Angela Patterson
Albany,United States
Summary
With a proven track record at Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network, Angela excels in project management and relationship building, raising over $9,500 for NAMI Albany in 2024. She innovated virtual support platforms during COVID-19, enhancing recovery programs and training for 300+ peers annually, showcasing her ability to lead with resilience and foster community engagement.
Overview
6
6
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Steering Chair and State Advocate
National Alliance on Mental Illness
Albany, GA
12.2023 - Current
- Angela has been passionate about supporting traditionally marginalized, underserved, and uninsured populations by advocating for local, state, and national system change and providing access to evidence-based programs
- She brings awareness, educates, supports, and advocates using NAMI Signature Programs
- At law enforcement trainings, teacher workdays, and in churches and other community locations, Angela delivers a message of hope, emphasizing that people need help, not handcuffs
- In her current role as Steering Chair and State Advocate, she frequently visits the Georgia State Capitol to meet with legislators and other organizations, advocating for mental and behavioral health legislation
- Over the past year, she has also taken on grant writing and fundraising, personally raising over $9,500 for the Albany affiliate
Dual Recovery Project Manager
Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network
01.2021 - Current
- Angela supervises teams of peer specialists daily who engage individuals and groups across the state and in Metro Atlanta, facilitating co-occurring addiction and mental health support groups within state hospitals, jails, prisons, community service boards, and recovery community organizations
- She consistently demonstrates the ability to prioritize tasks within several programs and meet deadlines, with experience leading cross-functional teams in the successful execution of large-scale virtual and in-person projects
- During COVID-19, Angela co-created GMHCN’s first virtual peer support platform through Zoom to meet the needs of people with co-occurring addiction and other mental health challenges
- She continues to brainstorm new and innovative ways to support peers and communities across Georgia
- Angela significantly enhances co-occurring recovery programs and training for over 300 peers annually
- She excels in exceptional relationship-building skills and fostering community engagement and support
- Effectively using Microsoft Office applications, she connects weekly and monthly reports within shared folders and submits bi-weekly payroll for the teams she manages
Peer Mentor/Dual Recovery Facilitator
Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network
06.2019 - 12.2020
- Angela ignited hope in Southwest Georgia, focusing on resiliency for people leaving crisis stabilization units, jails, prisons, or Georgia Regional State Hospitals
- She demonstrated extensive knowledge of recovery and wellness principles, sharing this information authentically with peers struggling during early recovery and re-entry
- Angela supported peers in identifying and re-engaging in healthy relationships with family and other natural supports to build a support system
- She increased peers’ awareness of and participation in self-help groups (AA, NA, DTR) and advocacy organizations (NAMI)
- Angela supported multiple peers at different levels of engagement, both online and in person, using motivational interviewing, active listening, and cognitive behavioral techniques
- She generated topics for wellness activities and recovery meetings, and activated peers’ independence by assisting with housing applications, resume building, supportive employment, and other community support
- Angela entered daily, weekly, and monthly notes of location, time engaged in direct contact, and brief descriptions of interactions into databases
Education
Masters - Addiction Counseling: Integrated Recovery for Co-Occurring Disorders
Hazelden Betty Ford Graduate School
01.2025
Associates of Applied Science - Addiction and Substance Abuse Counseling
Albany Technical College
04.2023
Skills
- Project management
- Workforce training
- Deliverable tracking
- Relationship building
- Fostering community engagement
- Fundraising
- Resiliency
- Hope dealer
Certification
- Certified Peer Specialist in Mental Health (CPS-MH)
- Certified Peer Specialist in Parenting (CPS-P)
- Forensic Peer Mentor (FPM)
- Community Resiliency Model Guide
- Crisis Intervention Training (CIT)
- Mental Health First Aid (MHFA)
- Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP)
- CPR
Volunteer Experience
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), 01/01/14, Present, 14 years, Advocates for local, state, and national system change and provides access to evidence-based programs, Delivers a message of hope at law enforcement trainings, teacher workdays, and community locations, Meets with legislators and other organizations at the Georgia State Capitol to advocate for mental and behavioral health legislation, Takes on grant writing and fundraising, personally raising over $9,500 for the Albany affiliate.
Associations/Organizations
- American Counseling Association (Student)
- Counselors for Social Justice (Student)
- Licensed Professional Counselors Association of Georgia (Student)
- Professional Development Group - Vice President 2024-26 HBFGS (Student)
- Intercultural Student Counselor Association, HBFGS (Student)
- Georgia Council for Recovery (Community Advocacy Leader)
- Albany Area Chamber of Commerce (2024 Political Leadership Cohort 1)
- National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI Albany Chair & State Advocate)
- National Council for Mental Wellness
- Faces & Voices of Recovery
Presentations
- GMHCN Certified Peer Specialist in Mental Health State Certification Training, How to Start and Run a Co-occurring Support Group, 2022 - Present, 24 virtual trainings
- GMHCN Summer Certified Peer Specialist Workforce Conference, Why the Need for a Co-occurring Support Group, 06/05/24, in person, Gary Merritt
- GMHCN Georgia Peer Support Institute, How to Start and Run a Co-occurring Support Group, 06/20-21/24, virtual, Gary Merritt
- GMHCN Georgia Peer Support Institute, Produced and presented the entire training., 06/27-28/24, virtual, Amy Morris
Timeline
Steering Chair and State Advocate
National Alliance on Mental Illness
12.2023 - Current
Dual Recovery Project Manager
Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network
01.2021 - Current
Peer Mentor/Dual Recovery Facilitator
Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network
06.2019 - 12.2020
Masters - Addiction Counseling: Integrated Recovery for Co-Occurring Disorders
Hazelden Betty Ford Graduate School
Associates of Applied Science - Addiction and Substance Abuse Counseling
Albany Technical College
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