Leadership
Jan Brown
Founding/executive director
Williamsburg Location • Warrenton Location
Jan@spiritworksFoundation.org
The Rev. Jan Brown is the Founder and Executive Director of SpiritWorks Foundation Center for the Soul. An ordained Deacon in the Episcopal Church, she currently serves as the Archdeacon of the Diocese of Southern Virginia and at Bruton Parish Church in Williamsburg, VA.
Jan is a graduate of the College of William and Mary with a BA in Psychology. She is certified as a Peer Recovery Support Specialist, a Recovery Coach Professional, and holds a Master of Science Degree in Addiction Studies from the International Programme on Addiction Studies, a joint program of King's College London, the University of Adelaide, and Virginia Commonwealth University.
As a woman in long-term recovery from addiction, Jan has extensive experience and expertise in the field. She is a former Chair of the Board of Directors of Faces and Voices of Recovery, a SPARK National Faculty and Steering Committee member, and an Opioid Response Network (ORN) Consultant. Jan also co-chairs the Addictions and Recovery Commission for the Diocese of Southern Virginia.
Jan currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Center for Motivation and Change Foundation for Change and the Williamsburg Community Foundation. She is an Advisor to Sesame Workshop and a Faculty and Advisory Committee Member for the SAMHSA Program to Advance Recovery Knowledge.
In 2014, Jan was appointed by the Governor of Virginia to serve on the Governor's Task Force on Prescription Drug and Heroin Abuse. The following year, she was appointed by the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church to serve on the Commission on Impairment and Leadership. She continues to hold appointed positions within The Episcopal Church, as well as the international addiction and recovery community. In 2022, Jan was inducted into the Hall of Fame of the Museum of African American Addictions, Treatment and Recovery, in recognition of her outstanding contributions and leadership in the field.
lauren mcdonald
Director of Spiritual & community programming / williamsburg Location
Lauren@spiritworksFoundation.org
The Rev. Lauren McDonald is the Director of Spiritual and Community Programming at SpiritWorks Foundation. Lauren has been a friend and volunteer of SpiritWorks since 2008 and began employment in January 2012. She has been living in recovery from co-dependence since February 2011. Lauren is an Episcopal priest with a passion for healing and spiritual practices. At SpiritWorks she oversees volunteer management, faith community education and training, and recovery ministry. Lauren received a B.A. in Speech and Theatre Arts from The University of the South in 1991 and a M.Div. from Seabury Western Theological Seminary in 2008. She has a Certificate in Spiritual Caregiving to Help Addicted Persons and Families through the National Association for Children of Addiction. She co-chairs the Addictions and Recovery Commission for the Diocese of Southern Virginia. Lauren also serves as the Associate Rector for Outreach and Women’s Ministries at Bruton Parish, where we hold our monthly First Fridays Recovery Service.
lynn smyth
Volunteer coordinator / Williamsburg Location
Lynn@spiritworksFoundation.org
Lynn Smyth is the Volunteer Coordinator at SpiritWorks Foundation. She is the mother of a recovering addict. Through her journey, Lynn found a passion for nurturing those in recovery that SpiritWorks serves. She loves to celebrate birthdays, milestones and organize events and fundraisers that are designed to celebrate life in recovery. Formerly a trial paralegal, Lynn has woven together a network of volunteer attorneys donate their time to help members of the SpiritWorks community to navigate their legal issues. Lynn also serves SpiritWorks by monitoring pending state and federal legislation that promote recovery services and funding initiatives. Lynn graduated from Florida State University with a B.S. in Political Science and received her paralegal certificate from the National Center for Paralegal Training in Atlanta, Georgia. Last year, Lynn completed SpiritWorks’ peer recovery specialist training course.
kristy piette
Certified Peer Recovery Specialist / Assistant operations manager
Kristy@spiritworksfoundation.org / Warrenton Location
Kristy Piette, Certified Peer Recovery Specialist, Assistant Operations Manager-SpiritWorks Warrenton, and a person in long term recovery from substance use disorder with sobriety date of September 9, 2012. With over 30 years of going through the revolving door of 12-step programs, jails, institutions and treatment centers, Kristy has firsthand experience of the progressive nature of the disease of addiction. Kristy shares her experience, strength and hope through her empathy to the women “Inside the Walls”, as well as peers on the street and all who come into the recovery center showing them there is an easier, softer way. Kristy had been a daily volunteer at the Warrenton Recovery Center which eventually led to her full time position with SpiritWorks. Kristy is very much involved in community collaboration projects and supporting local non-profit organizations. She also assists in re-entry and building solid foundations for the holistic well-being of her peers, meeting each individual where they are at. Kristy makes herself available 24/7 taking women to 12-step meetings, Celebrate Recovery, spiritual fellowship, free clothing as well as nutritious needs. Kristy believes one must give freely in order to keep inner peace and for others to also carry-on the message of hope. Together we do recover!
Justene Kmetz
Recovery Corps Recovery Project Coordinator
justene@spiritworksfoundation.org / Williamsburg Location
Justene is a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist a Recovery Project Coordinator with Recovery Corps serving at the SpiritWorks Center in Williamsburg. She has been in recovery from a substance use disorder for five years and in her 2nd year with Recovery Corps. Her goal is to walk alongside others and help advocate for them as well as support them on their personal journey to recovery. She is also inspired by and focused on providing support to those children whose lives are connected and affected by their loved ones’ and family members who are on their own personal journey.