Board of Directors

 Veronica Pejril is deeply engaged in her community, having served on Greencastle's City Council, and

currently serving on the Plan Commission, Board of Zoning Appeals and Human Relations Commission. She

is part of the Putnam County Housing Stability Committee and 100 Women Who Care of Putnam County.

In addition to her work with PCRC, Veronica serves as an officer on the Board of Directors for Indiana Youth

Group, an organization that works to ensure positive outcomes for LGBTQ+ Hoosier youth. An outspoken

advocate for the rights of gender diverse youth, Veronica’s community activism has been featured by

regional media, including the Indianapolis Star and regional television outlets.

An alumna of Princeton’s Graduate School, Pejril is an assistant professor at DePauw University, where she

teaches courses in music technology and provides leadership for the instructional technology team.

Veronica serves on the Board of Trustees for QPA, Princeton’s LGBTQ+ Alumni Association. Veronica is a

proud parent of two Purdue graduates and a Hoosier by choice since 1996.

 Karen's an active member of the Putnam County community. Working primarily as Mental Health America of Putnam County's Executive Director, Karen initially got more involved in Addiction and Substance Use issues through that role. After attending Voices of Recovery in 2018, she's been participating in vital community discussions and planning to help those in many stages of this debilitating condition. All who are involved see the correlation between mental health challenges and overcoming drug dependency. Karen's voice helps our community see those struggling as humans working through trauma and in need of all the support we can offer. Her administrative skills help PCRC with its structure and development as our group continues to grow. 

  Gina has been involved in the Putnam County community is various ways over the years. Currently, Gina's

primary role is Co-founder and Treasurer for the Ethan's Legacy Project, a non-profit founded by the Ames

family in 2020 after losing Ethan to addiction and suicide.

It was during Ethan's battle with addiction that Gina was introduced to the Putnam County Recovery

Coalition. First attending Voices of Recovery in 2018 and later getting to know Sheila Holloway and the

important recovery work she was doing in our community.

Since the beginning of the Ethan's Legacy Project and their annual event Light up the Night, the Putnam

County Recovery Coalition provided much-needed support and resources. Two years ago, Gina came on

board with PCRC, serving on the Board of Directors as Secretary for the organization.

  Katherine Burke has been a registered nurse for 27 years. This would not have happened without the help of God through the recovery process. Recovery has allowed her to progress from a high school dropout and teen mother/wife to what you get to see today. It is God that has led her to Putnam County Recovery Coalition. Through this group, she can pay it forward while working with a great group of people. She is the current acting facilitator for Parents of Addicted Loved Ones (PAL) which is conducted at Putnam County Hospital every Tuesday at 6 pm. Come by and meet her as we support each other through the difficult times. 

I began volunteering with PCRC about 5 years ago.  I am a stay at home mom to my 9 year old adopted granddaughter and have a 28 year old son in long term recovery.    My oldest child lost her life to drug addiction in 2018  She was 24.  After that loss and discovering PAL (Parents of Addicted Children), I became more interested in addiction issues and trying to be part of the solution.  I currently facilitate a PAL Group twice a month.  It is my hope to reduce the stigma attached to Substance Use Disorder and make it easier for people to get treatment.