Supporting the Journey to Recovery: Meet Ricardo Mendoza, HFC’s new Peer Recovery Specialist.

Ricardo Mendoza is HealthFinders’ newest Certified Peer Recovery Specialist. He joined the HFC team in October 2024 and became certified in June 2025. 

At HealthFinders, we believe in growing leaders from our own community. Ricardo is a great example. He brings care, honesty, and heart to his work. And because he’s been through recovery himself, he understands what others are going through. 

“I don’t have previous experience or degrees in this field—working here at HealthFinders is my first role in this kind of work,” Ricardo shared. “I wanted to pursue additional training so I can better support the people I work with and be more effective in my role.” 

Peer Recovery Specialists help people feel less alone. They offer support and show that recovery is possible. Ricardo knows this from experience. 

“I’ve been in a position where I needed the same support services I now offer. Being able to give back in this way is incredibly meaningful to me,” he said. 

Now that he’s certified, Ricardo can offer even more help to the people he serves. 

“It means I can serve as a strong advocate for our patients. I can meet people where they are in their journey and offer support from a place of understanding and empathy.” 

Ricardo is excited about what’s next. 

“I want to keep supporting people in recovery—being there for them, believing in their potential, and helping them find their own path toward healing and growth.” 

At HealthFinders, we are proud to support team members like Ricardo. When we support our staff, we support the whole community. Staff development is just one of the ways HealthFinders invests the $1.2 million the community contributes each year.