Monty Burks, CPRS, PhD, serves as the Director of Faith-Based Initiatives for the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, where his role is engaging and connecting Tennessee’s faith communities with the goal of expanding addiction recovery support services across the state. He also oversees the Tennessee Lifeline Peer Project, a state program aimed at reducing the stigma associated with people who suffer from addiction. Burks earned his master’s degree in criminal justice from Middle Tennessee State University and his doctorate in theology from Heritage. Burks has more than 16 years’ experience working with the criminal justice system in various roles, including adjunct criminal justice professor at Motlow State Community College, Criminal Justice Research Analyst at Middle Tennessee State University, and Criminal Justice Program coordinator at Tennessee State University, where he still serves as an adjunct professor of criminal justice.