Peggy was born and raised in Northwest Indiana.  After many years spent in active addiction, from age 17 through 62, she was able to break the grip of substance abuse through in-residence rehab and continuing participation in 12-step groups. After rehab, Peggy’s first resource was a residential halfway house for women, where she lived for 2 years, staying clean and acquiring new skills for living free from drugs. Eventually, Peggy became staff at the halfway house, learning from and guiding other women.  She was inspired by women who overcame their trauma, adverse life circumstances, and crippling addiction, in order to reunite with their children. It was very incentivizing to Peggy’s own recovery to see women heal from substance abuse and fully participate in their children's lives again.

Peggy wants to continue to fight the stigma of addiction and break the cyclical nature of drug abuse. During her 16 years of recovery, Peggy has mended family relationships, furthered her education to earn an Associate's degree, and mentored hundreds of women to thrive and grow.

Peggy understands that being in a protected environment with like-minded women facing similar struggles who support each other is the best environment for someone coming from jails and institutions. Nonetheless, Peggy saw women relapse because they left the halfway house too soon, returning to former toxic people, places and habits. Many times their premature departure was because they were anxious to be with their children. A safe home where women can be supported in recovery by their peers and reunited with their children, while learning parenting skills would give an important lifeline to women with substance abuse dependency.