People

Staff Members

Perry Scheck

Perry Scheck joined the Pittsburgh Recovery Walk staff in 2025. Prior to taking on his current role, he served for several years on the PRW Planning Committee and as Volunteer Coordinator. He’s been in long-term recovery since 2012, embracing a number of different pathways along his personal recovery journey. This fostered in him a deep understanding and appreciation of the Walk’s mission to celebrate all roads to recovery and all those who walk them. In his other professional life, he is a software developer, and brings his passion for data management to the Pittsburgh Recovery Walk.

Executive Board Members

Jesse Scheck

Jesse Scheck has been involved in the Pittsburgh Recovery Walk since the idea for the Walk was first conceived in the boardroom at the Institute for Research, Education and Training in Addictions – PRW’s fiscal sponsor – where he has served on the board in multiple roles since 2010. He has been in long-term recovery since 2007, and has greatly appreciated the opportunities the Walk has provided him to open his mind and his heart to a diversity of recovery pathways beyond his own. He also serves on the board of the Tri State Regional Service Office for a 12-step fellowship. In his professional life, he is a project manager in the oil and gas industry. He brings his passion for event planning and logistics to his role as PRW Executive Committee Chairperson.


Pastor Lance Rhoades

Pastor Lance Rhoades has been involved in Pittsburgh’s recovery community for over five years, working to bridge the gap between faith-based support and harm reduction efforts. As the executive of the South Pittsburgh Opioid Action Coalition and the Faith Community Collaborative, he has led efforts to expand access to naloxone and trauma-informed recovery resources. He is also the founding pastor of Tree of Life Open Bible Church, home to Pittsburgh’s only certified Recovery Church. Through his leadership, faith communities have become more engaged in harm reduction and recovery advocacy. Lance is currently pursuing his Doctor of Ministry at The King’s Seminary, focusing on the intersection of faith, leadership, and public health


Kelley Kelley

Director of Public Safety & Wellbeing, CONNECT
Former Mayor, Turtle Creek Borough, PA

Kelley Kelley is the Director of Public Safety & Wellbeing at CONNECT where she oversees the Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) program and directs  Wellbeing programming for Allegheny County local elected officials, staff and public service professionals.

Kelley served 2 terms as Mayor in Turtle Creek Borough, PA, and is a longtime advocate for people with substance use disorders and their families. Currently Kelley is a member of the Allegheny County Independent Police Review Board, and serves on the Executive Committee of the Pittsburgh Recovery Walk.


Rachel Shuster

Rachel Shuster, BSN, RN, CARN, CAAP, FIAAN, is a Certified Addiction Registered Nurse and person with lived experience. Her professional expertise spans critical care, nursing education, various treatment settings (office-based, inpatient), and managed care. Rachel has been involved with the Pittsburgh Recovery Walk since first attending in 2018, and she is also our 2021 recipient of the Recovery Pathway Supporter Award. Rachel is the President-Elect (’25-’27) for the USA Chapter of the International Nursing Society on Addictions (IntNSA) and actively contributes as a member of the Butler County Opioid Overdose Coalition (BCOOC), the Community Advisory Board for the Appalachian Node of the NIDA Clinical Trials Network, and as a board member for Unity Recovery. Rachel is driven by a deep commitment to addressing stigma, promoting harm reduction, and advancing drug policy, and her blend of personal experience and professional expertise makes her a powerful advocate in the field.


Volunteers

Every year, dozens of individual volunteers spend hours planning the event, promoting it, and providing on-site support. Special thanks to:

  • Pittsburgh Recovery Walk Event Committee
  • Duquesne University School of Pharmacy student volunteers

Interested in Volunteer Opportunities? Get Involved!