Name: Embrace Hope 2025
Start: 2025-11-14T18:00:00-05:00
Location: Marshall Health Network Arena

Join us for the 11th Annual Embrace Hope, Recovery Point West Virginia’s largest fundraising event, as we come together to celebrate recovery, honor achievements, and raise vital support for the individuals and families we serve.
The evening will include presentations of hope in recovery, as well as special recognitions for our program alumni, Employee of the Year, and Volunteer of the Year. These moments reflect the heart of our mission—celebrating resilience, honoring dedication, and shining a light on the power of second chances.
This year’s program will also feature two incredible speakers:
Dr. Stephen Loyd (Keynote)
Dr. Stephen Loyd is an Internal Medicine/Addiction Medicine physician who graduated medical school and residency from the James H. Quillen College of Medicine at East Tennessee State University. He currently serves as the Vice-President of the Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners. Dr. Loyd was the Assistant Commissioner (Opioid Czar) for Substance Abuse Services in the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services in Governor Bill Haslam’s administration. He has served as an expert witness in more than twenty federal and state cases against physicians who were improperly prescribing controlled substances. Dr. Loyd was named an Advocate for Action by the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), an office of the President of the United States. He has delivered over five hundred educational lectures on addiction and treatment of opioid use disorder and proper prescribing of controlled substances.
Dr. Loyd was an original member (still active) of the Treatment of Chronic Pain Guidelines Committee which defined pain treatment for providers in the state of Tennessee. He has worked as an Addiction Medicine Physician in both the inpatient and outpatient settings, specializing in the treatment of opioid dependent pregnant women. Dr. Loyd has served on multiple drug courts in Tennessee and remains an active participant in drug court in the 4th Judicial District under Judge Duane Slone. He has worked with multiple community level anti-drug coalitions from Johnson County to Shelby County and has worked with all levels of state law enforcement, mainly the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. He currently serves as Chief Medical Officer for Cedar Recovery in Tennessee and is the current Chair of the Tennessee Opioid Abatement Council appointed by current Tennessee Governor Bill Lee.
Dr. Loyd has been in recovery from opioid and benzodiazepine addiction since July 8, 2004.
Nick Roberts, EdD
Nick Roberts is a native West Virginian and a doctoral graduate of Marshall University. He is an active member of the Horror Writers Association and the Horror Authors Guild. As an award-winning, international bestselling author, his notable works include Anathema, The Exorcist's House, It Haunts the Mind & Other Stories, and Mean Spirited, with film adaptations in development. He currently resides in South Carolina with his family and is an advocate for people in recovery from substance use disorder.
Together, Dr. Loyd and Nick Roberts will bring powerful, inspiring messages that highlight the resilience of recovery and the importance of community support.
📅 Event Date & Time: November 14, 2025 at 6:00pm
📍 Location: Marshall Health Network Arena
🎟️ Tickets and sponsorships are available online at www.givebutter.com/EH25
For more information about tickets or sponsorships, please contact our Development Office at [email protected]
All are welcome—we can’t wait to see you there as we Embrace Hope together!