Carrie Maynard-Lester, LMHC, CAP
Chief Executive Officer
Carrie Lester has worked in the helping profession for the past 25 years. She earned her undergraduate degree in psychology in 1995 and completed her master’s degree in 1998. She has worked in residential, partial hospitalization, and outpatient clinical settings. After spending some time in private practice she found herself working part time for the Substance Awareness Center and eventually assumed a full time position as Clinical Director and now leads the agency as the CEO. Carrie embraces her roles as a wife, a mother, a counselor, a friend, and most importantly a woman in recovery. She has a passion for the work she does and believes in the hope, healing, and transformation that recovery offers.
David Flynt
Chief Operating Officer
As the Chief Operating Officer of SAC IRC, I bring over 18 years of experience in non-profit executive management and strategic consulting. My background spans leadership roles in non-profits, small business ownership, and consultancy, where I’ve supported organizations in achieving their missions through customized strategic guidance, operational support, and financial oversight.
Personally, I’ve been married for 26 years to my high school sweetheart, and we have six wonderful kids and the best dog ever. I’m passionate about helping non-profits thrive and creating lasting, positive impacts in their communities.
Jill Amos, LMHC
Clinical Director
Jill Amos, a 1987 graduate of Vero Beach High School, earned her undergraduate degree in Rehabilitations Services from the Florida State University and her Master’s Degree in Mental Health Counseling from Nova Southeastern University. She is a licensed mental health counselor with areas of specialty in Chemical Dependency, Parenting, Domestic Violence, and Grief. Over the last 20 plus years, Ms. Amos has worked with adolescents and adults in a variety of inpatient and outpatient settings. She enjoys her role at SAC both working directly with clients and their families as well as teaching/supervising other clinicians.
Jen Jenkins, MBA, BA Psychology
Director of Recovery
From Virginia Beach, Virginia; moved to Florida 14 years ago. Proud single mom of two adult sons, my oldest is an ER Dr, youngest a paramedic. I have a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology 2012, and Masters Business Administration graduate 2024.
Careers entail former police officer, certified personal trainer, addiction therapist, and program director.
I love animals, especially dogs (German Shepherds are the best!) My passions are everything about the ocean, fitness, music, and adventures in nature.
Marissa Greenwood
Manager of Human Resources and Administration
Marissa Greenwood has been a Vero Beach resident since 2015 and hails from upstate New York. Marissa has a diverse background of Human Resources experience including working with employees in education and in the medical field as well as working with members of over 53 fire departments including the FDNY and NYPD. Marissa started out her education in drug and alcohol counseling and decided to switch gears to HR as it felt like the right career path as she wanted to help behind the scenes. A mother of 2 school-aged children and an avid theme park goer, Marissa enjoys her Floridian life and is grateful for the opportunity and adventure to work at SAC.
Michele Buldo
Director of Community Services
Michele Buldo began her experience in the prevention field more than 15 years ago. In her first position, she worked for RWJBarnabas Health in Toms River, NJ where she was the Finance Manager for 10 years. For the past 5 years, she worked as the Coalition Coordinator for the DART Coalition of Ocean County, NJ.
Michele has advocated and established several ordinances and policies surrounding underage drinking; trained over 1,000 servers and bartenders in TIPs (Responsible Beverage Server training); advocated additional Rx drop boxes in the county; and coordinated several county-wide events and initiatives surrounding underage drinking, the illegal use of marijuana, and prescription misuse.
She relocated to Vero Beach in November 2018, where she was hired as the Director of the SAFIR Coalition. She received a Bachelor of Science degree in Business from Montclair State University and a Master’s degree in Administrative Science from Farleigh Dickinson University in NJ. Michele has 2 children and enjoys the beach and traveling.
Gina McGirt
Office Manager
Gina has been an integral member of the SAC team for 13 years. Hers is the first face you will see and the first voice you will hear when contacting the agency. Her position of Office Manager includes drug test coordination and appointment scheduling.
Shelley Stuart
Director of Prevention Services
Shelley Stuart has been working in the field of Public Health and Prevention since 2006 when she became the tobacco coalition coordinator for four years at the Center for Prevention and Counseling in Newton, NJ and later took on the role of program manager for the Coordinated School Health grant in the northern seven counties of NJ. She then took a position at Childrens Aid and Family Services in Bergen County, NJ where she served as director of Coalition and Community Services, overseeing both a countywide coalition and a Drug Free Communities coalition in the city of Garfield, NJ. Most recently, Shelley worked in Palm Beach County overseeing sub grantees of the Overdose Data to Action grant at the Health Council of Southeast Florida from 2020 to 2022. She recently relocated, with her son, to Indian River County and happily took on the role of Coalition Coordinator at the Substance Awareness Center. Shelley is a native of Massachusetts and raised her three children in NJ where she received
her degree in Public Health from William Paterson University and her Certified Health Education Specialist credentials. She enjoys traveling in her spare time.
Dan Jones
Manager Drug Testing Lab
Dan earned his bachelor’s degree in Fisheries Biology from North Eastern Oklahoma State, Tahlequah Ok. He relocated to Vero Beach in 1986 and has raised his family here. Dan has environmental lab experience locally and brings a diversified background, including working in the family insurance business. He has many interests such as aviation, motorcycling and many hobbies. Dan has long been a supporter of the Substance Awareness Center and their mission and is grateful to be a part of the team at SAC.
Kyleigh Motiwala, MPH
Data and Outcomes Manager
Kyleigh moved to Indian River County in 2010 from Vermont. As a long-term resident of Indian River County, Kyleigh is passionate about making the community a better place for youth and families. Kyleigh graduated from UCF in 2018 with her BA in Sociology with a focus on social determinants of health. She graduated from the University of Vermont in 2021 with her Master’s in Public Health with a focus in Epidemiology exploring how tobacco use is associated with food insecurity. Kyleigh began her work in the prevention field in 2019 as the tobacco control advocate in Indian River County. Through this position and passion for tobacco control, Kyleigh recognized there was more to be done to promote healthy decisions for youth. Kyleigh began as the Communities That Care coordinator in July 2022, with a strong belief that addressing youth risk and protective factors in Indian River County will create the best community for our youth. In her free time, Kyleigh enjoys traveling and spending time with her family.
Lisa Mellott
Data Integration Manager
Lisa Mellott has been a resident of Vero Beach since 2018. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with a focus in Intelligence and Analytics. Lisa is responsible for entering information into multiple systems, updating existing entries and working with administrative staff to analyze and correct missing data.
Susana Carranza
Executive Assistant
I’m Susana Carranza, born and raised in Fort Pierce, and I am proud to serve as an Executive Assistant at SAC IRC. I hold my bachelor’s degree in Organizational Management from Indian River State College, and my experience spans nonprofits, healthcare, and community engagement. Outside of work, I’m a foodie who loves exploring new places to eat, staying active at the gym pushing my limits with weightlifting, and creating floral bouquets as a creative hobby. I also enjoy spending time with my cat, Twilight, who always keeps things interesting.
Jenny Cossio
Bookkeeper
Jenny Cossio is a South Florida native but spent 7 years living in North Texas and a year and a half traveling the country full-time in an RV with her husband, two teenaged sons and 120lb giant schnauzer, Thunder. She relocated to the Vero Beach area in March of 2023. Her oldest son is a now a freshman at UCF and her youngest is a freshman at Fort Pierce Westwood’s Marine Oceanographic Academy. Jenny has 20 years experience helping businesses in different industries by supporting management and helping organize and maintain their financials. Jenny has a heart for helping others and is so excited to use her skills to help SAC do their best to serve the community.
Molly Scanlon, PhD, MS
Outpatient Counselor
Molly J. Scanlon, PhD, MS is a Registered Marriage and Family Therapy Intern and serves as the Intensive Outpatient Counselor at the Substance Awareness Center. She received her degree in Couples and Family Therapy from Nova Southeastern University. This relational approach to therapy inspired her interest in CRAFT and its promise of improving quality of life for concerned friends and family as well as their loved ones with a substance use disorder. Molly facilitates a CRAFT group weekly at SAC.
Holly Hughes, MA
Counselor/Therapist
Holly Hughes has been an advocate for underserved youth and adults through education and empowerment for over 20 years. She earned her BA in Anthropology and her MA in History and Museum Studies focusing on creating programs designed to make change. She also enjoyed several years of experience working in the health care field in both clinical and hospital settings. More recently, Holly graduated from Hazelden Betty Ford Graduate School of Addiction Studies with her MA. She is now dedicated to providing hope and healing to a recovery community of individuals and families experiencing the effects of addiction and seeking physical, spiritual, and relational health.
Alexia Akuchie, BA Psychology, MSCP
Counselor
Alexia Akuchie, a 2024 graduate of Chaminade University of Honolulu, earned her master’s degree in counseling psychology. She has also acquired her undergraduate’s degree in psychology and gender communication. Alexia is currently pursuing her license in Marriage and Family therapy. She is looking forward to contributing to the community and growing as a counselor. She loves to compete, challenge, and motivate others to achieving their highest self.
Mauri Waldman
Counselor
Mauri Waldman is a Board Certified Clinical Social Worker who is accredited and licensed in both Florida and New York States. Mauri has worked in the Behavioral Health and Addictions fields for over 40 years. Mauri is a Nationally certified Addictions Counselor who specializes in providing both group and individual therapy sessions. Mauri was the Director of two Catholic Charities outpatient clinics, and also a Supervisor for a New York State inpatient 28-day rehabilitation facility. Mauri specializes in trauma, sexuality, gay and lesbian issues, women’s issues, head injury recovery issues, and stress management. Mauri is a certified Art Therapist, who has worked inpatient units and in the medical field as well as cognitive and behavioral therapies. Mauri has been a provider and evaluator for the New York State D.W.I. program, and the Department of Motor Vehicles. Ms. Waldman is a certified HIV Counselor and has taught classes for Drinking Driver Programs. Ms. Waldman is a Field Work Supervisor for graduate level master’s degree students in Social Work. Mauri has maintained a private practice providing counseling services for over 30 years.
Tony Barcelona, CRPS, CRRA
Peer Support Specialist/RAP Manager
Tony was born and raised in Vero Beach. He is working towards a degree in Human Services at Indian River State College. Tony is an active member of Unity Spiritual Center of Vero Beach and enjoys being a Prayer Chaplain there. He also enjoys being a student and group facilitator of an A Course in Miracles study group. Tony is a Certified Recovery Peer Specialist.
KJ Demich, CRPS
Peer Support Specialist
KJ’s journey of recovery began 21 years ago. Since that time, she has dedicated her personal and professional life to encouraging and empowering people with addictions and co-occurring mental health issues to change and heal. KJ’s career path reflects her passion for both addiction and mental health and covers a diverse range of environments. During her time with the Public Defender’s office and Martin County Jail as a substance abuse counselor and client advocate, KJ gained extensive experience navigating and managing the challenges many addicts and individuals with mental health issues face in the legal system. KJ furthered her knowledge in this area when working within the mental health forensics sub-field. KJ’s spirituality has been an integral part of her recovery and led her to become a Program Director of a women’s program for Alpha Ministries. As a group therapy facilitator, KJ engages clients easily and her charismatic and enthusiastic style assists them to face challenging truths while beginning to believe in their own ability to succeed. Central among the many unique gifts that KJ brings to Foundations Wellness Center and its clients are a passionate and realistic approach to the 12 Steps and the professional and personal experience to assist clients in overcoming common difficulties they’ll face as they embark on their new recovery journey.
Rich Kohler
Peer Support Specialist
Rich is the newest addition to our Peer Specialist staff. He is a Certified Meeting Facilitator for SMART Recovery, hosting meetings online and in person here in Vero Beach. Rich is an alumnus of SAC’s Residential Assistance Program and brings a unique lived experience to our support programs.
“I’m just some guy from Jersey. I was raised Down the Shore, and Vero Beach reminds me of where I grew up (minus the snow). When not at work, I enjoy spending time with my Grandson, dining at different restaurants, fishing or just sitting on the beach listening to the Sounds of Asbury Park (SOAP)”.
Catherine Damutz
Prevention Specialist
Catherine is originally from Bloomington, Illinois. She received her Bachelors Degree in Elementary Education and her Masters Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Illinois State University. She retired from Indian River School District in 2019 after 42 years of teaching in grades 3-6. Having worked in Middle School for the last 14 years, she became a proponent of the Botvin LifeSkills Training program in her classroom. She joined the SAC team in the fall of 2019. Catherine loves working with students, teachers and her community. She was on the Executive Board of the Teacher’s Union (IRCEA), taught Academic Games for 20 years, and is currently on the School Advisory Council at St. Helen Catholic School. She and her husband Victor are parents of one daughter, Victoria. Catherine has many interests including traveling, photography, music, needlework, and reading. Catherine is a Certified Botvin LifeSkills Training Facilitator.
Shea Giles, BS
Prevention Specialist
Shea is originally from Pennsylvania and moved to the IRC area in May of 2023. Having served in a number of roles in the mental health field before arriving in Florida, Shea joined the Substance Awareness Center as a Prevention Specialist. Shea holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from the University of Kutztown, and has spent the last five years in behavioral health, working both in the field and case management, before switching to prevention.
Christine M. White, E Ed.
Prevention Specialist
Christine M. White (“Chris”) worked as an educator and educational leader in Duval County’s urban schools for over 25 years. Her experiences included: serving as a teacher, administrator and Director of the Jacksonville Teacher Residency program, being an instructor for the University of North Florida. She also worked as a facilitator, instructor and team leader for the University of Florida’s Lastinger Center for Learning. Chris has extensive experience providing professional development on a variety of topics at urban schools and preparing and supervising mentors and teacher candidates. Her areas of passion include culturally responsive classroom management, urban education, mentorship, instructional coaching, teacher candidate preparation and action research. Chris obtained her Doctor of Education from the University of Florida and completed her dissertation research on “Understanding how urban resident teachers develop as culturally responsive classroom managers”. Chris continues to serve as a part-time Induction Consultant for UNF’s residency program. She moved back to South Florida in the summer of 2021 to be closer to family. Since then, she has worked as the Prevention Coordinator for Tykes & Teens and the Academic Manager at Pace Center for girls. In her spare time, Chris enjoys teaching yoga, is a part-time hypnotherapist and loves spending time with her family, friends, pets and plants.
Morgan McPartlan, BA Psychology
Prevention Specialist
Morgan was raised in New York and spent her formative years in Sebastian having graduated from Sebastian River High School. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Clinical Psychology from the University of Central Florida in 2019. Morgan has experience working in child protective services and behavioral health with neuroatypical children. Morgan enjoys traveling, any and all sporting events, journaling, and spending time with her German Shepherd Zeus.
April Nall
Prevention Coordinator
April is an east coast Florida native and has lived with her children as a Vero Beach resident since 2014. April received her Bachelor of Science degree in Human Services from Indian River State College in 2017 and is currently pursuing her Master of Education in Counseling from Lindsey Wilson College. She enjoys the meaningful work and positive, supportive culture at SAC. April considers herself a lifelong learner and is always seeking to follow the path to knowledge in anything that sparks her curiosity. She values compassion, social justice, deeply connecting to others, and all things aesthetic!
Catrina (Cat) Fisher
Front Office and Drug Testing Assistant
Cat began working at SAC in 2023 when she moved to Florida from Pennsylvania. She is highly experienced in customer service, data entry and clerical based work.