About Andrea
Andrea Wright is the founder of Raven Recovery and brings more than 26 years of personal recovery from addiction to her work. Her lived experience, combined with extensive academic study and professional practice, allows her to guide individuals, families, and legal professionals through the complex realities of addiction and recovery with clarity, compassion, and strategy.
She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Conflict Analysis and Resolutions with an international concentration from the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia (formerly, Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution) where her undergraduate research also focused on addiction recovery and conflict within families and communities.
Andrea holds a Master of Arts in International Criminology from the University of Sheffield School of Law in England, where she studied on scholarship as a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar. Her master’s research culminated in a dissertation entitled “The Stigmatic Effects of Criminalizing Drug Addiction,” for which she received Merit. Her work included an in-depth analysis of Portugal’s decriminalization model and the parallel reduction in drug harm and social stigma associated with addiction as compared to the criminalization of drugs in the United States.
Continuing her education in understanding international drug policy, Andrea obtained a diploma in “Illicit Drugs in Europe: Supply, Demand and Public Policy” from the Instituto Universitário de Lisboa in 2015. The program was co-sponsored by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and the European Union drugs agency (formerly, European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction).
Andrea has over 20 years of professional experience working within the scope of the justice system. Her work increasingly focuses on the intersection of addiction recovery and the legal system, where she serves as an expert witness on addiction and recovery matters and assists clients in navigating court-related challenges connected to substance use and recovery.
Andrea’s professional training includes certifications and credentials as a:
- Certified Interventionist
- Recovery Coach
- Certified Brain Health Professional through the Amen Clinics
- Reiki Master and Teacher
- EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) Practitioner
- Private Investigator
Andrea attends recovery events and national and international conferences and has contributed to conversations on drug and recovery policy, decriminalization, and recovery advocacy through radio programs, panels, and educational forums.
Through Raven Recovery, Andrea works closely with individuals, families, organizations, and legal professionals to navigate addiction, recurrence of use, recovery, and the legal system with informed perspective and support.
Andrea is passionate about changing the landscape of addiction recovery by addressing stigma, promoting understanding, and advocating for compassionate, informed approaches to recovery and encouraging others to find a higher purpose for life experiences. Andrea enjoys helping to empower individuals to release bondages and transform suffering into healing and growth. Having lived through addiction herself, Andrea believes recovery is expansive, dynamic, and spiritual. It is about reclaiming one's true inner self, restoring dignity, and embracing freedom while building a life worth protecting.
When Andrea is not working, she enjoys spending time with her family, exercising, spending time in nature, deepening spiritual connection & practices, listening to music, playing (and relaxing) with her cat Pearl Siena, traveling, cooking, learning the piano and singing, reading, and watching good films.