DeLisa Duncan Russell, LSW, LPC-SC
Executive Director
DeLisa is a nationally recognized expert in trauma and trauma recovery. In a long career working with the military, the religious community and in private practice, she has extensive experience with complex addiction issues. She is a Texas licensed social worker and licensed professional counselor – supervisor.
DeLisa has developed nationally recognized programs that have been utilized by all branches of the Department of Defense. She has partnered with legislative staff on the state and national levels to address veterans’ issues and has partnered with individual and corporate donors to raise over $3 million for veteran causes.
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DeLisa Duncan Russell, LSW, LPC-S
Executive Director
Jason Z.W. Powers, MD, MAPP
Medical Director
A Texas native originally trained in family medicine, Dr. Powers’ personal experience facing addiction changed the course of his life. It led him to re-dedicate his career to helping people with addiction and their families. As a Diplomate of the American Board of Preventive Medicine, board certified in Addiction Medicine, he has worked passionately to help clients and their loved ones embrace the healing path of recovery for over 16 years.
Dr. Powers is on the editorial board of the Journal of Addiction and Preventive Medicine and served as a local expert for The Partnership at Drugfree.org. He is also the past president of the Texas chapter of the American Society of Addiction Medicine. Prior to joining The Right Step in 2006, he served as an assistant professor at Baylor College of Medicine. He received his medical degree from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center and also holds a Master of Applied Positive Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania. He is also the author of a comprehensive book about addiction, When the Servant Becomes the Master.
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Jason Z.W. Powers, MD, MAPP
Medical Director
Eled Shkurti, LCDC
Clinical Director
Eled is a licensed chemical dependency counselor who has been with The Right Step Houston since 2012. During this time, Eled has held a number of positions, including recovery advocate, recovery advocate coordinator and residential primary counselor. Eled’s specializations include Positive Recovery, cognitive behavioral approaches and addiction treatment. Eled is devoted to helping people overcome addiction and develop healthy selves, and finds it rewarding to be part of their journey.
Eled graduated from the University of Texas in Austin with a bachelor’s degree with honors in psychology and philosophy and is currently pursuing a Master of Social Work from the University of Texas at Arlington. Prior to joining The Right Step, Eled was a counselor in a day treatment program in Brooklyn, New York, as part of the Jewish Board of Family and Children Services, as well as a counselor at a methadone treatment program at the Metropolitan Hospital in Manhattan. Eled enjoys traveling and watching as much soccer as possible, as well as spending time with family.
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Eled Shkurti, LCDC
Clinical Director
Reanna DeGeorge, MA, LCDC
Alumni Coordinator
Reanna is passionate about recovery and helping people on the journey to reclaim their lives. As someone who is 13 years sober, she hopes to be an example of what can happen if people stay sober and live their lives to the fullest. She has worked at The Right Step Houston since 2013, serving in various capacities including detox counselor, admissions counselor, weekend counselor and aftercare case manager. She serves as a Positive Recovery Trainer and is responsible for training all the staff and clinicians on the Positive Recovery curriculum.
Reanna has a master’s degree in counseling from Liberty University. Currently she teaches a drug and alcohol certification program at a local college. Devoted to helping others, she spends much of her spare time volunteering at the shelter that helped her get sober. In her free time, she loves taking her 4-year-old on trips, swimming and learning new things together.
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Reanna DeGeorge, MA, LCDC
Alumni Coordinator
Our Dallas Team
Charles Fry, LCDC
Executive Director
Charles has worked in the field of chemical dependency since 2002. He began working at The Right Step in 2004 and has worked in all departments and in many different capacities for the DFW region. He has been a licensed chemical dependency counselor since 2009. Charles is married and has two children. When not at the office he spends the majority of his time with his family and the many extracurricular activities that his children take part in.
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Charles Fry, LCDC
Executive Director
Jennifer Hearn, M.Ed., LPC
Clinical Director
Jennifer is passionate about helping people find hope, reclaim their voices, and discover how they can use their strengths to find purpose and meaning in life. She is a licensed professional counselor who received her Masters of Education in counseling and human development from Hardin Simmons University. Her areas of expertise include addiction, mental health crisis and Narcan opioid overdose prevention training.
Prior to joining The Right Step, Jennifer worked in the nonprofit community mental health field for eight years. During this time, she worked with people struggling with dual diagnoses including substance use disorders and mental health issues such as depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. She loves spending her free time reading and playing with her daughter.
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Jennifer Hearn, M.Ed., LPC
Clinical Director
Diana Reyes, LCDC-I
Alumni Coordinator
Diana is a licensed chemical dependency counselor-intern who has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Walden University. She is inspired each day by the individuals who are willing to walk through the rough roads of vulnerability to embrace the changes that their recovery will bring. Her areas of specialization are trauma-informed care, mental health crisis intervention, addiction treatment, Narcan opioid overdose prevention training and early childhood intervention.
Prior to joining The Right Step, Diana worked for four years at a leading agency for community-based mental health services for young people and adults. There, she served as a qualified mental health provider and aftercare coordinator, responsible for residential therapy groups that focused on coping skills, anger management and relapse prevention. She also helped women in crisis get emergency care and addiction services. She is bilingual in Spanish. In her spare time, Diana enjoys spending time with her family doing outdoor activities, reading, and listening to audiobooks.
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Diana Reyes, LCDC-I
Alumni Coordinator
Our Hill Country Team
David E. Brown, Jr., LPC, LAC, LCMCH, LASUDC, DAPA
Executive Director
David brings more than 28 years of leadership experience to The Right Step. Prior to joining the team, he held positions as director of admissions, director of clinical services, director of outpatient services, regional operations officer, business/marketing liaison, interim CEO/COO and clinical services administrator for private psychiatric facilities. David has developed and managed psychiatric and substance abuse services for all levels of care including outpatient and residential treatment.
David’s earliest inspiration came from his father, a military psychologist, who demonstrated great compassion for helping people with mental illness and substance dependence. This led him to pursue undergraduate and graduate degrees in clinical psychology from Auburn University. He is also licensed as a professional counselor and addiction counselor. David enjoys eating foie gras and is a fan of Turner Classic Movies.
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David E. Brown, Jr., LPC, LAC, LCMCH, LASUDC, DAPA
Executive Director
Keith Sigmond Garcia, MD, PhD
Medical Director
Dr. Garcia is devoted to helping people change their lives for the better. He is board certified by ABPN in psychiatry and neurology and has worked in a wide variety of psychiatric settings. A native of Texas, Dr. Garcia attended Rice University and completed a combined MD/PhD program at The University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston. He pursued residency training in psychiatry at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, where he remained as faculty until 2010. He relocated to Austin to continue his academic career with the Dell Medical School and Seton Family of Hospitals.
Dr. Garcia has cared for patients with co-occurring substance abuse and psychiatric conditions across the spectrum of treatment settings including inpatient, outpatient and partial hospitalization programs. In 2017, he left academics to start his own practice and has been the medical director for The Right Step Hill Country since then. He has published over 20 articles and chapters across a wide range of topics and has provided mentorship to numerous resident psychiatrists and students. In his spare time, he relaxes by playing guitar and spending time with his family.
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Keith Sigmond Garcia, MD, PhD
Medical Director
Caren Echols, LCSW
Clinical Director
Caren revels in the opportunity to help people turn their lives around. She believes everyone deserves the opportunity to fulfill their potential and develop the tools to change their narrative. She is a licensed clinical social worker with a Master of Social Work from Our Lady of Lake University. She also has a bachelor’s degree in human development and family studies with a specialization in addiction studies from Texas Tech University. She specializes in cognitive behavioral therapy and prolonged exposure therapy.
Prior to joining The Right Step, Caren was the director of clinical services for a psychiatric facility. She has served as a director of social work for a hospital that included a military trauma program as well as mental health, detox and rehab services for adults. She also worked as administrator of outpatient services for adult and adolescent outpatient services, in the foster care system, and with chronically homeless suffering from substance use disorders and mental health issues. In her spare time, Caren rescues Pit Bulls and enjoys reading, going to the beach and cheering college football.
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Caren Echols, LCSW
Clinical Director
Ashley Calaway
Admissions Manager
Ashley offers compassion and support when she connects with people at the most vulnerable time of their lives. They have reached a low point and need help, and she guides them toward recovery. As a member of the Promises Behavioral Health family since 2015, she has a deep knowledge and understanding about mental health and substance abuse.
Prior to her work in the behavioral health field, she held jobs in customer service and insurance, all of which provided the foundation for her work in admissions. Ashley loves having a career that allows her to truly help others. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her children, family and friends.
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