Come and get aquinted with our board! Below is a picture and a small bit of information about each member!

Originally, I came from a sales background. After completion of the MN Adult & Teen Challenge program, I think became employed at MNTC and gained many skills in the SUD field. During this time, I was trained and certified through the state for Peer Recovery Service Reciprocal.

I have now been working in peer recovery for over 4 years and helped develop how to support people in the most relational way possible. I am passionate about helping others through the same trials I experienced and thus helping them to better their lives and find support in recovery.

Throughout my life I have deeply been impacted by the recovery community and the implications of substance use issues in our communities and homes at large. My background in administration in the private, public and not for profit sectors have provided me an ample lens to view the world. My most personally held belief is that each individual possesses the right and freedom to a self directed future curated by their free will.

Nate is the founder of The Matthew Project. He saw a need for more accounting and business help for people in recovery and people coming from underserved communities. He has a bachelors degree in accounting and has worked in the accounting field for many years. Nate has a passion for helping and teaching people the knowledge he has gained through his life. This ranges from accounting and business skills to his experiences through addiction and trauma throughout his life. The picture on the left is of Nate and his daughter.

Jacob Lusk has worked in mental health and substance use recovery for nearly 10 years. For the past five years he has served the urban communities of Hennepin and Dakota County as a case/care manager for people living with severe and persistent mental illness, substance use disorder, and children living with developmental disabilities. He has participated in numerous community engagement projects ranging from addiction awareness and street ministry to beautification projects in Minneapolis through the ministry of Minnesota Adult and Teen Challenge. Additionally, he has participated in building peer recovery service curriculum and programs for the benefit of recovery community organizations in urban settings. Jacob’s education includes a certification in peer recovery services (CPRS) with the state of Minnesota, a BA in Psychology at Metropolitan State University and a Master of Arts in Counseling and Psychology at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. 

Matt developed the passion of helping others early on in life, and even was awarded a scholarship for his community service back in high school.  Matt attended North Central University in downtown Minneapolis where he developed a passion for community outreach and mobilization while working in youth programming at Elliot Park.  While in college he also helped found an on-campus group called “No Cultural Barriers in Christ”. 

Matt’s passions led to employment opportunities in community building, healing, and family counseling throughout his working career.  He worked on the north and south side of Minneapolis as a case manager and mental health practitioner.  He started a boys group and helped create programming while working for the Non-Profit organization Family Solutions. 

Matt’s passion for helping build up communities in need led to philanthropic work in Kenya, Africa.  Matt helped found a non-profit organization called “Hope For the Child” which he served as a board member for 10 years.  This organization focused on the education of disadvantage and orphaned children.  He also founded his own Non-Profit organization called “Moving Forward Africa” which focussed on helping rural farming communities pull themselves out of poverty through clean water and dry land farming irrigation tools.  These were both 100% volunteer run organizations.