This year’s Jay Minor Spirit of Recovery Award Winner is Terry Leckon-Myers, Senior Program Director at The Peer Company! She has dedicated more than three decades of her life to helping others discover their own path to healing.
“Recovery gave me my dignity, the kind you don’t realize you lost until someone hands it back to you gently.”
Terry’s recovery journey began more than 31 years ago after reaching a point where she was, in her own words, “sick and tired of being sick and tired.” Years of cycling between success and instability, employment and incarceration, left her exhausted and searching for something different. What started with a simple decision to attend a recovery meeting eventually led her to a community that offered something she had never expected: acceptance. There, she found people who listened without judgment and showed her that recovery wasn’t about perfection. It was about honesty, humility, and continuing to show up even when it felt difficult.
Although Terry didn’t originally plan for a career in behavioral health and recovery services, the field seemed to find her. After several years in recovery, she began volunteering with Central City Concern, helping advocate for housing, treatment, and recovery supports. During that time, she became involved in some of Oregon’s earliest efforts to establish and define peer support services, helping shape a movement that would grow into a cornerstone of recovery care across the state.
Over the years, Terry built an impressive career focused on helping people overcome barriers and thrive. She worked in workforce development, helping individuals with criminal histories rebuild their lives through meaningful employment. She expanded her expertise by learning both the lived-experience and clinical sides of addiction recovery, eventually becoming the first Director of Peer Services at Bridges to Change before joining The Peer Company, where she now serves as Senior Program Director.
“Show up messy. Show up scared. Show up tired. Just keep showing up.”
For Terry, recovery is built through small daily choices that add up over time. Her message to those beginning their recovery journey is simple yet powerful: keep coming back, be patient with yourself, and trust the process.
We can’t wait to celebrate these compassionate and amazing leaders. Make sure you get your tickets today so you don’t miss it! Get your tickets today: CLICK HERE