ICARE Center of Excellence (COE) is comprised of an accomplished leadership team, a shared platform, diverse approaches and modalities, relevant credentials, and best practices in workforce development through Addiction and Recovery Education.
Board of Directors
Cheryl Brown Merriwether
Cheryl Brown Merriwether serves as Chief Executive Officer of the International Center for Addiction & Recovery Education (ICARE). A nationally recognized leader in human resources and recovery-supportive workplace strategy, Cheryl brings more than 25 years of experience across corporate HR, adult education, and workforce development. She is a driving force behind the Recovery Friendly Workplace movement and has led nationally recognized initiatives that equip HR professionals and business leaders to build compassionate, recovery-ready workplace cultures.
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Cheryl Brown Merriwether, MSHRDA, SHRM-SCP, SPHR, CM, CRSS, CPRC, is the Chief Executive Officer of the International Center for Addiction & Recovery Education (ICARE).
With more than 25 years of leadership experience spanning human resources, adult education, workforce development, and addiction recovery support services, Cheryl is widely regarded as a national thought leader in recovery-supportive workplace culture.
Her professional background includes executive HR leadership within Fortune 100 organizations and extensive experience in higher education as a faculty member and mentor. Cheryl has held numerous board leadership roles, including serving as President of SHRM Greater Orlando and Co-Chair of the Florida Recovery Friendly Workplace Coalition.
Under her leadership, ICARE’s Certified Facilitator in Addiction Awareness for Human Resources (CFAA-HR) program earned the prestigious SHRM Pinnacle Award. Cheryl has also been recognized as a 2023 BambooHR “HR Experience Maker – Heart & Soul” award recipient and a SUCCESS Magazine Woman of Influence. She remains committed to equipping leaders to build compassionate, capable, and recovery-ready workplaces nationwide.
Candace Alley
Candace Alley is the Chief Operations Officer of ICARE Aware. She is a credentialed addictions professional and board-certified health and wellness coach who leads operational strategy and program execution for evidence-informed addiction and recovery education, with a focus on trauma-informed practice, ethics, psychological safety, and resilience.
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Candace Alley, Chief Operations Officer, ICARE Aware, ICADC, NBC-HWC, SAP, NCCPSS, NCCHW, CPC, CPRC, CFAA, leads operational strategy, program execution, and scalable systems that advance ICARE Aware’s mission in addiction and recovery education. A credentialed addictions professional and board-certified health and wellness coach, Candace brings a rare blend of clinical insight and operational leadership—translating evidence-informed training into practical, measurable impact for professionals, organizations, and communities.
Candace is known for building the infrastructure behind high-quality programs: strengthening quality assurance, improving delivery models, and ensuring learners receive consistent, standards-aligned experiences. She is also a subject matter expert in Complex PTSD recovery, integrating trauma-informed, recovery-supportive best practices that prioritize psychological safety, ethics, resilience, and sustainable behavior change.
Her work equips leaders and helping professionals to navigate difficult conversations, reduce stigma, and create cultures where individuals can access support early and recover openly.
Jean M. LaCour PhD, CPP, CPRC
Founder, President, CEO
Dr. Jean LaCour is a global consultant and thought leader who has personally trained in 40+ nations. As a tireless advocate for people working in Addiction Recovery around the world, she has inspired innovation in Egypt,Russia, and Bermuda to name a few. She is committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion in Addiction services. She led a coalition of 1,000+ people in 100+ nations and has overseen career training for thousands of people in scores of nations. Her global efforts include serving on multiple Addiction Recovery workgroups for the United Nations, US State Department, and other national, state, and related organizations.
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Passionate about building bridges, Dr Jean has been recognized for her efforts to create systems change in the field of Addiction to promote early intervention to avoid needless suffering and increase access to quality care. She has fostered collaborations between clinical treatment and multiple peer-based recovery approaches.
In 1996, she founded NET Training Institute as a nonprofit to train Addiction Counselors and Recovery Support Staff. In 2013, she launched an International Association to train and certify Professional Coaches in Addiction Recovery based on Positive Psychology, Resilience, and Emotional Sobriety and gained approval from the International Coach Federation/ ICF.