TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICETDCJ News
Women of Recovery Panel Features Incarcerated Peer Specialists at the 2026 Texas Association of Addiction Professionals Conference
September 16, 2026
Staff and individuals incarcerated in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) presented a landmark panel at the Texas Association of Addiction Professionals (TAAP) Conference on September 10 in San Antonio. The session live streamed five incarcerated Recovery Support Peer Specialists from the Patrick L. O’Daniel Unit in Gatesville, Texas into the conference in San Antonio. Titled Women of Recovery: Female RSPS Leading Change in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, the session marked the first time a live panel of incarcerated female RSPS participated in a professional conference.
Inmate panelists Ruby Bukvasevic, Kristin Gamez, Andrisela Ng, Amy Tidwell and Jennifer Velasquez answered questions from TDCJ staff members hosting the session in San Antonio. They spoke about providing peer recovery support inside a correctional facility and the role of lived experience in helping other women pursue sobriety and stability.
“Recovery is life or death. That’s why I choose to show up with integrity every single day because trust is earned through actions,” Gamez said.
Bukvasevic emphasized the possibility of change. “I know what it’s like to lose yourself. Recovery showed me that change is possible,” she said.
Velasquez shared how recovery reshaped her confidence. “Recovery isn’t a straight line. Sometimes you fail, but you pick yourself back up,” she said.
Joining the inmates on the panel were TDCJ administration and unit leaders. Rehabilitation and Reentry Division Director April Zamora underscored the impact of recovery support peer specialists’ program on agency culture.
“The most important part of my career has been meeting these women,” Zamora said. “Without peer support specialists, our impact in the justice system would not be what it is today.”
O’Daniel Unit Senior Warden Andrea Lozada and Senior Correctional Officer Jason Shelton also participated in the panel discussion. They echoed Zamora’s sentiments and praised the specialists for their hard work.
“These women don’t just talk about accountability — they live it,” said O’Daniel Unit Senior Warden Andrea Lozada. “Recovery is contagious.”
The panel highlighted gains in trust, reduced incidents, improved peer engagement and increased recovery among participating units. The event also demonstrated the value of incorporating trained peer specialists into correctional settings and the growing role of lived experience in TDCJ’s recovery and reentry initiatives.
