Chad Lentscher – Lead Recovery Advocate
Chad Lentscher is a recovered drug addict and alcoholic who has been a part of the recovery community in Dallas, TX for the past five years. He is dedicated to a life based on the principles of the 12 steps and passionate about sharing this way of life with others. Chad is currently a junior at the LeTourneau University where he is earning a degree in education. His steady personality and humorous approach to life bodes well with the community at Origins.
Ramon Rodriguez – Shift Lead Recovery Advocate
Ramon was born in the Rio Grande Valley of deep south Texas. Ramon has worked in various roles within the addiction treatment field and he is driven by his passion for 12 Step-based recovery. Ramon has enjoyed continuous sobriety since May 15, 1987. Since then, he has steadily grown into a spiritual way of life. Ramon enjoys being of service inside and outside of 12-step groups. His personal mission is to help alcoholics, drug addicts and their loved ones to a better way of life. Ramon enjoys reading, writing, painting and spending time with his loved ones and friends.
Josh Slay – Recovery Advocate
Josh is a lifelong Texan born in Fort Worth. Winning his own battle with addiction and alcoholism, he now brings his extensive knowledge and experience with him as he carries the message of recovery to treatment centers and detoxification units across Texas. What he truly enjoys and specializes in is working one-on-one with clients who are in the early stages of trying to conquer their demons. He gets great satisfaction watching and helping hopeless alcoholics reunite with their families and become productive members of society. For fun he loves to watch and play any type sport, expanding his love of all types of music and spending time with family.
Thomas Barrera – Recovery Advocate
Originally from Austin, Texas, Thomas is one of the Recovery Advocates here at Origins. Being raised in an urban environment, he saw how drugs and alcohol ruined and took the lives of people close to and around him. Rather than use this experience as an excuse he decided to turn his life around, and discovered fitness as an outlet for energy which could just as easily taken his own life down a similar path. As a Certified Personal Trainer he knows how to help others find a healthy lifestyle that not only maintains physical well-being, but provides a basis for the mental discipline necessary to refocus the recovering addict into a positive way of seeing their future as addiction free individuals. Never one to slack off on maintaining his own strength and fitness, most of his spare time is spent on an extremely active lifestyle and continuing his education related to physical fitness.
Kalae Cordova – Recovery Advocate
Since moving to South Padre Island from Kerrville, TX in early 2012, Kalae has been a Recovery Advocate here at Origins. Being a recovered addict himself for a number of years, he came to Origins so he could pass his knowledge to others and help them experience the same relief. Whether it be managing a sober-living residence, speaking to a group of people new to recovery or serving in a leadership role, he has taken his understanding of the road through recovery very seriously and enjoys providing his insights to those seeking help. Kalae has brought his enthusiasm and energy into the Origins process, helping us maintain a positive environment for healing. He is an excellent example of what can happen when anyone with a willingness to change embraces a life free from addiction. When not working he loves surfing and strength training.
Michael Householder – Transitions/Sober Living Coordinator
Michael is in charge of our Transitions and Sober Living facilities. He is 44 years old and was born and raised in Dallas, TX. Michael is an impassioned Origins employee, as he seems at times to be on fire with the message and spirit of recovery. He feels honored and privileged to get to work with the Origins patients as they navigate the often rough terrain of early sobriety, however he maintains a strong belief that anyone, no matter how bad things have gotten in their life, can and will recover from drug and alcohol addiction, provided they are open, honest and willing to take direction from others who have been blessed to find recovery themselves. Michael is studying human services, as well as pursuing his LCDC credential. Michael is a grateful recovered addict who has managed sober houses in the past. He enjoys riding motorcycles and he is a member of the Third Tradition Motorcyle Club, which is an association of recovering alcoholics and drug addicts who promote, share and enjoy a life-style free from the bondage of alcohol and drugs, and for the benefit of charity.
Thakur Jee – Recovery Advocate
Thakur was born and raised in the neighboring town of Port Isabel, TX. Growing up he was involved with outdoor activities, especially sports, and very centered on helping his family. Like many, however, his life began to spiral on a downward path and he quickly found himself involved with drugs and alcohol. Determined not to duplicate his father’s prematurely short life due to alcohol abuse, it was through the help of his family, his strength of will and the support of a strong recovery community that he pulled his life together. Now, having had firsthand experience with addiction, he uses his understanding of this disease to help guide others like himself fight to regain control of their life and to enjoy it, free from the addiction that had beaten them down. As the overnight RA here at Origins, he makes sure our clients are well taken care of and safe through the course of the night. He really enjoys working with the clients and spreading the positive message of hope, letting them know this treatment is real and works to save lives. On his free time he enjoys fishing, spending time with family and strength training.
Jim Livingston – Recovery Advocate
Jim is a recovered alcoholic, has been sober since December 3, 1988. Jim has been very active in the 12-step community. He originally became involved with recovery, in Port Huron Mi. Jim very much likes to help newcomers and other forms of service work. Jim has helped start new 12 step groups and support them in various communities. In his spare time likes to work on his vehicles, and spend time with his beautiful wife and two border Collies.
Josh Nevore – Recovery Advocate
Though born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, it wasn’t until he moved to Enid, Oklahoma, that Josh finally found sobriety at a sober house there in 2006. He has been gratefully recovered ever since. He immediately set out to return the favor and the lessons his fight through recovery had taught him. With the help of his church he became very involved in the recovery community, honoring the 12th step by passing the message of hope to other addicts, and giving selflessly of himself by helping out the homeless with donated food and clothes. This was how he learned that he really enjoyed reaching out to those in need of help, whether it be with material goods, or by teaching through his own experience as an addict to others suffering as he had. He now provides his knowledge to the patients here at Origins, where his understanding of what to be wary of helps our patients deal with the often conflicting and raw emotions that arise during rehabilitation and recovery. His confidence in them gives rise to confidence in themselves.
Xavier Salinas – Recovery Advocate
Xavier has earned his Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from the University of Texas Pan American. Currently he is residing in the Rio Grande Valley and he is also a recovered addict and alcoholic. His passion for recovery comes from attending 12-step meetings, working with other alcoholics and addicts, and carrying the message of hope to those afflicted who are presently incarcerated within in the criminal justice system in the valley. More than anything, he loves spending quality time with his wife and son.
Zac Sherman – Recovery Advocate
Originally from Dallas, Texas, Zac came to Origins having been involved in addiction and recovery from both sides of the community. He battled drug and alcohol addiction for 20 years before discovering and defeating the personal demons which had kept from successfully overcoming this often fatal disease in the past. That experience left him with a burning desire to share his newfound understanding with others, hoping they will learn from it and end their addiction without the emotional and physical suffering he endured for so many years. He began to use this altruistic attitude by working at a Dallas non-profit agency, primarily helping the indigent population at Crisis and Detoxification Units. Now with Origins, using their proven program of recovery within a safe and carefully monitored environment of healing, Zac is able to help others find the same inner strength he did, and continue their lives knowing they are truly free from the burden of addiction. He finds that watching these dedicated people grow is the most rewarding experience he could ever hope for.
Rosa Dominguez, LFH – Director of Food Services
Rosa has been a professional chef for over 30 years. She is responsible for all facets of food services at Origins. Over the course of her career, she has served in virtually every aspect of restaurant and food services operations. She received her gourmet training and spent the majority of her career at the esteemed Yacht Club on Texas’ Gulf Coast – often frequented by celebrities and dignitaries. She is especially creative in the kitchen and takes great pleasure in satisfying diners. She has a soft-spot for the chemically-dependent and enjoys being around clients and teaching basic kitchen skills. Chef Rosa loves spending time with her beautiful children and traveling to the interior of Mexico.
Aziza Charlotte A. Barker-Stanton – Yoga Intstructor
Ms Barker is a Yoga Instructor, Meditation Guide and Healing Conductor and Nationally Licensed Massage Therapist with American Massage Therapy Association, and is a Massage Instructor and Continuing Education Provider. She has been keenly attuned to the study and teaching of the body-mind-spirit connection through hatha yoga, meditation and dance since 1970. She is a recent graduate of The Suluk Academy, SOI’s esoteric school. Aziza strives to create a learningenvironment with a respectful and distinctive approach to health and recovery emphasizing ones natural unfoldment through the cultivation of balance and integration. Her passion is to inspire her students & to develop a teacher-training manual for yoga & recovery. In her spare time Aziza enjoys dancing the Argentine Tango, traveling, Ayurvedic cooking and ceramics.