Robin Peyson brings over 40 years of experience as a substance use, mental health, and public health professional to OPEN MINDS as a Subject Matter Expert.

In addition to her work with OPEN MINDS, Ms. Peyson is the Founder and Owner of RLP Consulting, providing consulting and technical assistance on substance use and mental health care policy development, non-profit organizational development and management, development of curricula, grant and proposal writing and management, grass roots organizing, and CAPRSS accreditation. RLP Consulting’s clients including the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Greater Houston, CARDEA, the Association of Recovery Community Organizations (ARCO), the Council on Accreditation for Peer Recovery Supports and Services, Communities for Recovery, and the Recovery Alliance of El Paso.

Prior to founding RLP Consulting, Ms. Peyson was the Executive Director for Communities for Recovery, an organization that works to support long-term recovery for people with substance use and co-occurring mental health issues by partnering with other organizations in the community to provide peer-supported recovery services, in Austin, Texas. As Executive Director, Ms. Peyson was highly involved in recovery-based advocacy, policy, and legislative activities and under her tenure Communities for Recovery became the first RCO nationally to be accredited by the Joint Commission. Communities for Recovery was also accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Peer Recovery Supports and Services (CAPRSS) at an exemplary level.

Prior to her work with Communities for Recovery, Ms. Peyson held the position of Executive Director for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Texas. As Executive Director, Ms. Peyson increased revenues by 300%, mamanged an annual budget of over $1.4 million, and raised in excess of $4.1 million for the organization.

Ms. Peyson also held the position of Assistant Director of Children’s Services and Service Systems Development Specialist for the Texas Department of State Health Services, where she developed expertise in early childhood development, mental health, co-ocurring disorders, and systems of care.

Ms. Peyson graduated from the University of Michigan, School of Public Health with a Master of Arts in Health Services Administration. Ms. Peyson also graduated cum laude from Williams College with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Biology. Ms. Peyson holds a certification in Nonprofit Management and Leadership from the University of Texas San Antonio and graduated from the Strategic Management Program at The University of Texas at Austin’s RGK Center for Philanthropy and Community Service.