Alea Foundation

Jenifer Wines is a licensed drug & alcohol counselor, CADCII/ICADC. Her own journey to recovery began on October 26, 2008, when she checked into rehab and confronted her substance use disorder. This life-changing experience sparked a vision and a passion for helping others with similar struggles. After acquiring a home to support those in recovery, Jenifer moved to San Diego for further education in the field of substance abuse. Over eight years, she volunteered and interned at Veteran's Village of San Diego, served as a counselor at Genesis Recovery, and eventually became the Women's Program Director at Green Oak Ranch. It was there that she met Alea Taylor Phillips, a bright, positive force in recovery who inspired others with her enthusiasm for personal growth and her reminder that "life is good!"

Vanessa Vega is a social science researcher specializing in program evaluation and development, educational technology, and professional learning. She has led and contributed to more than 80 unique research and evaluation studies for educational products and programs, and various national surveys and market research studies for non-profits and corporations. She is passionate about using quantitative and qualitative research to answer timely and complex questions with accurate and actionable insights. She has a BA from UCLA, and PhD from Stanford, both in Communication

Cara Lindsey is a social worker with a BA in Sociology from UCSC and an MS in Rehabilitation Counseling, specializing in Assistive Technology, from San Diego State. With over 25 years of experience, she has advocated for adults and children with disabilities through various roles at San Diego Regional Center, Early Intervention, and the Exceptional Family Member Program. A dedicated military spouse, Cara received the 2013 Military Spouse of the Year award at Kaneohe Bay for creating a support network for spouses aiding service members with PTSD. Passionate about serving vulnerable populations, she focuses on addiction, disability, and impoverished communities. Alea was Cara's beloved sister. 

Jared Peters is an experienced technology executive and entrepreneur committed to making an impact in the lives of determined individuals seeking a way out of addiction. He is especially interested in developing innovative approaches that are scalable and haven't been tried before. Jared knew Alea since she was an infant and saw firsthand how difficult the reality of recovery can be. He is excited by the possibility of creating something that would have helped Alea and other women as brave and earnest as her.

Born in Asuncion, Paraguay, on Aug. 10, 1993, Alea was known for her generous spirit, unending kindness, infectious laugh, and soul-kissing smiles.

She was an avid runner who loved music and dance. Alea was especially proud of her work assisting children with developmental disabilities.

Alea struggled with addiction for many years and was close to entering a new program before her life was cut tragically short. She devoted much of her free time to service projects, including homeless outreach and building houses for the poor in Mexico.

She spread joy to those around her and looked for the good in everyone. Alea passed away on June 15, 2021 at the age of 27.