Hope Scheppelman, MSN, AGACNP-BC, is a Senior Advisor at SAMHSA, where she supports national initiatives to address substance use disorders, strengthen mental health systems, and advance strategies for prevention, treatment, and long-term recovery.
Mrs. Scheppelman brings more than three decades of healthcare experience spanning frontline care, advanced clinical practice, and system-level leadership. She began her career in healthcare as a candy striper and an emergency room clerk before entering the U.S. Navy, where she served as a Hospital Corpsman. Following her military service, she pursued nursing, working as a bedside nurse before advancing her education to become a board-certified Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner.
Her clinical background includes critical care, trauma, neurosurgery, and stroke medicine. She also worked in the open-heart intensive care units at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, where she cared for some of the most complex cardiac patients. This progression - from entry-level roles to advanced practice - has shaped her comprehensive, patient-centered perspective across the full continuum of care.
Mrs. Scheppelman’s work in substance use disorder prevention, treatment, and recovery is informed by both clinical expertise and lived experience. She is in long-term recovery from alcohol and is a strong advocate for evidence-based prevention, timely access to treatment, and sustained recovery support. She has worked with diverse populations, including rural and tribal communities, with a focus on expanding access to care and strengthening community-based recovery systems.
At SAMHSA, Mrs. Scheppelman supports the implementation of national strategies aligned with President Donald J. Trump’s Addressing Addiction Through the Great American Recovery Initiative. Her work focuses on combating the fentanyl crisis and addressing substance use disorders through coordinated prevention strategies, expanded access to evidence-based treatment, and the advancement of long-term recovery pathways. She collaborates across federal, state, and community partners to improve outcomes for individuals, families, and communities nationwide.