Lisa St. George, MSW, CPRP, brings over 40 years of experience in the health and human services industry to the OPEN MINDS team. Her areas of expertise include peer support, inpatient psychiatry, program and training development, child welfare services, and recovery practices.

Ms. St. George currently serves as the Director of Recovery Practices for RI International as well as the Director of RI Consulting Division. In this role, she oversees international recovery practice operations. In addition, she manages the leading certifying core peer training (PET) program in the country that provides training to the Veterans Administration (VA) as well as other organizations in the US, England, and New Zealand. She also provides recovery consultation and training to domestic and internationally based systems, organizations, and people who provide services to people with mental health, substance use, and co-occurring conditions.

Previously, Ms. St. George served as a Regional Vice President for Recovery Innovations and was responsible for leading eight large peer-run community mental health programs across California, Arizona, and New Zealand. In this role, she provided extensive leadership development and wrote detailed reports for funders, created policy and procedures for the programs, and responded to RFPs for the organizations.

Prior, Ms. St. George served as the Recovery Services Program Administrator for Recovery Innovations (previously META Services). In this role, she developed and provided executive leadership for the peer support service programs. She developed, managed, and supervised Peer Advocacy Services program for hospital based-peer services, Peer Recovery Team in-home peer services, Restart Temporary Housing Program/Respite. Managed and Supervised Community Building Housing and Education Program, Recovery Education Center, and Another Chance (substance use and housing for long-term homeless people).

Before joining Recovery Innovations, Ms. St. George served as an Elementary School Assistant Principle, PMIS; Social Work Case Manager, The Family Place; Child Protective Services Specialist III, Arizona Department of Economic Security; and has served as a consultant, public speaker, and advocate.

Ms. St. George has an extensive portfolio of over 100 articles, publications, and presentations that have focused on topics across the industry including inpatient psychiatry, peer support, and crisis services. Ms. St. George has also been recognized by her peers and received awards for Program of the Year (San Diego Mental Health Director) and California Health Hero (Mental Health Association of CA).

In addition to her extensive professional career, Ms. St. George is a member of a number of boards and committees locally and internationally. She currently serves as the Board President & Co-Chair for iNAPS, Steering Committee Member for CHAMP in New Zealand, and is a member of both the Peer & Family Academy and the National Association of Rights Protection & Advocacy (NARPA).

Ms. St. George earned both her Master of Social Work degree and Bachelor of Social Work degree from Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona. She is a certified psychiatric rehabilitation practitioner (CPRP) and a certified peer support specialist.