Meet Our Professional Team

Clinical Team

Gratitude Lodge Leadership
Jenni Busse MS, LPCC
Clinical Director

Jenni Busse MS, LPCC is the Clinical Director at Gratitude Lodge. Jenni oversees the clinical program and the clinical team at Gratitude Lodge as a whole. Jenni has worked in treatment for 14 years. Her background as a licensed therapist and her passion for helping others intersected with addiction recovery when she started working primarily in detox residential treatment. She always knew she would make a career out of helping people. The thing she enjoys most about working at Gratitude Lodge is seeing clients come back to life and make positive changes for themselves.

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Kemper Gottshall
Therapist
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Markie Steinman
Therapist
Leadership
Jessica Rankins
Therapist
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Renee Balenti
Case Manager
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Antonia Peccole
Case Manager
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Bella Sinatras
Case manager
Leadership
Cherokee McCluskey
Case Manager
Leadership
Tiffany Stevens
Case Manager
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Jenni Russe MS, LPCC
Clinical Director
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Kemper Gottshall
Therapist
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Markie Steinman
Therapist
Leadership
Jessica Rankins
Therapist
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Renee Balenti
Case Manager
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Antonia Peccole
Case Manager
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Bella Sinatras
CASE MANAGER
Leadership
Cherokee McCluskey
CASE MANAGER
Leadership
Tiffany Stevens
CASE MANAGER

Medical Team

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Lawrence V. Tucker, M.D.
Medical Director
Diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology

Lawrence V. Tucker, M.D. is a Diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, and a Diplomate of the American Board of Addiction Medicine, practicing in pharmacological management of psychiatric disorders and addiction medicine.

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Amanda Ferguson
Board Certified Physician Assistant

Amanda Ferguson, PA-C is a nationally and state certified physician assistant. She completed her Masters of Physician Assistant Practice at University of Southern California with an emphasis on primary care.

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Mary Elmasri
Board Certified Physician Assistant

Mary Elmasri is a board-certified Physician Assistant who has extensive experience in the field of Addiction Medicine and Psychiatry. Mary received her Masters of Physician Assistant Practice at the University of Southern California. She is certified to prescribe buprenorphine containing medications. She believes that addiction should be treated like any other chronic disease, with the proper medication, education, and support. She prides herself in empathetic care to all her patients.

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Alexis Burciaga
Board Certified Physician Assistant

Alexis Burciaga PA-C is a board certified physician assistant. She earned her Bachelors of Science in Health Sciences from California State University, Fullerton, motivated by her interest in how a healthy lifestyle can impact quality of life. 

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Ashley Yusam
Board Certified Physician Assistant

Ashley Yusam is a California licensed, National Board Certified Physician Assistant who recently joined Gratitude Lodge in 2022. She completed her Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in Biology from the University of California, Los Angeles in 2012.

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Lori Berkemer
Nurse Practitioner

Lori has worked for Addiction Specialist of Southern California since 2020. She loves caring for patients who are struggling with addictions and co-occurring disorders. Lori earned her Nurse Practitioner certificate from UCLA School of Medicine in 1996. She spent many years working in community clinics practicing women’s health and primary care. During that time she spent two years abroad working for Doctors Without Borders.

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Desirée Tucker
Registered Nurse

Holds a bachelor’s of science in nursing, and a bachelor’s degree in health administration. She has worked in mental health and addiction medicine as a nurse in the Veteran’s Affairs dual diagnosis unit. She has also worked in public in-patient psychiatric hospitals, working with adults as well as adolescents, experiencing mental health crisis and substance abuse. Lastly, Desirée has also managed out-patient mental health clinics that specializes in addiction medicine and MAT therapies.

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Lawrence V. Tucker, M.D.
Medical Director
Diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology
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Amanda Ferguson
Board Certified Physician Assistant
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Mary Elmasri
Board Certified Physician Assistant
Gratitude Lodge Leadership
Alexis Burciaga
Board Certified Physician Assistant
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Ashley Yusam
Board Certified Physician Assistant
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Lori Berkemer
Nurse Practitioner
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Desirée Tucker, RN
Registered Nurse

Executive Team

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Mark Williams
Executive Director

Prior to founding Gratitude Lodge, Mark worked in a corporate leadership role at a Fortune 100 company, working with multiple Fortune 500 clients in the industrial sector. Mark holds a BS in Business Management from Chapman University and an MBA from the University of Southern California with dual Graduate Certificates in Supply Chain Management and Financial Analysis. Mark is an IBM Summit Program graduate and a member of the Beta Gamma Sigma Honor Society and the Trojan Athletic Fund.

Originally from Boston, Mark relocated to Southern California with the goal of starting a new sober life. He has been sober since 2007 and is an active member of the Orange County recovery community. Although now a Californian, he is still an avid Boston sports fan. Go Pats, Sox, Celtics, and B’s! Mark is passionate about helping others and has spent hundreds of hours volunteering at Hoag Hospital (ICU, Cancer Center), Someone Cares Soup Kitchen, and First House Detox Center of Orange County.

Mark started Gratitude Lodge as a way to give back to people struggling with alcoholism and addiction, and as a tribute to others that saved his life and helped him along the way in his own recovery journey.

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Claudia Sanchez
Director of Administration
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Richard Mintz
Director of Operations
Gratitude Lodge Leadership
Mark Williams
Executive Director
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Claudia Sanchez
Director of Administration
Gratitude Lodge Leadership
Richard Mintz
Director of Operations

Admissions Team

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Chris Waters
Director of Admissions

Chris Waters’, CADC II, brings extensive experience and a reputation for exemplary leadership skills to his role of Director of Admissions. Over the course of his ten-year career in the treatment industry he has held executive leadership roles in operations, admissions, and business development. His passionate commitment to helping people recover from addiction inspires his team to provide the highest standard of care to clients and their loved ones.

Chris intimately understands the struggles of addiction and through his own recovery process has found purpose in helping others. In his free time, Chris enjoys playing basketball, spending time with his wife and dog, and being of service to the local recovery community.

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T.J. Harrison
Alumni Coordinator
Leadership
John Hobbs
Admissions Coordinator
Gratitude Lodge leadership
Chris Waters
Director of Admissions
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T.J. Harrison
Alumni Coordinator
Leadership
John Hobbs
Admissions Coordinator

Operations Team

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Brandon Payne
Business Development
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Louis Odom
Human Resources
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Jonathan Bacak
Client Care Advocate
Leadership
Alex Lichtman
Lead Supervisor
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Shawn Ingram
Lead Supervisor
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Tawny Sanchez
Lead Supervisor
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Elise Main
Lead Technician
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Brett Wilshire
Lead Technician
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Brandon Payne
Business Development
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Louis Odom
Human Resources
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Jonathan Bacak
Client Care Advocate
Leadership
Alex Lichtman
LEAD SUPERVISOR
Leadership
Shawn Ingram
LEAD SUPERVISOR
Leadership
Tawny Sanchez
LEAD SUPERVISOR
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Elise Main
Lead Technician
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Brett Wilshire
Lead Technician

Facilitators

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Grant Musgrave
Group Facilitator
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Tim Jalowiec
Group Facilitator
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Lynn Schneider
Art Therapist
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Alex Durham
Reiki & Yoga Instructor
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Megan Brown
Music Therapist
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Grant Musgrave
Group Facilitator
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Tim Jalowiec
Group Facilitator
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Lynn Schneider
Art Therapist
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Alex Durham
Reiki & Yoga Instructor
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Megan Brown
Music Therapist

"Alone we can do so little,
together we can do so much."