The 12th annual Ramstad/Kennedy Award for outstanding leadership went to Danielle Kirby, director at the Division of Substance Use Prevention and Recovery at the Illinois Department of Human Services and the state's Single State Authority, for her leadership in recovery support programs across Illinois and nationally. The award was announced last week and was established in honor of Congressmen Jim Ramstad and Patrick J. Kennedy. The two congressmen have been vocal advocates of recovery support services in all forms and championed localized efforts to support prevention, treatment and recovery. Now more than ever, recovery leaders are essential to our ability to address historic rates of overdoses and suicides, said Kennedy, founder of the Kennedy Forum. “People like Danielle Kirby are not only serving the communities in which they work; they are also serving their country. We are extremely grateful for her hard work and dedication,” Kennedy said. Kirby addressed stigma through innovative public awareness campaigns, as well as including persons with lived experience at decision‐making tables, showing others in strategic roles the importance of making recovery visible, according to the award announcement, which came from the National Association for Children of Addiction (NACoA), a Recovery Month planning partner. “Danielle Kirby has been in this position for less than two years, and yet has shown an energetic and inclusive spirit in supporting and promoting recovery community organizations and recovery resources for the present and future benefit of Illinois families and communities,” said Sis Wenger, NACoA president and CEO. “Together, in partnership with the dedicated organizations who comprise the Recovery Month Planning Partners, recovery success stories are becoming commonplace in Illinois, in part because of Danielle's ongoing and exceptional leadership and commitment.”