RECOVERY ECOSYSTEMS COORDINATOR

Kelly Bowling is Operation Gateway’s Recovery Ecosystems Coordinator. In this role, Kelly is responsible for executing the ACE Grant and advancing three core functions of the recovery ecosystem: advocacy, collaboration, and education. In 2026, Operation Gateway’s stated goal is that 100% of individuals who approach the agency with a desire to pursue treatment for substance use disorder are able to access care. Through collaboration, Kelly works to build sustainable systems, elicit social change, and identify critical gaps within the recovery ecosystem. Central to this work is Operation Gateway’s mission to train an army of recovery warriors equipped to make lasting, positive impacts throughout the community.

Kelly Bowling holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Religion from Duke University. After helping to raise his two nephews, Kelly experienced significant life trauma that led to a severe substance use disorder and subsequent incarceration. He was incarcerated within the South Carolina Department of Corrections at Lee Correctional Institution and Turbeville Correctional Institution and was released on parole following the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Kelly later spent time on probation in North Carolina and successfully completed all requirements, formally exiting the justice system on July 3, 2025.

In August 2023, Kelly came to Asheville to enter treatment for substance use disorder and graduated from all program levels at October Road. His recovery date is August 3, 2023. Following his successful completion of the Men’s Partial Hospitalization Program on September 18, 2023, Kelly permanently relocated to Asheville, where he has since built a life grounded in recovery, service, and leadership. He is widely recognized as a leader within the Asheville-area recovery community and was recently elected to the Board of Directors for the nonprofit Asheville 12-Step Club.

Kelly is deeply passionate about creating spaces where individuals can recover together and support one another. This work takes the form of local 12-step meetings, Hospitals and Institutions meetings, and speaking engagements at treatment centers. The meetings Kelly has founded and the outreach he conducts reach hundreds of individuals each week—an effort commonly known as “carrying the message.” He is equally committed to teaching others the value of service and active participation in recovery programs.

Prior to joining Operation Gateway, Kelly volunteered extensively to support returning citizens and individuals navigating reentry, recovery, and access to the social determinants of health. Resource navigation is one of his core strengths, and he is known throughout the community for his ability to unlock and mobilize a vast network of resources in support of justice-involved individuals and those seeking recovery.

Kelly is a member of Asbury Memorial United Methodist Church, where he serves as a Trustee. He is as active in the faith community as he is in the recovery community, offering his time, support, and compassion freely. Guided by his faith in Jesus Christ, Kelly is known throughout the community for his willingness to show up wherever help, hope, and love are needed.