About
Services
Services
Services
About
About
SITE STAFF
JACK HARLAN
Program Manager
Jack has always been a nomad and latchkey kid, moving roughly twenty times before putting down roots in Small Town northern Minnesota in the third grade. Underwhelmed by the rural offerings and eager to put behind difficulties at home, he moved to Minneapolis, where he studied communications, comparative literature, and classical & near eastern cultures and religions. He struggled with mental health and substance abuse, never finding the correct diagnosis, balance, or lifestyle. The social and political unrest in Minneapolis, combined with the incredible uncertainty of the early days of Covid, realigned his values and priorities; he needed a drastic change. He moved west, flirting with LA, Portland, and a cabin deep in the Olympic forest, before settling on Seattle. Jack likes writing, biking, live music, and film. He lives in Ballard with his partner Allie and pug, Stella.
SEAN FRANZ
Program Manager
Sean was born and raised in Grand Rapids, MI. He went to college in New Orleans, inspired by the city’s rich history and the intrigue of Anne Rice novels. It was there he began experimenting with drugs and the circuit party scene. After graduating, Sean moved to Los Angeles and worked in the entertainment industry, but drugs, depression, and the loneliness of the LA scene caught up with him after a few years, and he left.
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In 2016, he decided to leave the conservative state of Arizona and move to a more queer-friendly city. After some research, he chose Seattle. When he went into recovery, he came to Peer Seattle, got a peer coach, and attended Strength Over Speed (SOS) meetings. Several years later, he returned as a volunteer and, after six months, was hired into the FCS housing department. In the past, he was told that being naturally compassionate and non-judgmental was weak and not “manly.” But these are strengths, especially in this peer-led organization, and Sean thrives today.
TOM MAHONEY
Peer Services Specialist
Coming Soon!
BETH GRINDSTAFF
Peer Services Specialist
Coming Soon!
OLIVIA SULLIVAN
Peer Services Specialist
Olivia was born in Miami, FL, and has since lived in several different US states, as well as abroad in Italy and the Netherlands. Her family members struggled with addiction from early on, and over time, this took a toll that caused her family to be torn apart. As early as possible, Olivia left home to join the military; an act that was primarily to afford college but led to the realization that America was disregarding its most vulnerable and marginalized populations on a systemic level. This understanding carried through Olivia’s actions in activism on a small scale for the next decade through college and work in the Entertainment industry as an Artist. Her priorities and career focus changed throughout the years following COVID, with social and political strain revealing the pressing reality that things will not improve unless active work is done in social and communal spaces to improve the well-being and life circumstances of all people.
Olivia started as a volunteer at Peer Seattle, became a facilitator, and is now honored and excited to be Peer Seattle’s Volunteer Coordinator. Outside of work, Olivia is still involved in the arts and generally has several unfinished projects going on at any one time, and is also an avid gamer and Trekkie. She lives in Capitol Hill, a neighborhood she loves dearly.
JADE GARNER
Peer Services Specialist
The roots of Jade’s recovery journey begin when she took the first steps towards accepting her gender identity. Growing up in a small, rural logging town, Jade never fit the roles and stereotypes expected of her by her community. She struggled with mental health and feelings of not belonging throughout her teens and young adulthood—despite all appearances suggesting otherwise. Those struggles soon expanded to substance abuse, and before long, it was too much, and something needed to change.
So she did. After much soul-searching and self-reflection, Jade was able to fully realize who she was: a person committed to authenticity, compassion, and radical empathy. Her motto: “Be afraid, and do it anyway.” Beyond work, Jade spends her time coding, playing tabletop role-playing games, reading poetry (but not writing it), and moshing in the pit at death metal shows.