about
Mission
Our mission is to empower the recovery community through increasing recovery capital in Westchester County
Vision
Our vision is for anyone seeking to be involved the recovery movement to participate in providing recovery support services. We envision Westchester County becoming a haven of recovery through providing a range of support services, supporting multiple pathways, and providing individualized referrals that treat people as resources of their own recovery.
(How cool would that be, right?)
Meet the Team
Directors
Sabina & Lisa
Why We're Great >
Title:
Director of Public Relations and Human Resources
Pat Oden, CRPA-P
Pat Oden, CRPA-P
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About: Patrick’s years of working with people from all walks of life helped him develop an empathetic approach to his work with people as they create their own recovery pathways and build recovery capital. For Patrick, there is no better feeling than helping a person in early recovery begin to achieve their goals.
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Fun Fact: Patrick is an expert at Karaoke
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Spirit Animal: Penguin
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If you want to learn more or have questions about/for Patrick email him at
Why We're Great >
Lisa Hope, LCAT, LADC, ATR-BC, MAC, CASAC, CRPA
Director of Training and Education
About: Lisa started as an Art Therapist and reluctantly found herself pulled into working with the two populations she VOWED she never would: Adolescents and Substance Use Disorders. Well, here we are today rocking the recovery scene and promoting multiple pathways (mostly art but she's biased!)
Fun Fact: If Lisa does not go to bed before 9pm she will ultimately melt.
Spirit Animal: Octopus
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If you want to know more or have questions about/for Lisa, please email:
Lisa Hope, LCAT, LADC, ATR-BC, MAC, CASAC, CRPA
Title:
Executive Director
&
Director of Training and Education
Why We're Great >
Sabina Perez, CASAC, CRPA, NCPRSS
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Director of Community Engagement
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About: Sabina has a natural affinity for people recovery from substance use disorders and mental health issues. She is known for her cultural flair, awesome jewelry, and constant laugh. She hopes she can guide people to their pathway through her work as one of the directors.
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Fun Fact: Sabina makes the best guacamole.
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Spirit Animal: Parrot
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If you want to know more or have questions about/for Sabina , please email:
Sabina Perez, CASAC, CRPA, NCPRSS
Title:
Director of Community Engagement
Why We're Great >
Elspeth Kramer HHC, ADP, Recovery Coach
Title: Leisure Committee Chair
About: Elspeth is someone who has found great happiness and serenity through nature and physical activities such as hiking. She is able to incorporate these activities for people seeking recovery.
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Fun Fact: Elspeth has the most amazing sense of humor and can tell the same joke over and over again. And quite incredibly she is double jointed in her right thumb.
Spirit Animal: Squirrel
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If you want to know more or have questions about/for Elspeth, please email:
Title:
Leisure Committee Chair
Elspeth Kramer HHC, ADP, Recovery Coach
Why We're Great >
Dan Sheeran, CARC
Lead Recovery Coach
Assistant Director
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“Dan is living proof that recovery can be very rewarding and fun. He intends to provide you with the support and education you desire to help you on your journey to wellness.”
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Fun fact: Dan is a former full scholarship Division 1 football player and a Type 1 diabetic
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Spirit animal: White Rabbit
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If you want to know more or have questions about/for Dan, please email:
Title:
Lead Recovery Coach
Assistant Director
Dan Sheeran
Title:
Advisory Committee Chair, FOR Westchester
Why We're Great >
Crystal, Recovery Coach
About: Crystal is a proud person in Long-Term Recovery and is now stepping out of her role as a Hospitality Manager into becoming a Recovery Coach. Surrounded by love and being full of gratitude for the life that she now has, Crystal has a strong desire to help others find a life of fulfillment and is dedicated to offering the message of HOPE to anyone who is willing to receive it.
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Fun Fact: Crystal has a natural love for dance. She did her first ballet solo at the age of 5!
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Spirit Animal: Butterfly
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The transformation that has taken place during the recovery process is remarkable. Crystal feels as though she was crawling on the ground barely getting by for so long and now she is ready to see where her wings can take her!
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If you want to know more or have questions about/for Crystal, please email:
Crystal, Recovery Coach
Why We're Great >
Jill Kulka, LCAT, ATR-BC, CPS, Recovery Coach
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Jill is on a mission to help individuals and families recover by connecting in fun and creative ways and finding joy in sober leisure time. She is an artist, lover of nature, advocate for the under-dog (literally…rescue dogs rock) and a trash talking board game player.
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FUN FACT Jill is slowly making her way through all 50 states and plans to celebrate her 50th birthday in number 50…HAWAII.
Spirit Animal: Horse
If you have questions or want more information about including leisure activities in your recovery, contact Jill at
Jill Kulka, LCAT, ATR-BC, CPS,
Title:
Prevention Educator and FOR-NY Westchester Leisure Committee Chairperson
Title:
Youth Committee Member: Adolescent–even though I am an old fart
Why We're Great >
John Fermann, Recovery Coach
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About: My passion (really my calling) is to help young people who have fallen prey to addiction to find a way out and live the life they were born to live. To recognize that they cannot find happiness and an amazing life through drugs or alcohol. They cannot hide in a bottle.
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Fun Fact: John likes to get up early and send emails and texts to his friends and sponsees. Good way to start a day.
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Spirit Animal: Triceratops. I always thought it would be fun to ride one of these. Great for knocking over barriers, going through walls and moving people who want to get in my way.
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If you want to ask John a question or find out how he works email
John Fermann, Recovery Coach
Why We're Great >
Jackie Maliszewski, MS Therapeutic Recreation, Recovery Coach
About: Jackie is a family and friend of all in recovery. She has been working for the past ten years as a group therapist helping others in recovery. Jackie is a believer in multiple pathways to Recovery and believes in second chances.
Fun Fact: Jackie still uses a planner.
Spirit Animal: Manatee
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If you have questions or want more information about self harm recovery, contact Jackie at
Jackie Maliszewski, MS Therapeutic Recreation, Recovery Coach
Title:
Youth Committee Co-Chair Self-Harm Recovery Referral Coordinator
Community Partners
FOR - NY
Friends of Recovery – New York provides and/or supports a variety of programs and services designed to assist communities throughout the state in building support for long-term recovery at the local level.
Drug Crisis in Our Backyard
A non-profit organization dedicated to supporting individuals and families struggling with substance misuse.
The Harris Project
the harris project supports the prevention of co-occurring disorders (COD) through our CODA (Co-Occurring Disorders Awareness) peer-led model, and the development and implementation of best treatment practices (including the building of a co-occurring system of care) to meet the complex needs of the individual.
Yonkers YMCA
The Yonkers Family YMCA’s Youth Clubhouse mission is to provide support, education, structure, and stability for youth and young adults within a clean safe haven environment. We offer various life enhancement programs and other services for our members. All by giving them a safe place to come and interact with other youth & young adults experiencing similar challenges.
The psycho-educational and support group models used by the Clubhouse staff are intended to assist participating youth and young adults to master the daily living advantages of being clean and sober.
Youth Voices Matter &
Yonkers Teen Center
The Yonkers Family YMCA has opened it’s new Teen Center with over 2200 square feet completely devoted to teens. Five spaces designed to meet the wants and needs of young people and their healthy growth and development. The spaces allow for classes, group work, exercise, and more. All YMCA teen programs run from the Teen Center. And the best part of it all is that it’s 100% FREE. Come join the Teen Center at the Yonkers Family YMCA; a fun place to show and grow!
At the Yonkers Family YMCA, we’re committed to empowering youth in our community.
Youth Voices Matter’s first and foremost goal has always been to build youth and young adult recovery capital, and moving forward that remains so