August 2025 CPS & CPPS Supervisor Community of Practice
Abigail Spanjers (she/her) is the Executive Director at The La Crosse Lighthouse Inc, a small (501c3) non-profit organization in La Crosse, WI that operates The La Crosse Lighthouse Peer Run Respite and Warmline. The La Crosse Lighthouse offers phone support and respite stays for individuals who are experiencing mental health, substance use and other life interrupting challenges. Being a strong advocate for equity and social change, Abigail took the opportunity as Executive Director to reorganize the structure of The La Crosse Lighthouse to reflect grassroots peer-centered approaches, greater pay equity and shared responsibility. Abigail received her Wisconsin Peer Specialist Certification in 2021 and Intentional Peer Support Certificate in 2023. She was named the 2024 Shining Star recipient from the Mental Health Coalition of the Greater La Crosse Area and facilitated workshops at the 2024 Wisconsin Peer Recovery Conference and 2024 National Association of Peer Supporters Annual Conference. Her experiences include: navigating long term substance use and mental health challenges, incarceration and surviving domestic violence. She holds a strong knowing that personal experiences offer value that formal education cannot duplicate. Abigail believes in offering alternatives to clinical and medical model interventions to allow space for autonomy and exploring new ways to break cycles. Peer work gives us a voice and proves there are many pathways to wellness. In her personal time, Abigail gardens, plays video games and most importantly, loves her animal cohabitants.
This presentation will challenge what we have come to accept as normal organizational structure and explore using contracts and skillsets that already exist within our teams to trim the budget, provide opportunities for growth and lessen the wage gap between administrative and direct staff. Seeing all members as skilled contributors cultivates innovation and community. We will learn how respecting all positions as essential will create a strong organization, impacting staff turnover, job satisfaction and program security. Peers are a wealth of knowledge and recognizing those skills while providing an opportunity to use them builds the peer, builds the organization and builds confidence in peer work. Together we can find a better way.
Feedback Survey/CEH Information:
We invite you to please fill out the evaluation survey link (click here) if you attended this community of practice gathering or if you watch the recording. The survey will close at 4:30pm on Thursday, September 11th. Certificates of Participation will be sent to those completing the evaluation form by 4:30pm on September 18th, 2025. No evaluation surveys will be accepted for CEH credit after the evaluation survey’s closing date/time.
This website is managed and maintained by staff at Access to Independence working on the Wisconsin Peer Specialist Employment Initiative. The words, views, and values presented herein are not necessarily representative of the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.
May 2025 CPS & CPPS Community of Practice
Paula Buege is a dedicated professional with a profound commitment to empowering and supporting lived experience experts in driving transformative change. Drawing from her own lived expertise in multiple systems, Paula’s career objective is to meet the needs of constituents served by fostering a collaborative and inclusive environment. She aims to ensure that the insights and perspectives of lived experience experts are integral to shaping policies and practices that promote recovery and well-being.
Paula has been training those with lived experience to become Wisconsin Certified Peer and Parent Peer Specialists. She continues to consult and train agencies, organizations, and individuals related to mental health, substance use, serving families, child welfare, juvenile justice, and criminal justice. Paula infuses her lived experience and wellness journey into her work, sharing over 25 years of experience in multiple roles and systems to support others on their wellness journey.
Lynn Maday-Bigboy serves as a peer coordinator who brings her own lived experience with mental health and substance use to her work. You can often find her in the community, collaborating with others to amplify the voices of those with lived experience while exemplifying peer values. As a member of the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and part of the turtle clan, she embraces her role as both a teacher and a helper.
Join us for an informative and engaging gathering on Ethics and Boundaries for Certified Parent Peer Specialists. This session will explore the critical role ethics play in supporting families, as well as the importance of establishing and maintaining healthy professional boundaries while upholding the highest ethical standards in their practice.
Feedback Survey/CEH Information:
We invite you to please fill out the evaluation survey link (click here) if you attended this community of practice gathering or if you watch the recording. The survey will close at 4:30pm on Thursday, June 12th. Certificates of Participation will be sent to those completing the evaluation form by 4:30pm on June 19th, 2025. No evaluation surveys will be accepted for CEH credit after the evaluation survey’s closing date/time.
This website is managed and maintained by staff at Access to Independence working on the Wisconsin Peer Specialist Employment Initiative. The words, views, and values presented herein are not necessarily representative of the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.
March 2025 CPS & CPPS Supervisor Community of Practice
Michelle Laga is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Certified Peer Specialist at Wisconsin Community Services in Milwaukee. She is also a State of Wisconsin Certified Peer Specialist Trainer. She received her Master’s of Art Therapy at Mount Mary University in Milwaukee in 2013. Michelle offers clinical supervision, support and coordination to two programs at WCS. Michelle identifies as a person in long term recovery from substance use and mental health issues. She celebrated 14 years of continuous sobriety on 3/8/2025. Michelle has a 12 year old loveable dog Watson. She loves to travel, go fishing, swimming, hiking, watch sci fi tv shows/movies and play video games. She also loves to spend time with friends and family.
How to maintain professional boundaries as a supervisor of certified peer specialists will be discussed. The differences and similarities of supervising and maintaining boundaries with peer specialists you supervisor versus other professionals will be outlined. Various scenarios involving professional boundaries as a CPS supervisor will be shared and discussed in order to learn from each other’s experience.
We invite you to please fill out the evaluation survey link (click here) if you attended this community of practice gathering or if you watch the recording. The survey will close at 4:30pm on Thursday, April 10th. Certificates of Participation will be sent to those completing the evaluation form by 4:30pm on April 17th, 2025. No evaluation surveys will be accepted for CEH credit after the evaluation survey’s closing date/time.
This website is managed and maintained by staff at Access to Independence working on the Wisconsin Peer Specialist Employment Initiative. The words, views, and values presented herein are not necessarily representative of the Wisconsin Department of Health Services
August 2024 CPS & CPPS Supervisor Community of Practice
Thursday, August 22nd, 2024 from 1:30 – 3:00 pm CT
Abigail is the Executive Director at The La Crosse Lighthouse Inc, a small (501c3) non-profit organization in La Crosse, WI that operates The La Crosse Lighthouse Peer Run Respite and Warmline. The La Crosse Lighthouse offers 24/7 phone support and 1–7 night respite stays for individuals who have experienced mental health and/or substance use challenges and other life interrupting events. Being a strong advocate for equity and social change, Abigail took the opportunity as Executive Director to reorganize the structure of The La Crosse Lighthouse to reflect grassroots peer support approaches, greater pay equity and shared responsibility.
Abigail received her Wisconsin Peer Specialist Certification in 2021 and Intentional Peer Support Certificate in 2023. She was named the 2024 Shining Star recipient from the Mental Health Coalition of the Greater La Crosse Area and presented at the 2024 Wisconsin Peer Recovery Conference on Challenging Organizational Norms and Paving the Way for Equity. Her experience includes navigating long term substance use and mental health challenges, incarceration, surviving domestic violence and PTSD. She holds a strong knowing that personal experiences offer a value that formal education cannot duplicate. Abigail believes in offering alternatives to clinical and medical model interventions for those navigating a self-determined wellness path.
Peer work gives voice to those that have lived through difficult life interrupting events and proves there are many pathways to self-defined wellness. In her personal time, Abigail gardens, plays video games and most importantly, loves her animal cohabitants.
This presentation will challenge what we have come to accept as normal hierarchal organizational structure and explore using the skillsets that already exist within our teams to trim the budget, provide opportunities for growth and lessen the wage gap between administrative and direct staff. Seeing all members as skilled contributors cultivates innovation and community. We will learn how respecting all positions as essential will inevitably build and grow a strong organization, impacting staff turnover and job satisfaction. Peers are a wealth of knowledge and recognizing those skills while providing an opportunity to use them builds the peer, builds the organization and builds confidence that we are capable. Together we can find a better way.
We invite you to please fill out the evaluation survey link (click here) if you attended this community of practice gathering or if you watch the recording. The survey will close at 4:30pm on Thursday, September 5th. Certificates of Participation will be sent to those completing the evaluation form by 4:30pm on September 12th. No evaluation surveys will be accepted for CEH credit after the evaluation survey’s closing date/time.
This website is managed and maintained by staff at Access to Independence working on the Wisconsin Peer Specialist Employment Initiative. The words, views, and values presented herein are not necessarily representative of the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.
June 2024 CPS & CPPS Supervisor Community of Practice
Thursday, June 20th, 2024 from 1:30 – 3:00 pm CT
Recognized for my ability to lead with clarity and compassion, I have successfully directed large-scale community initiatives, including a multi-year recovery and addiction awareness event that saw exponential growth in participation and visibility under my leadership. My professional credentials include a bachelor’s degree, certification as a peer specialist, peer specialist training facilitator, and opiate impacted family support specialist. I have held key roles across diverse service settings—from shelters and crisis services to targeted case management—consistently building systems and strategies that enhance service quality and reach.
I believe that every person holds the potential to build a life of meaning, and that our greatest work is to create pathways where that potential can flourish. For me, leadership is not about titles—it’s about building systems that empower, relationships that uplift, and opportunities that transform challenges into victories. My commitment is to ensure that the work I do continues to open doors, inspire hope, and strengthen the belief that no future is beyond reach.
Our “Mission Drift” workshop explores how to balance idealism with the challenging realities of working in systemic environments. As peer specialists, we act as catalysts for change, bringing essential and fresh perspectives to places that may not fully recognize or value our unique approach, which emphasizes individual-focused care and uplifting marginalized voices. We’ll discuss how initial enthusiasm can sometimes fade when faced with the complexities of the workplace. This workshop will delve into self-care, maintaining our integrity, and developing strategies for peer specialists to effectively navigate these dynamics. Our goal is for each participant to leave equipped with the tools to succeed without compromising their core values.
We invite you to please fill out the evaluation survey link (click here) if you attended this community of practice gathering or if you watch the recording. The survey will close at 4:30pm on Thursday, July 11th. Certificates of Participation will be sent to those completing the evaluation form by 4:30pm on July 18th, 2024. No evaluation surveys will be accepted for CEH credit after the evaluation survey’s closing date/time.
This website is managed and maintained by staff at Access to Independence working on the Wisconsin Peer Specialist Employment Initiative. The words, views, and values presented herein are not necessarily representative of the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.
