APEX - Key Persons

Job Titles:

• Member of the Apex Recovery Team
• Vice President of Human Resources

Billy joined Apex as the Vice President of Human Resources with over 20 years of experience in the healthcare industry. Billy's professional career began as an HR Coordinator and grew from there to include several leadership positions with focuses on employee relations, strategy, team development and performance, and HR technology. His background includes building high-performing teams and scaling human resources practices. Billy is excited to lead the people of Apex and is passionate about creating a workplace where employees feel they belong, are valued, and heard; his philosophy is to support and take care of those who take care of others. Billy graduated from Bryan College with a Master's of Business Administration and he is a certified Professional in Human Resources through the Human Resources Certification Institute and a Society of Human Resources Management Certified Professional.

Job Titles:

• Member of the Apex Recovery Team
• National Director of Business Development

A passion for helping those in need started with his own personal experience growing up. This morphed into a professional expertise in the areas of outreach and community development. A true understanding of what treatment resources are available and how to connect those in need with them has allowed him to develop relationships that continue to benefit APEX's patients. "I love sitting with addicts and their families in moments of crisis and helping them understand there is hope through the process of treatment!"

Job Titles:

• Clinical Staff Member
• Medical Director
• Member of the Apex Recovery Team
• ABPN, ABFM, ABPM

Dr. Small received his medical degree at the University of Hawaii. He completed his medical residency in Psychiatry and Family Medicine at UCSD. He is board certified in Psychiatry, Addiction Medicine, and Family Medicine. Dr. Small is passionate about bringing quality care to patients suffering with addiction.

Job Titles:

• Chief Executive Officer
• Clinical Staff Member
• Founder
• Member of the Apex Recovery Team
• RAS - APEX Rehab CEO

Dr. Matthew J. Bruhin is the Chief Executive Officer and Founder of APEX Recovery. Along with Co-founder Fred Bowen, Dr. Bruhin utilized his experience in the creation of high-end rehabs to construct a facility that was cutting-edge and affordable, yet lacked nothing. His vision, eye for detail and desire to lead have created an unparalleled vision for treating additive illness coupled with mental and emotional disorders. Dr. Bruhin treats every staff member and participant like family and hopes to bring his clinical and administrative vision to many Dr. Bruhin is a State of California Board of Behavioral Sciences, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist as well as an Addiction Specialist registered by the Breining Institute. Dr. Bruhin earned his Doctorate in Addiction Psychology, has a Master of Arts degree in Counseling Psychology, and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology, with a Minor in Addictive Disorders. Additionally he holds many other certifications and has tens of thousands of hours of clinical and training experience. Dr. Bruhin has a diverse clinical training background, working in the mental health field for over 15 years. He specializes in the treatment of addiction and has specialized experience and clinical training in the treatment of prescription addiction, sexual addiction and gambling addiction. He works with many individuals and families ranging from the chronically, mentally ill, to high-level professionals, professional athletes, executives, and Hollywood film producers and TV personalities. He has developed his own specialized and effective techniques for the treatment of addiction and chemical dependency. Dr. Bruhin loves to write, blog, and he appears regularly on network TV as a leader in the addiction field. He has worked with clients from A&E's hit TV show Intervention, as well as the Tyra Show. Dr. Bruhin also performs local TV segments in order to get the public educated about addiction, and to break down the stigma of mental health issues. Dr. Bruhin balances his passion for work with the love of his family, enjoyment of travel, and his vintage Star Wars collection, which can be viewed in his private office.

Job Titles:

• Founder
• Member of the Apex Recovery Team
• Member of the Board

Fred was raised in San Clemente, California. Fred was exposed to the drug culture at a very early age. By the time Fred had graduated from high school, his addiction had progressed to a point that most people do not return from. For another decade, he struggled with addiction and recovery with multiple attempts at abstinence. There were periods of homelessness along with periods of high functioning and experiencing success. Fred realized, ultimately, that addiction was always in control. At the age of thirty, on death's door, Fred had hit rock bottom and had a moment of clarity that would save his life. That clarity was the sea of change in his life. 20 years later, Fred is not able to recognize his past life in comparison to where he is now. Early on, Fred had made the decision that addiction and recovery would be his sole vocation. He started sober living homes and found that working with people that suffered from the same addiction would be his passion. This was the beginning of Apex Recovery. "I'm extremely proud of the person I have become simply by staying clean and having an open mind in regards to the recovery process." Fred's hope for anyone suffering the way he did is to be able to find a way out of the vicious cycle of addiction. Recovery is a gift that all are entitled to. Apex can be a part of that.

Job Titles:

• Chief Legal Officer
• Member of the Apex Recovery Team

Jennifer has over 25 years of experience in the healthcare industry. She began her career as a paralegal in the legal department of BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee (BCBST) where she spent 15 years learning the health insurance industry. Jennifer held various positions at BCBST including Paralegal, Senior Privacy Consultant; Chief Privacy, Security and Compliance Officer for a technology subsidiary, Shared Health and Senior Counsel. Jennifer then further advanced her healthcare experience by joining the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for almost 10 years. Jennifer served as the Director for Payer Relations where she was responsible for managing all payer relationships across the country for the VA. In her last position, Jennifer's was a member of the Senior Executive Service (SES) and served as the Executive Director for Integrated External Networks which was responsible for the development, oversight and management of the Community Care Network program that provides Veterans access to community providers when VA cannot provide the service timely or close to home. Jennifer joined Apex Recovery in February 2023 as the Chief Legal Officer. Jennifer graduated from Tennessee Wesleyan College with a Bachelor of Science business degree in Human Resource Management, Economics and Finance. She also holds a Juris Doctorate degree from the Nashville School of Law.

Job Titles:

• Director of Operations
• Member of the Apex Recovery Team

Matthew is a native of San Diego, CA, where he began a 25-year career in Mortgage Banging, working for such financial institutions as Merrill Lynch, Charles Schwab, and Bank of America. After overcoming his own struggles with drugs and alcohol in 2015, Matthew chose a new path in recovery and began working in the field of addiction treatment. He has dedicated himself to helping others suffering from substance use and mental health disorders. Matthew is a National Certified Peer Recovery Support Specialist (NCPRSS), a Certified Event Interventionist (CEI), and is currently studying to be a Certified Addictions Counselor (CAC).

Job Titles:

• Chairman of the Board
• Member of the Apex Recovery Team
• Member of the Chairman of the Board
• Founder of Foundations Associates

There is no end in sight for Michael Cartwright. He has a sincere goal to provide endless resources to those who truly want to release the grip of addiction. Known as a premiere addiction industry trail blazer, Michael Cartwright is a noted behavioral health entrepreneur. He founded Performance Revolution LLC, also known as Fit-Rx, in 2009 and from that success was then able to merge with a company named Forterus with a successful history of treating over 12 million individuals in need of addiction treatment. Another success in the industry was the founding of Foundations Recovery Network. Soon thereafter Forterus grew and developed into AAC or American Addiction Centers being led by their Chairman of the Board, Michael Cartwright. Michael Cartwright is a pillar in Dual Diagnosis Management and the founder of Foundations Associates. Under his management, the organization grew to include four alcohol and drug treatment facilities nationwide, including the Canyon, the leading recovery facility in Malibu, California. Certainly a highlight in Michael's service career is when he served and testified on the Senate Help Sub-committee on Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services.

Job Titles:

• Member of the Apex Recovery Team
• National Director of Admissions

Thomas' journey through the depths of addiction has transformed him into a beacon of hope and resilience in the realm of behavioral health. Born and raised in a small town, Thomas initially pursued a path that led him down the slipper slope of substance abuse. However, it was his personal struggle and eventual triumph over addiction that became the catalyst for his profound dedication to helping others navigate the path to recovery. Thomas embarked on a journey of self-discovery, seeking education and training in behavioral health to better understand the complexities of addiction and mental health, and found his calling as a national admissions director in a reputable behavioral health facility, where he plays a pivotal role in helping individuals take their first step towards recovery.