Coalition Leadership

Karen A. Plavan, Ph.D., of Pittsburg, PA--Interim Chairperson

Director, The Oasis Recovery Center of Western Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh, PA:
http://oasisrecoverycenter.org/

Assistant Professor, Counselor Education—Chemical Dependency, The Pennsylvania State University;

Teacher, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary

Robert Turner, M.D., MSCR, of Charleston, SC--Interim Co-Chairperson

Medical Director of the MUSC Medical Neurophysiology Laboratory;

Associate Professor in the departments of Neurosciences, Pediatrics, and Biostatistics, Bioinformatics, Epidemiology

http://www.muschealth.com/neurosciences/turner.htm

The Rev. Dr. Charles Puskas of Lino Lakes, Minnesota--Interim Co-Chairperson

Former Senior Reference Editor at United Methodist Publishing House

Former Academic Editor, Fortress Press at Augsburg Fortress, Publishers

Biblical scholar:
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/charles-puskas/10/979/818

Author (with David Crump), An Introduction to the Gospels and Acts (2008)

Dick B., of Kihei, Maui, Hawaii—(Doctor of Jurisprudence) Executive Director

Writer, historian, retired attorney, Bible study, and active, recovered AA

Author of 35 titles on the history and Bible roots of early A.A.:
www.DickB.com

Interim Advisory Counselors

Pastor Jim Gaffney of Santa Ana, California

Recovery Pastor and Pastoral Counselor

Former Recovery Pastor, Pastor of Mariners Care, Mariners Church, Irvine, California

Resource Network Pastor at Lighthouse Local Outreach

Ordained International Pastor of Addictions, Dunklin Memorial Ministry

Bachelor of Science, Pharmaceutical Sciences, St. John’s University; Hospital Pharmacist

http://www.linkedin.com/in/jimgaffney

Bonnie Lepper, Managing Director, Wilson House, East Dorset, Vermont

            Birthplace and boyhood home of Bill Wilson, Cofounder of A.A.

            Home of Griffith Library, house where Bill Wilson was raised by Grandfather Griffith

Jean LaCour, Ph.D., CAPP, of Orlando, Florida

President and Cofounder of the NET Training Institute, Inc. (http://netinstitute.org/index.htm)

Serves with Christian leaders from seven nations on the leadership council of the International Substance Abuse and Addiction Coalition (ISAAC)

Member of “Partners for Recovery,” a steering committee for the Substance Abuse MentalHealth Services Administration (SAMHSA)

Former Faith Coordinator for Florida’s Access to Recovery (ATR) program

Charles P. Mau, MRE, of Manhattan Beach, California

President of Wyoming Pacific Oil Company;

Former high school teacher and coach in Los Angeles County schools

Scott Craven of Honolulu, Hawaii

Businessman;

lay leader of Men’s Step Study Groups on Oahu, Hawaii

Robert T. Tucker, Ph.D. , D. Min, CDAAC, Huntington Beach, California     

            Registered Addiction Specialist

            President/CEO of New Life Spirit Recovery, Inc.
            http://www.newlifespiritrecovery.com

Mark Galligan of Collingwood, Ontario, Canada

Businessman;

lay leader of “Akronites,” a community of recovery outreach fellowships; frequent “circuit” speaker

Rev. Michael Liimatta of Kansas City, Missouri

Director of City Vision College:
http://www.cityvision.edu/cms/cv/michael-liimatta-biography

Former Director of Education for 17 years of Association of Gospel Rescue Missions;

Founder and former director for 10 years of New Creation Center, a Christ-centered 12-Step treatment program in Michigan

David Powers of San Diego, California

Leader of Rock Recovery Ministry, Soledad House, ABC Houses

Rock Church, San Diego, California: http://www.rockrecovery.org/

Steve Foreman of Winter Park, Florida

            Businessman

            Leader of Clarence Snyder Retreats and www.cametobelieve.org

            Co-author of Our Legacy to the Faith Community

Vivian Eisenecher of San Diego, California

Author, Recovering Me, Discovering Joy: Uplifting Wisdom for Everyday Greatness: http://recoveringme.com/in/

Monty Meyer of Albany, Oregon

Owner and producer of “Take 12 Recovery Radio”: http://take12radio.com/

Walter Santos of Santos Ministries, Carlsbad, California

Nationally-known percussionist and singer-entertainer:
www.SantosMinistries.org

volunteer at Calvary Ranch, San Diego, California

Larry Webb of Rancho Santa Margarita, California

Realtor;

lay leader of Big Book/Bible study groups

John Sorrells of Norco, California

Airline industry;

lay leader of James Club of Norco—a Big Book-Twelve Step—Bible study recovery group

Robert (“Bobby”) Nicholl of Lake Forest, California

Director of Admissions and Interventions, Celebrate a New Life at Hope by the Sea,
San Juan Capistrano, Calif.:
www.celebratedrugrehab.com/

Certified National Drug & Alcohol Interventionist;

Registered Addiction Specialist;

Development and operation of several residential treatment centers

Darvin Smith, M.D. of Boulder, Colorado

            Addictionologist

            Co-Director, YWAM Addictive Behavior School, Kona, Hawaii

            Past President, International Substance Abuse and Alcoholism Coalition

Michael P. Belzman, Ph.D., ACADC, of Redlands, California

            Chief Executive Officer, Senior Pastor

            Association of Christian Alcohol & Drug Counselors (ACADC) Institute

            Registered Addiction Specialist

Jeff MacLeod, of Whittier, California

            Executive Director, Overcomers Outreach