Melissa James serves as an At-Large Board Member for The Never Alone Clubhouse, where she has been involved since the organization’s earliest days, first contributing as the founding treasurer. As a Certified Peer Specialist–Mental Health (CPS-MH) and a person in long-term recovery, Melissa brings a powerful combination of professional skill, lived experience, and heartfelt commitment to the mission.

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Her dedication to this work is shaped by a lifetime of walking beside loved ones affected by substance use disorder. For years, Melissa was the one who stepped in to manage the crises and consequences that addiction created within her family, a role our Executive Director once described with a smile as “the clean-up crew” — the person who quietly handles the hard things others cannot. She has supported multiple family members through active addiction, recovery, and relapse, standing with them through every season with both grace and grit.

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Melissa’s journey also includes profound personal loss. She is a survivor of mental health challenges and lost her husband to suicide connected to his struggle with substance use disorder. This experience deepened her resolve to ensure that individuals and families have the support, dignity, and connection her loved one needed.

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Professionally, Melissa offers a strong background in accounting and accounts payable and receivable, providing valuable financial insight and organizational support to the Board. Her ability to meet others with empathy, understanding, and shared experience makes her a trusted voice within the recovery community and a steady, compassionate presence within the Clubhouse.

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Today, Melissa is raising a young child who came into her life as a direct blessing through her involvement with NACH, a daily reminder of the hope and restoration that community can create. She remains committed to helping build a space where no one has to face their struggles alone and where every person is welcomed with respect, encouragement, and the promise of recovery.