Introduction: Jesse Heffernan is a Recovery Coach & consultant with long-term substance use and mental health recovery. As a Servant Leader, Program Director and Community Net worker, he works to create a meaningful and positive change through innovative solutions to complex community and individual needs.
His early recovery service consisted of helping coordinateFox Valley, WI recovery support activities and events, statewide conventions, bringing recovery meetings into jails and institutions and create / co-facilitate the first youth specific recovery support group in NE WI. He attended the Fox Valley technical school to pursue a career in graphic design and marketing which opened the doors into new areas of service opportunities with AmeriCorps.
During 2006 - 2007 he worked as an AmeriCorps Volunteer for WI Assoc. of Homeless and Runaway youth services. His role consisted of presenting to youth on the dangers of running away and what resources are available to assist in de-escalating crisis, conduct street-level direct services, and outreach.
In 2006 to 2015 he worked as the Harmony Café Program Director (a former program of Goodwill NCW) where he was responsible for facilitation of weekly LGBT Partnership support and leadership development groups serving youth 14-18. This included providing R-Group (resiliency group) safer sex education and HIV/AIDS/STI awareness prevention module training. Other programs in the Partnership consisted of harm reduction and safety planning around drugs and alcohol, mental health support, pregnancy and bullying prevention. At Harmony, he crafted and delivered innovative LGBT and Diversity Cultural Intelligence training programs to youth-serving organizations, such as high school staff and administration, college classes, and community leaders. In 2009 he worked with a state-wide HIV / AIDS collaborative to address HIV outbreak in the Appleton, WI through barrier distribution and strategic testing sites.
In 2017 he worked as the Director of the Iris Place Peer Run Mental Heath Respite and as the National Outreach & Empowerment Coordinator for Faces & Voices of Recovery.
He attended the CCAR Recovery Coach Academy in June 2014 and has trained over 100 coaches statewide in WI. In his coaching and consultation business, Helios Recovery, he has faciliatated numerous recovery capital development planning sessions and helped coach individuals and families in creating recovery plans and linkages to services. He currently sits on advisory boards for RISE TOGETHER, WI Voices for Recovery, co-created the 1 Million Mohawks for Mental Health Awareness campaign and serves as an appointed member of the WI Governors State Opiate/Heroin Task Force. Other initiatives include implementing Wisconsin’s first Recovery Coach AmeriCorps program call Recovery Corps,
He lives in WI with his wife and 4 children, enjoying all things in geek culture, disc golf, and coffee. It is his belief that Recovery is a process of moving from surviving to thriving as a whole person.
Past Speaking Engagements:
2015 - Fox Valley Substance Abuse Awareness Event - Keynote / Emcee
2016 - Thriving in Recovery Awareness Day – Surviving Trauma to Thriving in Recovery
2016 - Cultural Considerations and Issues Faced by LGBTQ Individuals
2016 - Stop Heroin NOW Rally – Keynote Speaker
2016 - 12th Annual Mental Health and Substance Use Recovery Training Conference - A Provider’s Introduction to Substance Use Treatment for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Individuals
2016 - JOSHUA 12th Annual Banquet – Keynote Speaker Personal Recovery Story
2017 - Substance Use – Its Every Bodies Business - Personal Story/Recovery Coaching
2017 - Adolescent Health Symposium - Addressing Issues of Cultural Humility
2017 - WI State Wide Recovery Rally – Emcee & Speaker
2017 - Launch Wisconsin 2017 – Creating the 1 Million Mohawks for Mental Health Awareness Campaign
2018 - Herion Highway Lecture Series - Origin Story from Surviving Addiction to Thriving in Recovery
