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About
Stronger Together Around Recovery
STAR has more than 30 years of dedicated work in researching recovery organisations. We bring extensive experience in developing and designing recovery-focused models. Our expertise extends to providing valuable assistance in conducting needs assessments, delving into recovery capital models, and assisting in developing frameworks grounded in CHIME-D principles. This approach centres on fostering an environment that cultivates Connection, Hope, a positive sense of Identity, Meaning, and Empowerment, all while recognizing and addressing the inevitable Difficult challenges that may arise along the journey.
Meet the STAR Team
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Professor David Best
Founder/Research Director
David Best is an internationally recognised academic and authority on recovery science and in particular the science of recovery capital.
He was originally trained as a psychologist and then criminologist and has worked in research, policy and practice settings in the UK, the US and Australia.
In the course of the last 12 years he has collected nearly 4,000 recovery stories and has led innovative co-productions including being a founder member of Inclusive Recovery Cities and the College of Lived Experience Recovery Organisations.
He has published in excess of 240 peer-reviewed journal papers, eight books (including the forthcoming Recovery Capital Handbook; see attached) and around 70 technical reports.
He is committed to innovation and co-production in recovery research and practice.
David Best is an internationally recognised academic and authority on recovery science and in particular the science of recovery capital.
He was originally trained as a psychologist and then criminologist and has worked in research, policy and practice settings in the UK, the US and Australia.
In the course of the last 12 years he has collected nearly 4,000 recovery stories and has led innovative co-productions including being a founder member of Inclusive Recovery Cities and the College of Lived Experience Recovery Organisations.
He has published in excess of 240 peer-reviewed journal papers, eight books (including the forthcoming Recovery Capital Handbook; see attached) and around 70 technical reports.
He is committed to innovation and co-production in recovery research and practice.
Sharon Osterfield
Co-Founder/Commerical Director
Sharon has an MSc in Leadership and Management and over 30 years of experience managing complex projects across the NHS and private sectors.
Sharon has overseen large-scale programs, driving organisational transformation and fostering cultural change. Her work often involves developing policies, setting operational standards, and implementing sustainable, long-term improvements across services.
She has a passion for supporting individuals from disadvantaged and marginalised communities, and that inspired her to develop innovative models addressing housing, education, and rehabilitation. Informed by her knowledge of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), she co-founded a project offering integrative support for at-risk individuals.
Sharon is also a trustee for several organisations, including Reframe Coaching, that support individuals post gambling harm.
Sharon has an MSc in Leadership and Management and over 30 years of experience managing complex projects across the NHS and private sectors.
Sharon has overseen large-scale programs, driving organisational transformation and fostering cultural change. Her work often involves developing policies, setting operational standards, and implementing sustainable, long-term improvements across services.
She has a passion for supporting individuals from disadvantaged and marginalised communities, and that inspired her to develop innovative models addressing housing, education, and rehabilitation. Informed by her knowledge of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), she co-founded a project offering integrative support for at-risk individuals.
Sharon is also a trustee for several organisations, including Reframe Coaching, that support individuals post gambling harm.
Shelley Duffy
Research Assistant
Shelley is a STAR Research Assistant and Phd Student, with her research in addiction and recovery on the barriers and support needs of women in recovery, with a particular focus on mothers.
She has many years of experience as a Civil Servant Executive Officer with significant expertise in organisational management, product development, service delivery and broad multi-stakeholder liaison and collaboration. She is talented in research development and review, academic writing, and project management, and highly skilled in the management of complex caseloads and building strong relationships across multiple stakeholders.
Shelley has an unwavering motivation and dedicated work ethic and has recently graduated with a First Class Psychology Masters Degree, despite facing several significant traumatic experiences and personal losses throughout her academic career.
Shelley is in recovery from drug and gambling addiction, and despite having every reason to give up and accept defeat, has fought back to sobriety and achieving success with hard work, determination and the prevailing, deep desire to help others.
Shelley is a STAR Research Assistant and Phd Student, with her research in addiction and recovery on the barriers and support needs of women in recovery, with a particular focus on mothers.
She has many years of experience as a Civil Servant Executive Officer with significant expertise in organisational management, product development, service delivery and broad multi-stakeholder liaison and collaboration. She is talented in research development and review, academic writing, and project management, and highly skilled in the management of complex caseloads and building strong relationships across multiple stakeholders.
Shelley has an unwavering motivation and dedicated work ethic and has recently graduated with a First Class Psychology Masters Degree, despite facing several significant traumatic experiences and personal losses throughout her academic career.
Shelley is in recovery from drug and gambling addiction, and despite having every reason to give up and accept defeat, has fought back to sobriety and achieving success with hard work, determination and the prevailing, deep desire to help others.
Ellie Brown
Research Assistant
Ellie is a STAR research assistant PhD candidate in the field of Addiction and Recovery. Her professional experience spans multiple sectors, including NHS and healthcare, Higher Education, Third Sector organisations including Domestic Abuse support provision and reducing barriers for employability projects in the York and North Yorkshire area, alongside leading the strategy and implementation on Equality Diversity and Inclusion both nationally and internationally.
Ellie graduated with a first class MSc Psychology Conversion degree from Leeds Trinity University, with her undergraduate degree in Law (LLB Hons) and a Diploma in Business Management.
She is driven by a commitment to social justice and equitable access across services, with her expertise lying in improving systems and outcomes and operational efficiencies, project management and building resilience and sustainability to foster inclusion and break down barriers. She has volunteered as a UN Women UK Participant for the UN Women annual conference, and works on a range of freelance projects including Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, healthcare procurement and organisational development briefs.
Ellie is a STAR research assistant PhD candidate in the field of Addiction and Recovery. Her professional experience spans multiple sectors, including NHS and healthcare, Higher Education, Third Sector organisations including Domestic Abuse support provision and reducing barriers for employability projects in the York and North Yorkshire area, alongside leading the strategy and implementation on Equality Diversity and Inclusion both nationally and internationally.
Ellie graduated with a first class MSc Psychology Conversion degree from Leeds Trinity University, with her undergraduate degree in Law (LLB Hons) and a Diploma in Business Management.
She is driven by a commitment to social justice and equitable access across services, with her expertise lying in improving systems and outcomes and operational efficiencies, project management and building resilience and sustainability to foster inclusion and break down barriers. She has volunteered as a UN Women UK Participant for the UN Women annual conference, and works on a range of freelance projects including Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, healthcare procurement and organisational development briefs.
Mulka Nisic
Research Assistant
Mulka Nisic serves as a Research Project Manager at the University of Leicester, steering a Rural Racism Leverhulme-funded UK-wide initiative. With a profound background in the drug policy and recovery sphere spanning decades, Mulka's ongoing PhD research delves into the lived experiences of individuals in recovery across nine European countries. Her focus lies on elucidating the impact of recovery capital and stigma, with a noteworthy emphasis on gender differences, particularly women. Employing innovative art research methodologies, Mulka has become a leading figure in exploring the intricate facets of recovery.
In addition to her academic pursuits, Mulka boasts extensive (inter)national policy expertise. As a plenary speaker and expert consultant, she has contributed significantly to organizations like EURAD, RUN, WFAD, UNODC, OAS/CICAD, and EMCDDA in areas encompassing drug policy, recovery, women, and stigma.
Holding roles such as Regional Project Manager and International Relations Officer at Celebrate Recovery, as well as Secretary General of the Recovered Users Network-RUN, she has played pivotal roles in non-governmental organizations.
Mulka's commitment extends to her position as Communication Officer at EURAD and her founding role in the Global Gender Committee within WFAD. This committee, initiated to address addiction, gender-based violence, and equitable access to treatment and recovery services for women, underscores her dedication to social advocacy. Leading numerous national and international addiction recovery research projects, with a specific focus on individuals in recovery, stigma, and innovative arts-based methods like photovoice, Mulka remains at the forefront of advancing knowledge in these critical areas. Her active involvement in the UNGASS process marked a pivotal point, where she began representing Western Europe and people in recovery. Since then, Mulka has been a staunch advocate for recovery-oriented policies at both the UN and EU levels, contributing her insights as part of formal civil society groups.
Mulka Nisic serves as a Research Project Manager at the University of Leicester, steering a Rural Racism Leverhulme-funded UK-wide initiative. With a profound background in the drug policy and recovery sphere spanning decades, Mulka's ongoing PhD research delves into the lived experiences of individuals in recovery across nine European countries. Her focus lies on elucidating the impact of recovery capital and stigma, with a noteworthy emphasis on gender differences, particularly women. Employing innovative art research methodologies, Mulka has become a leading figure in exploring the intricate facets of recovery.
In addition to her academic pursuits, Mulka boasts extensive (inter)national policy expertise. As a plenary speaker and expert consultant, she has contributed significantly to organizations like EURAD, RUN, WFAD, UNODC, OAS/CICAD, and EMCDDA in areas encompassing drug policy, recovery, women, and stigma.
Holding roles such as Regional Project Manager and International Relations Officer at Celebrate Recovery, as well as Secretary General of the Recovered Users Network-RUN, she has played pivotal roles in non-governmental organizations.
Mulka's commitment extends to her position as Communication Officer at EURAD and her founding role in the Global Gender Committee within WFAD. This committee, initiated to address addiction, gender-based violence, and equitable access to treatment and recovery services for women, underscores her dedication to social advocacy. Leading numerous national and international addiction recovery research projects, with a specific focus on individuals in recovery, stigma, and innovative arts-based methods like photovoice, Mulka remains at the forefront of advancing knowledge in these critical areas. Her active involvement in the UNGASS process marked a pivotal point, where she began representing Western Europe and people in recovery. Since then, Mulka has been a staunch advocate for recovery-oriented policies at both the UN and EU levels, contributing her insights as part of formal civil society groups.
Dr Kevin McInerney
Research Assistant
Kevin’s PhD research focussed on an under-researched and ‘invisible’ cohort of older individuals who begin to drink problematically later in life; referred to as ‘late-onset’. Theoretically framed within Viktor Frankl’s theory of meaning (Logotherapy), his thesis found that late-onset problem drinking is linked to late-life events and a lack of meaning and purpose in life (i.e., an existential vacuum). Conversely, his research found that finding or (re)discovering meaning and purpose in life promotes and helps to sustain recovery.
During his PhD, Kevin recruited participants from the NHS. As such, he is familiar with working with NHS R&D departments and the process of gaining Health Research Authority (HRA) ethical approval.
Kevin has an insider perspective on addiction and has been in recovery from problem drinking for 35 years. He is fascinated in the history of recovery, inspired he believes, by his own recovery, which started at Warlingham Park Hospital, which housed the first residential alcohol detoxification and rehabilitation unit in the NHS (1952); a now defunct recovery framework, created and developed by psychiatrist Max Glatt.
He is an active member of the Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) Register at South London and Maudsley (SLAM) NHS Trust and is involved in a number of ongoing, mental health-related projects.
As well as his PhD in addiction/recovery studies, Kevin has a BSc (Honours) Degree in Psychology and a MSc (Distinction) in Health Psychology.
Kevin’s PhD research focussed on an under-researched and ‘invisible’ cohort of older individuals who begin to drink problematically later in life; referred to as ‘late-onset’. Theoretically framed within Viktor Frankl’s theory of meaning (Logotherapy), his thesis found that late-onset problem drinking is linked to late-life events and a lack of meaning and purpose in life (i.e., an existential vacuum). Conversely, his research found that finding or (re)discovering meaning and purpose in life promotes and helps to sustain recovery.
During his PhD, Kevin recruited participants from the NHS. As such, he is familiar with working with NHS R&D departments and the process of gaining Health Research Authority (HRA) ethical approval.
Kevin has an insider perspective on addiction and has been in recovery from problem drinking for 35 years. He is fascinated in the history of recovery, inspired he believes, by his own recovery, which started at Warlingham Park Hospital, which housed the first residential alcohol detoxification and rehabilitation unit in the NHS (1952); a now defunct recovery framework, created and developed by psychiatrist Max Glatt.
He is an active member of the Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) Register at South London and Maudsley (SLAM) NHS Trust and is involved in a number of ongoing, mental health-related projects.
As well as his PhD in addiction/recovery studies, Kevin has a BSc (Honours) Degree in Psychology and a MSc (Distinction) in Health Psychology.
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