MEET THE RECOVREE TEAM
Recovree represents a team of people who have firsthand experience with substance use disorder and are committed to helping people find recovery and thrive.
Melissa kjolsing lynch, CEO
Melissa has extensive experience working with startups. In her most recent role, she was the managing director of MN Cup, the largest statewide startup competition in the country. She has a bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications from Minnesota State University, Mankato and an MBA from the Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota. Melissa is a certified peer recovery specialist.
Luke kjolsing, CHIEF RECOVERY OFFICER
Luke is a U.S. Air Force veteran who studied at the University of Minnesota and Minnesota State University, Mankato. Luke finds energy and joy in helping people with their recovery journey because he personally understands the challenges of addiction. He is a certified peer recovery specialist and manages a sober house in St. Paul. He is also active in the local recovery community including Young Adults in Recovery.
Anisa Abdulkadir, DEVELOPER
Anisa is a Full Stack Software Developer that contributed to development of the Recovree app prototype. She has a Bachelors degree in Biology from the University of St. Thomas. During undergrad, Anisa developed an interest in technology which led her to attain a Certificate in Full Stack Software Engineering from Prime Digital Academy. Anisa continues to pursue her interest in technology and provides ongoing technical support to Recovree.
jeff larson, vp OF sTRATEGY AND EMERGING MARKETS
Jeff is a consultant and counselor in the addiction field. He has served in numerous roles in residential and outpatient treatment programs throughout his career including Executive Director of Health and Human Services for the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe. He was trained as a counselor at Hazelden Foundation and received his Master’s Degree in Human Development from St. Mary’s University in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Anne Westman, vp of marketing
After graduating from the College of Biological Sciences at the University of Minnesota, Anne worked as a microbiologist at the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory. Always interested in business, she decided to change her career trajectory and jumped into a startup. In her most recent role, she was the Executive Director of Sigma Beauty, an international e-commerce business.
sarah hays, DIRECTOR OF HUMAN FACTORS AND PRINCIPAL PSYCHOLOGIST
Sarah has worked in the recovery community for several years as a mental health counselor. She is passionate about technology and how it interplays with mental health. She has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Minnesota Duluth, a master’s degree from University of St. Thomas and is completing her Doctoral Program in Psychology with a specialty in Geek Culture Therapeutic Integration.
jenna pederson, TECHNOLOGY CONSULTANT
Jenna is a business owner, community builder, and technical entrepreneur with a passion for community and equity-building. She helps entrepreneurs make their product ideas a reality—from starting with an idea and seeing the big picture, to aligning the technical strategy with the business strategy and positioning it for growth. Jenna is a proud co-founder of Hack The Gap, led the Twin Cities Geekettes, and currently serves on the Minnestar Board of Directors.