Diane Zaerr Brenneman, DMin, Certified Family Peer Support Specialist and Family Navigator for the Division of Child and Community Health and Child Health Specialty Clinics (CHSC), is the parent of kids with special needs. She is happy to find a way to use her lived experience by coaching other families of kids with disabilities. She has been a teacher, pastor, administrator and farmer (thankfully, not all at the same time). A thread that weaves through all is the amazing resilience of the human spirit. Children and their families truly can thrive despite what life has thrown at them. She feels privileged to walk alongside families in their journeys.

Angie Chaplin is an internationally respected speaker, consultant, coach, and educator with more than 30 years of expertise in human resources, strategic communications, and organizational leadership. With an entrepreneurial spirit and a heart for the nonprofit sector, Angie is owner of Mindful Leadership LLC and founder of Brave Leadership, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit committed to unlocking leadership potential within behavioral health and human services. Speaking openly about her own behavioral health journey, Angie is also a credentialed mindfulness teacher and peer recovery coach. Her courageous leadership-meets-real-life story epitomizes her values of credibility, curiosity, clarity, connection, and love, and she serves as a beacon of authenticity for many, emphasizing the integration of professed values and practiced behaviors. Academically grounded in evidence-based programs, Angie's educational foundation is rooted in a master's degree from Seton Hall University and a bachelor's degree from Buena Vista University. 

Rachel Charlot is a Certified Family Peer Support Specialist and Family Navigator for the Division of Child and Community Health and Child Health Specialty Clinics (CHSC). Rachel has been serving families through CHSC for 12 years as both a Family Navigator and in the Early ACCESS program as a Service Coordinator. Rachel is passionate about helping empower families with the knowledge and resources to help support their child throughout the life course.

Josh Gitch, Certified Mental Health Peer Support Specialist (MHPSS), has worked in the field the past five years with Black Hawk-Grundy Mental Health and served the Iowa Office of Consumer Affairs (OCA) in various capacities. Josh graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Theatre from the University of Northern Iowa and is certified as a Whole Health Action Management (WHAM), NAMI Connections, and NAMI Peer-to-Peer facilitator. Josh is the father of two young daughters, and they help keep him on the difficult yet wonderful journey of recovery. Giving back what's been given is a passion for Josh and he's excited to be a part of this evidence-based, growing profession.

GuideLink Center is one of the designated access centers in Iowa and provides immediate access to substance use and mental health services. Faraji has a unique position at GuideLink, providing leadership to enhance peer services and care coordination internally but also promoting connections beyond GuideLink Center to improve peer outcomes. He was the first in the state of Iowa to achieve the Recovery Coach Professional designation from CCAR’s Center for Addiction Recovery Training. Along with these achievements, he is a CCAR-trained Recovery Coach Authorized Facilitator and Certified Whole Health Action Management facilitator. Faraji serves on the Board of Directors for the Iowa Board of Certification. He is also an appointed Steering Committee member of the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services’ Hope and Opportunity in Many Environments Project. Faraji is a member of the IPWC’s Peer Advisory Committee and Peer Supervisor Advisory Committee.

Jodie Huju (they/them) is a person in recovery from substance use disorder and mental illness, as well as a family member, friend, and ally to others in recovery. Jodie is a Recovery Coach Professional and Recovery Coach Professional Facilitator through CCAR’s Center for Addiction Recovery Training. They are a member of the IPWC’s Peer Supervisor Advisory Committee and work diligently to expand the peer workforce in Iowa. In their role at Full Circle Recovery, Jodie oversees the growth of two recovery community centers and coordinates the recovery coach training program using the CCAR curriculum and best practices for culturally responsive and trauma-sensitive peer recovery support services.

Murphy has worked in the mental health field for over 12 years in various settings such as residential, managing a respite house, and now as a peer with an IHH department. He has facilitated several groups with NAMI, and is an Advanced Level WRAP facilitator. He loves to facilitate trainings, learning much from his peers. He continues to take as many trainings as possible to learn and grow in recovery. Murphy genuinely believes in the values and ethics of Peer Support and advocates for proper training to prevent harm to those we support and mostly for us as the supporters. He is the father of three wonderful kids.

Jen Riley has worked in the field since 2015 for Pathways Behavioral Services. In that time, she has provided services as a Family Peer Specialist, an IHH Intake Specialist, a Billing Specialist, and an MHPSS. In 2021, Jen was selected to manage the Peer Support Program, where she has greatly expanded the peer services across five counties. Jen is a member of the Iowa Integrated Health Planning and Advisory Council and is committed to advocating for peer services in Iowa. Having two grown biological children as well as many bonus children that she has had the pleasure of raising, she is now navigating being an empty nester with her two dogs, Karma and Rip.