Meet Dove Recovery House Board Member Annmarie Novotney, CPA. She first got involved with Dove House by volunteering on the development committee in 2020. Annmarie joined the board of directors a year later and is on the finance committee. She lives in Westfield with her family and is a Director/Owner at Blue & Co., LLC, a Top 60 accounting, tax and consulting firm, where she specializes in nonprofit audit and consulting.
Annmarie knows what it’s like to love someone with a substance use disorder. Her dad struggled with alcoholism and addiction throughout his entire life. Although he struggled, he also had success in his recovery. At one time, he celebrated six continuous years of sobriety. Sadly, he lost his battle with addiction in May of 2021 at the age of 60.
For Annmarie’s dad, fighting the disease of addiction was a constant battle. Throughout the years, he spent time in inpatient and intensive outpatient programs and consistently attended 12-step programs.
“Nothing really stuck, and I saw many instances where there were gaps in the care process,” shared Annmarie. “He was such a good man, a good father, but he struggled and we just never quite found the treatment plan that worked. It was devastating for our family.”
When Annmarie was introduced to Dove House, she saw something special and thought getting involved would be one way she could honor her dad. Immediately, she was impressed by the comprehensive care and program.
“The success rate is so high, and the impact on these women and their families was clear. I wish my dad would have found such a program; maybe the outcome would have been different for him,” said Annmarie.
She knew Dove House CEO Wendy from a previous board she was on, and she is proud to work with such an impactful leader who has built a well-rounded team committed to serving the women at Dove House.
For Annmarie the most rewarding part of being a board member has been “seeing women fight to gain their confidence back. You can see it in their eyes and hear it in their voices when they talk about their journeys.”
She knows Dove House works for women that struggle with addiction and she loves being able to support something so meaningful to her personally and to the community.
“I continue to learn every time I am with Wendy, the staff, the board, and most importantly, the women. Because of my dad and his journey, my involvement with Dove is extremely personal and seeing impacts continuously is rewarding,” added Annmarie.
We are grateful to have Annmarie as a board member, advocate for the recovery community and champion for Dove House.
