Maryanne Frangules
Maryanne Frangules began her career as a clinician but quickly realized the great value of lived experience and the need for education and advocacy to address the stigma that many people and families faced who were experiencing addiction. She has spent her entire career ensuring that the recovery community is “Visible, Vocal, and Valuable.”
This passion and commitment led Maryanne to co-found the Massachusetts Organization for Addiction Recovery (MOAR) in 1991 alongside Leroy Kelly. Her innovation, passion, and sheer determination established one of the first organized grassroots statewide organizations that has for over 30 years been educating, advocating, building community, and combatting the stigma of addiction. In 1998, she represented MOAR at the New England Institute for Addiction Studies, which helped to form the New England Alliance for Addiction Recovery, which became a SAMHSA Recovery Community Support Program (RCSP) grantee for 6 years that lead to the formation of Faces and Voices of Recovery via the Alliance Project in 2001.
She feels very proud to have been on the board of Faces and Voices of Recovery Board, contributing to shaping recovery policies and initiatives on a broader scale. She has garnered recognition both statewide and nationally for her tireless efforts, with MOAR Board, staff, and members. MOAR’s receiving the Joel Hernandez Advocacy Award in 2012 was a very proud milestone. She was, also, proud of MOAR’s designation as a SAMHSA National Recovery Month Planning Partner, with the support of Massachusetts Bureau of Substance Addiction Services, (BSAS), the Massachusetts single state agency.
Change does not happen by chance and Maryanne has been an amazing change agent. She has been instrumental in many policy initiatives bills including but not limited to Licensing of Alcohol and Drug Counselors (LADC), Licensing Peer Recovery Coaches, advocating for funding parity for Substance Use Services, Good Samaritan Law, educating legislatures on the lifechanging benefits of peer supports, and her steadfast leadership to support the recovery community to use their voices to help build the continuum of care with both harm reduction from recovery support services to overdose prevention centers. She has been instrumental in supporting the growing MOAR staff and members with how to share their stories with purpose, point, and passion.
While Maryanne has championed numerous initiatives to empower the recovery community and combat stigma she has shined brightly for 34 consecutive years of Recovery Month Celebrations. Day. Over the years Recovery Day has brought thousands of people together to promote the joy of recovery.
She is further grateful to staff, board, and members. Maryanne feels fortunate that BSAS has been supportive of the MOAR mission, and in support of Bay State Community Services, and the many community partners.
Maryanne retired as Executive Director in January of 2025 and is now working part-time as Recovery Historian to capture all the memories that has led to receiving the Faces and Voices of Recovery William L.White Lifetime Achievement Award. And even the name with the history- William L. White -is so awe striking! Maryanne accepts this award with gratitude to have been such a small part of this great organization, and for the many people who have been so integral to the recovery movement!