Merna Eppick started her career in the non-profit community as a volunteer, active in education and youth advocacy organizations. Merna has worked in the field of addiction, treatment, and recovery for over thirty years. She has received numerous awards for her service to the field of addiction and recovery, including the Mental Health Champion Award for 2023 from Missouri Foundation for Mental Health and Springfield Business Journal’s 20 Most Influential Women, 2011. Recently she was one of the representatives from Missouri at a SAMHSA housing first conference, and a subject matter expert about Medication Assisted Recovery with the University of Missouri, St. Louis. She has served on the Board of Directors for a variety of treatment and recovery, and housing oversight agencies. Currently Merna is the President of Dynamic New Visions providing addiction recovery, peer support, and mental health services as well as oversight of a newly funded peer respite care facility. She serves on the Board of Directors for the Missouri Coalition of Recovery Support Providers and is the Board Co-Chair and Housing Task Force Chair. She is the President and Founding member of the Recovery Coalition of the Ozarks, a MCRSP affiliate.