Cali Peterson is a person in long term recovery and the co-owner/founder of Monarch Sober Living Homes where Cali provides housing for people in early recovery from alcoholism and drug addiction. Cali worked in the treatment industry for multiple years beginning as a live-in house manager. After 9 months she was promoted to Housing Supervisor and shortly after promoted to Program Director.

Cali realized this was her passion in life and opened Monarch in March of 2017. She resigned from her position as Program Director one year later to focus all her energy on Monarch and has since opened six more houses in the Denver area. Cali is a yoga instructor and dog lover living in Lakewood, Colorado.

Term Ending on March 1, 2025

Gonzalo’s purpose to start Carla Vista Sober Living started from gratitude. He wanted to give back to the people that helped him when recovery was the last option. Today, that purpose continues with helping others find hope, healing and happiness.

Gonzalo established the first sober house in February of 2008, named “Carla Vista” located in Chandler, AZ. Based upon the overwhelming need of structured and safe sober houses, it wasn’t long before there was a second house, and then a third, fourth and so on. Currently, Carla Vista operates over 20 sober living homes in five states and Gonzalo and his team have helped over 12,000 people get their lives back on track. Gonzalo also participated in starting Pathfinders Recovery Center in AZ & CO in 2017 and currently active.

Prior to starting Carla Vista Sober Living, Gonzalo’s career was based in Commercial Construction in FL and AZ. He spent twenty plus years in this career path at an executive level and Owner of various companies.

Gonzalo has served on many recovery based 12-step programs in positions of leadership from local service commitments, to area service commitments, to state conventions and even world conventions. Gonzalo has served as a member and Chair of the Hope Board for the Valley Hope of Chandler facility located in AZ for over eight years. He also is currently serving as a member of the Hope Board for the Valley Hope of Parker facility located in CO and has done so for over 5 years. Gonzalo is also a trustee for the Valley Hope Foundation Board for the past 2 years. Gonzalo was instrumental in developing, working through various focus groups with the municipalities themselves, multiple local ordinances in various municipalities for Sober Living Residences in AZ. Gonzalo has been an entrepreneur for most of his professional life. He has been an active member of the Arizona Chapter of Entrepreneurs Organization for the past 11 years.

Gonzalo is an avid pilot and enjoys flying through the sky as often as he can with his wife, son and daughter.

Term Ending on December 31, 2025*

*Indicates founding board member. 1st Term are longer in order to have board consistency and staggered members in the proceeding years.

Dara Keller comes to the Colorado Agency of Recovery Residences with an extensive background in healthcare law and government relations. As a member of Messner Reeves firm’s Health Care Practice Group, Ms. Keller assists healthcare practitioners, professional groups, and businesses in all aspects of healthcare law. Dara brings with her a broad range of experience in the healthcare industry, including representing clients in licensing and Board matters, advising clients on compliance with a vast array of healthcare regulations such as HIPPA, Title 42 CFR Part 2, Stark, Anti-Kickback, corporate practice of medicine, and fee-splitting, and corporate formation of individual practices, groups, and mergers and acquisitions in the healthcare space to comply with state and federal regulatory requirements. Dara regularly assists clients with health privacy and security laws, including the representation of clients before government agencies. She also leads data privacy and healthcare compliance training for healthcare practices, both large and small.

As a trusted advisor, Ms. Keller also serves as outside counsel to several Colorado healthcare-related entities. Dara values working closely with her clients to understand their needs and provide real-world solutions.

Term Ending on October 1, 2025

Alia Andrews is the Recovery Services Coordinator with the Colorado Department of Human Services – Office of Behavioral Health. She is passionate about helping individuals with mental illness and substance use, and since she started working as a Peer Specialist in 2008, she has been able to help many people achieve their greatest potential.

Now, as the Recovery Services Coordinator she is able to share her passion for recovery from mental illness and substance use with the entire state of Colorado. She is the project manager, managing Individual Placement and Support (IPS), Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness (PATH), and Colorado Agency for Recovery Residences (CARR), as well as many dynamic peer led recovery programs.

Term Ending: BHA Appointment, no term limit.

Tonya Wheeler is a founding board member of Advocates for Recovery Colorado. Colorado’s largest recovery community organization (RCO). Tonya is currently certified as a Colorado Peer & Family Specialist in Colorado, and she previously worked as a Certified Addictions Counselor – Level III (CAC III) in the state. She was a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor (LCDC) in Texas where she began working in the substance use disorder field in 1992. Tonya is a past Board Member for Faces & Voices of Recovery in Washington, D.C. and where she served from 2008-2015.

Tonya is a woman living in active and sustained recovery since 1990, and her passion for helping others has remained evident in her work in recovery and advocacy. She works diligently in her community to share the message that recovery is a positive, attainable goal and she is an example that recovery does happen!

Tonya is a sought-after trainer and speaker across Colorado and the United States. Tonya has shared her personal recovery story with many audiences and media across Colorado and the nation. Tonya received the “Vernon Johnson Award” for being a National Recovery Advocate, presented by Faces and Voices of Recovery in June 2018. Additionally, she received the award for “Community Recovery Beacon” in 2016 and the “Founders Award” presented by Peer Assistance Services in 2014. Tonya is one of the authors of the book, “The Methamphetamine Crisis: Strategies to Save Addicts, Families and Communities”, published in 2007.

Term Ending on November, 1, 2025

Mrs. Everett brings in-depth compliance, training, and leadership experience to the Colorado Agency for Recovery Residences. Amy currently serves as the Executive Vice President for Mind Springs Health, where she oversees the organization’s compliance team, ensuring the organization is following all state and federal regulatory mandates. Amy has also served as the Associate Director of the Colorado Behavioral Health Administration. 

Matt Neptune, the owner of Unity Sober Living, struggled with substance use disorder for nearly two decades before he found his path to recovery. Matt’s early experience working within the treatment community began at Denver Recovery Center as a live-in House Manager. After a short time, Matt was promoted to Residential Director.

Matt realized shortly after working for Denver Recovery Center that he wanted to be a part of peoples’ recovery longer than the 30 day stay that most treatments offer. Matt opened Unity Sober Living in early 2019 with the hope of showing other men the path of recovery that has led Matt back to the happy and healthy life he enjoys today

Term Ending on December 31, 2025*

*Indicates founding board member. 1st Term are longer in order to have board consistency and staggered members in the proceeding years.

Scott Mounce serves as the co-owner and managing partner at Transitions Sober Living, overseeing a network of seven CARR Certified residences within the Denver Metro area. With a profound commitment to long-term recovery, Scott draws from his personal journey of overcoming addiction and residing in a sober living facility for more than a year.

Scott’s unwavering dedication lies in offering a secure and supportive environment to individuals striving for a healthier and more fulfilling way of life. His own experiences have shaped his mission to provide a sanctuary for those on the path to recovery.

Beyond his work in the field of addiction recovery, Scott finds solace and passion in the world of philanthropy. When not tirelessly supporting his clients and the broader recovery community, he can often be found astride his Harley Davidson motorcycle. Scott takes pride in his affiliation with the Sober Souls Motorcycle Club and fully embraces their altruistic mission of community service.

Term Ending on November 1, 2026