Joe Powell

The President and CEO of APAA, Joe Powell, is a highly respected figure in the field of peer recovery support services. With over 33 years of personal recovery experience, he is recognized nationally as an expert provider in Peer Recovery Coaching. In fact, Joe Powell was chosen by Faces and Voices of Recovery and the Hazelden Center to receive the prestigious Vernon Johnson Award in 2010. This award recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to promoting sustained recovery and advocating for its accessibility to all Americans. Mr. Powell's dedication and commitment have truly set him apart as a standard-bearer for the recovery community. "The recipients of the Vernon Johnson award have exemplified the immense impact that one individual can have on advancing a movement," stated William Moyers, Vice President of Foundation Relations at Hazelden. Joe Powell's reputation extends far beyond the streets of Dallas, where he has personally assisted individuals in their recovery journeys. Mr. Powell's expertise is recognized within state and federal government corridors as well. With over 25 years of experience as an LCDC (Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor), he has worked across various substance abuse and mental health treatment settings before joining the Dallas Helps' Board and subsequently establishing APAA. Serving as the founding President in 1998 and later assuming the role of Executive Director in 2001, Mr. Powell's contributions have garnered numerous accolades, including the Vernon Johnson award from Hazelden Center and Faces and Voices of Recovery, a Faces and Voices of Recovery Founding Board Member Award, a Mental Health Association "Prism" award, and a National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Community Recognition award. In 2021, Texas Governor Greg Abbott appointed Mr. Powell to serve on the Rehabilitation Council of Texas, further underscoring his stature within his field. He is also recognized as a distinguished fellow by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission Leadership Fellows Academy.