Michael Runningwolf serves as a Master Facilitator for RI Consulting (Formerly Recovery Opportunity Center) in Phoenix Arizona. He was raised in Arkansas and enjoyed growing up playing sports such as football and track as well as studying his favorite subject United States History.

Mr. Runningwolf was accepted to Boise State University in Boise Idaho and received his B.Ed in History and Kinesiology Secondary Education. In addition he was also able to obtain coaching certificates in football and track and field from Boise State as well and was proud to have graduated with honors on the Dean’s list.

After college, Mike was hired by the very high school where he wanted to teach and worked there teaching U.S History while coaching football and track. He was also able to develop history curriculum for the school district and worked to comply with the Idaho State Department of Education. At the same time, Mike owned a business training athletes in skills such as long distance running, track and field and wrestling.

Everything was great until a few years after receiving tenure his world slowly started to change. Developing symptoms of a mental illness, Mike soon went from teacher, coach, husband, business owner and homeowner to being diagnosed with a mental illness, put on disability, unemployed, divorced, and homeless. Unfortunately the fall was not fully complete and in 2009, Mike was convicted of a felony and was told he would never teach again.

After released, Mr. Runningwolf moved to Arizona and volunteered at the National Alliance on Mental Illness and loved what he was doing and didn’t think it could get any better. Mike shares that his life took another huge step in the right direction when he joined the dynamic team at RI Consulting (Formerly Recovery Opportunity Center) as a Recovery Education Specialist, teaching/facilitating Peer Employment Training Classes across the United States and seeing firsthand the power of peer support taking root from coast to coast!

Michael also facilitates other courses and workshops including;  Advanced Peer Practices, Leading & Coaching (Supervisor Training), Facing Up to Health, Facilitating Learning, Peer Specialist Development, and Making Recovery Real! Mike states “As part of the ROC team I get to contribute and facilitate the amazing curriculums developed to take to the world!