BOARD MEMBERS
Meet the members of the AIM Leadership Team!
Carol Rostucher
President
My name is Carol Rostucher. It is difficult for me to write my bio on a constantly evolving life. I can proudly say that I am the mother of 2 amazing sons. My youngest son is Dylan; he is 16 years young, an honor student at Roman Catholic High School. He rows, and his quad just won City and Catholic League Championships! My oldest son Drew is a talented artist with an amazing heart. He is 25 years young and currently in recovery from the disease of addiction. There is one thing I truly hate – addiction. I must say Drew’s disease has taught me so much. I look in the mirror and love who I see, I am not afraid to be me, and I do not care what anyone thinks of me. I know unconditional love; I am not ashamed of my children in any way. I try my best not to judge, and to give everyone a fair chance. I have grown and met the most amazing people through this journey. Would I be this person today if my son did not have this disease? I honestly do not think so. Do not get me wrong – I really wish my son did not have substance use disorder. Unfortunately, he does, along with millions of human beings all over the world. This would be why I do what I do, along with all the volunteers of Angels in Motion. We are changing the way those suffering with the disease of addiction are treated, one life at a time.
Contact Carol at carol@aimangelsinmotion.com
Barbara Peahota-Burns
Mobile Syringe Exchange Coordinator/ Narcan Training
My name is Barbara Peahota-Burns and I am a Lead Outing Volunteer for AIM. I have been married for 30 years and am the mother of two – Kelly, who is 18 and will be attending college in the fall, and Billy, 25, who lives in California and is currently in recovery from the disease of addiction. I am also the grandmother of two.
This disease has taught me to live in the moment, love unconditionally and take the time to laugh. Being on this journey, I’ve received more from our Angels In Need than I have given. My life-long commitment will be to work with AIM, helping to make our mission statement a reality.
Contact Barbara at barbara@aimangelsinmotion.com.
Joseph A. Giandonato
Vice Chair / Fundraiser
Joe has over 35 years’ of contracts/grants experience which includes over 5 years as Deputy Logistics Officer, Director of Procurement Administration/Compliance, and Program Director supporting various programs throughout Amtrak, 12 years performing as Contracts Manager/Operations Lead at CH2M HILL, and over 18 years’ experience performing contract management duties on numerous federal programs. Other experience includes managing and administering contracts/subcontracts/grants in accordance with federal requirements, ensuring compliance with regulations, policy, and contract terms and conditions, preparing solicitations and proposals, conducting negotiations, awarding contracts/subcontracts/grants, performing post-award functions, and ensuring compliance to contract/grant terms with local, state, and federal laws. Joe earned his BA from Temple University and a MBA from Strayer University. He was born and raised in Philadelphia. Enjoy sports, music, and the arts. Joe has been a member of Angels in Motion supporting outreach efforts, business management, fundraising, and grant writing for 3 years after losing his daughter, Alissa, age 20, to an overdose.
Sterling Johnson
Ronnie Sue Kaiser
Vice President
I’m Ronnie Sue Kaiser, the mother of 3, grandmother of 5 and one of the Directors of AIM. I also have a 9-5 job that pays the bills, but the volunteer work I do with those that suffer with the disease of addiction is how I plan on making a difference. I’m bull-headed, snarky, call-you-out-on-bullcrap kind of lady. I am also compassionate, loving and would give you the shirt off my back if you need it. I love sports, sitting with my family and arguing over whatever seems to be funny at the time. If you can’t laugh, you’re doing something wrong.
Contact Ronnie at ronnie@aimangelsinmotion.com
Nicole O'Donnell
Volunteer Coordinator / CRS Program
Contact Nicole at nicole@aimangelsinmotion.org
Jackie Raftery
Social Media Admin / Treasurer
My name is Jackie Raftery. I have been married to Richard for 30 years. I have 3 beautiful children, (Andrew, Julia and Timothy) and 1 precious granddaughter (Anna). My husband has been in recovery for 24 years and my oldest son has 3 years of recovery. Living in a family with this life threatening disease is not an easy one. But I am so fortunate that they are alive and thriving. With the help of their 12 step program, it keeps them living one day at a time. Along with being a Director of AIM, I work full time as a Resident Manager of an apartment complex. I am an advocate of treating all who suffer from addiction with compassion and love. I am so proud to a part of Angels in Motion, who show all that are struggling with this disease Hope, Love and Compassion!
Contact Jackie at jackie@aimangelsinmotion.com
Brooke M. Feldman
Secretary/Advocacy
Brooke is a widely recognized speaker, advocate, consultant, and writer who brings a wealth of professional experience and knowledge when it comes to issues of social justice, transforming systems and improving behavioral healthcare. Prior to becoming the Philadelphia Center Manger of CleanSlate Outpatient Addiction Medicine, Brooke served for several years as a national consultant focused on behavioral health systems transformation. For 10 years leading up to her consulting work, Brooke served in Philadelphia’s innovative behavioral health system in a variety of settings including a recovery residence, addiction treatment center, Recovery Community Organization (RCO) and the City of Philadelphia’s Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services (DBHIDS). This breadth of experience has enabled Brooke to develop a unique well-rounded perspective in the way she views and works in transforming behavioral healthcare.
In addition to Brooke’s professional experience, Brooke brings invaluable lived experience as a person in long-term recovery. After spending her adolescent years in and out of behavioral health institutions and Philly’s juvenile justice system, Brooke entered into long-term recovery at the age of 24. What long-term recovery has meant for Brooke is that for the past 14 years, she has managed her wellness and overcome living with a substance use disorder, in turn halting the intergenerational transmission of addiction that claimed her mother’s life at a young age.
Brooke has been highly active for many years in local and national recovery advocacy efforts through volunteerism and her writing for a local recovery magazine, the Huffington Post and Faces and Voices of Recovery. Brooke also serves on the board of Angels in Motion, a volunteer-based harm reduction organization in Philadelphia.
Having come to see higher education as an instrumental part of her recovery and life’s work, Brooke began her collegiate career at Community College of Philadelphia and went on to obtain her Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree from West Chester University of Pennsylvania, where she was awarded the Outstanding Senior award, and her Master of Social Work (MSW) degree from the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Social Policy and Practice, where she was elected to serve as the prestigious school’s MSW Student Commencement Speaker. Brooke has since returned to Community College of Philadelphia to teach as an Adjunct Professor in the college’s Behavioral Health and Human Services curriculum as well as serve on its Advisory Committee.
Brooke firmly believes that access to wellness and recovery, however self-defined, should never be about luck or privilege but instead be treated as a human right. Ultimately, all of Brooke’s efforts go into fighting for individuals and communities to have access to whatever resources they need, when they need them and for however long they need them so that all human beings have the same opportunities for wellness, recovery and actualizing their potential that Brooke has had.