Sam Cohen has been with Turnbridge in various roles over the last 8 years. He has served our clientele and staff as a Case Manager, Admissions Coordinator, and most recently as head of our Professional Development department. He brings a passion and unique drive for serving others as a man with 12+ years of experience in the behavioral health field. Sam is DARC and CAC certified as well as an RCP facilitator for over 60 hours of class training. He is also a Mental Health First Aid instructor and has trained countless staff members in multiple competencies over the last 3 years.
There was a time in Sam’s life, due to his own mental health and SUD struggles, that he could not envision himself being a “happy” adult. As a married man with 3 sons, a loving family, and strong friendships, he has found that fulfillment. Sam is able to articulate that 15-year journey in a way that helps young people break down their own barriers. As Director of our Adolescent Extended Care Program, he has assembled a team equipped to give the gift of recovery to our clients and their families.
We know that mental health and substance use disorders are diseases which affects the entire family. As the Family Liaison for Turnbridge families, Lauren offers support, caring guidance and education to parents and families as they negotiate the pathway to their own recovery. She believes that parents having their own recovery program is not only essential to their own health and well-being, but in turn aids in their sons’ or daughters’ recovery.
Much of the insight Lauren brings to the position of Family Liaison is from her personal experience as the mother of a son who has the disease of addiction. Lauren believes that much of her strength comes from involvement in recovery programs as well as in helping other parents build a program of recovery to find peace and serenity in their own lives. Lauren is a Licensed Master of Social Work. She earned her Masters Degree from the University of Pennsylvania, with a concentration in adolescent health care. She has worked with adolescents and their families throughout her career in hospital setting, child protection, judicial system, special education and social service development in NJ. Lauren currently facilitates a Caron Foundation support group for parents of addicted children in Northern NJ.
Kate Mezick received her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Minor in Psychology from Quinnipiac University. Kate has spent her career crafting exceptional skills in communication, empathy, and advocacy in the mental health field. She has over 8 years of diverse experience both clinically and with case management for clients of all ages throughout multiple levels of care.
Prior to joining the Turnbridge family, Kate was a Senior Counselor with an intensive in-home program working with adolescents and their families. This role primarily involved collaborating with outside providers and meeting with educational facilities to advocate for appropriate services needed. Kate has also maintained a Per Diem position as a Telephone Counselor for the Accessline since 2018. Accessline is a statewide program supporting individuals seeking treatment resources for substance use. Additional experience also includes working in an outpatient setting as an Art Therapy Mentor for youth and case management of Special Needs Trusts for adults and elders with disabilities. Outside of work Kate enjoys traveling, seeing live music, and playing in seasonal bowling and softball leagues.
Tammy Platt is a certified teacher in Special Education, Physical Education, and Health. Tammy has Bachelor of Science Degree in Kinesiology from the University of Rhode Island and completed graduate work at Southern Connecticut State University. Tammy has been in education for over fifteen years and has extensive experience in general and special education. Tammy has a broad range of experience outside academics including coaching youth and high school sports and founding the first Unified Sports Program in region 14.
Tammy oversees the academic and fitness programs at Turnbridge’s Adolescent Boys Residential Treatment Center. Tammy is a consistent, reliable, and compassionate professional who strives for excellence in everything she does. Tammy takes an active role in client’s academic lives and provides assistance and individualized attention to promote each student’s success. Tammy is a fierce advocate for her clients and has fostered a safe learning environment which allows clients to develop meaningful educational goals that are consistent with their personal interests, values, and abilities.
Tammy’s passion for fitness and unwavering commitment to helping youth build a healthy relationship with their mind and body led to the development of our fitness program. The fitness program provides clients with the foundational skills and knowledge needed to empower them to independently navigate any fitness center safely and effectively. Through fitness, clients build the self-confidence and self-efficacy needed to tackle life’s stressors while having fun and building a sense of camaraderie and community with their peers. Clients leave feeling mentally and physically stronger and confident in their ability to tackle the obstacles that lie ahead.
Outside of work, Tammy lives an active lifestyle. She loves spending time with family, sports, and long summer days.
In the role of Project Manager, Hiliary oversees cross-departmental initiatives that strengthen operational systems and elevate standards of care. She works closely with clinical, residential, and executive leadership to refine processes, support team development, and ensure that Turnbridge’s mission is carried out with structure, accountability, and consistency. Her work focuses on building strong frameworks of policy and procedure to ensure clients to receive safe, high-quality care.
Hiliary began her career in therapeutic and trauma-informed special education, where she developed a deep understanding of structured, relationship-based support for adolescents with complex emotional and behavioral needs. She earned her Master’s degree from Fairfield University and pursued additional specialized education and training within the Autism Spectrum Disorder community. Her clinical and educational foundation continues to inform her work, blending compassion with clear systems to support meaningful, lasting change.
Bill has over 15 years of professional experience in the field of mental healthcare, having made significant contributions as a direct-care clinician and administrator in multiple settings and levels of care. Bill is both nationally and internationally credentialed as a Drug and Alcohol Counselor and is a certified BLS & CPR trainer through the American Heart Association. Additionally, Bill’s personal experience in long-term recovery adds to his ability to combine professional expertise with a unique passion and motivation. This has afforded Bill the opportunity to help others achieve their own sustained recovery with approaches that are evidence-based, while respecting the unique needs of the individual.
In Bill’s current role as Vice President of Operations, he provides visionary leadership ensuring that the logistical systems of staffing, safety, and administrative and procedural reporting are in place and functioning effectively. Bill’s creative leadership has contributed to the growth of the organization through increased operational efficiency. Bill has an energetic style that, combined with respectful and constructive communication, has allowed him to increase the retention, ability, and capacity of his staff, which has directly led to improved outcomes for clients.
Beth is a certified interventionist with over 16 years of experience working in behavioral healthcare. She has dedicated her professional life to helping those who have been affected by mental health and substance use disorders. She is an energetic and passionate advocate for change who believes in the profound importance of early intervention.
As a person in long-term recovery, Beth relies heavily on her personal story to impart hope and inspire action in family members seeking support. Being on the front lines helping loved ones navigate the chaos of mental illness and addiction has been the most rewarding and challenging work of her life thus far. It has also cemented the gratitude she feels for the loved ones who fought for her many years ago when she was too sick to fight for herself.
Many moons ago, Beth attended Indiana University on a track and field/cross country running scholarship. She spent eight years working as a high-end real estate professional in New York City, where she collaborated with top marketing firms, architects and real-estate agencies.
Beth is an avid runner, a passionate dog-rescuer, and a loving wife and mother.
As Executive Director of Residential Services, Tom is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the residential curriculum in both the Men’s and Adolescent Extended Care programs of Turnbridge.
Tom earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Bentley College, and completed his Masters in Contemplative Psychotherapy from Naropa University in 2012. Tom held a private practice in Colorado, in which he maintained a clinical focus on trauma and substance use disorders. Tom’s career in the field of addiction treatment began in 2008, a transition that was motivated by his own journey in recovery and his passion for helping others recover.
In his spare time, Tom enjoys playing golf, practicing yoga and meditation, and is an avid handball player.
Tyler is a Licensed Professional Counselor Associate. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Fordham University and continued on to Fairfield University’s School of Education and Human Development, earning his Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Tyler has clinical experience working with the young adult population and has an appreciation for working specifically with college age adults, around helping them gain skills and tools to manage through the stressors to come to appreciate and thrive in this transition age range. He also has experience working in the substance use and recovery field, specializing both previously and currently in individual and group therapies. Through running therapy groups, Tyler believes in the knowledge and growth that his clients can gain through interaction, universality, and psychoeducation. In individual therapy, Tyler uses CBT, DBT, and solution-focused interventions to help his clients gain insight into their potential, increase their sense of self-worth, and build a healthy well-rounded lifestyle in recovery by gaining more self-awareness of personal hobbies and interests. Tyler also works with clients toward supporting them to develop and work toward achieving recovery, mental health, and life goals.
In his free time, Tyler likes to go camping, play the bass guitar, and play board games with his friends. He has been involved in the Boy Scouts of America for over 20 years, achieving the rank of Eagle Scout, and is currently the Assistant Scoutmaster of his town’s first all-girls unit of the program.
Lee Girion is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker specializing in trauma-informed, strengths-based individual and group therapy. In long-term recovery himself, Lee understands the importance of relearning one’s identity in sobriety and rediscovering what makes life worth living.
When providing psychoeducation in group settings, Lee prides himself on explaining “thewhy behind the what.” Not only is it important to offer useful tools with which to navigate life’s challenges, but it is important to explain how and why they work, and to deliver this information from multiple angles so as to accommodate a variety of learning styles. Furthermore, the environment must be nonjudgmental and engaging. To that end, Lee seeks to foster a safe and fun learning experience.
When working with individual clients, Lee combines elements of CBT, DBT, insight-oriented therapy, parts work, as well as other evidence based therapeutic modalities. He strives to make every client feel seen, heard, and appreciated for who they are. His mission is to subvert shame and stigma and to walk alongside clients on their journey to wholeness.
Lee earned his MSW from the University of Southern California and a BA in Music from University of California Los Angeles. He is a singer-songwriter and an avid hockey fan.
