We were lucky to catch up with Gretchen Bergman recently and have shared our conversation below.

Gretchen, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

I have dual careers that interweave well in creating awareness and advancing our mission. I have a theatrical fashion show production company, Gretchen Productions, that works primarily with charitable organizations for fundraising events, and the non-profit organization I started almost 25 years ago, A New PATH (Parents for Addiction Treatment & Healing). Our mission is to reduce the stigma associated with substance use disorders through education and compassionate support and to advocate for therapeutic rather than punitive drug policies. I am also lead organizer of our Moms United to End the War on Drugs national collaborative campaign, whose mission is to destigmatize and decriminalize drug use and substance use disorders.

I’ve found that art and advocacy blend well to achieve our goals. My production company creates an annual celebration of recovery event to benefit and raise awareness about the work of A New PATH called Strut for Sobriety!

What led me to the founding of Gretchen Productions was a deep creative belief that fashion is best displayed by integrating all the elements of the arts, including singers, dancers and models. My role as mother to two sons led me to start A New PATH, as both struggled for decades with addictive illness and punitive, prohibitionist criminal justice policies. Having learned as much as possible about addiction, I was compelled to passionately advocate for reform of draconian drug laws and policies and promote strategies of harm reduction. This effort led me to become a national speaker and writer. My sons are both in long-term recovery now, but this family journey definitely took me, and them on new career paths.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I danced professionally and taught jazz dance for 25 years. In 1979, after years of choreographing shows and working as a model, I started Gretchen Productions specializing in large theatrical shows. I love my career, but motherhood is my most important role, so when my sons struggled with addiction I learned as much as I could about substance use disorders. I saw that our society had a misguided approach in handling what is essentially a public health issue with a criminal justice response. In 1999 I co-founded A New PATH, and I became a leader in the drug policy reform movement. In response to the opioid overdose crisis, our organization has been conducting overdose prevention training and distributing Narcan (a safe drug that can quickly reverse an opioid overdose) throughout the county and the nation since 2014. To date we have reported 3075 overdose reversals (lives saved) in San Diego County. I am proud of the challenges we have overcome, the liberties we have protected, and the lives we have saved through our mission and projects.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

My best marketing tool is my reputation. I believe that integrity is of utmost importance. I always give my creative best and my passion for my projects and mission is what motivates my work. With each show that I produce, my goal is to have the audience say “best ever.” With my advocacy work, I am very present, and I believe in the power of teamwork, so listening is as important as leading.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

It is important for me to maintain these dual careers. My fashion shows fill my creative need to entertain and inspire. My non-profit work fulfills my desire to make the world a better place and to make a difference in the lives of others.

Contact Info:

• Website: anewpath.org; momsunited.net; gretchenproductions.com
• Instagram: @newpathnarcanproject; @gretchenproductions
• Facebook: facebook.com/anewpathsite
• Twitter: @gretchenmomsu
• Youtube: @pathmomsunited