PRAIRIE - Key Persons
Alana Smith is a graduate of the University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work. Her career has been dedicated to the treatment of those with substance use disorder (SUD) and the corresponding impact on families.
At national conferences, Alana has presented on aspects of denial, grief and family healing as related to SUD. In residential treatment centers, she has served as clinical director and family program director and has had various roles in program development and staff training. Currently with a Texas-based private practice, she has also developed the family program and facilitates family therapy for us here at The Prairie Recovery Center.
Alana's clinical training in Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP) and Coherence Therapy informs her work with those impacted by SUD to move beyond a mere behavioral approach into one that is more emotionally experiential and healing-focused.
In 2018, Alana completed a year long travel and volunteerism sabbatical which included traversing India and trekking in Nepal. She currently lives in San Diego, CA.
An exemplary, long-spanning career in mental health and finance has put person-centered-care at the heart of Ceci's work. She has gathered a wealth of experience at one of the nation's largest residential summer camps, which provides her with a unique lens to approach treatment in a residential setting. Ceci received her master's degree in Clinical Mental Health from Wake Forest University, as well as her Doctorate of Social Work from the University of Southern California with a focus on building behavioral health in adolescents and young adults. Since co-founding Ethos Behavioral Health Group in 2018, Ceci now spends her time providing clinical services and business leadership across all Ethos healing centers as a Licensed Mental Health Professional and Ethos' Chief Operations Officer. She and her husband Chris are continuing to serve children and families with the launch of Camp OTX in the Texas Hill Country, all while raising 5 children of their own.
Danny learned carpentry from his father at an early age, which eventually led to his expertise in the field. Over the course of his career, he has had the opportunity to construct, remodel, reshape and transform diverse spaces in Houston's Medical Center, the historic Houston Heights and Round Top.
Job Titles:
- QUIGONG & TAI CHI INSTRUCTOR
Robert is driven by a deep commitment to serve others, and is passionate about the subject of hope and despair in clinical treatment. His over 20 years in the field of addiction and mental health encompass private practice, clinical supervision, the creation and management of clinical programming, the co-founding of The Lovett Center in 2014 and the co-founding of Ethos in 2018.
Throughout his educational and professional careers, Robert has gained valuable experience and impactful recognitions. He earned his Master's degree from the University of Houston's Graduate College of Social Work, which went on to honor him as a 50 for 50 Alumni in 2019 for embodying the college's social justice vision. Robert's education includes a fellowship at the Center for Psychoanalytic Studies and a Postgraduate Social Work Fellowship at The Menninger Clinic, while his resume includes long standing leadership positions at The Daring Way, The Council on Alcohol and Drugs Houston and The Menninger Clinic. At the latter, he earned a Menninger Clinic Pillar Award for Integrity for his work in the Professionals in Crisis Program, an honor meant to recognize those who best exemplify Menninger's core values: excellence, teamwork, hope, integrity and caring. The Houston Business Journal named Robert a 40 Under 40 Class of 2018 Honoree.
Will's passion for functional, welcoming spaces to serve a variety of industries led him to a career in commercial real estate spanning over 15 years, parallel to a decade of business development and management. In 2014, he co-founded The Lovett Center with Robert Hilliker, and then went on to co-found Ethos. The driving force behind his professional journey is a passion for connecting people for a shared, greater good. His thoughtful hiring and leadership style has helped build countless strong, creative and united teams that produce positive results.