Beckley, W.Va. (WVDN) – The inaugural board meeting of RE-PATH West Virginia was held today, and the board of directors added five new members, greatly expanding the depth and geographic reach of the new statewide advocacy organization.
RE-PATH (Recovery Empowerment through Policy, Advocacy, Transformation, and Hope) was launched February 5 at a reception hosted by the West Virginia Association of Addiction and Prevention Professionals leading into the West Virginia Legislature’s Recovery Advocacy Day on February 6.
New board members of RE-PATH include:
Josh Barker
Barker serves as the Director of Substance Abuse Prevention and Outreach and as Special Advisor to the Attorney General of West Virginia. In these roles, he leads strategic initiatives focused on prevention, education, and community engagement, working to strengthen partnerships across the state and advancing meaningful solutions to substance use challenges impacting West Virginia families. A native of Chapmanville, Barker earned a West Virginia Board of Governors Associate of Applied Science degree from Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College and is an alumnus of Marshall University. For the past eight years, he has served the current Attorney General, previously the State Auditor of West Virginia, contributing to statewide efforts that prioritize accountability, outreach, and the well-being of West Virginians. Barker and his family reside in Boone County.
Amber Blankenship
Blankenship is in long-term recovery dedicated to strengthening peer recovery support, advancing workforce development, and improving recovery-oriented systems of care. Following her release from incarceration in 2019, she committed her life to helping individuals impacted by substance use disorder and justice involvement build sustainable recovery and meaningful second chances. Amber serves as Reentry Program Director at The REACH Initiative, where she supports justice-involved individuals across West Virginia by building pathways to employment and long-term recovery stability. She also works with the Logan County Quick Response Team assisting overdose survivors in connecting to treatment. She serves on the West Virginia Governor’s Council for Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment, contributing to statewide policy and program development focused on recovery support services and peer workforce advancement. Amber is also a Board Member of Recovery Group of Southern West Virginia and serves on the Advisory Board for the National Peer Recovery Alliance.
Patsy DiCesare
DiCesare is a native of Wheeling and a person in long-term recovery who has dedicated his life to helping others find freedom from substance use disorder and overcome the barriers of justice involvement. DiCesare serves as a Transition Agent in Kanawha County with Jobs & Hope West Virginia, where he works daily to support individuals as they navigate reentry, employment, recovery resources, and long-term stability. He and his family reside in Kanawha County.
Bob Hansen
Hansen is the retired Director of the Office of Drug Control Policy (ODCP) for the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR), who planned and directed West Virginia’s efforts in combating the opioid epidemic from December 2018 through October 2020. Hansen also served as the Director of Addiction Services for Marshall Health prior to his appointment as Director of the ODCP. Early in his career, Hansen served as Director of DHHR’s Office of Behavioral Health Services, where he over saw the development of community-based behavioral health services throughout the state. He then became President and CEO of Prestera Center for Mental Health Services, Inc. of Huntington where he managed an annual budget of $44 million and 825 staff members from 1990 to 2012. During that time, Prestera Center became the largest community-based behavioral health center in the Mountain State. Hansen has served as a governing board member of Mildred Mitchell-Bateman Hospital, President of the Behavioral Health Care Providers Association of West Virginia, and as one of the first members of the statewide Governor’s Advisory Council on Substance Abuse. He earned a B.A. from Marietta College, and an M.S. in Rehabilitation Counseling from Syracuse University.
Dr. Matt Johnson
Johnson, a resident of Morgantown, is Director of Faith-Based Initiatives for the Fletcher Group, where he works to strengthen partnerships between faith communities and the broader recovery ecosystem. An ordained United Methodist pastor, he became deeply engaged in faith-based recovery efforts in 2018 and went on to found the Abundant Life Recovery Housing Network in 2021, expanding access to safe, supportive housing for individuals in recovery. A passionate trainer and advocate, Johnson equips faith leaders and congregations to more effectively engage in recovery support, collaboration, and community-based solutions. He holds degrees from Messiah University, Asbury Theological Seminary, and Wesley Theological Seminary.
Founding RE-PATH officers are:
Rachel Thaxton, Co-Chair – West Virginia First Foundation of Saint Albans
Jay Phillips, Co-Chair – Seed Sower, Inc. of Beckley
Matt Boggs, Treasurer – Recovery Point of Huntington
Anna Holley, Secretary – Putnam County
The board approved RE-PATH’s by-laws, formed Executive, Finance, and Development Committees and set its next meeting date.
At the launch, Phillips said RE-PATH West Virginia represents an important new chapter for substance use disorder recovery in the Mountain State. “RE-PATH is a movement led by people in recovery, for people in recovery—designed to amplify voices, strengthen communities, and help transform how our state supports long-term recovery,” he said.
Phillips added, “We realized that by working together, we could chart a clearer, stronger path forward for recovery in our state. The ultimate goal of RE-PATH is to create a movement built on compassion, courage, and connection. A movement that says every life in recovery matters. And a movement that says West Virginia can lead the nation in recovery-oriented systems of care.”
