passionate educators in the field of addiction

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Anthony Brown is the founder and director of Coordinating & Assisting Recovery Environments located in Tustin, California. Since 1999, Anthony’s passion has been focused on providing specialized treatment for individuals who suffer with a mental illness combined with a substance use disorder. Anthony is a graduate of Cypress College where he received his Associate’s Degree in Science related to Psychiatric Technology in 2003 and became a Licensed Psychiatric Technician in 2004. In pursuit of higher education, Anthony attended Santa Ana College where he received his Associate’s Degree in Science and became a Registered Nurse in 2011. During this time, Anthony received numerous awards and certificates in the field of Addiction Counseling, Anger Management, and Dual Diagnoses. Anthony is a graduate of California State University – Fullerton, where he received his Bachelors of Science in Nursing.

After graduation in 2004, Anthony launched his career in Southern California where he began to specialize in co-occurring disorders. This eventually led him into four year partnership with a prominent treatment center where he developed and directed a long-term residential treatment model for this specialized population. In 2013, Anthony introduced Coordinating & Assisting Recovery Environments (C.A.R.E.) as a community based recovery program. He is the author of the life changing book “From Park Bench to Park Avenue.” 

Gus has taught at several universities and technical schools over the last 17 years. He received his Dual Master’s Degrees in Public Health and Social Work from the University of Southern California, before that, he received his  Bachelor Degree in Human Services at California State Fullerton University and his  Associate Degree  in Drug & Alcohol Studies at Rio Hondo College.

Gus has always known he wanted to be in the helping profession.  Gus began his career as a Recovery Specialist working at a homeless shelter where he quickly recognized his need for more education and became a Certified Drug and Alcohol Counselor. While working there, Gus noticed the prevalence mental health had on individuals battling addiction and dedicated himself to his journey of helping.

Gus has served as an independent contractor and consultant at over 15 residential and community based rehab centers through Southern California. He has served as a lead counselor for the California Youth Authority for incarcerated youth with a history of gang affiliations and substance abuse.

He recently concluded a 13 year career at Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles as a Psychotherapist serving in Endocrinology, Cranial Facial and the University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD).

Presently Gus serves as a Mental Health Therapist/Social Worker at a FFA and also at a STRTP for teenage boys.

Gus specializes in evidence-based practices such as Seeking Safety, Triple P and Child and Parent Psychotherapy. He has been a registered Play Therapist for the past 10 years and enjoys working with all age groups.

Gus is currently a board member for California Association for Alcohol and Drug Educators (CAADE), an active member of American Diabetes Association (ADA), also a member of the National Association Social Workers (NASW).

“I am very excited to be teaching you and look forward to learning about the variety of experience every student brings.  I consider myself a lifelong learner and I find that collaboration is a key to what we do as we all have something to teach one another.”

 Fr. Jack Kearney has been teaching addiction studies for the past 20 years at Cypress College, Loyola Marymount University, and Cal State Fullerton. He specializes in Laws & Ethics, Family Intervention, and Tobacco Harm Reduction.  He is a Board Member/Past President of the California Association for Alcohol & Drug Educators (CAADE), which accredits over 40 college & university addiction studies programs in California, Nevada and Arizona. CAADE also certifies the highest level addiction counselors in California, and is comprised of over 14,000 college instructors, counselors and students. He has also served on the State Counselor Certification Advisory Committee. He is President of the Family Intervention Center and Services (FICS), a non-profit organization that serves families dealing with addiction and domestic violence. He also runs the HASIR (Help A Smoker in Recovery) project, which collects donations of electronic cigarette products and distributes them to clients in addiction treatment as a tool for smoking cessation. He serverd for 20 years as a Commissioner for the Los Angeles County Commission on Alcohol & Other Drugs, and formerly served on the Commission on Alcoholism and the Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Commission. He is a certified addictions counselor (CATC IV) as well as a certified Interventionist (CAIC) and a certified smoking cessation counselor (CSCS). 

Debra started working in the addiction field in 2002 and intervening with women being released from prison assisting them in transitioning. She quickly gravitated toward addiction interventions and a person centered, strength based approach to treatment and recovery. She  has been an integral part of California’s Prop 63 Full Service Partnership to serve those impacted with mental impairments and believe in the philosophy of recovery. She  regularly provide educational presentations for numerous healthcare and community organizations.  During her career in addiction treatment she has worked in case management, crisis response, and mental health. She also has served as a member of University of California Irvine Institute Review Board and currently sits on the County of Orange Behavioral Health Advisory Board. She is passionate about inspiring others to recover from the devastation of addiction. She has  been recognized by United States Congress, California State Senate, and California State Assembly for her dedication and hard work for those that are suffering from addiction.  She believes recovery is possible and has made it her life purpose to help those who help others. 

Cyndie is the Vice President of Program Services at Hope by the Sea in San Juan Capistrano. She has a Bachelor’s Degree and is currently State Certified with the California Association of Alcohol and Drug Educators (CAADE) as a Certified Addiction Treatment Counselor and Clinical Supervisor. She has been working in the field of addiction since 2002 and brings to the table her own journey of recovery. Since starting in the field of addiction she has maintained success working with the criminal justice system in getting defendants sentenced to treatment in lieu of incarceration. Cyndie is currently working towards obtaining her Doctorate in Forensic psychology. Cyndie enjoys speaking at conferences and guest lecturing at various colleges.  She also is a TIAC grad.