A child survivor of rape and incest, Phyllis S. began using drugs and alcohol to dull her pain at the age of nine. She lived a troubled life, wandering between jobs and relationships. Seeking emotional stability, she entered an abusive marriage and, when the relationship ended, had to fight in court for custody of her four children.

After a lifetime of drug and alcohol abuse, Phyllis entered a drug recovery program in 1992, and has been sober ever since. Sobriety gave her a new found motivation to succeed, and Phyllis enrolled at Napa Valley College, earning an associate’s degree in administration of justice, before going on to complete a four-year degree in sociology.

Today, she is a teacher and in-demand speaker, inspiring audiences with her story of empowerment and success. “I’m strong now, I’m not a victim anymore.”