G & G Holistic Addiction Treatment Program Staff
Jerry Goldfarb, C.E.O. and Partner, is a recovering addict who celebrated 18 years of continuous recovery. Jerry Sr. is an addictions specialist with over 18 years experience in the field of counseling and development of addiction centers. He participated in the design and implementation of the first treatment center in the U.S. Virgin Islands. He brings his comprehensive experience in facilities design and program development, combined with his successful history in the area of government and community relations.
John Giordano, C.C.J.S., MAC, CAP, President, and Partner, is a recovering addict who celebrated 22 years of continuous recovery. He has received numerous certifications in addiction treatment, such as C.A.P., M.A.C., and C.C.J.S. and has been the recipient of many distinguished awards, such as the Martin Luther King Award, and the Homeless Humanitarian Award. John is also in the Black Belt Hall of Fame as the result of his many accomplishments and contributions to the Martial Arts, including becoming a 10th black belt and a National Karate Champion He is also the author of the book, Proven Holistic Treatment For Addiction of Chronic Relapse, and was previously the host of a one-hour call in television talk show on addiction.
Gerald H. Goldfarb, B.S., M.B.A., Business Development-/Marketing Consultant, holds an M.B.A in Computer Information Systems from Georgia State University and a Bachelors of Science in Finance and Multi-National Business Operations from Florida State University. Mr. Goldfarb was a Managing Director and founding member of Austin Tech, LLC; a technology based organization located in Austin, Texas and was closely involved with the creation and development of its products, marketing strategies, product documentation, proposals, financial forecasts and business plans. His responsibilities were to direct and guide the future focus of the company’s products and strategies in the marketplace. Currently, Mr. Goldfarb oversees on-line marketing, branding, relationship building and business development.
Stephen Kahn, M.D., Medical Director, is one of the most respected and well-reputed psychiatrist and addictionologists in the State of Florida. Dr. Kahn is a graduate of the University of Bologna, in Italy; He completed his Psychiatric Residency at the Long Island Jewish Hillside Medical Center in New Hyde Park, New York. He has maintained the position of Medical Director, Attending Physician and Psychiatric Consultant at various mental health and dual diagnosis treatment centers in the Miami-Dade and Broward County areas. Dr. Kahn also specializes in the treatment of patients with eating disorders.
Jeffrey Kamlet, M.D., General Practitioner and Addictionologist, Dr. Kamlet has been part of our medical staff since 1998 completing medical workups on all of our clients. Dr. Kamlet has six different certifications including ASAM certification for addiction medicine and is President of the Florida Society of Addiction Medicine. He holds a private practice in Miami Beach, Florida in which he incorporates cutting-edge approaches to drug addiction. Dr. Kamlet is also Adjunct Professor of Medicine at Barry University - School of Graduate Health Sciences.
Arlene Pena-Gonzalez, M.D., Psychiatrist, is Board Certified in General Psychiatry and holds a sub-specialty in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Dr. Pena-Gonzalez graduated with a Doctor of Medicine from Albert Einstein College of Medicine-Yeshiva University and completed her internship and general psychiatry residency at Hillside Hospital-Long Island Jewish Medical Center in New Hyde Park, New York. She went on to receive a Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship at the University of Miami- Jackson Memorial Medical Center where she was the Chief Fellow in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.
Deborah Mash, Ph.D., Ibogaine Detox Consultant, is a faculty member in the Department of Neurology at the University of Miami, School of Medicine with a secondary appointment in Cellular Molecular Pharmacology. Dr. Mash's area of expertise is called Neuropharmacology and Neuroscience and her doctoral dissertation was on Alzheimer's disease and the study of how the brain degenerates and how to restore function to the brain. Dr. Mash completed a fellowship at Harvard University and joined the faculty at the University of Miami in 1986. She has extensively studied brain illnesses such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease, but much of her work has centered on drug abuse, how drugs affect the brain and why certain people are more vulnerable to addictions. She is currently conducting a study of Ibogaine, a drug originating from the Iboga plant, which has been shown by anecdotal evidence and some animal tests to have anti-addiction properties.
Melencia Garron, R.N.C., Nurse, graduated with her diploma in Nursing in 1973. She has worked in the capacity of Nurse and Administrator in hospitals and medical centers across the country. She specializes in obstetrics and has worked extensively in labor and delivery. Melencia is a real team player, and her many years of experience working with laboring mothers shows up in her nursing style. She is nurturing, patient, and very warm and motherly with all of our clients.
Duchess Raufman, M.S., Clinical Director, graduated from Florida International University with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology on August 2001. She also has a Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling from Nova SouthEastern University on June 2003. She is a member of the Florida Mental Health Counselors, a registered intern for Mental Health Counseling, and a certified CFARS and FARS. Her experience includes therapeutic behavioral services for children and adolescents; screening assessments to Miami-Dade and Broward County Jails; case management; counseling sessions for individuals, couples, groups and families; group therapy for dually diagnoses clients; facilitating 12-Step groups.
Bradley P. Kerschensteiner, LMFT is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Assistant Clinical Director, having graduated from Bucknell University, PA with a Bachelor of Arts in English and Religion. He later received a Master of Arts in Integral Counseling Psychology from the California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco, CA. Bradley has extensive experience in treating ethnically diverse populations and Dually Diagnosed clients. Bradley integrates a variety of therapeutic approaches including Mindfulness Meditation, brief psychodynamic therapy and EMDR for Post Traumatic Stress and other anxiety related disorders. Bradley is also trained in Dialectical Behavior Therapy, a treatment of choice of Borderline Personality Disorder, and was a Primary DBT trainer and facilitator for Walden House facilities (a six week residential stabilization program for individuals with severe mental illness and substance abuse issues) in San Francisco, CA.
Rick Murphy, M.A., JCAHO Compliance Officer, holds a Bachelor’s degree with honors from Syracuse University and his Masters Degree in Communication from Purdue University. Prior to joining the staff at G&G Holistic Holistic Addiction Treatment, Inc. as our regulatory compliance officer, he was a college professor who served on the faculties of Ithaca College, the graduate faculty of the State University of New York at Albany and as a special adjunct in the School of Public Health at Columbia University where he co-taught courses in regulatory compliance and reimbursement methodologies. In addition to his academic achievements, his extensive industry experience includes JCAHO compliance strategies and remediation procedures; successfully obtaining numerous approvals for certificate of needs from State and Federal agencies and National involvement in the interpretation and implementation of HIPPA regulations.
Maria Luisa Taleno, B.S., M.S., Controller, received a Business degree from the University of Miami and a Masters degree in Business Management from Boston University. She also possesses a Certificate of Financial Planning from Barry University and has experience in the areas of finance, accounting, operations and business management attained in the banking, entertainment, financial planning industry, and charitable organizations. Maria Luisa has also served in the US Navy and in the Miami Alumni Organization in the capacity of Communications Director.
Clinical Staff
Duchess Raufman, M.S., - Clinical Director, Therapist
Rachel Salerno, Ph.D. – Psychologist
Anne Ruben, L.M.F.T. – Therapist
Staci Gissen, L.C.S.W. – Therapist
Harry Henshaw, Ed.D., L.M.H.C. - Therapist
Megan Gorchoff, M.H.C. - Therapist
Shea Hetherington, M.S.W. - Therapist
Bradley P. Kerschensteiner, M.S. - Therapist
Administrative Staff
Carolina Cortes-Palacios – Office Manager
Alan Murphy, B.S. – Human Resources Manager
Valorie Riley-Berry, M.S.W. – Training Manager
Richard Sandoval, B.S. – Assistant Controller
Siobhan Morse, M.H.S.A. – Executive Liaison
Shang Min Yu, B.S. – Client Financial Services
Zelma Ball – Client Services Coordinator
Gaby Vazquez – Client Services Coordinator
Luis Duran – Driver
Denise Bryan, B.A. – Driver
Nikki Glantz, R.D. / L.D.N - Nutritionist
Neil Goldsmith – Outpatient Coordinator / Case Manager
George Saint-Louis – Organization Development Specialist
Raisa Perez Padron – Nurse Assistant
Benita Johnson – Utilizations Review Administrator
Recovery Coach – Mental Health Tech
Robert Berry – Recovery Coach Manager
Michael White – Recovery Coach Supervisor
Zina Lyons – Recovery Coach Supervisor
Benjamin Brown, B.S. – Recovery Coach
Chris Vasconcellos, B.S. - Recovery Coach Supervisor
Peter Lopez - Recovery Coach
Julie Brown - Recovery Coach
Nelida Dayson - Recovery Coach
Tracy Shimmel-Thal - Recovery Coach
Salvador Pace - Recovery Coach
Jonathan Fortune, B.S. - Recovery Coach
Gary Coleman – Recovery Coach
Faith Cutliff – Recovery Coach
Jerome Mack – Recovery Coach
Gyas Bramos-Hatman, B.S. – Recovery Coach
Mathew King – Recovery Coach
Lore Malloy – Recovery Coach
Carl Roberson - Recovery Coach
Laura Settler – Recovery Coach
Carmine Thompson – Recovery Coach
Harold Whitlock – Recovery Coach
Residence Maintenance Staff
Chris Fleenor – Administrative Facility Maintenance Manager
Amaron Giordano – Residential Facility Maintenance Manager
Isaac McCormick - Supervisor
Joshua Notini - Staff
Residence Staff
Iris Casanova-Pena – Residence Operations Manager
Gladys Iglesias - Staff
Maritza Carrillo - Staff
Caridad Morales - Staff
Olga Fiallo - Staff
Alternative Therapies Practitioners
Valery B. Ireland – Holistic Healing Center Business Manager
Christine Gosselin, B.A., L.M.T. – Massage Therapist
Arthur Anderson, D.O.M. – Acupuncturist
Admissions Counselors
Adam Fuller - Director of Business Development - Holistic Referral Network
Lester Hark – Recovery – Admissions Director / Interventionist
Christopher D. Waddell – Recovery Outreach Coordinator / Interventionist
John Hollis - Admissions Counselor
Kevin Ingram- Admissions Counselor
Kimberly Bartley- Admissions Counselor
Paul White - Admissions Counselor
Rebecca Morse - Admissions Counselor
John Nicastro - Admissions Counselor
Jacob Andrews - Admissions Counselor
Justin Verducci - Admissions Counselor
Kitchen Staff
Renilda Alves, Culinary Arts Graduate, Head Chef
