Meet the Team

Cathy Robison is a little bit of sunshine and a little bit of Rock and Roll all mixed into one amazing individual. Cathy’s shine came through the darkness of addiction and into a life that she could never have dreamed of. When Cathy was first hired at New Hope on January 6^th, 2006, she was an intern counselor with no idea of what the future would hold for her. Today, Cathy is one of the owners of New Hope as well as the Program Director. She ensures that our clients care is the best care that we have to offer in Stanislaus County.

Cathy expresses her joy every day when she arrives at work. She talks about “feeling the spirit of New Hope” which is why this has become her passion, her drive and her determination. Cathy carries with her the future of recovery and she is bravely embracing all obstacles placed in her way. The support team that Cathy surrounds herself with is called “her tribe” and her happiest days are when she is with the members of her tribe. Whether she’s on a cruise to the Bahamas or a plane ride to New York, Cathy’s love of travel and family is the most rewarding part of her recovery journey. Cathy’s clean date is January 1, 2001.

Shawna Phillips is the definition of true “leadership through love.” Shawna’s journey has been one for the record books. Shawna has worn as many hats as New Hope has to offer and she switches them on and off with elegance and grace. Shawna has been with New Hope since 2016 where she began in the role of marketing manager. Soon after, Shawna knew that her calling was bigger and greater so she returned to school and passed her state examination with flying colors.

Shawna is a certified Substance Abuse Counselor and a beautiful asset to the New Hope team, as well as the recovery community. Shawna got clean on April 1, 2010. Shawna’s favorite piece of New Hope is a belief that every individual that this facility touches is unique and special to the community and to the world. In 2021, She had the opportunity to co-own New Hope with her mother, Cathy. Shawna’s little piece of heaven and greatest goal in life is to continue the legacy that New Hope embodies in keeping the facility a safe landing place for all within the community.

Shawna is a woman of many talents, and the more we work with her the more we realize just how amazing she truly is. Shawna play’s the harp, and knowing this means it’s time to plan a music therapy session in the near future!

Bob Pauly’s primary responsibility is to assure New Hope Recovery complies with the complex state and federal regulations due to them always changing, and he does an amazing job at making sure we stay compliant for our clients. He has extensive knowledge personally also, having got sober on October 1, 1994.

Bob has worked in substance abuse treatment for over twenty years as a counselor, Case Manager, Clinical Supervisor, Program Director, and now, Administrator. He has worked mostly in residential settings but has also counseled in outpatient, and outpatient drug diversion. While Bob’s primary responsibilities are largely administrative, his passion lies with seeing clients improve and grow. He loves working with counselors, and does an amazing job at training and assisting them. When Bob isn’t working with the team and clients here at New Hope, you can find him out on the boat with his fishing pole.

As New Hope Recovery’s Intake Coordinator, Theresa Frassrand is the first person to greet you with a ray of sunshine as you walk into New Hope. Theresa has a passion for her job, reducing ambivalence and barriers to treatment and helping people to elevate themselves and change their lives for the better. Theresa has made it her personal mission to help any suffering addict so that they do not have to exist in the misery of their addiction a moment longer. Theresa has been clean since November 21, 2011.

Theresa has been in substance abuse counseling for the last 7 years and throughout all of her continued education and training, has discovered a fascination with the human mind. Theresa is currently working on her bachelor’s in psychology with an acceleration in Master’s Program with dreams of being a clinician. When Theresa is not at New Hope, she is pouring her time, attention and efforts into her three beautiful children ages 7, 5 and 3. Describing the perfect day for Theresa would be a family bike ride on the bluffs of Half Moon Bay, picnic basket in hand.

Erica Costa is one of the newest and brightest additions to the New Hope Recovery family as staff. Erica has been employed with New Hope for almost 1 year and during this time she has developed a marketing strategy to get the New Hope name out to our community so more lives can be saved. Erica is an alumni of New Hope and has been clean since December 6th, 2007. Her job as our Financial Services Coordinator is both challenging and rewarding at the same time.

Erica’s attention to detail and superior organizational skills have really developed our New Hope back office support to new and exciting levels. When the team at New Hope thinks of Erica, we think of her always smiling, finding humor in so many things, and ready to lend a helping hand to anyone. She finds her serenity in listening to the waves, whether it’s on the beaches of Santa Cruz camping with her family, or the beautiful warm ocean in Maui. And don’t forget her 3 dogs, Bella, Coco, and her absolutely adorable Mr. Murphy, the chocolate lab.

Dr. Ken Starr is up for the challenge addiction brings. Working with unique individuals who are struggling with substance use disorder, Dr. Starr knows just how to reach every one of our clients. Utilizing his knowledge of the disease model, his medical background, and his empathy for the still-suffering addict, Dr. Starr is addressing the needs of each person with grace and dignity. Dr. Starr is board-certified in Addiction Medicine and Emergency Medicine. He serves as the Chief Medical Officer for a number of world-class substance abuse treatment programs and is an Assistant Clinical Professor of Addiction Medicine at California Northstate University College of Medicine. Dr. Starr is a family man who cares about giving back to those families struggling with addiction. We might not be well when we first arrive, but help is here for you. You’re in good hands with Dr. Ken Starr. He enjoys cycling and hanging out with his family in his free time.

Katie Leonard is an ambitious individual with one of the best goals in life, the goal of teaching our clients the tools that will help to make positive and healthy choices. Katie is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist / Mental Health Clinician who began her journey in 2010 working with adolescents. Katie graduated from Stanislaus State University with a BA in Sociology and is a Certified Substance Use Counselor.

Katie is employed at San Joaquin County Behavior Health and received a Master’s Degree in marriage and family therapy. In 2019 Katie was promoted to a mental health clinician working with our local alcohol and drug treatment programs. Katie is currently working with New Hope Recovery where she is able to utilize her therapeutic skills and assist people struggling with mental health disorders. Katie is amazing at diagnosing and supporting clients, all while treating the individual’s substance use disorder. Katie’s goal is to assess and connect our client’s with doctors faster and to assist with diagnosis and medical treatment. Katie is easy to talk to and amazing to work with and she is really looking forward to spending her time at New Hope Recovery helping to fulfill the New Hope Mission. Help is just a phone call away.

Rhonda Anderson will amaze you with her skill, her talent and her overall love for your health and well-being. She knows how to “bring us back to life” with her 32 years of experience in the medical field. Rhonda has worked in emergency medicine, hospice care, infectious diseases and substance abuse support.

Rhonda created a new life for herself on 5/6/2020 when she came to New Hope and asked for help. Who would have known that Rhonda would become the medical technician for New Hope bringing her years of experience to your medical cares and needs. Her gratitude speaks when the suffering addict needs support. Wanna play a game? Who pitched for the city of Lodi softball league, participated on the swim team, and knows how to speed skate? I’ll give you 1 guess… It’s our Rhonda!

Shelby Hendrix is the glue that keeps us all together. Shelby came to the doors of New Hope in 2021 looking for a new way to live and right here is where she found it. Shelby was able to get clean on February 12th, 2017 and by the grace of God she has never found it necessary to drink or use again. Shelby is a dedicated employee, a loving friend, and a remarkable case manager who takes the role of saving lives as a chance to give back all that she has received from New Hope and from her own personal journey of recovery.

Shelby receives her joy from helping the clients learn how to believe in themselves as she has the ability to see a little piece of herself in each one of them. We can feel the joy in Shelby’s presence when the light begins to shine in a client’s eyes. This is why she loves her career choice and it’s moments like these that make each day worth the journey. We know if our Shelby ever goes missing, we will need to search the most serene places in California, as Shelby’s happy place lives in nature. Whether it’s the beaches or the mountains, Shelby’s natural escape is within the beauty of this world.

Jessica Holt is exactly what you would expect from a strong and beautiful woman in recovery. Jessica is an alumni from New Hope Recovery, and was able to get clean at a time when recovery was not a soft and gentle journey. Jessica remembers a time when recovery was “hard-core” and only the strong minded would survive. This is something that we love about Jessica because sometimes the message of hope requires a determined and direct approach.

Counseling modalities come in all shapes and sizes and Jessica is the perfect fit for New Hope Recovery. In the past 2 years, Jessica has been a case manager at New Hope and has helped a variety of individuals to find a new life in recovery. Jessica’s dedication to client care is unmatched in the field of addiction and her own personal journey has been instrumental in Jessica’s ability to see the client beyond the addiction. Jessica loves her family, loves to travel and dreams of perfect weather and sandy beaches as she plans her next Hawaiian adventure. Jessica is living the dream and we all get to watch as she basks in the radiance of recovery.

Kirstin Colliss is the perfect balance between hard and soft, or sweet and spicy. Kirstin is an outstanding residential case manager with her finger on the pulse of recovery and the evidence based practices required to establish real change in our client’s lives. Kirstin has a very special gift that we at New Hope admire about her. Kirstin’s passion is to work hand-in-hand with the client’s and their families. It is very important to Kirstin that we all remember that the disease of addiction is a family disease and when one suffers, we all suffer.

As the facilitator of our New Hope family group on Sunday’s, Kirstin meets, works with, and gets to know the families and has the unique ability to listen to the mothers, the fathers and the children of people addicted to substances, all while figuring out how she can best help others to achieve total family healing. Kirstin is pure magic and she truly believes in the change she is creating daily. If Kirstin was a place, she would be Pacifica California! This is where Kirstin and her family create new memories and where Kirstin hopes to make a new shark friend, as sharks are Kirstin’s spirit animal. Kirstin got clean on June 17th, 2017 and we all couldn’t imagine a day without her at New Hope.

Heather Dickey is a Disney Princess and a beautiful storm all mixed into one! As a pillar in our facility and a star residential case manager at New Hope, Heather has been spreading her gorgeous laugh with clients and staff since 2021. Heather has enjoyed her time at New Hope both as a previous client and as a counselor for the still suffering addict. Heather was determined to work at New Hope as she witnessed first-hand the miracles that this treatment center has made in so many lives.

Heather has been sober since April 10th, 2020, and is dedicated to processing the life changing message of recovery with our clients and adding a dose of joy into their lives daily. Heather loves spending her free time in Carmel, CA and she hopes to find herself sitting on the beach, basking in the sun. To those of us who work with her, Heather is the sun that we bask in everyday as she dances the figure 8 down the New Hope hallway.

Daniel Chavez has been a residential SUD counselor and case manager for the past 4 years. Daniel is an alumni client of New Hope Recovery and has been clean since October 31st, 2017. Daniel’s position consists of working with addicts struggling with addiction and educating clients on the disease concept.

Daniel is working towards his master’s degree and planning on becoming a college professor teaching new counselor’s skills of chemical dependency. Daniel has traveled around the world and worked as a professional makeup artist before changing careers and entering the field of addiction. Daniel’s favorite place… in the theater. Musical theater is Daniel’s deepest passion.

Warren Lloyd is the gentle calm that all dreams are made of. Warren’s ability to assist clients though their medical detox involves an encouragement and sensitivity that makes the client’s at New Hope feel safe and secure in their new surroundings. Warren will monitor your progress, take your medical vitals and observe your progress to ascertain the severity of your withdrawal symptoms. Warren is the person you can talk to in the middle of the night offering the compassionate support we all need when experiencing the removal of substances from our lives.
Warren is currently attending Modesto Junior College working to obtain his AA in Chemical Dependency and Human Services. Warren is also an alumni of New Hope and attributes his own recovery success to the support and compassion of the New Hope treatment team. Warren is a gifted photographer and has captured some of the most beautiful images imaginable. Warren stated, ‘I have faith in every client that walks through the doors at New Hope. I aspire to give them the same level of support and compassion that was given to me.” Warren, you are “simply the Best!”

September Black inspires us to dream more, to learn more, to do more and to become more. With multiple years of experience, September is the Program Manager for the Intensive Day Treatment program at New Hope Recovery.

September works with clients thriving through unique situations who are attending treatment during the day and living with life on life’s terms in the evenings and weekends. Recognizing a client’s recovery potential is a gift that September embraces and she has the ability to connect with clients in real life situations. September reaches into her arsenal of education, recovery knowledge and lived experiences to meet the client’s right where thay are at. But don’t let the classical educator fool you, September loves the glitz and glam that life has to offer and her favorite place to sparkle is in the neon lights of Las Vegas. My money is on September for the win!

Cheree Jimenez-Lenhart has made the biggest impact and is an integral part of the team at New Hope Recovery, working her way up the ladder and landing most recently as a residential case manager where she is working on the development of her therapeutic modality with a focus on CBT and DBT. Cheree’s advanced education is guiding the way for clients to address the cognitive changes needed to make real change in an addict’s life after recovery.

Cheree has been clean since October 27th, 2020, and began her journey at New Hope in 2022. Cheree was named our June 2023 employee of the month and embodies the meaning of teamwork. Cheree is an amazing wife and mother, and she loves spending her time in the most magical place of all, Disneyland. Cheree spends the rest of her time sprinkling her magic with us here at New Hope.

Ashley Fraiser is a sparkling new addition to the New Hope Family and has created an environment of joy that can only be explained as “The Ashley Experience.” Ashley is currently working as our Intensive Outpatient Case Manager, and she is thrilled to be making such a difference in people’s lives. Ashely’s journey has only just begun as she is working towards her bachelor’s degree in Sociology with an emphasis in Human Services and Chemical Dependency.

Ashley’s determination and drive for knowledge is infectious and she is a motivating force for our clients who are seeking out advanced recovery with an emphasis on the tools that help clients develop new and productive lives. Ashley is a beach-bum, and a perfect day would include a view of the ocean, a cozy chair and a really good novel that takes her on a new adventure.

Andrea Conklin-Hier cooks the most delicious food you’ll ever find in a treatment facility. Andrea is creative, observant and most of all spectacular at making a casserole or one of her special salads. Just wait until she makes her berry spring salad for you… you’ll never look at salad the same way again.

Andrea has worked as a substance use counselor and has first hand experience in working with our clients. She naturally transitioned into the kitchen as she is able to work with clients and make the amazing food we enjoy daily. Andrea got clean on 3/11/2015 and loves the women that she has become.

Andrea is accomplishing challenges that were once impossible to even think about. Andrea’s favorite part about working at New Hope is the ability to witness our clients experience the stages of change and taking notice when the clients recovery journey becomes their own. Andrea loves watching her son play football and spending time with family. Good food and great company. Thank you Andrea for all the yummy meals you make for us.