Meet the Team | Addiction Intervention Specialists

We know all the hurdles and pitfalls of reaching recovery, so we're able to effectively develop an integrative business plan that includes diverse options for patients suffering from addiction.

Douglas M. Leech

Founder and CEO

Douglas M. Leech

Founder and CEO

Mr. Leech has a B.S. degree in Accounting from Pennsylvania State University and worked at Ernst & Young in Pittsburgh before returning to Morgantown, West Virginia and founding Ascension RS. Through his own struggles with addiction and subsequent recovery, Mr. Leech developed a passion for helping those suffering from the disease of addiction and set out to increase access to substance use disorder (SUD) treatment across West Virginia and the country. Ascension RS is the national leader for developing comprehensive behavioral health systems that provide the highest quality clinical care with a sustainable business model. Over the past 12 months, Ascension RS has opened programs in 16 states, created 154 jobs, and written and received $7.72M in grant funding for small start-up programs.

Mr. Leech also founded West Virginia Sober Living (WVSL), a self-sustaining 501(c)(3) non-profit, operating recovery residences, job creation and reintegration programming, and a network of peer recovery coaches providing broad community support for SUD throughout West Virginia.

Charm Lea

Vice President of Human Resources

Charm Lea

Vice President of Human Resources

Ms. Lea serves as the Vice President of Human Resources and has over 20 years’ experience in human capital management with a strong focus and commitment to organizational culture, strategic leadership, and talent development. She has a bachelor's degree in Labor and Industrial Relations from The Pennsylvania State University.

Her career has focused on building and growing HR teams in various healthcare organizations, including specialty pharmacy, inpatient & outpatient healthcare, and urgent care & occupational medicine. She also served in the United States Air Force, where she worked as a Mental Health Alcohol Rehabilitation Technician.

Brandon George

Director of Consulting Services

Brandon George

Director of Consulting Services

Prior to joining Ascension RS, Brandon served as the Vice President for Recovery and Advocacy Programs for Mental Health America Indiana and the Director of Indiana Addiction Issues Coalition, which advocates for recovery through public policy and education. Brandon has consulted throughout the country on both policy and recovery infrastructure. His effort around increasing access to medications for opioid use disorder has been acknowledged widely having contributed to Johns Hopkins School of Public Health’s publication on this topic and Georgetown Law O’Neill Institute’s toolkit on MOUD in corrections.

Brandon has been a consultant for SAMHSA’s Opioid Response Network, the Bureau of Justice Assistance, and is a contributor to Harvard’s Law Blog. He served as a trusted advisor to the National Judicial Opioid Task Force, on the leader’s council for Legal Services Corporation (LSC) and worked with the White House for the Office of National Drug Control Policy to create model law. Brandon graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Addictions Counseling from Indiana Weslyn University and lives in Noblesville, Indiana with his family.

In 2023, Brandon received the Sagamore of the Wabash award which is one of the highest honors in the State of Indiana given by the Governor. The title is awarded to those who have made a significant impact to Indiana life: Past recipients have included astronauts (Gus Grissom), athletes (Michael Brinegar, Ray LeBlanc), comedians (David Letterman), musicians (Willie Nelson), and president (George H. W. Bush).

Lauren DeWitt

Business Development Manager

Lauren DeWitt

Business Development Manager

Lauren leads Ascension RS’s marketing and outreach efforts and supports program development. Lauren attended Pennsylvania State University for her undergraduate studies and majored in Bio-Behavioral Health. Lauren has an extensive background in finance, marketing, and business development for both for-profit and non-profit organizations, domestically and internationally.

Morgan Henson

Senior Director

Morgan Henson

Senior Director

Morgan directs Ascension RS program development projects from planning to the grand opening, ensuring that all expectations are met and that the project is completed on time and on budget. Morgan has led development teams on the successful opening of behavioral health centers across the country. Her experience working directly in various aspects of development, operations, management, and quality control enables her to effectively keep all stakeholders informed and aligned throughout the development process. Some of her past experience includes leading efforts across various aspects of development, such as market research, developing business plans, creating policies and procedures, accreditation in cooperation with The Joint Commission and the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF), fundraising, marketing and outreach.

Kathryn Sullivan

Director, Compliance and Operational Excellence

Kathryn Sullivan

Director Compliance and Operational Excellence

Bio Coming Soon

Sharon Leech

Office Manager

Sharon Leech

Office Manager

Sharon is a long-time resident of West Virginia and earned a master’s degree in education from WVU. In addition, she is a licensed WV real estate agent. Sharon is the office manager at Ascension RS and offers administrative support for the Program Development and Program Management teams, including handling company real estate needs nationwide. She has worked on a variety of fundraising events in Morgantown, but she most enjoys supporting the wonderful residents of West Virginia Sober Living.

Angela Kudurogianis

Human Resources Manager

Angela Kudurogianis

Human Resources Manager

Angela Kudurogianis is Ascension RS’ Human Resources Manager coordinating administrative activities related to personnel. Angela has been an employee of the company for almost 4 years. She has previously held positions related to business management, behavioral health, and workplace accommodations. She is a lifelong resident of West Virginia and graduated with an undergraduate degree from West Virginia University in Psychology. Additionally, Angela works in real estate as a licensed salesperson and general contractor. Outside of sales, she works on purchasing and managing investment properties. Angela enjoys spending time with her dog, camping, traveling, live music, getting involved in the community, and advocating for people in recovery.

Joey Ferguson

Director of Business Development and Patient Access

Joey Ferguson

Director of Business Development and Patient Access

Joey started his professional addiction career by helping to develop and launch a mindfulness-based treatment center called Jacobs Ladder, which is featured in Netflix documentary “Recovery Boys.” Joey has traveled both internationally and locally to participate in screenings and community discussions on substance use disorder and treatment. Joey helped develop the collegiate recovery at West Virginia University where he served as a graduate assistant in their program. He helped WVU Medicine develop a detox and residential treatment center called the Center for Hope and Healing, which is open and operational in Morgantown, WV. During his time at WVU, Joey spoke for the Mark Wahlberg Youth Foundation and various other organizations. Joey has work experience with nationally-renowned treatment programs and serves individuals needing treatment on the front lines.

Chris Watras, LCSW, LSATP, MAC

Manager, Consulting Services

Chris Watras, LCSW, LSATP, MAC

Manager, Consulting Services

Chris is a Manager of Consulting Services for Ascension RS. He is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Master Addiction Counselor with over 20 years’ experience working in human services. Prior to working with Ascension RS, Chris lived in Washington State where he developed and implemented the addiction medicine program for the largest federally qualified health center in the country.

In recent years, Chris’ work has been featured on NBC News Left Field and the Seattle Times for advocating better access to substance use disorder treatment. Chris was the 2020 Helping Us Help You award recipient from the Northwest Regional Primary Care Association for his work in developing the Responding to the Opioid Epidemic Conference and Healthcare Provider & Staff Resiliency During Covid 19 webinar series in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington State.

Chris currently resides with his wife and daughter in Richmond, Virginia where he focuses on project management for Ascension RS.

Kevin Massie, MBA

Manager, Financial Analysis

Kevin Massie, MBA

Manager, Financial Analysis

Kevin is the Financial Analysis Manager at Ascension Recovery Services and is responsible for developing detailed financial models and analyzing data for the Program Development and Program Management teams. Kevin earned his bachelor’s degree in economics from Marshall University and his master’s degree in business administration from Morehead State University. In his free time, he enjoys traveling, being outdoors, and visiting with family and friends.

Jennifer Lapshin

Controller

Jennifer Lapshin

Controller

Jennifer joined Ascension RS in October 2021 as the Accounting Manager. Prior to joining ARS, Jennifer worked in public accounting and earned her Certified Public Accountant certification. She recently moved back to Columbus, Ohio where she graduated from OSU in 2015.

Lauren Warr

Senior Staff Accountant

Lauren Warr

Senior Staff Accountant

Lauren was hired in 2020 as a staff accountant and was later promoted to senior accountant. She went to Fairmont State University and received a degree in Accounting and a degree in Business Administration. In her role as senior staff accountant, she currently analyzes and prepares financials, payroll, and oversees the company's junior staff accountant. Despite this being her first job upon completion of my degree, she has been at Ascension the longest out of our accounting department

Jessica Gliesman

Human Capital Consultant

Jessica Gliesman

Human Capital Consultant

Jessica Gliesman serves as the Human Capital Consultant at Ascension Recovery Services, bringing over 18 years of experience in Human Resources, Strategy, and Implementation. With a bachelor's degree in Business Management and a focus on the healthcare industry, she has established herself as a trusted partner in providing strategic advice and driving positive organizational change.

Throughout her career, Jessica has earned a strong reputation for leveraging human capital to foster growth. Jessica is recognized for her ability to empower leaders, enabling them to unlock their full potential. Her passion for problem-solving, coupled with a natural talent for finding innovative solutions, consistently delivers substantial value to every organization she collaborates with, generating revenue and cultivating success.

Jodi Link

Consultant

Jodi Link

Consultant

Jodi Link serves as a consultant for Ascension RS with both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in social work and a minor in addiction studies. Jodi brings a whole-system approach to addiction treatment development and implementation. She is most passionate about eliminating barriers to accessing quality and compassionate care within diverse communities. After interning at Ascension RS for a year during her graduate studies, Jodi has further refined her ability to identify and understand community needs. This paired with her solutions-focused thinking makes her a great partner to work with on projects to deliver sustainable results and positive change.

Grant Geiss

Sr. Finance & Accounting Consultant

Grant Geiss

Sr. Finance & Accounting Consultant

Grant joined Ascension RS in July 2023 as the Senior Finance & Accounting Consultant. In this role, Grant partners with client leadership to formulate budgets, develop financial plans, and monitor financial performance. He creates in-depth analyses of business performance and economic drivers to assist clients in all finance and accounting functional aspects of establishing or enhancing their operations.

Grant received his BS from Indiana University-Bloomington where he studied Business and Public Financial Management. Before joining ARS, Grant worked 11+ years in the public sector, where he held financial leadership roles with the City of Indianapolis, and most recently with the State of Indiana where he received a Distinguished Hoosier award from the Office of the Governor. Grant has experience in developing and adjusting short and long-term financial objectives, producing pro forma statements and fiscal forecasts, and serving as a strategic partner with executive management to implement business solutions.

Grant lives in Indianapolis with his wife and their two cats and dog. He enjoys traveling, exercising, and volunteering throughout the recovery community.