Founded in 2011 by Jorea M. Lenard, a formerly incarcerated individual and mental health consumer in recovery, PARfessionals is committed to mental health awareness, education, and peer support. With a focus on individuals and families affected by mental illness and addiction, PARfessionals offers services including advocacy, peer-led training, and recovery programming. Its mission: break stigma, build understanding, and empower people to lead fulfilling lives.

Jorea M. Lenard is an author, peer recovery advocate, and healthcare professional with more than a decade of experience working at the intersection of behavioral health, criminal justice, and community reintegration. She holds a B.S. in Management and pursued graduate-level studies in Addictions Studies at Aspen University. She also completed the majority of an M.A. in Criminal Justice through the American Public University System.

In addition, Jorea earned a graduate certificate in Applied Forensic Psychology Services from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. Her professional development includes dozens of certifications spanning mental health, substance use, nonprofit management, forensic psychology, mediation, and emergency response.

Her training includes specialized work in domestic violence crisis intervention, hospice care, health unit coordination, and peer support, earned through institutions such as Parkland Health & Hospital System, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Dallas College, and the University of Texas at Arlington.

She previously held multiple credentials from the Texas Certification Board of Addiction Professionals, including Peer Recovery Specialist, Associate Prevention Specialist, and Criminal Justice Addiction Professional-Applicant, as well as National Certification as a Psychiatric Technician and a Registered Forensic Peer Recovery Provider.

Jorea is the author of Getting Ahead: An Ex-Offender’s Guide to Getting Ahead in Today’s Society, a self-published resource that helps justice-involved individuals navigate reentry and explore participation in clinical research trials. Her work is rooted in lived experience and a deep commitment to helping others break cycles of incarceration, addiction, and stigma.

Through her diverse academic and professional background, Jorea brings a multidisciplinary perspective to recovery, behavioral health, justice, and the successful reintegration of individuals into their communities.

Currently, Jorea leads content development for the PARfessionals Forensic/ReEntry Peer Recovery Program, a collaborative initiative designed with mental health, addiction recovery, and criminal justice experts. The program supports successful community reentry through peer-driven guidance and education.