Executive Director, Programs
Pam is passionate about helping families use evidence based best practices in order to help families find peace, stay regulated, create the conditions that support recovery and move their loved ones toward change. She believes that a healthy family gives their loved ones the best opportunity to activate recovery. Pam is a certified family recovery coach, peer recovery specialist, Invitation to Change and CRAFT practitioner and Arise trained interventionist.
Pam is the 2021 recipient of the Faces & Voices Vernon Johnson Award honoring her tenacious and outstanding national advocacy work, devoted to spreading the message of recovery and helping families understand addiction as a chronic medication condition and is a fierce advocate for the humane treatment of those suffering from substance use, the availability of harm reduction and the de-stigmatizing of those suffering from the disease of addiction.
In her spare time Pam loves the outdoors, biking, running or climbing 14er’s in Colorado but can also be found most days, reading in special chair. As a person of deep faith, family is most important to her. She has been married to her husband Paul 41 years and is the mother of 4 children and 10 grandchildren.
Director of Operations
Heidi brings a deeply personal understanding of substance abuse to her role as Director of Operations at Thrive! Family Recovery Resources. With a background in web development, design, and HR administration, Heidi is committed to supporting families on their journey to recovery. Her dedication stems from her experiences with substance abuse in her immediate and extended family, as well as her own struggles. Heidi is passionate about helping those affected by addiction and is driven to make a positive impact in their lives.
Administrative Assistant
Molly Sinclair is proud to be the Administrative Assistant for Thrive! Family Recovery Resources. She spent most of her career as a paralegal in Nashville, TN and the Twin Cities. Inspired by and a member of the recovery community in both places, Molly is grateful to have found Thrive! where she can work toward a cause close to her heart.
In her spare time, Molly enjoys spending time with her young family and two friendly dogs.
Family Peer Support Specialist
Ruth Kashmark is a woman in long term recovery who also has a son and other family members in recovery. Ruth became a peer recovery specialist 3 years ago and began her career at Minnesota Recovery Connection working with a housing program and doing mobile peer support. When Ruth saw the job listing for Thrive! she was compelled to apply and was delighted to be welcomed to the team. Ruth has a passion for helping families as she feels it's such a necessary service that no one else is offering. Because of her own lived experience she has the ability to empathize with the loved ones and the person affected with substance use. Ruth is excited to be a part of the Thrive! team.
Family Peer Support Specialist
When problematic substance use enters a family system, often chaos and confusion follow closely behind. Lives begin to unravel. Having experienced this first-hand, Tara’s heartfelt desire is to help families navigate this road to reach a destination of healing and wholeness. As a Family Peer Recovery Specialist, she considers it an honor to walk with individuals at a time that can feel very dark and lonely. Her message is one of hope, you are not alone.
While Tara spent years working as a Labor and Delivery Nurse, she believes her greatest learning experiences have occurred within the context of her own family. With her husband of 40 years, she has had the joy of raising five children. She is grandma to three sweet humans and dog mom of one lovably anxious goldendoodle.
Tara’s educational background includes a B.S. in Nursing from Bethel University and a Diploma in Intercultural Communications from Moody Bible Institute. Most recently she completed the Peer Recovery Specialist Training in Rochester, MN.
