RE-PATH West Virginia Board of Directors adds five members

New board members expand the depth and geographic reach of the new statewide advocacy organization.

Published on Mar. 4, 2026

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The inaugural board meeting of RE-PATH West Virginia was held, and the board of directors added five new members, greatly expanding the depth and geographic reach of the new statewide advocacy organization focused on substance use disorder recovery.

Why it matters

RE-PATH West Virginia represents an important new chapter for substance use disorder recovery in the state, aiming to amplify voices, strengthen communities, and help transform how West Virginia supports long-term recovery. The addition of these five new board members will help the organization achieve its goals of creating a movement built on compassion, courage, and connection.

The details

The new board members of RE-PATH West Virginia include Josh Barker, Amber Blankenship, Patsy DiCesare, Bob Hansen, and Dr. Matt Johnson. They bring a range of expertise and experience in areas like substance abuse prevention, peer recovery support, reentry programs, addiction services, and faith-based recovery initiatives.

  • The inaugural board meeting of RE-PATH West Virginia was held on March 4, 2026.
  • RE-PATH West Virginia was launched on February 5, 2026 at a reception hosted by the West Virginia Association of Addiction and Prevention Professionals.

The players

RE-PATH West Virginia

A new statewide advocacy organization focused on substance use disorder recovery in West Virginia.

Josh Barker

The Director of Substance Abuse Prevention and Outreach and Special Advisor to the Attorney General of West Virginia, leading strategic initiatives focused on prevention, education, and community engagement.

Amber Blankenship

A person in long-term recovery dedicated to strengthening peer recovery support, advancing workforce development, and improving recovery-oriented systems of care. She serves as Reentry Program Director at The REACH Initiative and on various boards and councils.

Patsy DiCesare

A native of Wheeling and a person in long-term recovery who serves as a Transition Agent in Kanawha County with Jobs & Hope West Virginia, supporting individuals as they navigate reentry, employment, recovery resources, and long-term stability.

Bob Hansen

The retired Director of the Office of Drug Control Policy for the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources, who previously served in various leadership roles in the behavioral health and addiction services field.

Dr. Matt Johnson

The Director of Faith-Based Initiatives for the Fletcher Group, working to strengthen partnerships between faith communities and the broader recovery ecosystem. He founded the Abundant Life Recovery Housing Network in 2021.

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What they’re saying

“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.”

— Jay Phillips, Co-Chair, RE-PATH West Virginia (therealwv.com)

“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.”

— Jay Phillips, Co-Chair, RE-PATH West Virginia (therealwv.com)

The takeaway

The expansion of RE-PATH West Virginia's board of directors with these five new members demonstrates the organization's commitment to building a diverse, experienced, and geographically representative leadership team to advance its mission of supporting substance use disorder recovery across the state.