Shortly after her husband, Doug, was elected governor of North Dakota in 2016, Kathryn Burgum decided to share her personal story. Burgum is in recovery for substance use disorder after battling alcohol addiction for 20 years. Her platform as First Lady of North Dakota is to end the shame and stigma surrounding the disease of addiction.
Kathryn’s Recovery Reinvented event is coming up on November 3rd, and you can participate. In this episode of Grieving Out Loud, she shares what keeps her in recovery and what she’s doing to change attitudes and get people help in North Dakota.
ND Governor Doug Burgum & First Lady of ND Kathryn Burgum speaking at Recovery Reinvented 
First Lady Kathryn Burgum speaking at Turtle Mountain Recovery Center 
First Lady Kathryn Burgum & Governor Doug Burgum 
First Lady Kathryn Burgum at Recovery Reinvented 2021 
First Lady Kathryn Burgum & Governor Doug Burgum 
First Lady Kathryn Burgum at National Drug Control Policy in 2020 Photo Credit: The White House
MEET THE GUEST
Kathryn Burgum
Kathryn Burgum became First Lady of ND on December 15, 2016, when her husband, Governor Doug Burgum, was sworn in as the 33rd Governor of North Dakota.
As First Lady, Kathryn’s priority is supporting and developing initiatives to eliminate the shame and stigma of the chronic disease of addiction in North Dakota’s communities.
In long-term recovery for 20 years, she shares her personal experience and encourages others to do the same to normalize the conversation around the disease of addiction. She is spreading the word that addiction is a chronic disease, not a character flaw.
Kathryn plays an active role in supporting the Office of Recovery Reinvented as the chair of the Advisory Council. Her advocacy work has enabled her to partner with advocates, experts in the field, and stakeholders nationwide, including the White House, Faces and Voices of Recovery, the Addiction Policy Forum, and the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation where she serves on the board of trustees.
