As the longest-running addiction treatment program in southwestern Pennsylvania, the Gaiser Center has been recognized as a top provider of addiction treatment services for more than 50 years. Under the leadership of one of the region’s only physicians board-certified in both addiction medicine and emergency medicine, Gaiser is uniquely equipped to implement the newest and most effective treatment options.
Gaiser’s team of addiction treatment professionals is driven by leadership who understand the science behind recovery. Incorporating the expertise of our board-certified addiction medicine physician and industry best practices, Gaiser’s team of licensed social workers, nurses and addiction counselors guide individuals on their recovery journey, providing holistic care that addresses their physical, mental and spiritual needs.
Executive Director
Joe Mahoney joined the Gaiser Center as executive director in May 2021, focusing on building partnerships in the Butler Community and creating new programs for the center to address behavioral health needs along with addiction treatment.
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A licensed social worker with more than 15 years of experience in behavioral health services, Joe earned bachelor’s degrees in psychology and English from Duquesne University and a master's in social work with mental health certification from the University of Pittsburgh.
He joined Gaiser from Intermediate Unit 1, an educational service agency serving school districts and communities of Washington, Greene and Fayette counties. Working his way from a school-based social work position up to director of Mental/Behavioral Health and Social Work Services for Intermediate Unit 1, Joe had direct oversite over eight outpatient clinics in Greene County, a Partial Hospitalization Program, 12 school-based mental health programs, and more than 60 school-based, master-level social workers.
Joe looks forward to finding opportunities to take Gaiser’s mission of recovery beyond the border of Butler County.
Medical Director
Dr. C. Thomas Brophy began working with the Gaiser Center in 2019 and serves as medical director for the facility. Dr. Brophy earned a neuroscience degree from the University of Pittsburgh and completed his medical residency at Allegheny General Hospital to become one of the region’s only physicians board certified in both addiction medicine and emergency medicine.
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With a passion for teaching, Dr. Brophy is known for his educational outreach efforts. He is a regular contributor to KDKA radio and has conducted more than 100 public education seminars on topics related to addiction. He dedicates his life to helping those struggling with addiction while promoting an understanding of the neurophysiology of addiction, so we can all be part of the solution.
Clinical Director
Anna Shuster is the clinical director at the Ellen O’Brien Gaiser Center. Anna oversees both inpatient and outpatient programs to ensure quality services and clinical interventions for individuals in treatment. Anna obtained her master’s degree in community mental health counseling and is a licensed professional counselor in Pennsylvania.
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She is also a certified advanced alcohol and drug counselor through the PA certification board. Anna has worked in the addictions field since 2004 and has held positions from residential aide to clinical director in several different programs. Anna started with the Gaiser Center as a counselor in the inpatient program in 2017 and became the clinical director in 2021. She chose this field to help empower others to make positive changes in their lives.
Fiscal Manager
Maria Slaugenhoup is the fiscal manager of the Ellen O’Brien Gaiser Center. Maria is responsible for the oversight of all accounting processes and ensures the integrity of all accounting records including SAGE accounting software, general ledger and financial statements.
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Maria is a member of the Ellen O’Brien Gaiser Center Finance Committee. She is a graduate of the Bradford School and Leadership Butler County class of 2011. Maria has devoted 24 years to supporting the mission of the Gaiser Center.
Executive Assistant
Ave Jack started her Gaiser career as executive assistant to the director in June 2015. She earned her bachelor’s degree in human resource management in 1998 and is a 2017 graduate of Leadership Butler County.
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While Ave primarily supports the executive director and Gaiser’s board of directors, she also coordinates Gaiser’s IT services and phone system and enjoys having a hand in the center’s marketing, branding, social media and web projects. Ave looks forward to many more years of fulfilling work at Gaiser.
RA Manager
Amy Morris is the recovery assistant manager at Gaiser. Amy graduated from Westminster College then obtained her Paralegal Certificate and worked for a Pittsburgh law firm for 11 years. After a hiatus from the workplace, she started at Gaiser in 2019 as a recovery assistant.
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Amy became a certified recovery specialist and was soon promoted to recovery assistant manager. Amy is proud to support the Gaiser mission to reduce the stigma associated with addiction.
Supervisor of Outpatient & Ancillary Programming
Alyssa Vorel is the clinical coordinator at the Ellen O’Brien Gaiser Center. Alyssa provides support to the inpatient and outpatient clinical departments on compliance and client programming needs. Alyssa has worked with individuals struggling with substance use disorders since 2011 in various positions and programs.
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She started at Gaiser’s outpatient program as an intern in September of 2015 and was hired in January of 2016 as a counselor aide. She has worked as an inpatient counselor with men and women since 2017 and became the clinical coordinator in 2022. Alyssa is passionate about addressing substance use issues along with traumas individuals have experienced throughout their lifetime.
Facilities Manager
Chet Garland is the facilities coordinator at the Ellen O’Brien Gaiser Center where he also oversees the culinary division. Chet obtained his associate’s degree in culinary arts and has been in the culinary field for more than 30 years.
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He is known for his southern American food mixed with French influence. Chet started at Gaiser in March of 2018 as the kitchen manager and was promoted to the facilities coordinator position in July of 2021.
Communication & Outreach Specialist
Brendan Stinson is the Communication and Outreach Specialist at the Ellen O’Brien Gaiser Addiction Center. Brendan earned a master’s degree in clinical psychology in 2019 and has experience working with adults, teenagers and families who have experienced the disease of addiction.
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As a long standing Gaiser team member Brendan understands the mission of Gaiser and shares his passion with others in the community we serve. He maintains great relationships with other agencies who share the same vision of getting those in need the help they deserve. With an excellent reputation in client centered approaches, Brendan takes that into his role with outreach. He takes pride in team work, community, and allowing clients the liberty to collaborate on what I best for them. Brendan is looking to further his work by broaching challenging subjects that can move Gaiser’s program and mission forward.
Billing Manager
Marci Gibson joined the Gaiser Center in 2016 as a billing specialist. She started working with authorizations when managed care was first introduced and from there moved to the billing side. Marci has more than 25 years of experience in billing and authorizations for both facilities and private practices.
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Marci maintains great relationships with her payors and has an excellent customer service reputation regarding processing client accounts.
Outpatient Clinical Lead
Casey Hoak is the outpatient clinical lead for Gaiser. After earning a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s degree in criminology, Casey began working as a counselor at Gaiser in June 2015. In 2018, she became a certified advanced alcohol and drug counselor and a certified clinical trauma professional..
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Growing both personally and professionally at Gaiser, Casey became Gaiser’s evaluation specialist supervisor in 2019 and progressed to outpatient clinical lead in 2021. Casey brings a focus on mindfulness and meditation techniques to her role to help individuals find healthy ways to self-regulate and cope with past experiences.
HR Manager
Kara Nastasi is the HR manager at the Ellen O’Brien Gaiser Center. Kara earned her master’s degree in organizational leadership from Robert Morris University. With 20 years of experience in management, training, and recruiting roles, Kara is dedicated to helping organizations grow by recruiting top talent, training employees, and retention.
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MKara enjoys helping to empower employees to grow in their employment to promote advancement in the organization. She encourages staff to embrace self-care and wellness so they can find balance in their lives both on the job and outside of work.
Nurse
Kathy Bollinger has been a registered nurse for more than 30 years and has a bachelor’s degree in psychology. She came to Gaiser in 2021 and is dedicated to helping clients achieve their recovery goals and become healthier individuals during their recovery journey.
Medical Coordinator
Kesia Jones serves as the Medical Coordinator for the Ellen O'Brien Gaiser Center. Kesia joined our Medical Team in May of 2022. She has over 30 years of medical experience which include Emergency Room and Medical/Health Education endeavors.
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Kesia works with our inpatient clients on their journey to recovery through education on healthier lifestyles, and assist them in reaching and maintaining their desired goals with the assist of a medical plan.
The Ellen O’Brien Gaiser Center board of directors is a dedicated group of community leaders committed to supporting individuals and families throughout their recovery journeys, simultaneously improving the health of the overall community.
President
President/CEO
Butler County Family YMCA
Vice President
Business Owner
Secretary
Business Owner
Reflections Hair Studio
Treasurer
Senior Financial Advisor
Bennett Associates Wealth Management
Lawyer
Business Owner
Chief Financial Officer
Austin Capital Bank
Owner
Eisler Landscapes
HR Director
Butler County Family YMCA
Executive Director of Communications & Marketing
Butler County Community College
Board Member Emeritus
Retired Judge
Retired
Business Analyst Specialist
BNY Mellon
Executive Director of Ancillary Services
Independence Health System
General Manager
Butler Eagle
Lead Analyst
BNY Mellon