Andrea Macone

Special Assistant to the Assistant Chancellor for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
University of Massachusetts Boston

PASSION:

A person in long-term recovery from a Substance Use Disorder, Andrea is passionate about advocating for the success of others in or seeking recovery in Massachusetts.

 

IMPACT:

Andrea combines her professional experience in diversity and inclusion with this personal interest, highlighting the need for health equity and opportunities for underserved populations such as women, LGBTQ individuals, and people of color. While a graduate student at University of Massachusetts Boston, she co-founded the university’s collegiate recovery community, which provides peer support and campus education. With this group she successfully lobbied for institutional policy change, resulting in a life-saving Good Samaritan clause insertion into the student code of conduct.

Active in local recovery communities, Andrea regularly speaks at treatment facilities, justice institutions, civic events and other locations to inform and inspire others that recovery is possible. She has worked to establish and coach young adult programming combining physical activity with youth prevention and early intervention methodologies to build active sober communities through The Phoenix, a national nonprofit. Andrea’s academic research focuses on cultural studies of traditional recovery fellowships and their historic exclusion of minorities, and she vocally supports multiple pathways to and of recovery in order to support diverse public health needs.

Andrea also mentors recovering women and pursues this passion in peer and family support groups, multiple higher education institutions, and nonprofit organization settings. Her advocacy has contributed to cultural shifts that reduce stigma and provide pathways to empowerment and success for individuals and communities.