Key Staff
Traci Donnelly
Vice President and Regional Director, Phoenix Houses of New York and Phoenix Houses of Long Island
Ms. Donnelly was appointed to the position of Vice President and Regional Director of the New York Region in April 2010. Prior to that appointment she served as Vice President and Director of Clinical Programs for the New York Region beginning in March 2009. Ms. Donnelly originally joined APPLE as a counselor in 1990 and was with the APPLE organization during the timeframe when Phoenix House acquired APPLE. Her roles at APPLE during this period included Supervisor; Assistant Director and Clinical Coordinator of Mental Health Services; Senior Director of Mental Health Services; and Regional Director of Mental Health Services. In 2001 she left Phoenix House to accept a position as a Special Education Teacher in the Port Jefferson School District where her responsibilities providing education and workshops on mental illness and substance abuse. Ms. Donnelly rejoined Phoenix House in December 2007 as Vice President and Director, Mental Health Services. Ms. Donnelly holds a B.A in Psychology and a M.S. in Special Education from Dowling College. She also has a NYS Permanent Certification in Special Education K-12.
Ian Christopher Alcazar
Vice President and Director, New York City Treatment Services, Admissions and Community Outreach
In April 2010, Mr. Alcazar’s role was expanded to include New York City Treatment Services, Outpatient Services, Private Insurance Services, Vocational Services, as well as Admissions and Community Outreach. Mr. Alcazar originally joined Phoenix House in November 2008 as Vice President and Director for Outreach and Admissions. Prior to joining Phoenix House, Mr. Alcazar was the Vice President of Substance Abuse Services at Cornerstone of Medical Arts Center Hospital. Mr. Alcazar has over 17 years of clinical experience including positions as Director of Chemical Dependency Crisis Services at the St. John’s Riverside Healthcare Network in Westchester; Assistant Director of Assessment at Samaritan Village; and Clinical Supervisor at BRC . Mr. Alcazar has an M.S.W in program administration and clinical treatment from the Hunter College School of Social Work. He is a New York State Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW); an Adjunct Professor at NYU; an NYU SIFI Certified Social Worker Field Instructor; and a NYS OASAS Training Unit Faculty member.
Cari Besserman
Vice President and Director of Long Island Treatment Services
Ms. Besserman joined the APPLE organization as a vocational counselor in 1993 and continued with that program after it was acquired by Phoenix House. After a brief absence, she rejoined Phoenix House in March of 2000 as Deputy Director, Brentwood Mental Health Services. In December 2006 she was named Senior Director, Long Island Adult Services and in June 2007 she was promoted to Vice President, Long Island Adult Services. Ms. Besserman has worked with varied specialty populations such as the severely co-disordered; individuals with mental retardation and developmental disabilities; special education students with cognitive and physical impairments; and those with traumatic brain injury, chronic debilitating medical illness and mental illness. Ms. Besserman is a founding and current member of the New York Chariots of Fire Board of Directors, a nonprofit organization for competitive disabled sports and is a volunteer coach-trainer for wheelchair soccer. Ms. Besserman holds a B.A. degree in special education from Dowling College and a M.S. in Education with a specialization in Rehabilitation Counseling from Hofstra University. In addition, she has a CRC through the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification and a CASAC-T through New York State OASAS.
Norwig Debye-Saxinger
Vice President and Director of Public Policy and Government Relations
Mr. Debye-Saxinger joined Phoenix House in April 1992 and as Director of Program Planning and Research. He subsequently was appointed Vice President and Direct of Phoenix House’s operations in New York State and currently serves as Vice President for Government Relations, Public Policy and Regulatory Compliance.
Prior to 1992, he was Executive Deputy Director of the New York State Division of Substance Abuse Services and worked with a series of New York State agencies responsible for the funding, licensing and monitoring of drug abuse treatment and prevention service providers. Started as a Rockefeller Program Intern with the newly created Narcotics Addiction Control Commission and closed his government service career in 1992 after serving for six years as the SSA’s Executive Deputy Commissioner. It was on his watch that the SSA first brought public and medical assistance revenues directly into the substance abuse treatment provider system; that the SSA issued its first executive directives governing community-based program operations; and that the basic cost funding system, which is still in place, was developed. Mr. Debye-Saxinger holds a B.A. from Cornell University, and has done graduate work at both Georgetown University and the State University of New York at Albany. Mr. Debye-Saxinger has represented the United States Government, through the USIA, oversees on several occasions. Was a major Resource to NMIH/NIDA in developing its first Policy and Procedures Manual. Has presented papers on licensing, funding and policy matters at numerous federal, state and other conferences. He has served as Chair and Co-Chair of recently established committees to overhaul New York State’s regulatory and program licensing framework. Mr. Debye-Saxinger was elected to the presidency of the Therapeutic Community Association of New York (TCA) in the fall of 2008. The TCA is an association of community-based treatment providers that maintain and operate residential and ambulatory treatment programs based upon the therapeutic community model.
Shari E. Feld
Vice President and Director of Finance and Administration
In April 2010, Mr. Feld’s role was expanded to include a number of New York Region administrative functions including operations, medical/dental, compliance and Long Island Treatment Services. In addition she continues as the Region Finance Director. Ms. Feld originally joined Phoenix House in November 1999 as Director of Finance for Phoenix Houses of Long Island. In November 2004, she was promoted to Vice President and Regional Director of Finance for the New York Region. Prior to joining Phoenix House, she served as Vice President of Finance for the Long Island Power Authority; Executive Director of Financial Resources for the New York City Department of Corrections; and, Finance Analyst for the New York City Department of Finance, the New York City Transit Authority and the New York City Human Resources Administration. Ms. Feld holds a B.A. in Economics and an M.S. in Public Policy and Program Analysis from the State University of New York at Stony Brook.
Pamela Gubuan
Vice President and Compliance Officer
To reflect the organization’s commitment to regulatory compliance, in January 2008, Pamela Gubuan was named Vice President and Director of Compliance. Ms. Gubuan originally joined Phoenix House as an internal auditor in December 1992, and later was named Internal Audit Director. Prior to joining Phoenix House, Ms. Gubuan held several internal audit and accounting positions at Harvard University, Massachusetts Financial Services, and KMG Main Hurdman, Certified Public Accountants. Ms. Gubuan holds a B.S.B.A., with a concentration in accounting, from Washington University in St. Louis. She is licensed as a Certified Internal Auditor in the State of New York and also has a National Certification in Healthcare Compliance.
Jose Rosario
Vice President and Director of Yorktown Academy
Mr. Jose Rosario joined Phoenix House in 1995 as the Director of the 185th Street Re-Entry Program. In 1996, he became the first Director of the 185th Street Parole Treatment Program, where he oversaw the operations of three separate programs – the 120 day Parole Residence Program, the 90 day Federal Probation program, and the 60 day N.Y.C. Department of Probation Program. In 1997, he transferred to the Long Island City facility as the Clinical Director. In 1999, Mr. Rosario left the organization to become the Director of BASICS, Inc., where he was successful in transforming the program into a leading Bronx treatment provider. In 2003, Mr. Rosario rejoined the Phoenix House as the Long Island City Clinical Director. In 2005, Mr. Rosario was selected to become the Director of the Prospect Place Re-Entry Program which later converted to a Community Residence. In 2007, he was promoted to Managing Director of the Long Island City campus. In June 2009, Mr. Rosario was promoted to Vice President and Director of the Yorktown Adolescent Academy.
Elizabeth Tremaine
Vice President and Director of 185th Street and Patient Advocate
In October 2009, Ms. Tremaine assumed responsibility for the 102 bed residential facility at 185th Street. In addition, she Chairs the Incident and Accident Committee and serves as the OASAS Patient Advocate. Ms Tremaine joined Phoenix House in December 1984 and was promoted to Vice President and Director, New York City Adult Services in June 2007. In July 2008, she assumed the position of Vice President and Director of the Jay Street Cluster (a number of Community Residence programs centered in Brooklyn, New York. Prior to her promotion to Vice President, Ms. Tremaine held many key positions including Director, Phoenix House Generations Senior Center; Director, Marcy II Outpatient Program; and Director, Prospect-Taconic Women’s Program. She was promoted to Director, Criminal Justice Programs where she supervised five correctional programs. After the expiration of the Criminal Justice contracts, Liz transferred to Phoenix Career Academy as Director of Aftercare and Re-Entry Programs. Ms. Tremaine attended Fordham University where she received a BA in Art History and Psychology. In January, 2008, she received her Master’s in Social Work from Hunter School of Social Work. She is a Credentialed Alcohol and Substance Abuse Counselor and was appointed to the New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) Credentialing Board in 2000. She is also an OASAS CPM evaluator and she was recently appointed to the board of the Faith Mission Crisis Treatment Center.