BUCKEYE RECOVERY NETWORK - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Certified Counselor With a
Adrian Lopez is a certified counselor with a BA in Psychology from National University. He has worked in many different areas of treatment with a variety of different populations over the past ten years. His knowledge of 12 step programs and substance abuse has led to years of sharing his deep passion to help clients face themselves. Utilizing techniques that contribute to a fresh, holistic approach to counseling has led Adrian to explore different ways to reach clients that struggle with acceptance of addiction.
Adrian understands that treatment can be a scary place to confront one's reality when it comes to substance abuse. By using out-of-the-box methods that break down barriers, he has been able to incorporate art and music into his treatment plans to aid clients in achieving their therapeutic goals. Adrian provides a safe and welcoming environment to help clients feel at ease as they explore their first steps into sobriety. Adrian prides himself on finding new ways to incorporate personal growth, as he is also going for his master's degree soon.
Job Titles:
- Health and Wellness Coach
Amy Green is passionate about weaving fitness and recovery into the same cloth. Amy completed her undergraduate education at the University of California, Irvine in Sociology and Business Management. During her undergraduate years she competed all four years in three sports at the Division 1 level. Amy graduated with honors and went on to complete her substance abuse counseling credentials and licensure at the University of California, Los Angeles.
Amy has been a professional in the fitness industry since 2011. She has worked with anyone from top professional athletes as well as kids, teens, and older adults. Her wide array of expertise in this field has given her the experience necessary to understand how crucial a role of fitness and proper nutrition have in aiding those recovering from drug and alcohol addiction. She developed and created a wellness program for a renowned treatment center in Los Angeles, Beit T'shuvah. This program brought together the mind, body and spirit. She was able to help recovering addicts get in touch with their bodies on a deeper level through yoga, mindfulness, meditation, movement, sweat and educational nutrition group counseling.
Job Titles:
- Certified Addiction Counselor
Anthony Dippre is a Certified Addiction Counselor through the The Addiction Certification Broad of California (ACCBC/CAADE) in the state of California. Anthony obtained his education from Cypress College, Cypress Ca, He has provided assessment and counseling interventions at the IOP, PHP, and RTC levels of care.
Aubrey Sexton is an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist. She obtained her Undergraduate Degree in Criminal Justice from Texas Christian University. She obtained her Master's Degree in Clinical Psychology, Specialization in Marriage and Family Therapy, from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. Aubrey has provided therapeutic services to individuals and families in a variety of settings including psychiatric hospitals, residential facilities, dual diagnosis facilities, eating recovery centers, and outpatient facilities. At Buckeye Recovery Network, Aubrey is a primary therapist who provides individual and group therapy for clients in our Intensive Outpatient Mental Health program. Aubrey uses a client centered approach to provide individualized care and support to guide clients on their journey through recovery. Aubrey believes in the value of connecting with individuals to ensure they feel seen, heard, and understood. As an empathetic therapist, she practices empowering clients through developing strong therapeutic relationships and creating a safe therapeutic environment. She is an advocate for her clients and utilizes a collaborative approach to ensure quality care for everyone she works with.
Job Titles:
- Community Outreach Specialist
Job Titles:
- Director of Alumni Services
Cory displays strong interpersonal and problem-solving skills and is most often found with a big smile exuding his positive perspective on life. He is always appreciative of his space in his own recovery. Cory is driven to bring his experience, big heart and passion for life to others. Always aiming to meet people
where they are at, he has found purpose in helping others find their own journey.
Cory always looks to nature and the outdoors to enhance the recovery experience and utilize what is available in all our lives. He continuously strives to create engaging activities, educational opportunities and personal growth encompassing nature, education and community programs. Cory sees personal relations, an open-mind and renewed hope through recovery as the good road ahead for those he crosses path with.
Cory is an accomplished angler, avid outdoorsman and sports enthusiast.
Daniel Ide has a traditional education in music and the literary arts leading to a further study and practice of interior and architectural design specializing in woodworking. He relocated from his home state of Massachusetts to Southern California in 2000 where his personal style of design and construction was welcome in the arts and business community. Daniel's personal journey through addiction and recovery led him into a whole new world of healing and health exposing him to Western Shamanism, ancient healing arts and other esoteric teachings connected to sound healing. Many years later, and with deep personal interest and study, he has turned his focus more intently toward working with others in healing a variety of health issues. He too believes and follows in the tradition of healer as guide.
Job Titles:
- Director of Operations
- Operations Manager / Client Care
Stepping into Buckeye Recovery Network, you will often be greeted by David Sanders, our Director of Operations and his dog, Meyer, the Director of Goofiness. As an Oregon native, David, entered the field of substance abuse treatment shortly after migrating to California to face his own path of recovery. Prior to working in the field of recovery, he studied Fire Science at Lane Community College while practicing as an Emergency Medical Technician. Now, at Buckeye Recovery Network, David is a vital part of the team overseeing daily operations as well as ensuring each client receives the individual care needed. Working alongside our Medical Director, David aims to provide each client the access and resources to tackle all aspects of their recovery including their physical, mental and spiritual health.
Dr. Michael F Bishara is the medical director for Buckeye Recovery Network and with his addition to the team comes a wealth of experience within the general field of medicine as well as the treatment of substance abuse disorder and mental health ailments. After receiving his bachelor's degree in science from The University of Rutgers in 1976, Michael would go on to travel to Cairo, Egypt and earn his doctorate from The Ain Shams University Faculty of Medicine in 1981. Following his graduation, Dr. Bishara intervened with The University of New York before completing his residency at Lutheran Medical Center in 1987. With a background in internal Medicine and a subspecialty in addiction medicine the doctor has gone to build a career over the last 30 years as an affiliate and consultant for 8 separate hospitals in the local area as well as serving as medical director at four separate chemical dependency treatment facilities over the course of that same timeframe. Dr. Bishara is certified with the American Board of Addiction Medicine as well as approved by the FDA to prescribe Suboxone for those suffering from life threatening opioid dependency. Dr. Bishara can often be found within the walls of Buckeye Recovery Network, taking the time to meet with each client personally in order to best outline a medical treatment plan to best meet their specific needs.
Eric Ochoa, LMFT is a psychotherapist with experience treating trauma, grief, loss, and PTSD related disorders both civilian and military culture. Eric began his career working with the adolescent population with ages ranging from 4 years old to 18 treating developmental challenges, family issues, behavioral challenges, mentally illness and substance abuse. Eric gained experience working with severely mentally ill and intellectually delayed before joining with Buckeye Recovery Network. Eric has experience and training using Cognitive Behavioral
Felicia Sabrick is our Primary Women's Counselor at Buckeye Recovery Network. Felicia has been with the company for over two years and completed her internship while attending school at CCAPP Academy for her Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor accreditation. When she relocated to California from Pennsylvania, 7 years ago, Felicia had a desire to impact women to become the best versions of themselves through therapeutic counseling. Felicia is passionate about helping women transform their lives as well as motivating them to achieve greatness through recovery.
Job Titles:
- Support Staff Member
- Facilities Manager / Activities Coordinator
- Laboratories Technician / Activities Coordinator
Heath Janow began his own personal journey of recovery in February of 2015 and from there also began his passion for supporting others in the process of transforming their lives. Heath's first job in recovery was when he was brought on in June of 2015 to become the Facilities Manager and did so with the intention of ensuring that all of those who choose to recover with BRN would do so in the most optimal and safe atmosphere possible. In April of 2016 Heath added to his repertoire by becoming a house manager for fifteen months for a local recovery home. It is from here that he built an even stronger foundation upon which he found his way to becoming an integral part of the family at Buckeye Recovery Network. In 2018 Heath added the title of Activities Coordinator to his mantle and began organizing all staff and patient outings that takes BRN's treatment to beautiful new heights. Between the two roles Heath occupies now, he takes the utmost pride in ensuring that the healing environment necessary to recover exists for all clients, inside and out of Buckeye Recovery Network.
Jeremy graduated from Santa Clara University's Leavey School of Business with a Bachelor of Science in Commerce, Major in Accounting in 1993 and earned CPA Licenses in California, Washington, and Oregon.
Former roles included being the Pacific NW Director for a national accounting firm specializing in auditing and consulting for financial institutions, IT consulting, and being a VP of Internal Audit.
After nearly drinking himself to death and ending up in treatment and then sober living, Jeremy found his most rewarding role as a house manager at the Ohio House in Costa Mesa. He remained in that role for over 5 years before becoming the CFO at Buckeye Recovery Network.
Jeremy is a firm believer in giving back and the resulting peace and happiness that comes along with it. He is known for his motto of "Carpe Diem, Memento Mori". Jeremy cherishes now being a sober son, brother, and being "Uncle Mimi" to his nieces and nephews.
Jim Shand is a Licensed substance abuse counselor working with various populations in inpatient, outpatient, PHP, and residential treatment settings. His knowledge of substance abuse, LGBT community and the homeless populations has led to a passion for addiction recovery and self-help motivation for lasting recovery for short- and long-term addictions. Jim has widespread counseling experience in various treatment settings with 13 years of experience as a substance abuse counselor.
Jim's extensive experience provides him with a deep knowledge and understanding of residential, outpatient and PHP treatment programs, and in turn the dynamic needs required to yield success in this industry. Jim is committed to providing the best possible care and outcomes with a wide variety of varying populations in the field of addiction recovery. Jim has works well with others and is an integral part of the treatment team.
Job Titles:
- Accounts Manager
- Support Staff Member
John Donoghue was born and raised in Illinois before moving to California in 2013 to pursue his own recovery. John then would go own to give back the experience that led to his success with sobriety by becoming a sober living manager in 2014, a position that he continues to hold today. As a house manager John became an integral part of the local recovery community and developed a skillset focused on client care. In 2019 John would go on to join the Buckeye Recovery Network Family in the financial office. It is within this role that John would focus on assisting families and patients alike in the financial portion of the treatment process which can sadly weigh heavily on those attempting to navigate recovery for their loved ones or themselves. Equipped with the knowledge that this is a delicate process, John handles all financial situations with the same gentleness and care that fostered his own recovery process years ago.
Julian Primm is our Lab Technician/Support staff who has been with the company for over 5 years. Julian's own journey started here back on December 8th of 2015 and since then he has dedicated his life to helping others who like him were once trapped by addiction by building a strong foundation for clients here at BRN. Julian Just finished school to be a substance abuse counselor and has been instrumental in our facilities Structure. Julian prides himself on helping Buckeye to be the best facility it can be on a daily basis. When he is not at work, he is at home working another full-time job as a loving father.
Juliette Asten is a Marriage and Family Therapist Trainee earning a Master of Science in Counseling Psychology at California State University, Long Beach. She received her undergraduate degree in Psychology with a minor in Applied Psychology in 2019 from the University of California, Santa Barbara. At Buckeye Recovery Network, Juliette has served as an Individual Therapist and Group Facilitator for the IOP and PHP programs. In her current role as Primary Therapist for the Women's program, Juliette utilizes an integrative approach to foster a therapeutic and healing environment for clients overcoming substance use and mental health struggles. Juliette dedicates herself to helping others navigate their way through depression, anxiety, trauma, substance use, and more, and to helping pave the way to higher life satisfaction and mental wellness.
Job Titles:
- Director of the Vocational Program
Kate Dawson is the Director of the Vocational Program at Buckeye Recovery Network. She is passionate about helping people in recovery achieve their dreams and rebuild their lives. As an alumnus of the program, Kate took the experience she gained from her time at BRN to reconstruct her life and build a career in the field. She works closely with clients to give them the tools to achieve their career goals.
Job Titles:
- Director of Business Development
Prior to Buckeye she held titles of Recovery Coach, Operations Director, and Admissions Director. Kelsey was brought on at Buckeye Recovery as the Director of Business Development. She has a passion for ensuring every individual gets the help that they need, and does so by developing relationships with other providers.
Kelsey also oversees our women's sober living environments - The Chadwick House for Women. She is committed to creating a safe, nurturing, and conducive environment for all women that walk through the doors of Chadwick.
Mark Boultinghouse has been a fixture within the Buckeye Recovery Network organization since its opening in 2017. Prior to his Mark has held a multitude of positions within the Recovery space ranging from detox cook in the early days of his own sobriety to operations manager of sober homes and support staff for residential programs. Mark began his career with BRN on the billing side of the company and made a name for himself by tirelessly fighting to provide clientele access to the life-changing treatment offered within the organization. Mark also excelled working with insurance providers to extend lengths of treatment episodes to further ensure chances of patient success and long-term recovery. In 2021 Mark was named the Executive Director of Buckeye Recovery Network and was entrusted with all overarching outreach to the community as well as the opportunity to offer BRN services to a broader audience.
Matthew Keogh is a New York native who began his own journey in recovery in 2016 within the Buckeye Recovery Network. Matt has worked in the substance abuse space since beginning of 2017. In that time, he has held titles of House Manager, Operational Director and Client Care Coordinator as well as becoming a Certified Case Manager and Interventionist through Breining Institute. In 2019 Matt was brought on to be Director of Admissions for Buckeye Recovery Network. Since then, he has worked tirelessly to ensure that those who struggle with substance abuse issues and mental health difficulty are supported in their desire to change their lives and recover. Always just a single phone call away, Matt spends countless hours supporting family's and loved ones alike by ensuring that they know that there is always hope no matter how dark the circumstances may seem.
Job Titles:
- Clinical Supervisor
- Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor
Natasha Saifabad is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and obtained a master's degree in counseling from San Diego State University. Since 2017, she has been working with individuals, couples, and families.
Lastly, Natasha is a Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor, which is an approach that encourages a healthy relationship with food. It promotes body positivity and focuses on recognizing and honoring hunger. Her mission is to help her clients improve their quality of their lives through strongly supported evidence-based practices and a compassionate therapeutic connection.
Oliver J. De Castro is an Associate Marriage & Family Therapist in the state of California. Oliver also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, with Minor concentrations in Theater, Mathematics, and Music while also a student-athlete. Oliver then pursued and achieved a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology, has been in the field of mental health and substance abuse since 2016. Oliver was raised in the Dominican Republic during childhood, then moved the US in 2004 in New York City. Over the years, Oliver has worked with a variety of diverse populations, communities, and settings doing mental health work, including doing much with with children, families, couples, groups, and individuals struggling to achieve stability. Oliver's overall mission statement is to dedicate his service to helping others live a more stable quality of life, and currently works at Buckeye Recovery Network to continue carrying out his mission.
Job Titles:
- Support Staff Member
- Accounting / HR
Pamela Wood began her personal recovery in the beginning of 2012 and since then has remained a staple in the local recovery community. In September of 2018 Pam left her role as an office manager to join the Buckeye Recovery Network family with aspirations of joining a team dedicated to setting the bar for addiction and mental health treatment. Pamela quickly made her presence in the financial office known by improving overall operations with a meticulous attention to detail. Pamela is also tasked with all Human Resources duties and utilizes that same attention to detail in upholding the integrity of all employees who proudly call Buckeye Recovery Network home. In addition to this, Pamela has taken on responsibilities regarding all billing and invoicing within our organization which rounds out her tangible presence as an overall Swiss-army knife for Buckeye Recovery Network. Pamela continues to stay true to the roots of her own journey by ensuring that Buckeye Recovery Network maintains the delicate ecosystem of recovery that is necessary to foster long term sustainable wellness for all those who seek their services.
Job Titles:
- Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor
Parham Nematollah is a Licensed Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor and also holds a Master's Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy. Parham has over a decade of experience working in the field of mental health and addiction treatment services. Parham has held numerous roles in his tenure and currently holds the position as the Chief Operating Officer at Buckeye Recovery Network where he is responsible for driving the strategic vision for the organization. In his current role, Parham develops strategic initiatives, create/implements various programs, and leads talented teams of multidisciplinary professionals. Parham utilizes his extensive experience working in the behavioral health field to present seminars and workshops on his areas of expertise directly within the organization and at conferences.
Parham also coaches the boy's varsity basketball team at Aliso Niguel High School and his unique approach places a strong emphasis on mental health/mental wellness with the intention of providing the student athletes with the tools necessary to succeed on and off the basketball court.
Job Titles:
- Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor
Sara Rotunno is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor and has served in a number of roles for Buckeye Recovery Network since 2017. Sara received her undergraduate degree in Criminology and her master's in Clinical Forensic Psychology from the Chicago School of Professional Psychology. Sara initially joined the team as a primary therapist, eventual women's program manager, and currently resides as the clinical supervisor for the company. With a continued desire to hone her craft and further evolve her skillset, Sara has completed further training in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing as well as Brainspotting - modalities that focus on accessing unprocessed trauma in the subcortical brain. Sara's education and background of working deeply with trauma has led her to focus on the internalized issues that lead individuals astray with mental health difficulty and/or substance abuse issues. Sara is known for emphasis on utilizing a safe therapeutic space at Buckeye Recovery Network to provide clientele refuge from adverse experiences.
Sarah Chasteen, a cherished member of the Buckeye Recovery Network team, fulfills her role as a dedicated Client Success Advocate with unwavering commitment. Her daily mission involves assisting clients in their transformative journey towards achieving health and wellness through the path of recovery. Sarah's personal journey of sobriety, spanning 6 years, is a testament to her deep dedication to both her own healing and her mission at Buckeye.
Sarah is a firm believer in being the change she wishes to see in the world, and she radiates happiness and enthusiasm in her work. Her passion for helping others in any way possible is driven by her profound desire to empower individuals, with the belief that in doing so, they can, in turn, empower others. Her vision extends beyond recovery as she aspires to make a significant impact in the world, sharing love and demonstrating that healing is achievable one day at a time.
Beyond her work, Sarah finds solace in nature and is a passionate advocate of self-soothing techniques, particularly breathwork, which she teaches to help individuals learn how to find peace within themselves. Her presence at Buckeye is a beacon of hope and a source of inspiration for those on their journey to recovery.
As a group facilitator in our mental health community Program, Sean Michael Farrell is a certified addiction treatment counselor and published author. In order to provide fresh perspectives and teach the application of coping skills, he combines personal experience in adversity and achievement with ancient philosophy.
Yesmeen Mikhail is a Michigan native who fell in love with the mental health benefits of yoga. For 4 years she has been teaching the power of breath work and mindfulness for reducing stress and anxiety. She has her 200 YTT from Core Power Yoga, learning the proper physical alignments to keep her students safe. She combines both yogic philosophy and meditation in classes giving her students a well-rounded experience. In the next year she hopes to stretch and breathe her way towards a Masters in Family Therapy. In her perfect world, everyone would have a little yoga in their lives.
Yumi Yasuhara is a trained Massage Therapist with a long history of study and practice in the healing arts. She began her journey in Japan where she developed, at any early age, a healthy loving regard for the healing arts. Once established in the United States as a college student she pursued and completed a variety of healer trainings leading to her own signature practice of Massage Therapy. Today she focuses more intently on Sound and Energy as her prevailing healing modalities for guiding one towards health and wholeness, all the while holding fast to the sacred tradition of the "healer" as a guide merely provides opportunity for the client to heal themselves. Yumi's daily healing and wholing routine is working with plants and wild life in and around her rural home.