Staff

Executive Director

Crystal Royer

Crystal serves as Executive Director of Twelfth Step House, where she provides leadership focused on program integrity, regulatory compliance, and organizational sustainability. She oversees daily operations, staff supervision, fiscal management, and alignment with Minnesota Housing Support and licensing requirements to ensure a safe, stable, and well-managed residence.

Crystal brings a background in community development and nonprofit leadership, informed by lived experience and a commitment to dignity and accountability. She earned her Bachelor’s degree from Hamline University and completed the Leadership in Affordable Housing graduate certificate program. She also participated in the Minnesota Housing Partnership Housing Institute and the Minnesota Young American Leaders Program, where she deepened her focus on cross-sector leadership and collaborative approaches to complex housing and life challenges.

Recognized as a 20 Under 40 Duluth honoree, Crystal emphasizes ethical governance, transparent decision-making, and partnership with residents, staff, board members, and community organizations. Her leadership centers building systems that support stability, wellbeing, and progress toward thriving, sustainability, while ensuring responsible stewardship of public resources.

Program Director

Valerie Lossing, LADC

Valerie serves as Program Director at Twelfth Step House and brings both professional expertise and lived experience to her role. She provides leadership focused on program quality, resident support, and creating a safe, consistent environment where individuals can build stability and continue their recovery journeys. Valerie works closely with residents and staff to help foster a culture rooted in accountability, compassion, and meaningful connection.

As a mother of five, family remains at the center of Valerie’s life. She enjoys fishing, hunting, and spending time outdoors. Her own journey through addiction and recovery inspired her to pursue a career dedicated to helping others find healing, hope, and purpose.

After becoming a Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LADC), Valerie began her career supporting women and children before transitioning into outpatient services serving both men and women. She later spent four years at Lakeplace, an outpatient program with lodging for men, where she gained valuable experience supporting individuals through recovery and life transitions. Prior to joining Twelfth Step House, Valerie operated a private practice providing 245G Comprehensive Assessments.

Valerie believes recovery is built through consistency, continuity, accountability, and connection. She values creating environments where individuals feel respected, supported, and seen for who they are beyond their circumstances. Valerie has been a true blessing to Twelfth Step House, bringing heart, dedication, and authenticity to her work each day. She carries a deep belief that people can heal, grow, and create meaningful lives in recovery when given support, opportunity, and a sense of belonging.

MN North LADC Intern

Jacob Thompson 

Jacob serves as a member of the Twelfth Step House team, where he supports the organization’s mission of creating a safe, stable, and recovery-focused environment for residents. He contributes to the day-to-day operations of the house and plays an important role in helping create a respectful and supportive community.

Jacob brings a dependable presence and a commitment to the work being done at Twelfth Step House. He values consistency, accountability, and treating individuals with dignity and respect. He believes meaningful change happens through connection, trust, and creating environments where people feel welcomed and supported.

As Twelfth Step House continues to grow and evolve, Jacob has embraced the opportunity to be part of rebuilding and creating something meaningful for the future. He understands the importance of investing in people and helping shape an organization rooted in recovery, belonging, and hope. His dedication and willingness to contribute to a shared vision continue to positively impact both the agency and the individuals it serves.

Food Services

Debra Olivanti

Deb brings decades of experience in food service, hospitality, small business ownership, and community connection to her work at Twelfth Step House. For many years, she owned and operated a busy café on the north side of Virginia, where she became a familiar face in the community and built a reputation for welcoming people, working hard, and taking care of those who came through her doors.

She brings that same spirit to Twelfth Step House. Deb understands that a meal is about more than food. It can provide comfort, routine, connection, and a sense of home. Her care for the residents we serve is reflected not only in the meals she prepares, but in the relationships she builds around the table. Many former residents continue to return to Twelfth Step House to enjoy one of Deb’s meals, reconnect, and spend time in a place that was once home.

Deb has been a steady and caring presence as Twelfth Step House continues to grow and evolve. She brings practical knowledge, reliability, humor, and an understanding of the everyday details that help turn a residence into a home. She works alongside residents and staff with warmth and respect, creating opportunities for connection and belonging through some of life’s simplest moments.

Her decades of experience serving the Virginia community and her genuine investment in the people who call Twelfth Step House home make Deb an invaluable part of our team. The fact that residents continue coming back long after they have moved on speaks to something difficult to measure but central to our work: people remember where they felt welcomed, cared for, and connected.