This is a  staff list for Sandy Pines in Tequesta, FL

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

 

We advise current and/or former staff to report any abuses you may have witnessed while working at Sandy Pines.  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/or unethical practices at Sandy Pines, you have the right to take action. 

 

If you were harmed (family or survivor) by Sandy Pines, please contact [email protected] 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.

 

 

HEAL is currently investigating Sandy Pines.

 

Name

Unit/Position

Additional Information
John McCarthy Chief Executive Officer Too many “John McCarthy’s” in FL to determine licensure without middle initial.  Source: http://ww2.doh.state.fl.us/IRM00PRAES/PRASLIST.ASP#theBottom
Mike Anthony Chief Fiscal Officer Anthony holds no mental health licenses in FL.  Source: http://ww2.doh.state.fl.us/IRM00PRAES/PRASLIST.ASP#theBottom
John Bulderbergs Dietary Director Bulderbergs does not appear to be a licensed dietitian.  Source: http://ww2.doh.state.fl.us/IRM00PRAES/PRASLIST.ASP#theBottom
Tammara Cook Risk Manager Cook is a licensed practical nurse only and has held the license since 2005.   Source: http://ww2.doh.state.fl.us/IRM00PRAES/PRASLIST.ASP#theBottom
Sonya Corley Patient Scheduling Corley is not a licensed mental health professional. Source: http://ww2.doh.state.fl.us/IRM00PRAES/PRASLIST.ASP#theBottom
Suzanne Drawdy Executive Assistant Drawdy is not a licensed mental health professional.  Source: http://ww2.doh.state.fl.us/IRM00PRAES/PRASLIST.ASP#theBottom
Heather Drye Medical Records Director Drye is not a licensed mental health provider.  She is not a licensed health professional.  And, it is inappropriate for an unlicensed individual to be in charge of medical records.   Source: http://ww2.doh.state.fl.us/IRM00PRAES/PRASLIST.ASP#theBottom
James Foreman Plant Operations Director Foreman is not a licensed mental health nor health professional.  Depending on duties as plant operations director, this may be an issue.  Source: http://ww2.doh.state.fl.us/IRM00PRAES/PRASLIST.ASP#theBottom
Louise Forsythe Payroll/AP Forsythe is not a licensed mental health/health professional.  But, payroll/accounting is not something where this would be expected.  Source: http://ww2.doh.state.fl.us/IRM00PRAES/PRASLIST.ASP#theBottom
Gary McKinon Staffing Coordinator McKinon is not a licensed mental health/health professional. Source: http://ww2.doh.state.fl.us/IRM00PRAES/PRASLIST.ASP#theBottom
Petrea Moriarty Utilization Director Moriarty is a licensed registered nurse.  Source: http://ww2.doh.state.fl.us/IRM00PRAES/PRASLIST.ASP#theBottom
Teresa Rynard Receptionist Rynard is not a licensed mental health/health professional.  But, reception is not something where this would be expected.  Source: http://ww2.doh.state.fl.us/IRM00PRAES/PRASLIST.ASP#theBottom
Rhonda Smith Utilization Coordinator Rhonda Ann Smith (may be a different person) is a licensed mental health counselor and has been since May, 2002.  Source: http://ww2.doh.state.fl.us/IRM00PRAES/PRASLIST.ASP#theBottom
Beatriz Hadley Director of Business Development Hadley is not a licensed mental health/health professional.  Source: http://ww2.doh.state.fl.us/IRM00PRAES/PRASLIST.ASP#theBottom
Meghan Trice Admissions Director Trice is not a licensed mental health/health professional.  Source: http://ww2.doh.state.fl.us/IRM00PRAES/PRASLIST.ASP#theBottom
Joan Kernaghan Admissions Assistant Kernaghan is not a licensed mental health/health professional.  Source: http://ww2.doh.state.fl.us/IRM00PRAES/PRASLIST.ASP#theBottom
Leah Wypych Marketing Coordinator Wypych is not a licensed mental health/health professional.  Source: http://ww2.doh.state.fl.us/IRM00PRAES/PRASLIST.ASP#theBottom
Marian Smith HR Director Too many “Marian Smith’s” in FL to determine licensure without middle initial.  Source: http://ww2.doh.state.fl.us/IRM00PRAES/PRASLIST.ASP#theBottom
Jennifer Pichardo Chief Nursing Officer Pichardo is a licensed registered nurse and has been since 2009.  Source: http://ww2.doh.state.fl.us/IRM00PRAES/PRASLIST.ASP#theBottom
Mary Birse Nurse Manager Birse is a licensed registered nurse and has been since 2005.  Source: http://ww2.doh.state.fl.us/IRM00PRAES/PRASLIST.ASP#theBottom
Karen Fleming Education There are no Karen Fleming’s licensed by the Florida Department of Education in Palm Beach County.  Tequesta is in both Palm Beach County and Martin County.  There are multiple Karen Fleming’s (depending on middle name) licensed in other counties in Florida.  HEAL requires Fleming’s middle name for verification purposes.  Source:   http://www.fldoe.org/edcert/public.asp
Samantha Butler Education If Samantha Butler is Samantha Ericka Shante Butler, she is licensed as an educator in Palm Beach County and has been since 2007.  Source: http://www.fldoe.org/edcert/public.asp
Chris Baer Education There are no Chris Baer’s licensed by the Florida Department of Education in Palm Beach County.  Tequesta is in Palm Beach County and Martin County.  There is one Christine M. Baer licensed in Martin County.  Source: http://www.fldoe.org/edcert/public.asp
Sue Barsness Education Susan Barsness is not a licensed educator in Palm Beach County.  Tequesta is in Palm Beach County and Martin County.  Susan Barsness is licensed in Martin County and has been since July, 2011.  Source: http://www.fldoe.org/edcert/public.asp
Susan Biby Education Biby is not a licensed educator in Florida.  Source: http://www.fldoe.org/edcert/public.asp
Bill Koperski Education William Koperski is not a licensed educator in Palm Beach County.  Tequesta is in Palm Beach County and Martin County.  Koperski is licensed in Martin County and has been since July, 2010.  Source: http://www.fldoe.org/edcert/public.asp
Rhonda Morgan Education Rhonda Morgan is not a licensed educator in Palm Beach County.  Tequesta is in Palm Beach County and Martin County.  Rhonda is licensed in Martin County and has been since July, 2007.  Source: http://www.fldoe.org/edcert/public.asp
Sue Riley Education There are no Susan/Sue Riley’s licensed as an educator in Palm Beach County.  Tequesta is in Palm Beach County and Martin County.  There are a few Susans/Sues licensed in various counties in FL.  HEAL would require the full first name and middle name to verify licensure.  Source: http://www.fldoe.org/edcert/public.asp
Holly Vincent Education There is a Holly M Vincent licensed in Collier County and a Holly L Vincent Licensed without a County listed in FL.  HEAL would require the middle name/initial of Holly to verify licensure.  Source: http://www.fldoe.org/edcert/public.asp
Laura Contrera Clinical Director Contrera is a licensed clinical social worker in FL and has been since 2007.  Source: http://ww2.doh.state.fl.us/IRM00PRAES/PRASLIST.ASP#theBottom
Damarys Arroyo Therapist Arroyo is not a licensed mental health professional in FL.  Source: http://ww2.doh.state.fl.us/IRM00PRAES/PRASLIST.ASP#theBottom
Judie Bordnick Therapist Bordnick is a licensed clinical social worker in FL and has been since December, 2001.  Source: http://ww2.doh.state.fl.us/IRM00PRAES/PRASLIST.ASP#theBottom
Yarelie Calo-Vidal Clinical Supervisor Calo-Vidal is a licensed mental health counselor in FL and has been since January, 2010.  Source: http://ww2.doh.state.fl.us/IRM00PRAES/PRASLIST.ASP#theBottom
Barbara Carmichael Therapist Carmichael is a licensed clinical social worker and has been since October, 2004.  Source: http://ww2.doh.state.fl.us/IRM00PRAES/PRASLIST.ASP#theBottom
Marianne Dragonette Certified Addiction Counselor Dragonette is not a licensed mental health professional.  Source: http://ww2.doh.state.fl.us/IRM00PRAES/PRASLIST.ASP#theBottom
Bennie Drain Case Manager Drain is not a licensed mental health professional.  Source: http://ww2.doh.state.fl.us/IRM00PRAES/PRASLIST.ASP#theBottom
Marc Essinger Activities Coordinator Essinger is not a licensed mental health professional.  Source: http://ww2.doh.state.fl.us/IRM00PRAES/PRASLIST.ASP#theBottom
Marcia Goncalves Therapist Goncalves is registered (not licensed) as a mental health counselor intern.  She is not a licensed therapist.  Source: http://ww2.doh.state.fl.us/IRM00PRAES/PRASLIST.ASP#theBottom
Lashonda Henderson Therapist Henderson is registered (not licensed) as a mental health counselor intern.  She is not a licensed therapist.  Source: http://ww2.doh.state.fl.us/IRM00PRAES/PRASLIST.ASP#theBottom
Jeri Hosick Therapist Hosick is a licensed mental health counselor and has been since 1992. Source: http://ww2.doh.state.fl.us/IRM00PRAES/PRASLIST.ASP#theBottom
Amy MacDowell Clinical Assistant MacDowell is a licensed practical nurse and has been since 2008.  Source: http://ww2.doh.state.fl.us/IRM00PRAES/PRASLIST.ASP#theBottom
Geoffrey Merrifield Therapist Merrifield is registered (not licensed) as a mental health counselor intern.  He is not a licensed therapist.  Source: http://ww2.doh.state.fl.us/IRM00PRAES/PRASLIST.ASP#theBottom
Alejandra Orta ORR Coordinator Orta is not a licensed mental health nor health professional.  Source: http://ww2.doh.state.fl.us/IRM00PRAES/PRASLIST.ASP#theBottom
Lynn Spears Therapist Lynne C. Spears is a licensed clinical social worker and has been since 2002.  HEAL believes it is the same person because the licensee lists Sandy Pines as her place of employment.  Source: http://ww2.doh.state.fl.us/IRM00PRAES/PRASLIST.ASP#theBottom
Angelique Walsh Behavioral Analyst Walsh is not a licensed mental health nor health professional.  Source: http://ww2.doh.state.fl.us/IRM00PRAES/PRASLIST.ASP#theBottom
Stephanie Lopez Activities Coordinator There are multiple Stephanie Lopez’s licensed in FL.  HEAL requires Lopez’ middle name in order to verify licensure.  There are no Stephanie Lopez’s licensed in Tequesta.  Source: http://ww2.doh.state.fl.us/IRM00PRAES/PRASLIST.ASP#theBottom
Dr. Neil Merkatz Former Psychiatrist Reportedly deceased.  Source: http://archive.tcpalm.com/news/palm-city-mans-death-ruled-a-suicide-ep-860350494-341265871.html/
Daniel (Last?) Staff (2010-?)  
*(Sandy Pines, 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.)
HEAL received a request to investigate Sandy Pines on January 21st, 2012 from a parent.
HEAL is in the process of reviewing the enrollment materials for Sandy Pines.  In the meantime, we have reviewed the Boulder Creek Academy Application.  Boulder Creek Academy is also owned and operated by UHS.
Article: Violations and Problems at UHS, Inc. Owned Facilities

 

 Last Updated: November 6th, 2019

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