Kentucky Chamber Announces Best-Selling Author Sam Quinones as Keynote of 2023 Recovery Conference

In an effort to equip Kentucky employers with the knowledge and resources to hire, train and retain employees in recovery, the Kentucky Chamber will host its annual 5th Recovery in the Workplace Conference on March 28 in Lexington, sponsored by Isaiah House.

Kentucky Office of Drug Control Policy Executive Director Van Ingram will open the conference to share where the Commonwealth is now and discuss ongoing efforts across Kentucky to combat substance use disorder.

The conference keynote, best-selling author and journalist Sam Quinones, will share his experiences as a reporter covering the evolution of immigration, gangs, drug trafficking, the border, and other related issues for over 35 years. His most recent book, The Least of Us, focuses on the rise of synthetic drugs being produced and trafficked as it relates to the opioid epidemic that has impacted communities across America. Read more about Quinones here.

During the Kentucky Recovery in the Workplace Conference, the Recovery Consortium of Kentucky (RECON KY) will host its 2023 Recovery Hall of Fame ceremony to recognize individuals in long-term recovery and those who have taken a leading role in addressing Kentucky’s addiction crisis through prevention, treatment, education, and advocacy efforts.

The 2023 Recovery Hall of Fame inductees include:  

• Congressman Hal Rogers Award: Van Ingram, Executive Director, Kentucky Office of Drug Control Policy, Commonwealth of Kentucky
• Jay Davidson Award: Charlotte Wethington (Casey’s Law)
• Employer of the Year: Toyotomi
• Special Honor: Jeff Whitehead, Executive Director, Eastern Kentucky Concentrated Employment Program (EKCEP), Inc.

Members of the Kentucky Chamber Foundation team will also speak throughout the day on various initiatives in which employers can get involved to most effectively recruit and retain individuals in recovery. Learn more about those programs here.

To learn more and register for the 2023 Recovery in the Workplace Conference, click here.