Alexia

Recruiting

Alexia joined firsthand in January 2023 as a Guide and now works in recruiting, helping grow the team she once worked alongside in her community. Having spent years in direct care, she brings a grounded sense of what the work asks of people and what it takes to do it well.

Before firsthand, Alexia spent eight years working in a dementia unit and later joined a Suboxone clinic. Across both roles, she found herself drawn less to the tasks and more to the moments in between them. The conversations that weren’t scripted or clinical, but personal and unexpected. The connection she built with people in those moments became the most meaningful part of her work, and eventually the reason she began to imagine a different kind of career path for herself.

Her interest in recovery work was also shaped at home. Someone close to her struggled with substance use disorder, and she experienced firsthand the impact it had on both the individual and the family around them. That experience left her with a deep respect for patience, forgiveness, and the reality that change rarely happens on a straight timeline.

When Alexia came to firsthand, she found something that resonated immediately. Living with anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and ADHD, she recognized both the weight of serious mental illness and the importance of being met with understanding rather than judgment. Over time, she also found that the work gave something back to her personally, reinforcing her belief that connection goes both ways and can be equally grounding for those offering support.

Today, that perspective shapes the way she approaches hiring. She looks for people who can sit with uncertainty, build trust over time, and stay steady when things are difficult. For her, the strongest Guides (Peers) are not defined by having all the answers, but by their ability to show up consistently and meet people where they are.

Alexia is also known for her sense of humor, something she credits as a steadying force in both her personal and professional life. Her family’s long-standing motto, “Why cry when you can laugh?”, reflects her belief that humor can create connection even in heavy moments and remind people they are not alone in what they are carrying.

At the center of Alexia’s work is a simple belief: connection changes things. That belief continues to shape how she shows up for others, and how she thinks about building teams grounded in empathy, patience, and presence.