Meet the Team
Stephanie Knight Englund, MSW, LSW, CADC
Director Recovery Friendly Workplace Illinois
Stephanie is a licensed social worker and certified alcohol and drug counselor, she has worked in the addiction and mental health field for more than a decade. In addition to expertise in the recovery treatment space, she has a wealth of program development and implementation experience, serving underprivileged populations to overcome social determinants of health. Stephanie has worked to assist individuals, families, and the community to identify needs and work to develop solutions to those problems. She has a long history of collaborating with community service providers, government and non-government organizations to implement multi-faceted, innovative, and sustainable prevention, treatment, and recovery strategies to lessen the devastating effects of substance misuse and brain health conditions.
Stephanie identifies as a person in long term recovery and has overcome her own unhealthy relationship with substances to become an active advocate for those suffering from SUD. She is committed to public service and assisting others, regardless of their circumstances. With over 14 years in recovery, Stephanie understands that overcoming challenges is attainable with dedication and perseverance, knowing first hand that change is possible. Her story serves as a source of inspiration to people all around the world who are trying to improve their lives.
Listen here as we discuss RFW on WIXN 1460.
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IDFPR License no. 150105253 - IAODAPCA License no. 33201
Recovery Friendly Advisor -
Cassandra L. Smiley is a Recovery Coach Specialist for Sauk Valley Voices of Recovery and a hands-on link to resources and designated Recovery Friendly Workplaces.
Advisors serve as a primary support helping businesses stay connected to the tools they need to support talent in recovery. Cassandra has a great passion for helping others and making a difference in the world. She is a very strong-willed person who takes great pride within her 3 beautiful children and home life. Cassandra has been blessed with a gift of empathy and compassion within her combination of wisdom, life experience, and studies with ongoing education. She is devoted to fighting for the rights of people with substance use disorders and combat the devastating stigma that surrounds the addiction. As a recovery coach Cassandra works with individuals to help with many areas of need to make sure goals are met that result in a successful recovery that adds to their everyday quality of life.
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Recovery Friendly Advisor -
Wyatt Zakosek is a Safe Passage Coordinator for Sinnissippi Centers in the Sauk Valley area. Wyatt is the facilitator between those seeking recovery and the nearby detox and inpatient centers. He has spent his time in the community making personal connections with the intake coordinators in the Sauk Valley and Chicagoland area to streamline the process of assisting individuals placed into treatment. Wyatt’s role in RFW IL will be to help find and manage placement for employees businesses who are seeking treatment and support aftercare and discharge planning. He attended Illinois State University graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology, where he learned clinical skills that he uses to assess individuals, as well as how to network with others to expand his list of treatment center connections.
Recovery Friendly Advisor -
Gerald Lott is the co-founder and Executive Director of the Recovery Community Organization - Sauk Valley Voices of Recovery, whose role with the RFW is to coordinate recovery coach specialist in the field. He is a leader in the recovery community founding Recover-Con Northern Illinois Recovery Conference bringing speakers from around the world to our Sauk Valley Community!
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Executive Sponsor -
Aaqil Khan, MHA is on the leadership team at KSB Hospital (Dixon, IL) and the Director of Project OPEN, a $1M HRSA grant addressing the opioid epidemic through innovative and multi-faceted prevention, treatment, and recovery initiatives. He has been working with employers for several years as the manager of KSB Hospital’s Corporate Health Services department which provides medical and wellness services to employers across multiple counties in Northwest Illinois.
Aaqil has seen the positive impact of and the need for more prevention and wellness programming within the workplace. His work with Project OPEN’s Workforce Development champion group is around engaging employers on substance use disorder. He is passionate about finding ways to make the workplace a more supportive environment of an employee’s health and wellbeing!
