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CAPTAIN SANDY YAWN

GUEST SPEAKER

Captain Sandra Yawn (“Captain Sandy”) is a leader, hero, international speaker and businesswoman, whose exceptional leadership style has helped her to break through every obstacle in her path – from the glass ceilings and near-fatal accidents on land to pirates and fires at sea!

As a renowned superyacht captain with over 30 years of international maritime experience, Yawn’s integrity and courage have earned her an outstanding reputation as an elite class of captain, and recognition from the International Superyacht Society, who bestowed upon her the prestigious Distinguished Crew Award for her bravery in the midst of a catastrophic fire and pirate threat that occurred in 2006 off the coast of Yemen.

Tapping into her signature conviction and affinity for adventure, Yawn charted a brand new course in 2015 when she became a series lead on Bravo’s hit series Below Deck Mediterranean. Now in her fifth season with the show, Yawn is renowned as a powerful female role model and one of the network’s most universally beloved personalities.

JIM RANGER

PERFORMER

Jim Ranger is a Newport, Arkansas native and was runner-up on season 19 of NBC's The Voice.

Ranger spent the first part of his childhood traveling the country in an RV with his parents, who would sing and preach at churches and festivals.

He started singing at 4 years old and learned the guitar at 13. Once his family settled down, he joined the school choir and found a passion for secular music. He went on to play in a jazz band and, at 20, married his wife, Camilla, whom he has known since they were babies.

They now have three kids together and Jim works as a campus pastor and worship leader at his dad's church.

JARED BLAKE

PERFORMER

Jared Blake was raised on watermelons and rock ‘n roll. Growing up in the small town of Star City, Arkansas, he always had dreams of performing on the big stage. That didn’t stop him from taking his time growing up and learning everything he could about the music business, including songwriting and playing multiple instruments.

He landed his first break with the industry giant Sony/ATV and Bob DiPiero’s Love Monkey Music, as a songwriter for the nation’s largest publishing group.

In 2011, Jared found himself on a new adventure, appearing on on NBC's "The Voice."

TOWNSEND

PERFORMER

Townsend has been in the scene for many years; opening for chart topping artists, being named band of the month, receiving the "Spotlight" award, and taking home multiple Battle of the Band victories.

More recently, Townsend partnered with Fretmonkey Records, participated in the Categena (Colombia) International Guitar festival, and has been invited to tour internationally. Along the way, she has gained several music industry endorsements.

To give back and inspire others, she created a video raising awareness for mental health titled "You're Not Alone" which has garnered national attention.

GAYLEN HUBER

AUCTIONEER

LAURA MONTEVERDI

EMCEE

Laura Monteverdi is a two-time Edward R. Murrow and Emmy award-winning journalist.

In September 2020, Laura started as the evening anchor at KARK in Little Rock, Arkansas, alongside Bob Clausen.

Her work educating viewers on the opioid epidemic and working to end the stigma of addiction has earned her two Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards and two Regional Emmy awards. In February 2020, Laura was honored with the National Newsmaker Award, which recognizes a journalist who goes above and beyond to educate the public on substance abuse. The award is presented by Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA), the leading substance abuse prevention organization in the United States.

Laura has a personal connection to the addiction crisis and travels the state sharing her story with youth organizations, local churches and schools.

Laura Monteverdi is a two-time Edward R. Murrow and Emmy award-winning journalist.

In September 2020, Laura started as the evening anchor at KARK in Little Rock, Arkansas, alongside Bob Clausen.

Her work educating viewers on the opioid epidemic and working to end the stigma of addiction has earned her two Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards and two Regional Emmy awards.

In February 2020, Laura was honored with the National Newsmaker Award, which recognizes a journalist who goes above and beyond to educate the public on substance abuse. The award is presented by Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA), the leading substance abuse prevention organization in the United States.

Laura has a personal connection to the addiction crisis and travels the state sharing her story with youth organizations, local churches and schools.

Laura Monteverdi is a two-time Edward R. Murrow and Emmy award-winning journalist.

In September 2020, Laura started as the evening anchor at KARK in Little Rock, Arkansas, alongside Bob Clausen.

Her work educating viewers on the opioid epidemic and working to end the stigma of addiction has earned her two Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards and two Regional Emmy awards.

In February 2020, Laura was honored with the National Newsmaker Award, which recognizes a journalist who goes above and beyond to educate the public on substance abuse. The award is presented by Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA), the leading substance abuse prevention organization in the United States.

Laura has a personal connection to the addiction crisis and travels the state sharing her story with youth organizations, local churches and schools.

Laura Monteverdi is a two-time Edward R. Murrow and Emmy award-winning journalist.

In September 2020, Laura started as the evening anchor at KARK in Little Rock, Arkansas, alongside Bob Clausen.

Her work educating viewers on the opioid epidemic and working to end the stigma of addiction has earned her two Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards and two Regional Emmy awards.

In February 2020, Laura was honored with the National Newsmaker Award, which recognizes a journalist who goes above and beyond to educate the public on substance abuse. The award is presented by Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA), the leading substance abuse prevention organization in the United States.

Laura has a personal connection to the addiction crisis and travels the state sharing her story with youth organizations, local churches and schools.

Laura Monteverdi is a two-time Edward R. Murrow and Emmy award-winning journalist.

In September 2020, Laura started as the evening anchor at KARK in Little Rock, Arkansas, alongside Bob Clausen.

Her work educating viewers on the opioid epidemic and working to end the stigma of addiction has earned her two Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards and two Regional Emmy awards.

In February 2020, Laura was honored with the National Newsmaker Award, which recognizes a journalist who goes above and beyond to educate the public on substance abuse. The award is presented by Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA), the leading substance abuse prevention organization in the United States.

Laura has a personal connection to the addiction crisis and travels the state sharing her story with youth organizations, local churches and schools.

Laura Monteverdi is a two-time Edward R. Murrow and Emmy award-winning journalist.

In September 2020, Laura started as the evening anchor at KARK in Little Rock, Arkansas, alongside Bob Clausen.

Her work educating viewers on the opioid epidemic and working to end the stigma of addiction has earned her two Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards and two Regional Emmy awards.

In February 2020, Laura was honored with the National Newsmaker Award, which recognizes a journalist who goes above and beyond to educate the public on substance abuse. The award is presented by Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA), the leading substance abuse prevention organization in the United States.

Laura has a personal connection to the addiction crisis and travels the state sharing her story with youth organizations, local churches and schools.

About Us

Wolfe Street Foundation is classified as a 501(c)(3) Organization whose staff manages and operates Wolfe Street Center. The Foundation is not affiliated with any single 12-step entity. Instead, it serves as a landlord to various recovery-based groups, workshop organizers, and for-profit entities who meet at Wolfe Street Center.

Wolfe Street Center is a 12,000 plus square foot facility located in downtown Little Rock. The Center holds 250 recovery meetings each month, offers two meals each week, and hosts various workshops and special events for people and their families. Special committees, district groups, and other related organizations lease meeting space to further their recovery in Central Arkansas.

Wolfe Street Center’s doors are open 365 days a year, 16 hours a day. The Foundation is a non-profit, tax-exempt, charitable corporation governed by a 12-member board, which is not associated with Alcoholics Anonymous World Service Organization or any other for-profit treatment facility. Wolfe Street Foundation is 100% privately funded by help from groups that meet here, from individuals, and strong corporate sponsors in our area. We do not receive any funding from private grant sources, nor do we receive public support in municipal, state, or federal grant awards.

Wolfe Street Foundation’s outreach and educational programs include:

Municipal Outreach/Sobriety Court Partner: Several Pulaski County Judges send DWI and other cases to Wolfe Street Center to work off fines with community service and learn about recovery. Wolfe Street is the ‘first stop’ of rehabilitation as Judges recommend treatment programs for 1st -time alcohol-related offenders to explore treatment.
Workshops: Wolfe Street offers outreach throughout the year on Co-dependency, Financial Sobriety, Meditation, Carrying the Message, and others.
Continuing Education for Professionals
Higher Education: participating in campus events as colleges & universities work to create awareness to students of the risks of alcohol and substance abuse.
Corporate Education: Companies seek counsel from the Foundation as they develop programs to recover their employees and others.