As Clinical Director of our Ft. Lauderdale location, Genna Risucci is responsible for managing the clinical staff and overseeing the well-being of the clients. Genna is trained in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, and she is certified in Rapid Resolution Therapy and Terry Gorski’s Relapse Prevention method. In May 2015, Genna graduated from Florida Atlantic University with a Master’s degree in Counselor Education, with a concentration in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. In June 2017, she received her license in Mental Health Counseling. Genna grew up in Utica, NY, but she has lived in South Florida for six years. She loves running, hiking, traveling, being outdoors, and spending time with family and friends.
Eron migrated from Cape Town, South Africa, in 1995 after spending 18 years as a practicing psychotherapist, licensed as a Clinical Psychologist. Eron and his family have resided in Coral Springs for the last 25 years. He has worked in the field of substance abuse, both as a therapist and as a Behavioral Health Supervisor for Broward Addictions Recovery Centers’ (BARC) residential facility in Coral Springs for almost 20 years.
During that time, he supervised a group of eight counselors and techs, and focused on developing quality teamwork. He is qualified as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and has attained certifications as a Certified Addiction Professional (CAP), as a Certified Sex Therapist (CST), and as a Tobacco Treatment Specialist (TTS). He also received training in Certified Best Practices (CBT), and solution-focused therapy. He remains committed to working both as an individual therapist and as a team player within an eclectic theoretical framework, ensuring that it works effectively, is demonstrably ethical, is quality of life improving, and causes no harm to clients.
Eron retired from BARC in 2017, and still enjoys retirement. He has recently begun feeling a call to return to work in a part-time capacity in the front lines of addictions/recovery therapy. Eron is grateful for the opportunity to join The Beachcomber as a part-time employee and a member of the therapeutic team.
Ed Cejka is one of our new primary counselors in the evening for the IOP Program in Boynton Beach. Ed is a Master’s Level Counselor with state, national, and international credentials for over 20 years, and has been treating clients in recovery and with mental health concerns for over 25 years. He has been working with both adult and adolescent populations. He has clinical experience in addiction and has served over the years as a Clinical Director, Compliance Officer, and CEO administrator. Ed is also a Catholic priest. He is semi-retired in ministry, but serves the communities of Broward and Palm Beach Counties. Ed previously worked for the Archdiocese of Newark at the parish level, extensively with the homeless and addicted. He is noted for involvement in feeding programs for the poor and working to get treatment programs for recovering addicts. Ed also ran a medical clinic and dental clinic for the inner-city poor.
Ed is a graduate of Seton Hall University, Immaculate Conception Seminary, and holds a Master’s degree in Counseling and Human Services. He has been teaching as an Adjunct Professor in Philosophy and Theology at Barry University in Florida for over 20 years. When Ed moved to Florida, he decided to live in the Palm Beach area He has two parrots he raised from babies, and has many horticultural interests. They keep him happy and always in awe of what God and nature can provide us humans when seeking serenity. He also has interests in Astronomy and Geology and has been on archeological expeditions in Ireland.
He brings many years of professional, non-judgmental caring to those suffering addiction and seeking serenity. His specialties include working with families, developing systems of coping, and relationship building. He has been teaching and educating people on how to reduce or extinguish unhealthy co-dependency traits, empowerment of women, LGBT communities, and education to identify domestic violence.
Ed has worked for the Broward sheriff’s office as a therapist in the Broward jail system. He has extensive forensic training and is a court liaison for Broward Co. and Palm Beach Co. He is well known for his contribution in the drug courts and Marchman Act advocacy. He serves on the Broward Interdisciplinary Partnership on Addiction. Ed is one who loves and cares that others are loved as well.
Ty Cowell joined The Beachcomber in 2019 after working at several other treatment facilities in the Palm Beach area and elsewhere for the last 13 years. Originally from Brooklyn, Ty now calls the Boynton Beach area home. Ty is currently enrolled at Springfield College of Tampa to earn his Master’s degree in Substance Abuse and Human Services. In his spare time, Ty likes to spend time with his family, play basketball, and work out at the gym.
As the Clinical Director of our Residential program in Delray Beach, Kelsey is responsible for managing the clinical staff and overseeing the well-being of clients. Kelsey received her Bachelor’s degree in 2016 from Palm Beach Atlantic University and has since graduated from Nova Southeastern University with a Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, January of 2020. Kelsey has been working in the recovery field since 2019 and loves the ability to come to work daily and potentially have some positive impact on someone’s life. She loves spreading joy, gratitude, and positivity to patients and others that surround her. As a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Kelsey teaches day-to-day goals, reinforcing skills related to sobriety, healthy habits, and self-care routines to those struggling with addiction and co-occurring disorders. Kelsey was born and raised in South Bend, Indiana, but has called South Florida her home since 2012. She loves working out, running, and spending time with family and her dogs, Simba and Petey.
Nancy Ewing was born in the Finger Lakes area of New York. Nancy received both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in New York in psychology and education. Nancy has worked in substance abuse treatment centers, mental health clinics, psychiatric centers, a college counseling center, private practice, and as both an administrator and a clinician. Nancy has been in recovery for over 30 years. She specializes in working with trauma, co-occurring disorders, and families. When she’s not working, Nancy enjoys music more than anything else. She enjoys traveling and going to the movies. Nancy says, “I like to laugh”. Her favorite thing about working at the Beachcomber is the people she works with. She says that everyone is very compassionate, professional, and a pleasure to be around.
Dr. Culina has been practicing medicine for more than 30 years. She received her Medical Degree at University of Belgrade, Yugoslavia in 1983. She completed residency training in Neuropsychiatry at University of Belgrade in 1992, and in Psychiatry at University of Miami /Jackson Memorial Hospital in 2007. Dr. Culina is board certified in General Psychiatry (2009) and Addiction Medicine (2014), and has more than eight years of experience in the field of addiction.
