01/29/2026
For this week, we’re excited to shine our Staff Spotlight on Austin Peterson, lead substance use navigator. As a substance use navigator, Austin helps many in our community in their recovery, connecting them with resources and support.
Austin brings something special to this role: lived experience, deep community roots, and a genuine passion for helping others find their way forward.
Austin first joined Adventist Health in 2021 as part of our food service team. Then a colleague told him about a newly created role. And Austin stepped into a role that will allow him to turn his past into a purpose.
“I grew up here,” Austin shares. “I know the people, the places, and the culture.”
Austin was exposed early to substance use and the lifestyle surrounding it. Like many young people in small communities, accessibility and normalization of the lifestyle led him down a difficult road. As he became a young adult, the opioid crisis was also at its height. What started as exposure eventually became dependency and he developed an opioid use disorder.
In 2016, Austin made the decision to enter recovery. Since then, he has remained substance-free and focused on rebuilding his life. That lived experience is now one of his greatest professional strengths.
“My lived experience isn’t just about helping people on their recovery from substance use,” Austin explains. “It’s about understanding a small community, knowing the culture, and knowing the trust barriers that exist. Sometimes it’s about using language people relate to and understanding what they’re really getting from substances emotionally, not just physically.”
As a Substance Use Navigator, Austin’s role isn’t to judge or force change. Instead, he meets patients where they are. He listens. He advocates. He helps connect them to resources while respecting their autonomy and personal goals.
“It’s not my job to tell people what to do,” he says. “It’s about understanding their motivations, feelings, and helping people take steps that make sense for them.”
One of Austin’s favorite parts of the job is advocacy — ensuring patients' voices are heard. He also values the trust and collaboration he’s built with providers. “Our doctors really listen,” Austin says. “They look to me for my experience, and that’s been transformative. Learning that I have a voice and that I can use it in my community to help others has changed my life.”
At the heart of Austin’s work is compassion. “I’m made for more resilience. This work can be rewarding but also challenging. It’s hard not to get emotionally invested. But I see how much heart our team they puts in their work, and they keep showing up every day for our patients. I’m so proud to work alongside such a dedicated group of people.”
Thank you, Austin, for turning your past into your purpose and helping our patients feel seen, heard and supported every step of the way in their recovery.
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Do you know someone who needs help on their road to recovery? Our Substance Use Navigation team can help. Call 707-485-4302 today.
