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Meet Our Speakers

Craig Burnes was born in Rome, Georgia and currently lives in Dalton, GA. He is a Certified Peer Specialist through the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities. He is a community mentor with the Georgia Department of Corrections and services returning citizens through Dalton’s Project DESTINY. He is a consumer at Highland Rivers and is very passionate about his prison and homelessness advocacy. He is not only a committed graduate of the RESPECT Institute of Georgia but he also serves as a RESPECT Institute Community Liaison in Whitfield County, GA. Craig is a proud father of one beautiful daughter and a proud grandfather to Alex, Lilly, and Nate.

Craig Burnes, CPS Community Mentor DESTINY Contact: 706.263.8393 Email: craigburnes@gmail.com

Bill Carruthers is a person in long term recovery. He is a Certified Peer Specialist, certified CIT and is a Certified Addiction Recovery Empowerment Specialist. As one of the original Community Navigation Specialist’s he works at the Opening Doors to Recovery program. Mr. Carruthers is also the Director of Savannah Counseling Service Peer program. He is the program manager for the Reed House PSR/ Clubhouse program and is on the Executive Board of Directors for NAMI GA. Mr. Carruthers is also involved as an advisor to the Board of Directors for NAMI Savannah and sits as the Chair for the Pilot of NAMI’s Consumer Council. Bill is a proud veteran of the United States Navy and he speaks out loud about recovery because he says he is the evidence that recovery is possible.

Bill Carruthers, CPS, WHAM, CARES Program Manager Gateway Behavioral Health Services Contact: 912.644.0793 Email: billy.carruthers@gatewaybhs.org

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