Mike Tyson is a person in long-term recovery and a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist. He is a founding board member of Take Action Today, a faith-based Recovery Community Organization in Southern Illinois, and a founding member of the Southern Illinois Recovery Network. As the Regional Capacity Developer for the Southern Illinois Resource and Advocacy Center, Mike collaborates with grassroots organizations and local stakeholders to enhance peer-based support services and not-for-profit infrastructure. Nationally, he serves as the Executive Director of the National Peer Recovery Alliance, where he strengthens and empowers peer support specialists nationwide. He is also a board member of the Illinois Certification Board and serves on the board of several grassroots not-for-profits and regional coalitions.
A convicted felon with limited education, Mike spent over a decade in the underground coal mining industry before enrolling in college at the age of forty-two. In 2022, he graduated Magna Cum Laude from Purdue University Global with a BS in Psychology in Addictions. He completed his MSW at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2025, with a concentration in Leadership and Social Change. This blend of lived experience and education enables him to impact various systems affecting individuals facing chronic substance use, mental health challenges, and homelessness.
Mike resides in rural Southern Illinois with his wife, their two adult children, and an exuberant Goldendoodle named “Champ.”
