MEET OUR STAFF
NORTH TEXAS
Jeffery R. Fuller
MDiv, LCDC
Assistant Director, Director of Outpatient Services, and Human Resources Director
Mr. Fuller has extensive therapeutic experience in methadone treatment, residential and outpatient substance abuse treatment, and family counseling. Mr. Fuller serves in multiple roles at Homeward Bound Inc. As human resources director for more than a hundred employees, he oversees staff training and continuing education and functions as the director of Homeward Bound’s extensive outpatient program.
Karla Sweet
LPC-S, LCDC
Clinical Director of Mental Health Services
Karla Sweet started at Homeward Bound in June 2014 as a part-time counselor specializing in Co-Occurring Psychiatric/Substance Use Disorders (COPSD). As the organization grew in diversifying services into mental health case management and psychiatric crisis services, Ms. Sweet has grown professionally attaining credentialing as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and moving into the position of Clinical Director of Mental Health Services in 2016. Ms. Sweet began her career as an English teacher with a degree in English Education from Oral Roberts University. She switched gears into counseling and received her Master’s degree in Counseling from the University of North Texas-Dallas. Ms. Sweet is a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor and a National Certified Counselor and currently holds an LPC-S certification. Ms. Sweet has also worked at the UNT-Dallas Counseling Clinic, Phoenix House, and Hickory Trail Hospital before making her way to Homeward Bound. In addition to clinical supervisory work, Ms. Sweet still continues to showcase her kindness and consideration for others through her counseling work as a member of the Dallas Counseling and Treatment Center. Her knowledge as both an administrator and active counselor gives her a well-rounded and empathetic approach to her role overseeing staff training and continuing education work.
Melissa Cade
LMSW, LCDC
Clinical Director of Substance Use Disorder Services
Melissa Cade, has been at Homeward Bound since 2012 and possesses 15 years of addiction and mental health treatment experience. After receiving her Bachelors in Social Work from UT-Arlington as well as an LCDC license, Ms. Cade worked at Phoenix House, Addiction Behavioral Services, Union Gospel Mission, and SAFY Texas before finding her way to Homeward Bound. Starting as a Counselor Intern on our Men’s Residential Unit, Ms. Cade quickly proved that her tenacity, organization, and hard-working spirit were an invaluable addition to the Homeward Bound staff. She was promoted to Clinical Director of Substance Use Disorders in October 2016, completed her Masters in Social Work seeking and obtaining additional licensing. She is the interface between DCCSCD and the specialty courts that send offenders to our programs for substance use disorder treatment. Ms. Cade provides comprehensive guidance and commitment to our substance use disorder treatment units ranging from wait list management, intake coordination, withdrawal management (detoxification), specialty intensive residential treatment to discharge placement and recovery support extended care.
Doug Denton
MA, LCDC
Executive Director
Mr. Denton has been the Executive Director of Homeward Bound, Inc., since the founding in 1980. Homeward Bound, which began as a pilot program for young first offenders in need of job placement, housing, and guidance, has grown into one of Texas’ largest substance abuse and mental health treatment agencies with support from private donations, foundations and funding sources such as the North Texas Behavioral Health Authority, Texas Health and Human Services Commission, Texas Department of Criminal Justice, the City of Dallas, Dallas County, the Veterans Administration, El Paso County, MHMR of El Paso, and Health Maintenance Organizations.
Mr. Denton has held numerous leadership positions related to behavioral health policy in Texas, including Substance Abuse Representative to the Dallas County Behavioral Health Leadership Team, President of the Texas Association of Substance Abuse Programs (ASAP), Provider Representative to the Department of State Health Services Texas Smoking Cessation Leadership Summit, Chairman of the Provider Advisory Council for the North Texas Behavioral Health Authority, Texas Recovery Initiative Planning Council, and participant in both the Dallas and El Paso Areas Recovery Oriented Systems of Care. Mr. Denton holds a BA in Sociology and an MA in Urban Affairs (Criminal Justice Counseling and Administration). He is licensed by the State of Texas as a Chemical Dependency Counselor (LCDC).
STAFF LEADERSHIP
Ayodele A. Abraham, MD
David Bauerkemper, LPC
Wanda Brown, MHPS, RSPS
Ron Burnom, LCDC
Mary Cassio, LCDC
Beverly Coulter
Christy Drenner, CPA
Sonny Gaither
Sophia Garcia
Sharecka Grubbs, RN
Patricia Guerra
Dave Hogan, LCSW-S
Wendy K. Joseph, PA-C
Alexandra Martinez, QMHP-CS, CI
Tameika W. Morris, DNP
Tisha Ortiz, LCDC
Mario Ortiz, LCDC
Subhadra Phillips, RN
Richard Rausin
Christine Wicker, MA
Medical Director
Denton County Manager
MHPS Manager
Detox Manager
Women’s Residential Manager
Dietary Manager
Controller
I.T. Director
Housekeeping Manager
Crisis & Nursing Manager
Assistant Controller
Dallas Deflects Director
Addiction Medicine/Psychiatry
CMHP Manager
Medical & Psychiatric Services Manager
Men’s Residential Manager
Dallas Outpatient Manager
Nursing Manager
Operations Director
Director of Development
WEST TEXAS
Charlie Garcia
El Paso Regional Director
Charlie Garcia has over 36 years of inpatient and outpatient substance use and mental health programming experience in both private and nonprofit settings. Mr. Garcia established the Rio Valle Recovery Center in Santa Teresa, New Mexico, the first full-service Hispanic substance use and mental health treatment program. This program was a collaborative effort which served clients from all of New Mexico and West Texas. Mr. Garcia also owned and operated several outpatient clinics before assisting Homeward Bound in the opening of their El Paso location in 2003. Since then, Mr. Garcia has served as the Director of the facility, supervising all of Homeward Bound’s acute detox, intensive residential, crisis residential, outpatient, and COPSD programs in El Paso. Mr. Garcia is a proud grandpa of 5 beautiful grandchildren.
STAFF LEADERSHIP
Andrew Adame, RN
Roxanne Arzola, MS, LCDC, QMHP-CS
Juana Baray, LCDC
Alberto Peña
Jo Anne Throgmorton
Nurse Supervisor
Clinical Director, Crisis Residential
Clinical Director, Intensive Outpatient and COPSD
Marketing and Intake Coordinator
Clinical Director, Detox and Intensive Residential