A Story of Resilience, Redemption, and Purpose

My name is Roger H. Crouell, Jr., and I am from Trenton, North Carolina, a small town in Jones County that helped shape the man I am today.

I am the oldest male of six children, born to the late Roger H. Crouell, Sr. and Ellen R. Murrell-Crouell. Growing up in a small community taught me early lessons about family, responsibility, perseverance, and the importance of never forgetting where you come from.

During my high school years at Jones Senior High School, I was a four-letter athlete, playing basketball and competing in track for one year. Basketball became more than a sport to me—it represented opportunity. After graduating, I received a basketball scholarship to Craven Community College in New Bern, North Carolina, where I intended to continue my education and athletic career.

Unfortunately, my basketball career and educational journey were interrupted by a criminal conviction.

After my release in 1998, I discovered that freedom did not necessarily mean that the consequences of incarceration were over. I experienced the stigma, barriers, and challenges that often come with being justice-involved. Instead of immediately finding my way, I found myself traveling down another path of destruction.

Life took me through some very difficult places.

I married in 2004, but that marriage ended in divorce six years later. Those experiences forced me to confront parts of myself and my life that I could no longer ignore.

Then came 2011.

I reunited with a dear friend from high school whom I had actually met years earlier in middle school. Our story goes all the way back to 1983, when our lockers were next to each other. She would often ask me to open her locker for her. At the time, neither of us could have imagined where that simple friendship would eventually lead.

In 2011, we found our way back to each other.

In 2012, I married her.

Today, she remains one of the most important influences in my life. She became the driving force behind me returning to college and pursuing an education that would eventually become connected to my purpose.

I earned degrees at Lenoir Community College in Human Service Technology and Substance Abuse Counseling, and I continued developing professionally through education, training, and certification.

My credentials include:

Certified Peer Support Specialist
Certified Forensic Peer Support Specialist
Certified Coach in Functional Medicine
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Specialist
Anger Management Specialist
Harm Reductionist
Researcher
And there are more certifications and areas of training that continue to add to my professional development.

But my education is more than a list of degrees and certifications.

My life has been my greatest classroom.

I understand what it means to make mistakes. I understand incarceration, stigma, rejection, broken relationships, and the difficulty of rebuilding a life after society has already decided who they think you are.

But I also understand redemption.

I understand what it means to fall and get back up.

I understand what it means to be counted out and continue moving forward.

And I understand the power of having someone believe in you when you are still trying to believe in yourself.

My journey has taken me from a small-town athlete with dreams, through incarceration and difficult seasons of my life, to education, professional development, advocacy, leadership, and service.

I do not hide my past.

I use my past as part of my purpose.

The experiences that once seemed like the end of my story became chapters in the story I am still writing.

Today, my passion is helping others recognize that their worst decision does not have to become their permanent identity. I believe people can change, families can heal, communities can recover, and lives can be rebuilt.

My story is not about where I started.

It is about what happened when I decided that my past would no longer dictate my future.

I am Roger H. Crouell, Jr.

Son. Brother. Husband. Father. Student. Professional. Advocate. Leader. Survivor.

And most importantly—

I am a man who is still becoming who he was created to be.

My name is Patricia Gix. I am currently the Administrative Assistant for Recovery Communities of North Carolina (RCNC) and also serve as a Peer Support Specialist. I am originally from Louisiana have 2 children, Brittany, age 29 and Kristen, age 30. I have one precious granddaughter, Kennedy, age 7 who is the apple of my eye.

Having worked in retail for 20 years including positions of management; I learned how important it is to be a positive example and how at the end of the day everyone wants to be appreciated and respected. I bring that knowledge to my position at RCNC. Everyone I have the opportunity to provide services to is important and of value and I am filled with gratitude to be able to support them.

Having been blessed with recovery, I have a strong desire to give back what has so freely being given to me throughout my recovery journey. Working with RCNC, has fueled that desire in me to share with others the hope ad tremendous possibilities of recovery. What I love most about my work is seeing people growing in their recovery.

As a woman in long-term recovery Terri strives to show everyone in both her professional and personal life that recovery is possible and life in recovery is better than we could ever imagine. Terri has worked in the recovery field for over 10 years and has a passion for helping others find and maintain a better quality of life. She is a Certified Peer Support Specialist and Certified Recovery Coach.

Empowering individuals to become their genuine self and continue a journey of productivity is what motivates her to continue the work in this field and build partnerships to assist those suffering with Substance Use Disorder and their families.

Terri has over a decade of experience in the non-profit sector and has worked in a variety of capacities within organizations, both in direct service and in administration. Her strong relationship building skills are an asset to the recovery field.

Prior to working with RCNC Terri worked for Healing Transitions in Raleigh; a community organization that serves homeless and underserved individuals with alcoholism and other substance use disorders.

Elliot Palmer, Jr. is an RCNC Team Member, a North Carolina Certified Peer Support Specialist, a Certified North Carolina Peer Support Trainer, a Certified WRAP Facilitator, a Certified Advanced Level WRAP Facilitator, a Recovery Coach, an American Heart Association Certified CPR/First Aid/BLS Instructor, a member of Durham Reentry Council, Wake Reentry Council, Commissioner on the City of Raleigh Substance Use Advisory Commission, and community volunteer who does work within NC Prisons. He is a participant in the North Carolina Leadership Fellows Academy ,motivational speaker, and owner of A.N.S.W.E.R.( A New Start While Empowering Recovery). He has trained hundreds in Peer Support and WRAP(Wellness Recovery Action Plan) development. His passion is supporting those who are stepping out on their recovery journey and those who are working to maintain their recovery every day.

R. Travis Compton joined RCNC in October 2024 and brings more than 30 years of experience serving individuals and communities affected by homelessness, substance use, mental health challenges, and other life barriers. Throughout his career, Travis has been driven by a simple belief: every person deserves to be treated with dignity, compassion, and respect, regardless of their circumstances.

Known for his ability to connect with people from all walks of life, Travis has a unique gift for building trust and creating meaningful relationships. Whether meeting someone for the first time on the street, helping navigate complex systems of care, or supporting an individual on their recovery journey, he believes that genuine human connection is often the first step toward lasting change.

His professional experience includes community health, case management, street outreach, care coordination, shelter management, and peer support. These experiences have shaped a practical, person-centered approach that focuses on meeting people where they are, identifying their strengths, and helping them access the resources and opportunities they need to move forward.

Travis is a North Carolina Certified Peer Support Specialist, Certified Recovery Coach, and Certified WRAP (Wellness Recovery Action Plan) Facilitator. He proudly served in the United States Navy, an experience that helped instill the values of service, perseverance, and leadership that continue to guide his work today.

Drawing on decades of professional experience, specialized training, and countless hours spent alongside individuals facing some of life's greatest challenges, Travis brings both expertise and heartfelt compassion to his role. He is deeply committed to helping people discover hope, reclaim their sense of purpose, and build pathways toward healthier, more fulfilling lives.

Megan Rae Peevey serves as an RCNC Certified Peer Support Specialist, Care Coordinator and Recovery Coach. Being a woman in recovery she has found her purpose and passion in helping others find their own way. Having struggled for years to find and sustain recovery she has been blessed with the ability to connect and relate to others in a special way.

She began her training as a Peer Support Training and Recovery Coach right here at RCNC. It’s been a full circle experience for her to join the Recovery Communities of North Carolina team in promoting addiction recovery wellness and continuing to support and educate the community she loves.

She is an advocate for reducing the stigma associated with substance use disorder, Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) and justice involved individuals. She strives to support the individuals and families she works with to the best of her ability and to provide a safe place for any and every one to recover.