Featured Image: Kate Appleman, (left) Executive Vice President, Wernersville, Clinical Programing, with Rhonda Miller, (Center) Founder and Executive Director of Speak Up for Ben and Oasis Community Center, Bethlehem, and Aly Ries, Regional Vice President, Caron, Greater PA.
Lehigh Valley Non-Profit Leader Honored for Excellence in Addiction Education and Support
BETHLEHEM, PA, OCT. 22, 2025 – Rhonda Miller, Founder and Director of Oasis Community Center in Bethlehem, was recently awarded the Sister M. Pacelli Staskiel Educational Excellence Award by the Caron Treatment Centers. The award recognizes Miller’s outstanding work supporting families impacted by addiction and advancing education and awareness in the field.
Under Miller’s leadership, the Oasis Community Center – Pennsylvania’s first family recovery center—provides a safe, welcoming space for families walking the journey of addiction, offering resources, support, and hope. Her programs reduce stigma, promote healing, and equip loved ones with the tools to face addiction with resilience.
Miller was nominated by the Lehigh Valley Clinicians Group. Christine Nerney, Clinical Director of Recovery Cove in Easton, spoke of Miller’s positive impact at the Caron Awards Breakfast held in Reading recently. “Rhonda’s unwavering commitment ensures that no family has to face the impact of addiction alone. Her work not only transforms the lives of individuals and families but also strengthens the fabric of our community,” said Nerney.
At Oasis, Miller supports family members across every stage of the journey: those walking alongside a loved one in recovery, families grieving the loss of someone to addiction, and those facing the daily reality of caring for a loved one still struggling. Her ability to meet people exactly where they are makes her an invaluable resource and a source of strength throughout the community.
Beyond emotional support, Miller is deeply committed to education. She has developed programs that help families better understand the complexities of addiction, reduce stigma, and promote healing. Additionally, Miller recently earned a Certificate in Death and Grief Studies after completing 180 hours of professional training led by Dr. Alan Wolfelt, Ph.D, a world-renowned author, speaker and trainer who founded the Center for Loss & Life Transition, Fort Collins, Colorado.
The Sister M. Pacelli Staskiel Educational Excellence Award is presented annually to honor outstanding contributions in advancing education and awareness in the field of addiction and recovery. Miller’s recognition highlights her leadership, compassion, and unshakable dedication to families in need. By equipping loved ones with knowledge and tools, she empowers them to face the challenges of addiction with resilience and hope.
About Caron Treatment Centers
Caron Treatment Centers is a nationally recognized nonprofit dedicated to transforming lives impacted by addiction and substance use disorders through comprehensive treatment, education, and recovery support. For more than 65 years, Caron has been a trusted leader in the field of addiction and recovery services.
About Oasis Community Center
Founded in 2019, Oasis Community Center in Bethlehem, PA, is the first family recovery center in Pennsylvania providing safe spaces, support groups, resources, and education to families affected by addiction. Oasis Center is operated by Speak Up for Ben and offers services at no cost.
The nonprofit was founded by the Miller family after losing their son Ben in 2016 to an opioid addiction. The center exists to ensure no family walks the journey of addiction alone. To learn more, visit www.oasisbethlehem.org and www.speakupforben.org .
Information provided to TVL by:
Tina Bradford
