AVRASA 

DAVID D. GREENBERG
David Greenberg currently serves as Co-Chair of AVRASA.  David works for Outreach Training Institute (Subsidiary of Outreach Project) where he prepares 100+ CASAC students/trainees to search for CASAC-T positions after graduation.  Furthermore, at Outreach Project, he has provided vocational counseling services for the past 18 years to numerous populations in recovery from chemical abuse.  Prior to Outreach Project, David worked as an adjunct instructor in Job Search Preparation at New York University, as a consultant at VESID and at the New York State Department of Corrections.  David is the author of the book, “Off Drugs, In Recovery and Still Unemployed”.  David’s first career was as a Human Resources Manager at Citicorp/Citibank for 20 years where he created a hiring program for recovering chemical abusers and served as an “Executive on Loan” to the N.Y.S. Division of Substance Abuse Services in the 1980’s.  David has a Master’s degree in Counseling from Long Island University, is a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor and a Licensed Mental Health Counselor.

VALERIE LYONS
Valerie Lyons is the Co-Chair of AVRASA and the Assistant Project Director for the Hunter College/OASAS Work-Study Project.  The Work-Study Project provides graduate students the opportunity to earn a Masters Degree while working in the chemical dependency field within an OASAS funded program as a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor. Valerie also teaches graduate courses at Hunter College in Chemical Dependency and Counseling Skills. She has worked in the chemical dependency field for nineteen years. Prior to her employment with Hunter College, Valerie worked for Samaritan Village, Inc. for 10 years and held the position of  Director of Vocational and Educational Services.  She has worked as a Consultant for the Resource Training Center since 2004. Valerie holds a Masters of Science in Education Degree from Hunter College, is a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor and a Licensed Mental Health Counselor.  Valerie’s other professional affiliations include membership on the Boards for AVRASA, the Institute for the Professional Development in the Addictions, the Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Provider’s 501 ( c ) 3 Board, the National Rehabilitation Association and the Resource Training Center.  In addition, Valerie is an active member of ASAP’s Cultural Competency Committee.   She enjoys providing training in the areas of Vocational Rehabilitation, Cultural Competency, and Spirituality.

ELIZABETH M. MADISON
Elizabeth M. Madison is the First Vice Chair for AVRASA as well as the Co-Chairperson for AVRASA’s Supervisors' Committee.  She has worked for NADAP for seven years. She is the Vice President of employment, case management and training services. She has been a professional in the field of workforce development and vocational rehabilitation for seventeen years.  She specializes in chemically dependent and welfare to work populations.  She has developed innovative and creative programs to help these populations achieve self-sufficiency and economic independence. Elizabeth develops and facilitates trainings in leadership development, supervisory skills and career/workforce development.  Elizabeth is a Fellow with the Join Together Program at Boston University, holds a Masters Degree in Vocational Rehabilitation from New York University, is a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC) and a member of the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals (NAWDP).

SUNITA MANJREKAR
Sunita Manjrekar is the Second Vice Chair of AVRASA.

OBIE NICHOLS
Obie Nichols is the Third Vice Chair of AVRASA and the Agency-wide Director of Centralized Vocational Services (CVS) at Palladia Inc, New York, NY, where he monitors Quality Assurance/Quality Insurance in all Palladia vocational initiatives and supervises vocational staff in Palladia programs agency-wide.  He directs the Palladia Local Interagency VESID Services (LIVES) Program, CVS Computer Laboratory and the CVS Lending Library.  Professional associations include: First Vice Chair of the Association for Vocational Rehabilitation of Alcohol Abusers (AVRASA); New York Mental Health Counselors Association (NYMHCA) member, and Pi Lambda Theta honor and professional society in education member.  Over the past 7 years, he has been an Adjunct Professor at Metropolitan College of New York Audrey Cohen School of Human Services, where he teaches undergraduate courses in Human Services curricula leading to the Bachelors of Professional Services Degree. He specializes in the Constructive Action/Purpose/Fieldwork Seminar that requires integration of theory into internship practice and a thesis. He is an independent vocational consultant who has designed vocational programs and curricula, provided presentations, workshops, consultations and continuing Rehabilitation Counselor supervision and mentoring.  He is a volunteer with the NYC Emergency Response Medical Team.

Credentials: PhD Addiction Studies, International University of Graduate Studies @ St. Kitts, W.I., MA Rehabilitation Counseling, New York University, BPS Audrey Cohen College aka Metropolitan College of New York,  LMHC (Licensed Mental Health Counselor) – University of the State of New York, CRC (Certified Rehabilitation Counselor) – Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification, CASAC (Certified Alcohol and Substance Abuse Counselor) NYS Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services.

Publication: Contingency Management Interventions in Outpatient Alcohol and Substance Abuse and Case Management Services (2006), thesis: International University of Graduate Studies.

DEBRA PILGRIM
Debra Pilgrim currently holds the Administrative Secretary position for AVRASA. 
 
MICHELE BUONINFANTE
Michele Buoninfante is the Corresponding Secretary for AVRASA.  She has worked as a Vocational Counselor in the chemical dependency field for 14 years.  Michele currently works for Beth Israel Medical Center MMTP, where she is an active participant on the Policy and Procedures Sub-committee as well as the Labor/Management Committee.  She received her Masters of Arts Degree in Rehabilitation Counseling from NYU in 1996.  While there, she was a student in the OASAS Work Study Project.  Michele is a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor.

ALICIA BARTZ
Alicia Bartz is the Member-at- Large of AVRASA and the Co-Facilitator for the AVRASA Peer Supervision Group.  Alicia is an Assistant Director in the Office of Behavioral Health at NYC Health & Hospitals Corporation and oversees all of the Rehabilitation Counselors in 11 NYC hospital and diagnostic treatment centers.  She has worked in the chemical dependency field for 11 years. Prior to her employment with HHC, Alicia worked in Methadone, Outpatient, and Long Term Residential programs and has worked as a Psychiatric Rehabilitation Counselor.  Alicia holds a Master of Arts Degree in Community Counseling Psychology from Marist College and is a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor.  Alicia’s other professional affiliations include membership in:  NYMHCA and National Rehabilitation Association (NRA).  In addition, Alicia has provided training in the areas of Rehabilitation, Cultural Competency, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Psychology in Vocational Rehabilitation, Integration of Recovery in Treatment, Clinical Supervision Skills Building, Stage-Based Treatment Planning, ContingencyManagement, and Resume/Cover Letter Development and Interviewing.  Publications:  Psychology Emerges in Vocational Group:  Group Process as the Integrative Factor in Substance Abuse Treatment, 2006, Journal of Groups in Addiction & Recovery and Psychologically-Based Vocational Rehabilitation for Co-Occurring Disorders:  A Manualized Group Treatment Model, 2008 (currently in press).

NICOLE JULIEN-THOMAS
Nicole Julien-Thomas currently holds the position of Treasurer for AVRASA.  In addition, she has also held the positions of Administrative Secretary from 2005-2007 and Co-Chairperson from 1999-2001 for the AVRASA organization. At Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Division of Substance Abuse, she has worked full-time as Director of Transitional Services for the past six years.  In this position she manages the Employment/Vocational and HRA services for their nine Opioid Treatment and two Chemical Dependency Programs.  Over the past 15 years since attaining her Masters Degree in Counseling Psychology from Columbia University, she has provided oversight of Vocational services and training in different comprehensive treatment modalities, prevention services and employment programs.  Her dedication to the Workforce Development field is evidenced by her commitment to AVRASA and involvement in other organizations including the National Rehabilitation Association (NRA) and the Association of Substance Abuse Providers (ASAP).  Nicole is a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor.