John Hulick has spent more than three decades at the intersection of public policy and behavioral health, helping government agencies and communities build recovery systems that actually work for the people who need them.

Most recently, John served as Palm Beach County's Drug Czar, appointed by the Board of County Commissioners to lead the county's response to the opioid epidemic. In that role, he established the Office of Behavioral Health and Substance Use Disorders and developed a person-centered, recovery-oriented system of care. His Master Plan for opioid settlement funding, directing 90 percent of anticipated funds toward social determinants of health, has been recognized nationally as a model for responsible, community-driven implementation.

Earlier in his career, John was nominated by Governor Christopher Christie and confirmed by the New Jersey State Senate to serve as Executive Director of the Governor's Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse. He also served as a Policy Advisor for Human Services, Children, and Families, shaping state-level substance use disorder policy. His work at NCADD–New Jersey led to the passage of landmark consumer protection and licensing laws, and he played a key role in establishing the state's first recovery community organization and statewide recovery walk.

John founded Signs of Sobriety, Inc., a pioneering addiction services program for deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals, and was instrumental in advancing disability access legislation to expand treatment for underserved populations. He also co-founded the Center for Integrated Recovery and Wellness Studies at Florida Atlantic University and has successfully led federal recovery grant initiatives.

He holds a Master of Science in Public Policy from Rutgers University and a Bachelor of Arts in Government from Western New England University.

John has been in long-term recovery for more than 39 years. That lived experience shapes everything he does, from policy design to the way he shows up for the people and organizations he works with.