SPEAKERS
Kyle Overmyer
Kyle Overmyer will share his journey of law enforcement, addiction, incarceration, recovery and finding redemption after being at his rock bottom in life. His story is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and serves as a powerful example of how an individual can overcome adversity, make amends for their mistakes, and dedicate themselves to helping others on the path to recovery and to shatter the stigma of the disease of addiction. Also, with God, anything is possible.
Mike Tyson
In his powerful session at Recover-Con 2025, Mike Tyson will share his deeply personal
recovery journey, highlighting the pivotal role that faith-based recovery played in
transforming his life. He will recount a profound spiritual experience that guided him
from the gritty coal mines of Southern Illinois to his current position as Executive
Director of the National Peer Recovery Alliance. Attendees will gain insight into how
spirituality became his cornerstone for healing, offering practical lessons and hope for
those seeking recovery. Mike’s story will inspire and equip participants with tools to
integrate faith and resilience into their own paths to wholeness.
Tyler Phillips
Tyler Phillips is the Executive Director and Founder of Illinois Valley Recovery, a grassroots organization dedicated to helping individuals and families overcome addiction and mental health challenges. Drawing from his own journey of recovery, Tyler brings authenticity and hope to his work, blending AA/NA principles with a spiritual foundation rooted in Christian values. Under his leadership, Illinois Valley Recovery has created impactful community events such as sober nights out, awareness initiatives, and family-centered activities. Tyler is also a musician and storyteller, using his personal experiences to inspire others both on stage and in recovery spaces. Passionate about planting seeds of faith and showing that life in recovery can be full of joy, Tyler continues to be a voice of encouragement in his community.
Ben Rudolph
Ben is the ROSC region 2 Technical Assistant who serves ROSC councils in Kankakee,
Will, Grundy, DuPage, Kane, Lake, Lee/Whiteside and Ogle/DeKalb counties.
Recovery Systems of Care (ROSC) operates as a referral hub for individuals seeking
services for substance use dependency and mental health. While ROSC itself provides
no services per se, it seeks to partner and collaborate with local providers and all
persons in the community to give a helping hand, reduce stigma, promote medicated
assisted recovery, promote harm reduction, provide effective service delivery and
prioritize equity for SUD/MH and their families, allies and community and is dedicated to
inclusion of all persons to come together to fight the fight for recovery and make
communities whole.
Deborah Pineda
Deborah Pineda is a passionate advocate with lived experience in loving family members struggling with addiction. Deborah is the proud mom of Jason and Joshua Dziudzek who were taken away far too soon from fentanyl poisoning. Deborah’s hope is to empower others and break the stigma through sharing her sons’ story and her journey with grieving.
Our Story
Recover-Con 2025 is Northern Illinois’ largest and only annual recovery conference. This year it is set for October 11, 2025 at the captivating Wirtz Hall, College of Health and Human Sciences on the campus of Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, IL. Prepare for a memorable day filled with inspiration, collaboration, and networking opportunities like no other.
Recover-Con is not your typical recovery conference, we bring together professionals, experts, individuals in recovery and thought leaders from various industries across the country in the Recovery Community to engage in insightful discussions, share ideas and explore opportunities for collaboration. Together, we will share insights and build connections that can propel us to new heights and will ensure you leave with fresh perspectives and invaluable contacts.