Elisa Saunders

Elisa was born and raised in South Florida and earned her BA in Communication from Florida Atlantic University. After 14 years as a 9th-grade English teacher, she made a meaningful career change into the addiction and mental health field—a decision inspired by her own recovery journey.

Elisa has been sober since 9/19/2011 and credits her long-term recovery for giving her a renewed sense of purpose centered on service and helping others. Her commitment to giving back has been evident throughout the years. In 2013–2014, she was named one of Palm Beach’s Finest Women of the Year for Cystic Fibrosis after raising thousands of dollars for the organization. She was also a founding member of Women Empowering Women Palm Beach, an initiative that helped several young women in recovery pay for college.

Elisa currently serves on the advisory board of Miriam’s House and is the co-chapter lead of SFV Women in Addiction Treatment. With over a decade of experience in Business Development across all levels of care, she feels deeply passionate about her work. For her, this field is not just a profession—it is both a calling and a purpose.