionally reinforce stigma. She will guide attendees through the transformative potential of strength-based storytelling.
Session 2: From Ambiguity to Action: A Framework for Integrating the Lived Experience of Peer Recovery Specialists into Substance Use Services (with Dr. Jon Soske)
In this companion session, Meghann teams up with Dr. Jon Soske to explore how systems and service providers can move beyond abstract inclusion of peer recovery specialists to meaningful, structured integration. Together, they’ll present a practical framework, grounded in real-world experience and interdisciplinary insight, for embedding peer expertise into recovery settings.