Our Staff
Foundations

Steve Manko - Founder.
Steve Manko's personal journey of recovery is the story of one man's belief in the American dream. The dream that one can come back from the destruction of chemical dependency and build a life that makes a difference. Steve has plenty of what it takes - courage, determination, and especially concern for others.

His story is a voyage from business and personal success at the highest levels of society to one of self-destruction and the depths of addiction. One morning he awakened to the reality that he had lost everything. That he was, in fact, powerless. This was a very bitter pill for Steve to swallow.

After a search for reputable treatment centers, he selected South Florida and the Hanley-Hazleden Center, recognizing Hazelden as the great pioneer in the field. Here he received the help he needed and slowly began to reclaim his life and his dignity. After obtaining sobriety, Steve decided not to return home but rather to remain in Florida where his sober support system was.

It didn't take long for him to recognize what he wanted to do with the rest of his life. Steve began to reach out to others with his personal story as well as with his dream and model of recovery. Now, 20 years later, 30 rehabilitation facilities exist in this area as the result of this vision and passion.

His programs embrace people at every level of recovery and in every socio-economic parallel with an unprecedented success rate. The synergetic effects of Steve's efforts in South Florida have resulted in this area becoming the largest recovery community in the World.

Recently Steve won a major case in Federal Court for discrimination against disabled persons; the millions of addicts and alcoholics, both in an out of recovery, that suffer from this life destructive disease. This epidemic in America has untold costs. It took 5 years and millions of dollars plus the emotional and financial drain on Steve and his family. As a result of his commitment to stay the fight, Federal law now protects the rights of recovering men and women in new ways. They can no longer be treated as outcasts but rather can live anywhere within the very communities they are becoming contributing members of. This legal victory is, perhaps, the greatest legacy of the man we call Steve Manko..

Adam Saslov, MA, LMHC, Executive Director
Mr. Saslov is the Executive Director of The Boca House, Awakening for Women and Foundations. He came to Boca House after gaining great experience working in the country's top dual diagnosis treatment center. There he worked for eight years and became the Clinical Director and acting Executive director. His specialties include anger management trainings, REBT and CBT trainings and lectures, Personality Disorder lectures and Dual Diagnosis lectures and trainings. Adam has guess spoke at Florida Atlantic University to students seeking Masters Degrees in Mental Health Counseling. Adam also has had many years of facilitating family therapy and has taught and facilitated family lectures and weekend seminars. Adam has developed outpatient programs for chemical dependency programs and worked as a therapist for local treatment programs. He received his BA in Psychology from the University of Central Florida in 1993 and his MA in Mental Health Counseling from Webster University in 1997. Adam is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and a registered supervisor for interns seeking licensure in the State of Florida.

Adam began working for Florida Hospital and Charter Hospital, out of Orlando Florida, in the early 1990’s. At Charter Hospital Adam was in charge of The Clinical Outcome Monitoring System and helped track outcome studies of clients completing treatment and remaining compliant with medications and sobriety. He also became an assistant to the Social Workers and Therapist and was trained to facilitate group therapy with adolescents and adults. He then completed his BA in Psychology and became the Social Service Director of a local Nursing Home that specialized in the care of Dementia patients. While working there he obtained his Masters in Mental Health Counseling. Adam completed his practicum back at Charter Hospital facilitating group therapy.

In 1997 Adam completed his Masters and became the Director of the evening outpatient program at National Recovery Institute in Boca Raton Florida. There he was able to develop the program for clients with chemical dependency issues who relocated locally and were residing in local halfway houses. From there he began working for Fair Oaks Hospital and was able to help develop the same program for their organization. Adam then took a position at St. Mary’s Hospital as a primary therapist until he began working for The Wellness Resource Center. Adam worked there for eight years. There he became licensed and learned his specialties. Adam has been in private practice since 2000 and specializes in Mood Disorders, Chemical Dependency Issues, Dual Diagnosis, Personality Disorders and clients that come from means and prominence.  

Jennifer Schickling, BA, Director of Awakenings Ms. Schickling received a BA from Penn State, is currently pursuing her masters in social work, and has 8 years of continuous sobriety.

Tim Andrews, MSW Registered Licensed Intern
Tim Andrews is a MSW and is currently a registered intern for his License in Clinical Social Work and is also working on becoming a Certified Sexual Addiction Therapist. Tim has had the opportunity to train at the renowned facility in Tennessee called Onsite. There he participated and trained in Experiential Therapy and continues to practice today. This form of therapy has become his passion and he has watched many clients benefit. Tim brings over 12 years of experience in the field of addiction and has come to us after working at Wellness Resource Center, one of the top Dual Diagnosis facilities in the country. There he started as a primary therapist where he was an intricate part of the clinical treatment team. He facilitated process and didactic groups, did individual therapy to help clients attain their goals, taught and lectured on the newest breakthroughs in the field of addiction and co-lead process groups. Tim soon became the Director of Family Services. In this role he was in charge of family weekends, taught and facilitated experiential groups and lectures, provided family interventions, family counseling and updated referral sources with the outcomes of the clients’ progress.

Carlo DiCarlantonio, Admissions Director Carlo is a Boca House graduate and has been working at the facility for over 5 years.

Anthony Sulinski, Manager Boca House Anthony is a graduate of Boca House and has been working at the facility for 5 years.

Joe Sparks, Operations Manager Boca House Joe is a Boca House graduate and has been working at the facility for 4 years.

Carolina Sepulveda, MHT, Evening Manager of Awakenings.
Ms. Sepulveda has 15 years of continuous sobriety and 15 years experience working within Boca Raton area treatment centers and halfway houses. She has been affiliated with Boca House and Awakenings since 2003.

Christine DeCamille, Awakenings Staff
Christine is a Awakenings resident and has one year in recovery.

David Legnini, Accounting
David is a Boca House graduate and has been working at the facility for 13 years.
 
Frank Hendricks, Maintenance Supervisor
Frank is a Boca House graduate and has been working at the facility for 11 years.
 
Eric Denzler, Office Staff
Eric is a Boca House graduate and has been working at the facility for 3 years.

Professional Affiliates:

Vinny Richards, BA
Mr. Richards has a Bachelors Degree in Psychology and 15 years of experience working in the field of addition, specializing in Motivational Groups and Lectures on Relapse Prevention. Vinny has been affiliated with Boca House for 5 years and recently celebrated 21 years clean and sober in a 12 Step Recovery Program.
 
Tommy McGee
Originally from Dallas, Texas where Mr. McGee served as an associate minister in the Egypt Chapel Baptist Church for 5 years. He moved toFlorida 10 years ago and celebrated 10 years of sobriety on July 24, and has worked in the field of addiction for 9 1/2years; 6 years as a behavioral health tech, 2 years as a Intensive Case manager, and 1 1/2 years as a primary therapist at the Wellness Resource Center. Currently he is employed with the Seminole Tribe of Florida as an After Care Counselor. Tommy also attend Palm Beach Atlantic College where he is scheduled to obtain a Bachelor of Arts degree in Ministry and with plans to continue in their Masters of Science program in Counseling Psychology: Mental Health Track.

Dr. Barry M. Gregory, M.Ed. Ed.D. LMHC NCC
Dr. Gregory is the Executive Director of the National Addictions Training Institute and the South Florida Center for Cognitive-Behavior Therapy. He is a State of Florida Licensed Mental Health Counselor and a National Board Certified Counselor. He maintains a national training, consulting, and counseling practice in Boynton Beach, Florida. Dr. Gregory is best known for his interactive evidence-based cognitive-behavior therapy training workshops and expertise in using cognitive-behavior therapy to help individuals and families. His published doctoral dissertation tested the efficacy of using brief motivational and cognitive-behavioral skills building strategies with student athletes to reduce high-risk drinking and behaviors. He has served as a faculty member in counselor education, an assistant director and researcher at a university counseling center, and as an associate dean at a private university. He has presented his research findings at national conferences, published white papers, authored two early intervention manuals for college students and served on community and state coalitions. Recently, Dr. Gregory appeared in an MSNBC documentary on college high-risk drinking.