This is a  staff list for Pathway Family Center in Indianapolis, IN  (Formerly of Porter, IN, Milford, OH, and Detroit, MI)

ALL LOCATIONS REPORTEDLY CLOSED!!

(we are working to acquire the complete records for ALL years)

 

We advise current and/or former staff to report abuses you witnessed while working at Pathway Family Center.  For information on your rights and how to take action, visit www.heal-online.org/blowthewhistle.htm.  If you were fired or forced to resign because you opposed any illegal and unethical practices at Pathway Family Center, you have the right to take action. 

 

If you are a victim (family or survivor) of  Pathway Family Center, please contact angela@heal-online.org if you remember the long-term employees and from which years.  This will help!   Also, if you recognize any of these staff as having worked at another program, please send in any information about their past or present employment at other facilities and/or cults. 

 

Please don’t place your loved one in Pathway Family Center and rescue them if they are there now. 

 

Name

Unit/Position

 Additional Information
Terri Nissley Founder/Director/CEO ALL LOCATIONS--Terri Nissley was a Straight, Inc. parent who wanted to keep the abusive program going after it was shut down by authorities.  So, she opened a "new" program called Pathway Family Center using the Straight, Inc. psychological torture and brainwashing cult model.  Nissley is also the Treasurer for Toughlove International.  Here is the website for Toughlove International: http://www.4troubledteens.com/toughlove.html (or www.toughlove.org.au--link works , www.toughlove.org--no longer appears active).  It is sponsored by CRC Health Group.  Toughlove International was founded in 1979 by Phyllis and David York from Pennsylvania.  The website is also sponsored by Aspen Education Group (CRC Bought AEG out), still the same.  In addition, Nissley and her husband Ken operate Kenter (KenTer a.k.a. Ken and Terri) Homes, a real estate "business" in Indiana.  They have a history of scamming people with Multi-Level-Marketing schemes including Amway. 
Helen Gowanny Program Director Gowanny was also a director for Straight, Inc.
Kathy Row VP of Clinical Services  
Victoria Winebarger Senior Therapist  
Barbara Towner Spokesperson  
Betsy Hickman Chief Operating Officer  
Daniel Franz Counselor  
Joyce Bryant Fundraising  
(Dr.) Mark Menestrina Medical Director  
Rachael Noble Community Liaison  
(Dr.) Loretta Kroin Psychologist  
Laurie Frankie-Polz Community Liaison  
Patricia Ehlurt Admissions Coordinator  
(Dr.) Mark Soverinsky Program Psychiatrist  
(Dr.) Richard Heyman Pediatrician Heyman also worked for Straight, Inc., Kids Helping Kids (prior to Pathway), as well as Pathway Family Center.
Sally Jo Levy Soverisnky Executive  
Becky Struck NO TITLE  
Kelly Vance NO TITLE  
Jeanine Hanna NO TITLE  
Tisha Guthrie NO TITLE  
Barb Morgan Admin. Asst.  
Ronda Fields NO TITLE  
Jacqueline Hamdi NO TITLE  
Anoah Eeberhardt NO TITLE  
Cindy Ellis NO TITLE  
Shaun Cutrell NO TITLE  
Andrea Porter NO TITLE  
Curtis Trent Therapist  
Kyle Rumple Peer Staff  
Linda Pope NO TITLE Pope was also the director of Kidscope (another Straight, Inc. spin-off in Ohio).
Josh Kushnereit BOD Kushnereit is a program "graduate". 
Brad Cairns Peer Staff  
Lindsay Wondero Community Liaison  
Summer Deepe Community Liaison  
Chad Peele Peer Staff  
Flora Wilsker Community Liaison  
Carol Lahke Event Specialist  
Penny Walker Vice President/Former Director of Kids Helping Kids Kids Helping Kids--OH Location--Kids Helping Kids tortured teenagers and defrauded families for over a decade.  Pathway Family Center acquired Kids Helping Kids and decided to keep Penny Walker, a known child torturer, on as Vice President of Pathway Family Center.  Kids Helping Kids (KHK) was also based on the Straight, Inc. model.
George R. Ross Founder Former Executive of Straight, Inc. (confirmedly torturous program closed in the 1990s for child abuse, rape, and torture). 

1980 – 1981 Founding Director of  L.I.F.E., INC., Drug Abuse Center, Sarasota, Florida
1981 Founding Director of KIDS HELPING KIDS, Drug Abuse Center, Hebron, Kentucky
1983 - 1992 Founding Director of POSSIBILITIES UNLIMITED INC., Drug Abuse Center, Lexington, Kentucky
Kevin Beatty Director At different times for both the Porter (never opened/operational) and Milford (KHK) locations.
Dana Jackson Receptionist/Intake  
Troy Spitzmueller Assessment/Peer Staff Spitzmueller went on to NorthKey (confirmedly abusive).
(Dr.) Marlene Schmidt Psychiatrist Schmidt as well as the other medical/mental health professionals on this list should have their licenses revoked as well as be banned from working with youth again.
Monica Mertens Director Mertens now works for the Transitions cult.
Cathy Leahy  Board Member, President OH Location--Leahy Consulting
John Williams Board Member, Secretary VP of 53 Investment Advisors
Thomas L. Plautt Board Member, Treasurer Partner at Deloitte & Touche
Michael J.Laatsch Board Member VP of Corporate Communication for Western and Southern Financial Group
Chris Compton Board Member Asst.Treasurer, Chiquita Brands International Inc.
Gregory Gibbons Board Member Sr.VP of Corporate Banking at National City Bank
Richard Heyman Board Member Pediatrician*
Ryan Levin Board Member VP of Caesar Creek & Turtle Creek
Beth Levy Board Member There is no other information on this person at this time.*
Steve Lowisz Board Member Also on Michigan board and with Qualigence, Inc.
Mark D.Lutz Board Member Vice Principal of Milford High School.
Dale Schaefer Board Member Clinical Technologies, Inc.
Timothy Theissen Board Member Attorney with Strauss-Troy
Jim Willman Board Member VP of Central Bank & Trust of Northern Kentucky
Randy Young Board Member R. Young & Associates
Don Allen Board Member Indianapolis Location--VP of Mortgage Lending at Union Savings Bank.
Ray Compton Board Member CEO of Compton Strategies
Ryan P. Moe Medical Staff  
John Delaney Board Member Executive VP of Innovative Medical Management
Robert Dorman Board Member Investment Advisor, Dorman Benefit Consultants
Kimberley Graham Lee Board Member Hufford Financial Advisors
Chris Malott Board Member Youth Pastor, Middle School Ministries, Zionsville Presbyterian Church,
Chris Norwood Board Member Chief Investment Officer for Thunderbird Management, Inc.
Sean O'Connor Board Member Psychiatrist
Tim O'Donnell Board Member Director of Trading for Charles Schwab & Co.
Randy Schalburg Board Member Law Enforcement Officer/Special Investigation Drug Unit.
Mark Sherman Board Member Benefit Consultants Inc.
Kevin J. Garvey Board Member There is no other information available on the board or staff at this time.*
Joseph Brown Board Member Chesterton/Chicagoland/Porter Location--BP Products NA, Whiting Refinery, Procurement Mgr.
Julie Brown Intake/"Assessment"  
     
     
     
Frances Firestone Masterman Board Member Firestone International Associates, Inc.--Consultant
Karen Fischer Board Member St. Margaret Mercy Healthcare Center--Staff
Michelle Green Board Member Also with Allied Therapeutic
Jerry Kirby Board Member Guidance Counselor (referrer) for Valparaiso High School
Heather Harrigan Board Member Century 21 Executive Group, Director
Michael Prendergast Board Member FBI-Special Agent
Mann Spitler Board Member Retired Podiatrist
Robert Taylor Board Member Porter County Prosecutors Office
Greg Wilson Board Member Principal of Memorial Elementary School
Theresa Valade Board Member The Growth Coach--a professional coaching enterprise.--Affiliated with the Coach Training Alliance.    David Herdlinger, of the Coach Training Alliance has been in trouble for fraud before.  "David Herdlinger, a former Arkansas prosecutor and judge, pleaded guilty to mail fraud in 1986, having accepted bribes to waive charges..."  Herdlinger reportedly plead guilty and was later pardoned for the offense.  A pardon is the forgiveness of the crime by higher authorities.
Ken Williams Board Member FC Tucker Commercial Northwest--Realtor and Commercial Consultant
Troy J. Williams Board Member Law Enforcement Officer--Portage
Scott Adler Board Member Michigan Location--Partner, Insight Strategies.
Gerry Dzuiblinski Board Member There is no other information on this person at this time.*
Kenneth Nissley Director Michigan-Detroit Location of Pathway Family Center.  Nissley is Terri's husband.
Elizabeth (Beth) Bunn Chief Clinical Officer  
Jeni Nissley (other last names include Connor and Leonard) Peer Staff Untrained/uneducated youth in control of "newcomers" to the cult.
Rollie Harmes Board Member Owner, Harmes Consulting, Inc.
Stacey Klett Board Member Univ. of MI Health System
Steve Lowisz Board Member Qualigence, Inc.
Kathy Mechigian Board Member There is no other information on this person at this time.*
John Singleton Board Member Daimler Chrysler Corporation
Josh Kushnereit Board Member Regional Sales Manager, American Insurance
Mark Merlanti Board Member There is no other information on this person at this time.*
OTHER OTHER INDIANAPOLIS -- Indiana Attorney General Steve Carter has taken legal action against an Indianapolis area professional fund-raiser for allegedly violating the state's Deceptive Consumer Sales Act (DCSA) and failing to meet other state fund-raising filing requirements.
 
The suit was filed in Hamilton County Superior Court.

Carter said Phipps & Associates, and Indiana Outreach/Phipps, Inc., used "outright fabrications" while canvassing for donations.
 
Phipps has engaged in campaigns for the Association of Indiana State Troopers, VFW Department of Indiana, National Vietnam Veterans Foundation, Inc., Pathway Family Center, and United Care USA.
 

About 20 consumer complaints have been filed with the attorney general's office against the Phipps group, Carter said.
 

Some of the allegations include mailing consumers a written pledge confirmation when the consumers never agreed to donate; telling consumers they donated to the charity in question sometime in the past when they never did; and posing as an officer or employee of the Indiana State Police while conducting campaigns on behalf of the Association of Indiana State Troopers.
 

Enforcing fund-raising laws is important, because consumers can't always distinguish between a charity and the fund-raising company hired to help it, Carter said. The laws help ensure that the charities don't get tarnished, he said.
 

Information about professional fund-raising campaigns are posted on the Indiana Attorney General's Web site.
 
 
Source: http://www.theindychannel.com/call6/3731009/detail.html
*(Pathway Family Center, like many other programs in this industry, keeps a "tight lid" on any specific information regarding their staff, qualifications, and practices.  Please contact us with the names of any staff of which you have firsthand knowledge or experience.  Thank you for your help.)

 

 Last Updated: May 27th, 2010

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