Advance Recovery Solution Staff
STEVE FENNELLY
Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
STEVE FENNELLY
Steve Fennelly is the CEO of ARS and holds a place in his heart for those in recovery. He has served the recovery community since 2009 when he founded Solid Landings Behavioral Health and realized his long held dream of creating a culture of recovery and “Gold Standard” quality service to those his program served and employed. Through his experience in recovery, Steve has developed a sense of what it takes to change lives and carry the message that recovery and an enhanced overall quality of life are possible. Steve earned his Bachelor’s of Science degree in Accounting and Finance from Albertus Magnus, located in New Haven, CT, in 2001 and from there, he went on to found his first company Fennelly construction where he demonstrated his ability to create a quality product and grow a business from small beginnings to countless successes. Through his non-stop efforts, Steve grew Solid Landings Behavioral Health by over 200% in just three years and earned the prestige of having the number one place to work in a private company in 2015. Solid Landings also received the “Gold Standard of Excellence” through its Joint Commission Accreditation in both Las Vegas and Austin locations and has received a three year accreditation from CARF in Costa Mesa. Recognition by both organizations affirmed the companies’ national recognition and commitment to excellence. Following his successes in business and program development, Steve continued to expand his experience and his desire to help others by being appointed to the Board of Directors of the REACH Foundation of Orange County which provided resources to those who struggled with addiction based on need. This was the first non-profit Steve was involved with. In addition to the above accolades, Steve was named one of the 100 most influential people by the Orange County Register for his work in addiction treatment in 2015. Balboa Horizons is proud to have Steve at the helm of their ship guiding them through any kind of weather.
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JAMIE LITTLETON – M.S., AMFT
DIRECTOR OF COMPANY CULTURE AND EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT
JAMIE LITTLETON - M.S., AMFT
“ Our job is to love others without stopping to inquire whether or not they are worthy “
Jamie Littleton went to California State University Fullerton for her Bachelors and Masters Degrees. She worked in an emergency domestic violence shelter with women and children as a trainee. Post graduate experience in mental health included eating disorders, self-harm, suicidal ideation, schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders. Jamie made the move to work in addiction treatment due to a close family experience with addiction. Passions include volunteer work such as: Verizon’s hopeline campaign to spread awareness about teen dating violence and volunteer work at Dog Shelters. Jamie has also participated in multiple overnight trips serving the homeless on skid row and has worked for the collection of hygiene products and blankets to pass out to homeless families.
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LAWRENCE V. TUCKER – M.D.
MEDICAL DIRECTOR
LAWRENCE V. TUCKER - M.D.
Lawrence V. Tucker, M.D. is a Diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, and a Diplomate of the American Board of Addiction Medicine, practicing in pharmacological management of psychiatric disorders and addiction medicine. Dr. Tucker attended UCLA for his undergraduate degree, where he obtained a B.S. in Physiological Sciences. He then attended UCLA School of Medicine for his Medical Degree and stayed at UCLA for his residency in Psychiatry and Neurology. He has been in leadership roles since 2006 and is a Certified Physician Executive. Prior to attending UCLA, Dr. Tucker served in the United States Marine Corps, Infantry, and served in Desert Storm. Among the long list of accomplishments, Dr. Tucker feels most accomplished with his blended family of 5 children and his wife of over 13 years. In addition, Dr. Tucker has a private practice in Newport Beach CA. His paradigm of treatment is that he: “Treats a person Not a Diagnosis”. He uses a holistic model and incorporates sobriety, exercise, diet, therapy, supplements, as well as psychopharmacological therapies.
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TIFFANY NICOLAU – CADC II
VICE PRESIDENT OF COMPLIANCE AND OPERATIONS
TIFFANY NICOLAU - CADC II
As the VP of Compliance and Operations, Tiffany Nicolau brings extensive knowledge of quality care standards established by the Joint Commission and DHCS, experience in addictions treatment and successful program management to the team. With over nine years of experience in addictions treatment, Tiffany has held many roles within the industry ranging from a Case Manager to a Program Director to a Corporate Compliance Officer. Tiffany focuses on strong relationship based leadership, bringing empathy, compassion and insight, so as to provide a culture within the facility that promotes healthy boundaries and allows those trying to recover, the ability to immerse themselves in their treatment and have fun while they are in treatment. Working with the Leadership Team of ARS, Tiffany continues to create a culture that promotes the health and wellbeing of all that seek help.
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BRENT J. HUBAL – CPA
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
BRENT J. HUBAL - CPA
Brent has over 20 years as a finance and accounting executive. He graduated with honors from York College of Pennsylvania. Brent’s career has run from small, privately held corporations to large, publicly traded Fortune 500 companies. He has extensive experience in working with companies owned by private equity firms. Brent has been involved in over a dozen acquisitions and divestitures. He currently serves on the board of directors for a technology firm based in San Diego.
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NORA CODA
DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT
NORA CODA
As Director of Strategic Development, Nora is responsible for working with ARS’s Group Executive to develop overall strategic plan as well as providing leadership for mergers and acquisitions. Prior to this position, Nora served as Accounting/Finance Director to Resurgence Behavioral Health, who recently acquired ARS. In addition, she had responsibility for developing accounting procedures.
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KERRY JONES
HUMAN RESOURCES
KERRY JONES
Kerry Jones has over five years working in the drug and alcohol industry providing operational and administrative support. A highly motivated, dedicated, independent, and detail-oriented individual, she successfully handled projects over many departments in a large corporation. Kerry possesses a strong interest and in-depth understanding of intricate problems and strategic growth, she looks to problem solve and coordinate structure and organization through analytical skills and creative thinking which is an integral part of managing the Human Resources Department. Guided by the leaders who have inspired her both past and present, she is a dedicated team player with an unwavering commitment towards redefining and surpassing an organizations set goals and ensuring the success not only of the company but the clientele they serve and hope to help.
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BRANDON CAROL
VICE PRESIDENT OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
BRANDON CAROL
Brandon Carol has a background in intervention, substance abuse counseling, and clinical outreach. He has worked in the substance abuse industry since 2012 and excels in working with families and clients in crisis. Brandon joined ARS as the VP of Business Development and shares the company’s vision of a tailored approach to finding the best treatment available. His past experience in leading teams in admissions and Business development has always been focused on finding clinically appropriate care to give those suffering the greatest opportunity for success. His compassion is evident in his personalized approach to ensure a smooth transition through pre-assessment, admission and discharge. From his personal experiences in recovery, “I know the feeling of isolation and trying to get sober alone. Whether someone needs help for themselves or a loved one, my goal is to provide serenity and hope for everyone affected by the addiction”.
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ADRIENNE STRATTON
VICE PRESIDENT OF STRATEGIC OUTREACH
Adrienne Stratton
Adrienne Stratton has been a fixture in the Addiction Treatment business with over 20 years of experience growing and leading several Business Development campaigns and teams. Her background includes business development for several start- ups, high end luxury treatment programs, and smaller niche programs that offer specific approaches. She has worked in Chemical Dependency and Mental Health facilities throughout Southern California, and her reach has also been national and international as she worked for a celebrity owned facility in the eastern Caribbean. Recently Adrienne stated, “I bring vision and heart to my work. I still find passion and a strong belief in doing my work ethically with people and organizations that I trust and know”. The issues of Addiction and Mental Health when untreated are devastating to society on many levels, and so we have much more work to do.
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KRISTEN GARUBBA – MA, EdD, LMFT
CLINICAL DIRECTOR
KRISTEN GARUBBA - MA, EdD, LMFT
Kristen is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and comes to us from a clinical and administrative behavioral health background. Educational achievements include both her masters and doctorate in psychology from Argosy University. Her training includes: substance abuse recovery, trauma focused therapies, as well as family, individual, couples and group therapy. Kristen is also able to serve as a clinical supervisor to registered interns. Her work with multiple populations and clinical presentations has led her to gain a wide breadth of experience and an ability to work with many different types of clients. Kristen has the ability to develop rapport with all those she works with due to her: patience, warmth, and overall compassion which has led to success with even the most difficult of cases and situations. Additional achievements include developing a recovery program for Solid Landing’s Long Beach branch (Hope’s Landing),which required building a recovery program from the ground up. She was also tasked with creating a clinical and operations team while developing a program that met both clinical, regulatory, and client needs. Within six months, the program grew from 12 to 22 beds and treated levels of care from RTC to IOP. Her team development and family team approach helped create a success story for the clients and staff alike. Kristen’s main focus is overall client health, meeting the needs of all program participants including staff, and creating a clinically sound environment.
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KEVIN NICOLAU – CADC II, DEGREE IN ADDICTION COUNSELING
Program Director
KEVIN NICOLAU - CADC II, DEGREE IN ADDICTION COUNSELING
“You do not have to, you get to.”
Kevin Nicolau began pursuit of his own Recovery in 2011, ultimately finding a life beyond his wildest dreams. He has obtained a degree in Addiction Counseling and is a certified CADC II by the state of California. Kevin brings passion for recovery to the men and women of ARS with leading by example with his consistent positive attitude and caring direction, along with being a firm believer in team cohesiveness.
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DRAKE COOMER
OPERATIONS DIRECTOR
DRAKE COOMER
With a long history of battling addiction himself, Drake has worked his way up from lost and hopeless, to a Director role in the field of treatment here at ARS. Drake knows what it takes to completely turn his life around, and therefore dedicates his time to helping others learn how to do the same. With the passion, knowledge and understanding Drake has gained, he now has the ability to help change the lives of others for the better.
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ANTHONY SMITH – CADC II
QUALITY ASSURANCE DIRECTOR
ANTHONY SMITH - CADC II
Anthony has six years experience working in the treatment field. After getting a year in recovery he started contemplating how he could give back, and decided to work in treatment because it felt like it was where he was meant to be. Shortly after beginning he returned to school for additional studies and obtained his behavioral science degree along with his CADC. There is no better joy he gets than being part of the transformation that happens when someone decides to seek treatment. He takes great pleasure in helping clients become the fathers, uncles, brothers and sons that they are meant to be. All of the clients he has worked with over the years come in broken and lost in their own way and being part of the reconstruction of their lives, is something that words just can not explain.
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KRISTEN ZAMPA / DAWSON
LOGISTICS DIRECTOR
KRISTEN ZAMPA / DAWSON
“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
Kristen Zampa-Dawson battled with addiction for over 20 years. In 2011, she made the decision to face her fears and enter drug and alcohol rehabilitation. Now, with seven and half years of sobriety, she is able to focus on her passion and give back to those who still struggle with the disease. Kristen has worked in the addiction treatment field for the past seven years; she has held various positions in the field from support staff to program Director. She has worked for residential treatment, a recovery hospital and is also a member of the board of directors for The WISEPlace for Women, a local women’s shelter.
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DANIELLE FANCHER
ADMISSIONS
DANIELLE FANCHER
Danielle struggled with her own addiction for seven years and was lucky enough to be able to work in recovery after her own treatment. As a woman and mother, she understands and enjoys helping others who have been in the same shoes. She is passionate about offering help and support to others trying to find their inner strength.
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SUSAN HO BERZON – PsyD, LMFT
THERAPIST
SUSAN HO BERZON - PsyD, LMFT
Susan is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. She holds a doctorate degree in marriage and family therapy from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. Susan has experience in various clinical settings working with clients in partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient care, community clinics, treatment facilities, and schools. Susan is a psychodynamic therapist trained in EMDR. She specializes in depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and family dynamics. Susan is also an adjunct faculty at TCSPP in Irvine.
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CELANIRE SHANGRAW – ACSW
THERAPIST
CELANIRE SHANGRAW - ACSW
Celanire Shangraw is an Associated Clinical Social Worker and serves the program as a group and individual therapist. She graduated from California State University, Fullerton with her Master’s in Social Work. She specializes in dual diagnosis (mental health and addiction) treatment. She has specific training in trauma treatment such as Seeking Safety groups and trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy. She has personal experience with addiction and has maintained her sobriety since 2008. She utilizes her personal experience to connect to the clients and pay forward the help that she received. She utilizes her personal experience to connect to the clients and pay forward the help that she received. Additionally, she is very involved in the family aspect of addiction and understands that all members of the family are heavily impacted by the clients’ conditions. She has previously worked with dual diagnosis facilities such as Kaiser Permanente and the local juvenile hall as a therapist. She is also a trained SMART facilitator and utilizes these skills in groups and individual sessions. She has the compassion, energy, and empathy that are all required to work with such a special population.
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ALEXIS WALTERS
THERAPIST / CASE MANAGER
ALEXIS WALTERS
Alexis Walters is an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist who serves as a Therapist and Case Manager for ARS. Alexis earned her Master’s Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Chapman University in 2019. While completing the last year in the program, she worked as a Therapist in Chapman University’s Frances Smith Center, which provides affordable, low cost outpatient counseling services to the local communities in Orange County and the surrounding areas. Her previous experience includes providing individual, couples, and family therapy with various mental health and relationship issues, including anxiety, depression, substance use, previous trauma, relationship distress, and family conflict. Alexis has received extensive training in many evidence-based practices, including Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Emotionally Focused Therapy, as well as Attachment Theory. Shortly after graduation, Alexis began working in the Substance Abuse field to pursue her passion of providing a safe, supportive space for clients to address the underlying issues that contribute to their addiction and begin transforming their lives in ways that support long-term recovery and sobriety.
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DEANNA VANLUE – LVN
CLIENT CARE MANAGER
DEANNA VANLUE - LVN
“May all be free from suffering and the root of suffering”
Deanna Vanlue is a Licensed Vocational Nurse with over 10 years experience working in the field of treatment and recovery. Deanna has over 20 years of sobriety herself and is able to share her knowledge and compassion with clients through each stage of their recovery journey. Deanna believes recovery is a combination of mind, body and soul, and nothing brings her greater joy than when clients actually get the opportunity to see the change in themselves. As Client Care Coordinator, Deanna has the ability to meet clients “where they are at” and help them feel safe and supported because of her own life experiences. Deanna is a lover of the sun and any kind of water; river, beach, lake. She loves spending time with her family, friends, and her two doggies.
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ERIN BULL
PROGRAM MANAGER
ERIN BULL
Erin Bull has worked on and off for the past 10 years in the addiction treatment field. She uses her own personal experience and struggles with addiction to light the way for other women struggling with the disease. Erin has a CAADAC certification, a background in substance abuse counseling and is a SMART Recovery Facilitator. Erin is extremely passionate about helping others recover, it is the bright spot of her life.
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KORI PRATHER
ASSISTANT PROGRAM MANAGER
KORI PRATHER
Kori Prather has over five years in the medical field and three years working in treatment. Kori is currently in school studying for her Health Sciences and Nursing degree. Her long term goals include pursuing her PhD and continuing to be of maximum service to others. Kori has taken on many roles in the recovery field such as a lead behavioral health technician, case management, and program management. She has struggled with addiction for ten years herself and has multiple years of experience in recovery. She is highly involved in the recovery community and has a working knowledge of 12 step programs and SMART recovery. Her mission is to provide quality health care to individuals struggling with addiction and mental health related issues. Kori has a fire for the treatment industry and a passion for carrying a message of strength and hope.
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ASHLEY SANCHEZ
CASE MANAGER
ASHLEY SANCHEZ
Ashley Sanchez is a case manager who has exclusive experience working with women in residential treatment. In March 2019, Ashley graduated from Los Angeles Training Institute for Alcohol and Drug Counseling in Newport, CA. Though recent to the field of addiction, Ashley has witnessed first hand throughout her life the suffering addiction can bring and has grown into a compassionate and understanding advocate for those who are fighting to restore their lives. Helping her clients rediscover themselves is a great joy and privilege Ashley is proud to be a part of.
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DAVID WESTENDICK – IFPA, A.C.E. & CPR CERTIFIED
PERSONAL TRAINER
DAVID WESTENDICK - IFPA, A.C.E. & CPR CERTIFIED
For over 15 years he has been dedicated to improving the health and fitness of others. His clientele has ranged from athletes to mothers wanting to get back in shape and mostly those who just want to improve their functional movements and strength. No matter your goal, he will custom tailor the exercises to meet your fitness goals.
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FENWAY “FEN” FENNELLY
THERAPY DOG
FENWAY “FEN” FENNELLY
Fen joined our gang back in 2015 all the way from Texas. Our newest therapy dog is full of excitement and loves to play. Fenway encapsulates the spirit of his sporting nuclear family. Fen is named after Fenway Park, home to the Boston Red Sox! Fen likes to be a protector and loves to welcome you home to start your journey. Fen loves to play, be fearless and play at the beach.
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HOPE “HOPIE” FENNELLYA
THERAPY DOG
HOPE “HOPIE” FENNELLY
Hopie was our first rescue puppy and we quickly realized the impact she had on the clients and staff. It wasn’t long after that Hope became the company therapy pup. Hope became a part of our family in 2011 and has been bringing smiles to everyone since. Hopie enjoys long walks, playing fetch, and enjoying some time for herself. Hope is a special spirit that reminds us to honor everyone’s uniqueness. She is also a fan of routine, investigating new places and playing with her brothers. Her hobbies include traveling and attending sports games with dad while routing for the Boston Red Sox and New England Patriots.
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JOHN “JOHNNIE” FENNELLY
THERAPY DOG
JOHN “JOHNNIE” FENNELLY
Jonnie, our little Chihuahua mix rescue, has been a part of the family for 7 years. Johnnie loves meeting new people and can quickly turn a bad day into a great day! Johnnie provides our community with a lot of companionship and love. Johnnie enjoys sitting on laps, sunbathing and sleeping in on Sundays. Johnnie is also a fan of baseball and football, like his sister, and is a die-hard Red Sox and Patriots fan. Johnnie loves being a therapy dog!
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