Partial Staff List

Admissions

Director of Admissions
Bruce Levinson

Bruce Levinson holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in business administration. He presently serves on the Board of Directors of several organizations and not-for-profit associations.

Bruce has an extensive background in addiction and recovery and is recognized as one of the leading admissions professionals in the country. His knowledge of available programs and treatment modalities enable him to provide invaluable assistance to addicted individuals, families, employers and other professionals in the field.

Clinical Staff

Director of Clinical Operations
Tom Wilkinson, BA, CADC

Tom Wilkinson has been in the addictions treatment field for more than 15 years in both medical and social model treatment centers.

Tom has extensive experience in treating chemically dependent and dual disordered clients in both inpatient and outpatient settings. Tom is an accomplished educator and lecturer on all aspects of chemical dependency treatment and recovery.

Consulting Psychiatrist
Joseph Pursch, MD

As Director of the Alcohol Rehabilitation Service at the Naval Regional Medical Center in Long Beach, California from 1973 to 1980, Dr. Pursch treated Betty Ford, Billy Carter and astronaut Buzz Aldrin. He served on President Carter’s Alcohol and Drug Commission and Ronald Regan’s Blue Ribbon Commission on Drunk Driving.

In addition to consulting at Sober Living by the Sea, Dr. Pursch sits on the Board of Trustees of the National Commission Against Drunk Driving. The recipient of The Distinguished Service Medal from the President of the United States, Dr. Pursch has been listed in Who’s Who in America, Who’s Who in American Medicine and Best Doctors in America.

Director, Medical Education
Kevin McCauley

Kevin McCauley served in the Navy as a Naval Flight Surgeon for both The Red Lions, a helicopter squadron, and with an F/A-18 Hornet training squadron, The Sharpshooters.

As Director of Medical Education at SLBTS, McCauley lectures on addiction medicine for residents and families as well as providing staff training on addiction medicine. He serves further through media presentations and as liaison to local and national treatment professionals.

Staff Therapist
Jerry Brown, PsyD, MFT

Jerry Brown has worked over 37 years in the counseling field, and over 25 years in the field of recovery.

Jerry has taught both graduate and undergraduate college courses in the area of counselor training and is the author of Militant Parenting, A Survival Guide For Parents with Problem Kids. Dr. Brown is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist.

Medication Management
Jim Weisshaar, RN

Jim Weisshaar has over 16 years experience working in chemical dependency and psychiatric fields, including being a Charge Nurse for seven years at Western Medical Center in Anaheim, CA.

Jim is a liaison for our residents who assists with their outside medical needs and provides invaluable psychological support.

Program Administrator
David Hickman, B.S., Th. M., CAS-II

David Hickman has 18 years of experience treating addiction in a wide variety of clinical roles.  David has built his expertise in the field of recovery by participating in the entire continuum of addiction treatment settings including medical detoxification and inpatient psychiatric facilities.  David is also a minister and has an extensive background in spiritual counseling, recovery, and crisis management.  David's group process and counseling focus is on family dynamics and personal responsibility.

David brings a calm and caring demeanor to the men and women he works with. Known for building positive and sincere relationships with the clients at Sober Living by the Sea as well as in the local recovery community which he has been a part of for the past 20 years, David has been married for 31 years, has two adult children, and recently became a grandfather.

Program Administrator of The Rose 
Sandy Taylor B.S. CADAC II, CCGC, EDS

Sandy Taylor has over 15 years of experience in chemical dependency treatment programs, working primarily with women in recovery. With over 21 years of personal recovery, she is extremely qualified to teach by example the benefits of living a full life in sobriety. Sandy has helped hundreds of women find a new way of living and taught them how to work through all the issues that surround early recovery. Her nurturing and caring demeanor offers women in recovery the opportunity for personal growth.

Program Manager of The Rose 
Tanya Desloover, CADCA

Marriage and Family Therapist in Training, Tanya joined our staff in 2004 and was the program director of the Reflections Program for Mature Adults prior to becoming program manager at the Rose.  Prior to joining us, Tanya had a 20 year career in pediatric research at Children’s Hospital in Seattle. 

Program Director of The Reflections Program 
John Mallett CATC II

John Mallett has been working in the treatment field for the past 14 years.

John has worked with the Medical and Social Models of recovery and has years of experience in a variety of treatment settings. John was the original Transitional Work Program Director at Sober Living by the Sea before returning to Case Management in the Adult Reflections Program.

John has been married for 23 years, has three adult children and is blessed with three grandchildren who he just adores.

Director of the T.E.A.C.H. Program 
Heather DeVore, CAADAC, BS, CTC-MS

Heather assists recovering students get college credits by directing our T.E.A.C.H. College Program

Heather has many years working in both the education field and the field of recovery. 

Heather brings with her enthusiasm, insight and a healing presence which are key factors in her success as a clinician.

Case Manager
Johnny Orlando

Mr. Orlando has many years of experience working in the social model of recovery. His many years of experience in the field of chemical dependency include helping clients take ownership for their actions, creating positive plans for the future.

Johnny O. is known around Sober Living by the Sea for his Big Book studies, STEP workshops, and an uncanny ability to address core issues in the context of 12-Step recovery.

Case Mangaer
Marc A. Machlin, BS, CADC II

Marc A. Machlin has been in the field of Chemical Dependency Treatment for more then 10 yrs. He has worked in Medical and Social models both inpatient and outpatient and dual diagnosis modalities.

Mr. Machlin applies education, behavior modification 12-step and therapeutic knowledge to help clients make desired changes in their lives.

Director, The Victorian
Barbara S. Cole, MFT, Ph.D

Dr. Cole is a well-known drug, alcohol and eating disorder treatment practitioner. She has been the past director of a residential treatment facility, as well as a former clinician at the Betty Ford Center.

Dr. Cole has authored several books including her new book The Eating Disorder Solution.