At Resilience Recovery Center, strong leadership is essential to delivering safe, ethical, and effective substance use disorder treatment. Our leadership team brings together clinical expertise, medical oversight, operational experience, and lived recovery perspective to ensure every aspect of care meets the highest standards.
Each leader plays a critical role in maintaining program integrity, supporting staff, and ensuring clients receive individualized, evidence-based treatment grounded in dignity and accountability.
Our executive leadership is guided by both professional expertise and real-world recovery experience. The Chief Executive Officer brings lived experience alongside professional credentials as a life coach, nutritionist, neuroscience coach, Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC), and Housing Director.
This combination of experience allows our organization to integrate holistic wellness, accountability, and practical recovery support into every level of care. Executive leadership ensures the organization remains aligned with its mission while prioritizing ethical operations, long-term outcomes, and client-centered decision-making.
The Clinical Director provides oversight of all therapeutic services and ensures clinical excellence across programs. With over 20 years of experience in behavioral health and addiction treatment, the Clinical Director is responsible for treatment planning standards, staff supervision, clinical compliance, and program development.
This role ensures that therapy services are evidence-based, individualized, and delivered by trained professionals who understand both the complexity of substance use disorders and the importance of compassionate care.
The Medical Director oversees medical services and medication-related care, including coordination for clients prescribed Medication Assisted Treatment. With a strong passion for serving individuals affected by substance use disorders, the Medical Director is committed to compassionate, evidence-based medical care that prioritizes safety, accountability, and collaboration.
Medical oversight ensures that medication supports recovery as part of a comprehensive treatment plan rather than functioning as a standalone solution.
The Director of Operations and administrative leadership team ensure that Resilience Recovery Center functions smoothly, ethically, and in compliance with all regulatory requirements. Their responsibilities include admissions processes, staff coordination, policy implementation, and quality assurance.
This leadership ensures clients experience consistent care, clear communication, and a supportive treatment environment from the first contact through discharge and aftercare planning.
Chief Executive Officer
Ivan Kavunik is the Chief Executive Officer of Resilience Recovery Center, bringing a multidisciplinary background grounded in recovery focused leadership and lived professional experience. He is a certified nutritionist with training in neuroscience, life coaching, CADC coursework, and business management, along with a background as a professional chef. Ivan’s approach emphasizes structure, accountability, and whole person support, recognizing the connection between physical health, mindset, and long term recovery. As CEO, he is committed to building ethical, high quality programs that support clients, staff, and sustainable outcomes.
Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
As Chief Financial Officer of Resilience Recovery Center, she oversees the organization’s financial strategy, fiscal accountability, and long term sustainability. She is committed to maintaining strong financial systems that support high quality, recovery focused care while ensuring operational stability and responsible growth. With a thoughtful and collaborative leadership style, she works closely with the executive team to align budgeting, compliance, and resource allocation with the center’s mission. Her dedication to ethical financial practices and strategic planning helps create an environment where both staff and clients can thrive.
Chief Operating Officer (COO)
As Chief Operating Officer of Resilience Recovery Center, she oversees daily operations and ensures that all programs and services are delivered with consistency, efficiency, and integrity. She brings a strong commitment to supporting individuals and families on their recovery journey, with a focus on building systems that promote accountability, compassion, and high quality care. Working closely with clinical and administrative leadership, she helps translate the organization’s mission into effective operational practices. Her leadership reflects a dedication to sustainability, ethical decision making, and creating an environment where both staff performance and meaningful human connection remain central to the facility’s success.
Medical Director
Wayne Lajewski, MD brings over twenty years of experience in internal medicine and healthcare leadership to his role as Medical Director. He has served as the founder and medical director of a multidisciplinary medical practice and is known for his patient focused approach, clinical oversight, and commitment to quality care. Dr Lajewski completed his internal medicine residency at Yale University Medical Center and previously served as a Lieutenant Colonel and Chief Medical Officer in the United States Army. His background in medicine, leadership, and clinical governance supports safe, ethical, and effective medical oversight within the treatment setting.
Clinical Director
Tammy Nussbaum, MS, LCADC, CCS serves as Clinical Director with extensive experience overseeing outpatient and intensive outpatient substance use disorder programs. She brings decades of leadership in clinical operations, staff supervision, and regulatory compliance, with a strong focus on quality care and program development. Tammy has led multidisciplinary teams, supervised licensed clinicians and interns, and played a key role in program expansion, audit preparation, and service coordination across multiple levels of care. Her approach emphasizes ethical practice, staff development, and client centered treatment delivery aligned with state requirements and best practices.
Human Resources
In Human Resources, she supports the development of a positive and professional workplace culture that directly enhances the quality of care clients receive. She focuses on hiring, onboarding, training, and staff support, ensuring team members are prepared to work respectfully, ethically, and effectively with clients. By promoting clear communication, accountability, and collaboration, her role helps create a consistent and supportive environment where staff are aligned in delivering compassionate, client centered services.
Therapist
Ava Khalil, LSW, ADC is a compassionate and client centered therapist who brings a trauma informed and culturally responsive approach to substance use treatment. She provides individual and group counseling across multiple levels of care, supporting clients through recovery focused education, coping skill development, and relapse prevention. Ava is known for her collaborative, strengths based style, helping clients build resilience, increase self awareness, and navigate challenges that impact recovery. She works closely with the treatment team to ensure services are ethical, supportive, and aligned with each client’s individualized treatment goals.
Therapist
Cheryl McCutchen, LSW, LCADC is a licensed therapist with over twenty years of experience providing substance use counseling and recovery focused support across multiple levels of care. She has extensive experience facilitating individual and group counseling, developing individualized treatment plans, and collaborating with multidisciplinary teams to support client stability and progress. Cheryl brings a strengths based and solution focused approach to her work, emphasizing engagement, accountability, and practical skill development to support sustained recovery. Her experience and calm, supportive presence help create a structured and respectful treatment environment.
Therapist
Zachary Pereira, LSW is a licensed therapist who brings experience working with individuals and families across a range of care settings. He has a strong background in individual and group counseling, case management, and care coordination, supporting clients through recovery focused treatment, skill building, and connection to community resources. Zachary is known for his collaborative approach, clear communication, and ability to work effectively within multidisciplinary teams. His work emphasizes safety, structure, and client centered support aligned with individualized treatment goals.
Behavioral Health Team Lead
The Behavioral Health Team Lead supports daily program operations by providing structure, consistency, and hands on support to clients and staff. With a strong background in logistics, safety, and team coordination, they help ensure smooth day to day flow within the facility while maintaining a calm, supportive environment. Known for reliability, problem solving, and clear communication, the Team Lead assists with client support, staff coordination, and operational oversight, reinforcing accountability and recovery focused routines. Their role helps bridge clinical programming and daily operations to support a safe and organized treatment setting.
Admissions Coordinator
Yvonne Raczkowski serves as Admissions Coordinator and is often the first point of contact for individuals and families seeking services. She brings extensive experience in client intake, insurance verification, scheduling, and care coordination within substance use treatment settings. Known for her calm, supportive approach and strong attention to detail, Yvonne helps guide clients through the admissions process with clarity, compassion, and professionalism. She works closely with clinical staff, referral sources, and payers to ensure timely access to care while maintaining accuracy, confidentiality, and regulatory compliance.
Case Manager
Our Case Manager plays a vital role in supporting clients as they navigate treatment, recovery planning, and life stabilization. With a client centered and solution focused approach, they work closely with each individual to identify needs, set goals, and access appropriate resources both during treatment and after program completion.
The Case Manager assists clients with care coordination, discharge and aftercare planning, referrals to community resources, and ongoing recovery support. They collaborate with the clinical team to ensure services align with each client’s treatment plan while helping clients build practical skills related to housing stability, employment readiness, time management, and independent living.
Known for their approachable style and strong advocacy skills, our Case Manager emphasizes accountability, empowerment, and consistency. Their goal is to help clients strengthen recovery supports, reduce barriers to success, and build a sustainable foundation for long term recovery.
Oversight, Ethics, and Accountability
All content, policies, and treatment practices at Resilience Recovery Center are reviewed and supported by clinical and administrative leadership. This ensures accuracy, ethical alignment, and adherence to clinical and regulatory standards.
We are committed to transparency, continuous improvement, and maintaining the trust placed in us by clients, families, and referral partners.
Our clinical team includes licensed therapists, counselors, case managers, and support staff who are deeply committed to person-centered care. Team members are trained to use strength-based, trauma-informed, and evidence-based approaches while maintaining professional boundaries and accountability.
Collaboration is a cornerstone of our clinical culture. Team members work closely across disciplines to ensure continuity of care and alignment with each client’s individualized treatment plan.
