STAFF

Jennifer Angier, CEO

A veteran of the mental health field with more than 22 years of clinical experience, Jennifer Angier is the executive director of Foundations Recovery Network Atlanta. She is a Level II National Certified Addictions Counselor, is Level I certified with the Georgia Addiction Counseling Association and is a Level II Georgia Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor. A nationally recognized speaker on addiction treatment techniques, she regularly provides educational presentations for numerous healthcare and community organizations.

During her career in addiction treatment, Jennifer has worked in case management, crisis response and in private practice. Before accepting her current position, Jennifer served as program director of Talbott Recovery’s Assessment Stabilization Unit at Anchor Hospital in Atlanta. She was also a clinical outreach coordinator for a young adult program.

Jennifer obtained her Bachelor of Science degree from Georgia State University, graduating Summa Cum Laude. Originally from the Midwest, Jennifer has called Georgia home for more than 30 years.

Joseph Griffin, MD

Dr. Joe Griffin serves as an addiction psychiatrist at Foundations Atlanta. An experienced general psychiatrist who has practiced in the Atlanta area for many years, Dr. Griffin has extensive experience working with dual diagnosis patients in an outpatient treatment setting.

Board certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, Dr. Griffin attended Emory University as an undergraduate, a medical student, a resident, and later served on the faculty at Emory University Medical School for five years. Additionally, Dr. Griffin has been medical director of numerous addiction treatment centers, most notably S.A.F.E. (Substance Abuse for Free Existence) and D.A.C. (DeKalb Addiction Clinic).

Pamela Lake/Shewang, Care Manager

Pamela Lake, who goes by the name Shewang, holds a Master’s in Counseling from the University of Georgia. She has been practicing Tai-Chi Chuan since 1968, and is a graduate of the Aspen Academy of Martial Arts, holding a certification as a Senior Tai-Chi Instructor from the National Tai-Chi Chuan Institute.

Pamela has worked as a Tai-Chi therapist and stress management specialist in both inpatient and outpatient settings as well as with all age groups and populations. At FRN Atlanta she incorporates the stress management and coping skills of Tai-Chi into her “Tai-Chi as Therapy” groups and coordinates the Evening Program.

In the course of her career, Pamela has presented “Tai-Chi as Therapy” workshops to professionals in California, Utah and Georgia. She has been published in Tai-Chi Magazine, and the Journal of American Association of Counseling and Development.

Christy Cook, Care Manager & Young Adult Specialist

Christy Cook, obtained her undergrad degree from Georgia College & State University and earned a graduate degree from Argosy University, holding a Master’s in Professional and Mental Health Counseling. Licensed in the state of Georgia as an LPC (Licensed Professional Counselor), Christy is currently working toward BCETS certification (Board Certified Expert in Traumatic Stress). She is also a member of the American Counseling Association and a Professional Member of the International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation.

Christy’s work history in the field of addiction includes positions at New Hope Counseling in Cumming and Gainesville, Georgia; The Department of Juvenile Justice in Forsyth County, Georgia, where she lead and facilitated the Accountability Substance Abuse Court program for juvenile offenders. She also spent time in private practice as a psychotherapist and leads groups for teen girls and young adult women who struggled with self-harming behaviors.

She is passionate about working with young adults, and Christy’s clinical specialties include addiction, sexual abuse, depression, anxiety, trauma survivors, grief/loss, and eating disorders. At FRN Atlanta, Christy’s role includes planning and facilitating Plan sober fun activities and adventures ranging from cooking classes and kayak trips to wilderness hikes, climbing and exploring spirituality in nature.

Lois Purrington, Care Manager

Lois holds a BA in Education, and taught school in Las Vegas, which is where her interest in the phenomenon of addiction began. She spent 18 years as an Addiction Counselor in the Gwinnett Hospital System and has been at FRN Atlanta since early 2010. Lois is a Level II Certified Addiction Counselor and a Certified Clinical Supervisor.

In her work here, Lois continues to focus on the codependency issues that family members struggle with when their lives are impacted by someone else’s addiction. She stresses the importance of looking at the toll codependency has taken on family members as they have neglected their own self care.

A Wisconsin native, Lois has moved across the country from East Coast to West Coast, eventually winding up in Atlanta. Her weekly routine includes dance classes, yoga, movies, NOT COOKING and tennis.

Lisa Sticher, Office Manager

Lisa Sticher was born and raised in Georgia, where she is a mom of three and an avid Atlanta sports fan (Go Falcons!). She worked in business operations in the medical field for more than a dozen years before joining the staff of FRN Atlanta in late 2009.

Lisa loves caring for people and enjoys developing a special relationship with each patient. While she wears many hats at FRN Atlanta, her primarily responsibilities are patients admissions, billing and insurance.

Amy Wilson, Business Development

Originally from the Midwest, Amy holds a BFA from Kendall College and lived out west before relocating to Atlanta in 2006. She joined the FRN Atlanta staff in May 2011, after three years of experience working in the field, most recently serving as the director of a small detox facility in Atlanta.

When not working, Amy enjoys backpacking, climbing and camping.

Thurman Strother, Program Director

As Program Director, Thurman oversees the clinical management and overall treatment experience for FRN Atlanta patients. Along with his clinical management of the program, he provides direct patient care services including facilitating group sessions and educational lectures. His certifications include NCAC-II and CCS.

Prior to his current position with FRN, Thurman served as the Patient Care Director at Talbott Recovery Campus. He has worked in the field of mental health and addiction treatment since 1975, starting his career in the Emory University/Grady Memorial Hospital system. As the Executive Director of SAFE Recovery System from 1984 to 1990 he was a part of the innovation of a model that utilizes residential structure and programming with intensive outpatient programming, paving the path for current modalities. Thurman has lectured locally, regionally and nationally on numerous areas of addiction, recovery and life quality improvement.

Erin Mahan, Assessment Manager

A graduate of University of Georgia with a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology and a minor in Child and Family Development, Erin went on to pursue a Master’s of Education in Professional Counseling, and while there earned a certificate as a Marriage and Family Therapist. As a Licensed Associate Professional Counselor and a National Board Certified Counselor, Erin has experience providing individual and group therapy in community counseling centers and for the juvenile justice system.

Erin joined FRN Atlanta in August 2011 as their Assessment Manager. Prior to this, she worked for a Georgia Juvenile Court as their Mental Health Clinician, assessing and working with kids and families who entered into the court system.

Originally from Texas, Erin has spent most of her life in Georgia. Her interests and hobbies include practicing yoga, reading, outdoor activities, cooking and helping others.

Mitzi Rushing, Registered Nurse

Mitzi earned her LPN from Lake Area Technical institute in South Dakota and an ADN in Nursing from the University of South Dakota, Vermillion. She has a background in long-term care along with rehab and dialysis nursing.

Joining the FRN Atlanta staff in 2011, Mitzi continues to learn as she witnesses the joy and challenges of recovery from addiction. Her role here includes performing health assessments, administering medication as ordered by the psychiatrist, coordinating lab services and monitoring drug screens.

In her downtime, Mitzi enjoys experiencing this miracle that is life as it unfolds moment by moment, trudging the road of happy destiny with her husband and being the best mom she can be.

Gibson Ellison, Alumni & Continuing Care Coordinator

Gibson’s journey at FRN Atlanta began in February 2009. After trying on several roles, she found her niche working with alumni, starting a new program from scratch. Her goal is to strengthen the Alumni Program and to offer a strong recovery support network for FRN Atlanta alumni and their families.

Gibson understands that alumni are such a vital part of our program and feels honored to be able to foster these connections in a way that support healing for all involved. As part of her job, she plans activities for alumni including quarterly Alumni Re-charge Events and special events like Wilderness and Kayak Day.

Originally from Alabama, Gibson relocated to Atlanta in 1995. Working in the chemical dependency field for the past 15 years, she has had an opportunity to work both in residential treatment programs, intensive outpatient programs and private practice. A Licensed Professional Counselor, Master’s Addiction Counselor, Certified Addiction Specialist and Certified Sex Addiction Therapist, Gibson is also currently working toward becoming a Board Certified Expert in Traumatic Stress.

Jim Riley, Care Manager

Jim has been a Licensed Professional Counselor in the addiction treatment field since September 1979. He has worked in the capacity of Addictions Counselor, Clinical Supervisor, EAP and Program Director at a variety of different addiction treatment programs over the years, in both inpatient as well as outpatient capacities.