Staff & Volunteers

Founder & Executive Director

Tara Moreno-Wallen, M.A., ADS, holds a master’s degree in Composition and Rhetoric from the University of Michigan and a Bachelor’s in Telecommunications from Michigan State University. Moreno worked as a news reporter for four years before becoming the founder and executive director of Serenity House in 2015. Moreno’s inspiration came from her own recovery journey. She trained in recovery coaching through Genesee Health Systems in 2016 and is a member of the Genesee County Prevention Coalition. She also sits on Genesee County’s Family Against Narcotics advisory board. Other networks also include Faces & Voices for Recovery and Mobilize Recovery, national organizations geared at eradicating addiction stigma and unifying people in recovery. Moreno is also a certified Reiki master teacher, developer of Recovery Reiki, and is a certified Acudetox Specialist. 

Ms. Moreno is experienced in non-profit board development and recruitment, strategic planning, and budget crafting and implementation. Her role includes developing, leading on, and managing project strategies and work plans; managing and supervising staff and directing tasks on individual projects; providing strategic guidance of varying substance to staff on a wide variety of issues; directing stakeholder interactions, including facilitating meetings, calls, presentations, and conferences; contributing to planning and new outreach development, including drafting proposals for potential clients. Moreno collaborates with individuals and/or organizations such as law enforcement, health care and other community resources and systems in Genesee County and other regions in the state of Michigan to establish working relationships and systems of referral and engagement with recovery coaches and recovery support services. 

Program Coordinator, Child and Adolescent Yoga Instructor with an emphasis in at-risk, incarceration, and trauma 

Ilona Curry has been employed as a paralegal in Flint for over 20  years. She practices harm reduction and has been a participant of the  Holistic Healing Hour at the Serenity House of Flint for over a year.  She has completed the 15-hour training with the Connection Coalition for  Trauma Informed Youth Outreachm focusing on yoga programs for youth.  Ilona has also completed the Prison Yoga Project training for providing  Yoga and Mindfulness in prisons and jails. Ilona is currently pursuing  her 200-hour Yoga teacher training certification and will soon be  certified through Yoga Alliance. She also plans on pursuing a Reiki I  training and trainings on aromatherapy and crystal healing. Ilona is a  recovery ally.    If you would like to schedule one-on-one services with Tavé , please visit our appointments page at  https://flintserenityhouse.org/appointments  

Reiki Master, Acudetox Specialist, & Holistic Healing Hour Facilitator 

Serena Gunn, CPRM, CADC is the former President of the Serenity House of  Flint (SHOF).  Serena studied at Mott and is continuing her education  in an undergrad social work program and plans to pursue a Master’s in  Social Work at the University of Flint. As a person in long-term  recovery, Serena has made it her mission to advocate for people in  addiction recovery and educate the communities on holistic models for  recovery from all addictions.  After committing to her recovery in  recovery housing for 18 months she became a graduate of Flint Odyssey  House.  Her career in the SUD field began in 2016 when she became a  recovery coach at Odyssey House and transitioned to the adolescent  program as she worked to become a Certified Alcohol and Addiction  Counselor. Being on the front lines working daily with local schools,  Adolescent Recovery Court, and Girls Court she spends endless hours  educating and advocating for education and recovery supports the  adolescents and their families. Currently, she sits on a Peer Advisory  board in Flint. Serena shares her story on multiple platforms,  conventions, 12-step fellowship, local panels, and travels the state in  the hope that her story can inspire hope in the individuals and  families.  She also is certified Reiki Master and an Auricular Detox  Specialist.  She uses holistic models in groups she facilities with at  risk youth and people in the community. She is currently a volunteer in  the outreach program with SHOF and provides reiki and acudetox for its  clients.   If you would like to schedule one-on-one services with Serena, please visit our appointments page at  https://flintserenityhouse.org/appointments    

”Tavé is a certified recovery coach and level II Recovery Reiki practitioner. She is also an advocate of a holistic  lifestyle and is working to spread the love and knowledge of Holistics  to the community. “I am honored to be able to work with The Flint  Serenity House team.”  If you would like to schedule one-on-one services with Tavé , please visit our appointments page at  https://flintserenityhouse.org/appointme

Community Research Coordinator, Reiki Master, & EFT Practitioner

Michael Wallen is the Community Research Coordinator for Serenity  House and is the co-owner of Green Tara Holistic Recovery Services.  Michael says it’s not uncommon when someone experiences addiction,  co-dependency or trauma for their life to unravel. Michael helps  Serenity House build capacity for research. His interests include  gathering quantitative and qualitative data for the organization.   Michael holds certifications as an Acupuncture Detoxification  Specialist, in WHEE (Wholistic Hybrid EMDR EFT) and in EFT-1.  He also  has an Engineering Degree from the University of Michigan – Flint. “I  believe it is the relationship that we have with ourselves that is  ultimately what creates the world around us. Therefore, I want to help  as many individuals to heal and change their internal reality as  possible. This will impact our families, our communities and our society  in a way that is quite miraculous,” says Michael. Michael is a person  in long-term recovery with holistic methods.   If you would like to schedule one-on-one services with Michael, please visit our appointments page at  https://flintserenityhouse.org/appointments   

 Drumming Facilitators

Ool is the owner of StrongHeart Drum Medicine with his wife Kellie  Pardi who is a staff member at Catholic Charities. The two have been  working together over the past couple of years to deliver drum circles  and drum ceremonies across Michigan. In 2014, Ool took a drumming class  with Spirit Hawk of the Ojibwa Nation. He was given the name StrongHeart  by Chief White Buffalo at a gathering in Alocna County, Michigan. The  Pardi’s facilitate ceremonies in yoga studios, churches and private  residences. Together they create a unique experience using native  instruments from around the world. Kellie and Ool are recovery allies. 

Acupuncturist & Reiki Master

Sabrina was exposed to Acupuncture in her teens and with it sparked a life-long passion for natural medicine. She has been practicing traditional and cosmetic Acupuncture since 2015. She completed her Masters degree in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine at East West College of Natural Medicine, in Sarasota Fl. Sabrina is an avid learner. Holds a BS in Biomedical Health Sciences from the University of South Florida. She also has a background as a licensed massage therapist and a licensed medical esthetician. Appreciative for the knowledge, constantly amazed by her patients as their health is transformed by Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine.

 Holistic Recovery Coach, CPRC, DP-C

Sarah is a substance use disorder counselor, a state certified peer recovery specialist and works closely in the recovery community as an advisory board member for two separate organizations. In additional to her work in the recovery community, Sarah is a certified Reiki Master and Shadow work coach, who has several years of experience working with holistic healing modalities. Sarah is currently working on her bachelor’s degree of Applied Behavioral Science and studying other holistic health modalities for health and wellness.   If you would like to schedule one-on-one services with Sarah, please visit our appointments page at  https://flintserenityhouse.org/appointments