The Team

Dr. John Lee is board certified in both Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine. He graduated from Midwestern University with the highest distinction in Behavioral Health for his graduating class. He completed his residency at Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center and was Chief Resident. Dr. Lee has a holistic approach to care, and when medications are used, it is evidence-based. He is an expert in the use of medications for mental health and addiction as he holds a Doctor of Pharmacy from the University of Illinois, where he graduated with High Honors. Dr. Lee is dedicated to providing high-quality care to all of his clients at Recovery Syndicate.

Robert Fox serves as Recovery Syndicate’s CEO, responsible for bringing vision and leadership to the program. He has over 5 years of experience as Program and Operations Director for a sober living home program in the Chandler area and excels at problem-solving, community outreach, and advocating for quality treatment for all patients. After many years of experience in the field, he saw the need for quality treatment and aftercare for people leaving residential treatment and is passionate about bringing robust support systems to those working towards long-term recovery.

Christine Fox serves as Recovery Syndicate’s Administrator and Client Advocate. She earned her Associate of Science and Social Services degrees and is passionate about carrying a message of hope to those suffering from substance use disorder. She brings compassion, personal knowledge, and clinical experience to the team and finds joy in helping people to grow in mind, body, and spirit and live a productive, rich, sober life. Chemical Dependency, AAS Social Services

James Currier has been a part of the behavioral healthcare field since April 2015. He started working for Recovery Syndicate in March of 2023. James’ primary focus is to ensure that our patients achieve and maintain long-term sobriety. He incorporates his intimate knowledge of addiction and his educational background to ensure that patients receive optimal medical and clinical care. James has dedicated himself to understanding addiction’s clinical component and will finish his MS in Addiction Psychology program in 2024. James will be pursuing clinical licensure after earning his master’s degree. As executive director at Recovery Syndicate, he works closely with the team to provide excellent patient care while supporting the staff. Working in the treatment industry has helped him gain extensive knowledge and skills to find solutions to challenges while efficiently creating effective processes.

Dr. Kim has completed her undergraduate work at the University of California, Riverside 2004, with a degree in Biochemistry and her Doctorate of Naturopathic Medicine in 2008 at the Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine in Tempe, AZ. Her main drive for deciding to enter the Naturopathic profession was to answer her lifelong calling of being a champion of the health for all that cross her path at all levels of self: mind, body and spirit. With a profound reverence for nature’s wisdom when it comes to optimal health, Dr Kim helps patients heal with a balance of conventional as well as non-invasive, naturopathic modalities including, but not limited to: Homeopathy, nutrition (IV and Oral), herbal medicine, naturopathic manipulation therapy, environmental medicine and nature cure. She is honored to serve as a professor at various institutions of higher learning for healthcare professionals and has been in service of the recovering community through direct patient care and medical directorship for over 12 years. Her impact in the healthcare field is now strengthened from her own transformative healing journey from Cancer. In her free time, she loves to practice yoga, meditation, and enjoys indoor cycling and hiking with her husband and their furbaby, Andre.

Brad has over 24 years of experience working in the addiction field as a therapist. Brad is well-versed in Motivational Interviewing and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy. Brad is also educated in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Brad is known for meeting the client where they are at in terms of the stages of change model and building rapport with his clients. Brad currently has a Licensed Independent Substance Abuse Counselor, LISAC credential per the Board of Behavioral Health Examiners. Brad has a Master’s Degree in Professional Counseling from Grand Canyon University. Brad has over 24 years of sobriety. Brad is very passionate about helping others and connecting with his clients and helping them look within themselves to discover their own identity.

Lucinda recently joined the Recovery Syndicate Team to boost Business Development, grow and maintain strong relationships within the community, and develop brand awareness. After her previous experience in a hospital setting, she was inspired to enter the treatment space after watching friends and family struggle with substance abuse and mental health. She brings patience, positivity, and a passion for helping others to her role.

Tony has worked in the recovery field since 2014 and brings humility, curiosity, and compassion to his role at Recovery Syndicate. His personal experience with substance abuse drives his desire to help others find a solution.

Sylvia Mendez Lopez is a Family Therapist with five years of experience working with victims and survivors of sexual assault, families struggling with addiction, and incarcerated populations. She holds a BA in Psychology, a Master’s Certificate in Chemical Dependency Counseling, a Master of Social Work, and Rural Community Social Work. Sylvia also has specific certifications in Domestic Violence Training, Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA), and is soon to be White Bison Wellbriety trained. Sylvia's specialty within her company is Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) with strong cultural competency and awareness in tune with native approaches to healing addiction. She understands that a supportive family environment can play an important role in the recovery process, and she is passionate about seeing families grow and change as they work through their issues and develop healthier communication patterns and relationships. Sylvia is a Southern California native who has lived in rural NM for 15 years and is now a new Arizonian. She is a Summa Cum Laude graduate with both of her higher education degrees and believes that healing is a collaborative endeavor that requires honest caring without judgment. She is bilingual, creative, has a great sense of humor, and has a down-to-earth, realistic approach when assisting clients. Sylvia enjoys exercising (having completed 5 Los Angeles Marathons), gardening, and spending time with her family for self-care. She wants potential clients to know that she is dedicated to helping families and individuals heal, and she believes that everyone has the potential to overcome their challenges and achieve their goals.

Daniel has been working in the behavioral health field since 2017. Daniel grew up in Northern California and established himself in the hospitability industry. Daniel moved to Arizona in 2011 and began working for Tesla Solar before shifting career paths after finding recovery and discovering that he wanted to help people recover from a seemingly hopeless disease. Daniel understands that no single approach is the right one for every client and goes to great lengths to ensure that each of our client's needs are met and that they are being provided the care they need and deserve. Daniel believes that showing compassion and empathy helps create a strong connection with our clients, builds trust, and shows them that Recovery Syndicate is here to help them achieve their goals and live a happy, joyous, and free life.

With over 7 years of experience in the recovery industry, Jenn focuses on client counseling, helping people grow and develop their spiritual lives. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Bowling Green State University and her Master’s of Divinity from Methodist Theological School of Ohio, and has additional training and certifications in Bereavement Counseling, Meditation Instruction, and Incident Stress Management.

Dana has over 10,000 hours of experience as a life coach. She specializes in addiction recovery coaching, relationships, communication, cognitive behavior therapy, and emotional intelligence. In addition to her formal education, Dana has over 30 years of personal recovery from addiction and codependency. Her experience spans people from all walks of life, facing unique struggles and situations. Her mission is to help our clients discover and embrace the best version of themselves. Dana’s broad education and intimate familiarity with the struggles of substance abuse recovery have given her a unique perspective to help individuals discover their own capacity for healing.

As a former coach in the National Football League for 11 years, as well as an extensive tenure of 18 years as an assistant coach at the major college level, Carl Hargrave coached three seasons with the Arizona Cardinals as an Offensive Consultant in 2004. In 2005, Hargraves contributions helped the Cardinals' finish the season with the 8th ranked overall offense in the NFL, and the #1 passing offense (4,437 yards/277.3 yards per game) for the first time in team history. Currently vetted in the Recovery Community, Carl is Owner/Coach of "Fit Four Recovery" addressing the fitness component at various Recovery Centers nation wide, where his passion for coaching has evolved from the playing field to the field of life. "I love the energy and the excitement in helping a person who has lost all hope to find a new life in sobriety." Carl is an intricate part of the men and women whose lives are mired in the pains of addiction, encompassing all levels and ages.

Jacob Daffner provides yoga and meditation services specifically geared to those in varying stages of the addiction recovery process. Jacob is in recovery himself and has a deep understanding of the recovery process. He incorporates this experience and knowledge into the yoga and meditation classes he teaches. He is certified in yoga and meditation and has undergone specific and intensive training to provide the best possible experience for people in the early stages of the recovery process detox, inpatient, and outpatient treatment. While yoga helps with the body, meditation helps with the mind. Creating clarity and serenity before patients make what are bound to be life changing decisions. Also, leaving them with tools to use on their own when they are done with the treatment program.

Heather currently works in administration, helping with compliance and special administrative projects and acting as a dedicated support to our clients. She is very organized and does everything she can to remain solution focused. Not only does she devote a lot of time to helping our clients she is currently going to school for a degree in human resources. Heather has been sober since 9/24/2017 after putting in much effort to overcome addiction and the turmoil that surrounds it. She knows intimately how addiction can impact someone's life and uses that experience to form meaningful connections with our clients. The owners of Recovery Syndicate have been a vital part of my recovery. They helped me through the most difficult situation I have ever had to face. I see them and every employee in the company involved in helping clients through similar situations with compassion.

Dave Wehner is an Alumni Coordinator with over 1 year of experience in the recovery industry. As a high school graduate, Dave went on to become a Certified Spiritual Director/Life Coach and a certified Peer Recovery Support Specialist. Dave's journey in recovery spans almost 28 years, during which he has been sponsoring guys in recovery. He felt it was time to jump into this thing full time and Recovery Syndicate gave him the opportunity to do so. Dave's specialty within his company is connecting with the past clients (the alumni), as well as the current clients. He is genuinely interested in who he is interacting with and believes that staying connected to others is key to not only our sobriety but our overall sense of happiness. Dave is passionate about helping others achieve their recovery goals and believes that everyone has the potential to heal and grow. His dedication to the recovery community is rooted in his own personal experience, and he is committed to sharing his knowledge and support with others.

Jessica has been in recovery since 2016, and having gone through the recovery process herself, she understands the challenges and struggles that come with addiction. She is committed to helping others on their path to recovery and is always there to offer a listening ear or word of encouragement. Jessica has a bachelor's degree in Nursing and has extensive financial management knowledge. She provides our clients with the support they need to achieve their financial goals. As well as working as the Client Financial Coordinator, Jessica works as a BHT, Admissions Coordinator, and Business Development team member.

Jeremy is a highly experienced professional who has spent the past 12 years working in various roles within the drug and alcohol recovery industry. Throughout his career, he has been committed to helping individuals overcome addiction and reclaim their lives. Jeremy's approach is heart-focused, and he is known for his compassionate nature and genuine care for those he works with. In addition to his expertise in recovery and addiction treatment, Jeremy is also an incredible team player who brings a positive attitude and a strong work ethic to every role he takes on. His dedication to his work and his clients has earned him a reputation as a trusted and respected member of the recovery community.

Eric is completing his Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health to become a board certified Licensed Professional Counselor and has been working in recovery since 2019. Eric has experience working with indigenous communities with a strong understanding of the obstacles and barriers that need to be addressed for successful treatment. Integrating a multicultural approach Eric strives to use ethical decision making, collaboration rather than confrontation, empathy and personal experience with substance use to help clients identify strengths and promote autonomy to achieve their recovery needs with empathy, compassion, and accountability.

Been in the industry for about 8 years. I am passionate about working in recovery helping other to better their lives. I feel honor to have the opportunity to help addict and alcoholic. Some of my key characteristics that make me great at what I do are having the ability to be compassionate, empathetic & supportive.

Skye Barnett is a Peer Support Specialist with two years of experience in the industry. She holds a high school diploma and has completed some college courses. Skye is also a certified Peer Support Specialist, which enables her to assist individuals struggling with addiction on their journey to recovery. As a recovering addict herself, Skye is passionate about her work and finds purpose in helping others find a new way of life. She believes that working with other addicts is crucial for her own recovery and strives to create a supportive and empathetic environment for her clients. Skye specializes in providing recovery support. She believes that being genuine, empathetic, and open-minded are key characteristics that make her effective at her job.

Mike Sabo is a Lead Peer Support and Trauma support specialist with over a year of experience in the industry. He graduated from MCC with a Social Work degree and is currently undergoing an Apprenticeship program through the Family Involvement Center, partnering with Recovery Syndicate, to gain more certifications. Mike is passionate about helping individuals struggling with substance abuse, guiding them towards a successful path of sobriety. He specializes in building connections with his clients, supporting them through difficult times, and praising them for their accomplishments. Mike's relatable personality, extensive life experience, and humor make him great at what he does.