Chief Executive Officer & Co-Founder
Kirk is a native Floridian, born at Eglin Air Force Base, where his father was a fighter pilot in the Air Force. His family moved to Tampa once his father retired. He is a graduate of the University of Florida and played football for Steve Spurrier. After his brief NFL career, Kirk worked for Merrill Lynch as a Financial Trader. In his 30’s, Kirk fell into addiction and lost everything. He caused a trail of destruction for many years. Finally, seeking help, he jumped into a life of recovery. Kirk’s life began improving and he thought there had to be a better way to treat those suffering from addiction. To treat people with love and empathy, and eliminate the stigma of addiction in recovery. Everything from the colors, smells and ambiance was created with recovery in mind. Kirk has 3 daughters, Olivia (20), Bella (18), & Graysen (9).
Dr. Michael Sore
MD - Medical Director
Dr. Michael Sore is Riverside Recovery’s Medical Director. He has a Doctor of Medicine Degree from the University of South Florida. Dr. Sore has been working in emergency medicine for 35 years. He started as a technician, working his way up to physician. Currently, Dr. Sore is the Medical Director of Emergency Medicine at several Tampa Bay Area medical facilities. Dr. Sore has seen the devastation that substance abuse disorder causes individuals and their loved ones. The life-saving emergency care he would provide rarely resulted in any meaningful recovery. This led to Dr. Sore developing a passion early on in his career for trying to improve those outcomes. Dr. Sore has the opportunity to make a meaningful difference and the resources to provide an exceptional level of care in a safe, effective manner. These key components, statistically, have proven to lead to a higher likelihood of long-term sobriety.
Christian Sicignano
RN - Director of Nursing
Bio coming soon!
Elizabeth Stockton
Director of Marketing & Co-Founder
Elizabeth was born and raised in Ketchikan, Alaska. After graduating high school, she moved to San Francisco and attended the University of San Francisco’s McLaren School of Business. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Management & Marketing. Elizabeth struggled with addiction for the majority of her adult life. It took her several attempts at various treatment centers to find a successful life in recovery. Meanwhile, her friends and loved ones were dying from this disease and she could not understand how she managed to make it out alive. It has become her mission in life to create a treatment center that truly helped individuals recover from addiction. She founded Riverside Recovery in 2016 with partner and fiance Kirk.
Bobby Stringfield
Director of Operations, UR & Compliance
Bobby received his LPN license at the Wilson Tech School in New York. He worked for Catholic Health Services of Long Island and St. Catherine of Sienna Medical Center, where he gained invaluable direct care knowledge. He moved on to other various administrative roles in healthcare in a variety of settings which have qualified him for his current role here at Riverside Recovery. Bobby’s passion is what drives him to fight for a secure treatment for those who need help. Being in recovery, Bobby feels blessed to have the opportunity to offer services to those suffering from addiction.
Michael Hamm
Facilities Manager
Michael has worked in Facilities Management for 18 years. Before coming to Riverside Recovery, Michael worked for the American Cancer Society. He was responsible for several buildings in the Tampa and St. Petersburg area. He is an avid fisherman and holds the unofficial world record for most days consecutively fished in a row at 2,017 days. Michael’s goal and passion is to ensure the safety and for the clients who choose Riverside Recovery to change their path in life. He enjoys creating an enjoyable atmosphere to make sure each client feels as comfortable as possible while they work through their struggles.
Scott Corder
Director of Finance
Bio coming soon!
Samantha Godwin
Director of Admissions
Growing up in Hudson, Florida, Samantha was no stranger to the opioid epidemic or the many people struggling with substance abuse in her personal and professional life. She has been working in the addiction industry since she was 18 years old. Starting in reception and quickly working her way up. Samantha has a passion for making a positive impact on someone’s life, it drives her to work harder and improve herself. To have a CEO and Co-Founder open their doors for your ideas, welcome individuals to disagree, and invest in employees is rare. It is that outlook towards employees and a team that builds great companies.
Monti Sommer
MBA, SHRM-CP - Director of Human Resources
Monti is the Director of Human Resources at Riverside Recovery. Born in the United States, but Monti was raised in Germany until he was 20 years old. He came back to the states and attended the University of West Florida. Monti holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Sarasota. In addition to a Bachelor in Anthropology, specializing in Historical Underwater Archaeology.
Monti is also a licensed Private Investigator who has traveled to 30 countries and 47 states. He has even run with the bulls in Spain! He sits on the board of several organizations including; United Way of Central Florida (UWCF) Board, Circuit 10 Juvenile Justice Executive Board, Polk County Sheriff Judd’s Advisory Council, and others. When asked why he chose Riverside Recovery, simply stated “This is a good environment, good leadership team, working for a great cause. We have the capability to make a difference.”
Jackie Dowgiallo
LCSW, CAP - Director of Clinical Services
Jacqueline is Riverside Recovery’s Director of Clinical Services. She oversees everything clinical. This includes the implementation and overseeing of clinical programming, the team of therapists, and all clients. Majoring in Human Development at Eckerd College and moving on to graduate with her Master of Arts degree in Counseling Psychology from Towson University, she is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Certified Addiction Professional. Jacqueline discovered her passion for helping those suffering from mental illness and substance abuse throughout her working experiences. She believes in Riverside Recovery’s therapeutic focus on the mind, body and spirit and the use of evidence-based practices. Jacqueline is also able to put her Accelerated Resolution Therapy certification to use.
Louise Wallowitz
LMHC, CAP - Director of Family Services
Louise is Riverside Recovery’s Director of Family Services. She has 30 years of experience, and her passion speaks for itself. Louise initiated the family program at Hyde Park Counseling, a center in Tampa, Florida. This is where she spent 22 years as the Director of Clinical Services before joining Riverside Recovery. She graduated from the University of South Florida with a Master of Arts in Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling. She is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and a Certified Addiction Professional.
Dr. Michael Sore
MD - Medical Director
Dr. Michael Sore is Riverside Recovery’s Medical Director. He has a Doctor of Medicine Degree from the University of South Florida. Dr. Sore has been working in emergency medicine for 35 years. He started as a technician, working his way up to physician. Currently, Dr. Sore is the Medical Director of Emergency Medicine at several Tampa Bay Area medical facilities. Dr. Sore has seen the devastation that substance abuse disorder causes individuals and their loved ones. The life-saving emergency care he would provide rarely resulted in any meaningful recovery. This led to Dr. Sore developing a passion early on in his career for trying to improve those outcomes. Dr. Sore has the opportunity to make a meaningful difference and the resources to provide an exceptional level of care in a safe, effective manner. These key components, statistically, have proven to lead to a higher likelihood of long-term sobriety.
Dr. Pragnesh Patel
MD - Psychiatrist
Dr. Pragnesh Patel is a Board-Certified Psychiatrist, Internal Medicine Physician, and Neurologist. Dr. Patel completed his dual residency programs; Psychiatry and Internal Medicine, at East Tennessee State University, after completing his Bachelor of Medicine-Bachelor of Surgery degree at Amt N H L Municipal Medical College in Gujarat State University in India. Since January 2018, Dr. Patel has been Riverside Recovery’s consulting Psychiatrist. With his extensive education, knowledge, and experience in the behavioral and mental health fields, along with his certification specializing in opioid dependence treatment, Dr. Patel is an asset to Riverside Recovery.
Dr. Michele Creamer
DNP, MS, APRN, FNP-C
Dr. Michele Creamer is a Board-Certified Doctor of Nurse Practitioner, she is Family Certified. She is a Professor at the University of South Florida and teaches courses of Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing. Dr. Creamer is actively pursuing her Post Graduate Certificate in Psychiatry at Florida State University. Her passion comes from her personal journey with her loved ones struggles with substance abuse and the fulfillment she receives working with individuals affected by this disease. Dr. Creamer has been offering her expertise in mental health to clients at Riverside Recovery since August of 2017. She provides comprehensive medical services to our residential and day/night (PHP) clients on a daily basis. Her goal is to ensure stability and comfort during a client’s stay at Riverside Recovery.
Lauren Wooten
ARNP
Bio coming soon!
Erin Ikenberry
PA
Bio coming soon!
Christian Sicignano
RN - Director of Nursing
Bio coming soon!
Jackie Dowgiallo
LCSW, CAP - Director of Clinical Services
Jacqueline is Riverside Recovery’s Director of Clinical Services. She oversees everything clinical. This includes the implementation and overseeing of clinical programming, the team of therapists, and all clients. Majoring in Human Development at Eckerd College and moving on to graduate with her Master of Arts degree in Counseling Psychology from Towson University, she is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Certified Addiction Professional. Jacqueline discovered her passion for helping those suffering from mental illness and substance abuse throughout her working experiences. She believes in Riverside Recovery’s therapeutic focus on the mind, body and spirit and the use of evidence-based practices. Jacqueline is also able to put her Accelerated Resolution Therapy certification to use.
Louise Wallowitz
LMHC, CAP - Director of Family Services
Louise is Riverside Recovery’s Director of Family Services. She has 30 years of experience, and her passion speaks for itself. Louise initiated the family program at Hyde Park Counseling, a center in Tampa, Florida. This is where she spent 22 years as the Director of Clinical Services before joining Riverside Recovery. She graduated from the University of South Florida with a Master of Arts in Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling. She is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and a Certified Addiction Professional.
Steve Eckstein
BS, CAP - Therapist
Steve is a Certified Addiction Professional and graduated with his Bachelor of Science Degree in Education from Bowling Green State University. Steve has 7 years of experience working with clients in substance abuse. He finds it rewarding and reaffirming to witness this transformation of those who embrace the process and to have the opportunity to participate in that process.
Casey O’Mara
LMHC - Therapist
Casey is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, graduating from the University of Texas at Tyler with a Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Casey works with Riverside Recovery’s detox, residential and day/night program (PHP) clients. She loves having the opportunity to use critical thinking skills and creativity in her approach to assisting clients to overcome the challenges they face in treatment. In addition to her work at Riverside Recovery, Casey works with interns as they go through their Master level internships. Casey is also Co-Chair of DACCO’s Ethics Committee where she ensures their Code of Ethics is up to date, facilitate education on ethics and handle any client grievances that are not resolved at the program level.
Tara Kapinos
M.Ed, Ed.S, NCC, LMHC - Therapist
Tara is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor at Riverside Recovery, she specializes in addiction treatment and is certified in Accelerate Resolution Trauma Therapy. She has a Master of Education and Education Specialist degree from the University of Florida. Tara’s experience is in treating chemical and process addictions. She believes in being a part of a client’s treatment throughout the entire process. The client’s well-being is her main priority.
Gene Cowherd
LMHC, CAP - Therapist
Gene is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and a Certified Addictions Professional with a Master of Arts degree in Psychology from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. His extensive experience is what makes Gene an asset to Riverside Recovery. He has 34 years of experience in the field of counseling and 19 of those years were working in the substance abuse treatment field.
Caitlin Sroka-Nelson
LCSW - Outpatient Therapist
Caitlin is Riverside Recovery’s Outpatient Therapist. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with a Masters in Social Work from the University of Utah. Caitlin and her husband decided to make the move from Utah to sunny Tampa Bay in 2018. Caitlin came to know of Riverside Recovery of Tampa after seeing a group of Riverside Recovery clients at a local bowling alley during their Saturday Community Activity. She is passionate about the most current modalities, therapies and interventions to ensure her clients have the best chance possible at life in recovery.
Mario Morano
LMHC - Therapist
Mario is a member of Riverside Recovery’s clinical team. He is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor with 9 years of experience in the mental health field. He graduated from Nova Southeastern University with a Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling. Mario prides himself on being creative in his approach to treatment, yet respectful of the evidence-based modalities he employs.
Alison Westrate
Alumni Coordinator
Bio coming soon!
Leighton A. Peavler
PT, DPT
Leighton Peavler holds a Doctorate of Physical Therapy degree from the University of St. Augustine. Leighton has dedicated his career to understanding and treating lower back pain. He continues to receive education and stay up to date on the most current evidence-based practices. This allows him to address the physical health needs of our clients. There is a need for conservative management of low back pain as many treatment approaches like medication, injections and surgeries have poor long-term outcomes. Leighton believes combining his expertise in physical health and managing pain alongside experts, gives the individual the best possible chance for recovery.
Kathleen Boyle
PT, DPT, LMT, PYT
Kathleen Boyle, DPT, has 25 years of experience as a physical therapist. In 2012, she became a Doctor of Physical Therapy. She also has training in yoga, acupressure, and other European modalities. These pieces of training serve as an alternative means of pain relief.
Nina Beeman
PT - Yoga and Wellness Instructor
Nina is a registered yoga instructor. She is passionate about empowering clients to know they are worthy of love. She is a believer that a lack of self-love contributes to the development of addiction. Nina uses healthy habits including exercise, yoga, and meditation as natural and positive ways to release dopamine and increase relaxation in the body. Creating new patterns in the brain can lead to a sober, healthy lifestyle. In addition to yoga, Nina’s practices include sound therapy using crystal bowls and a buffalo drum, and leading mindfulness meditation and group exercise.
Samantha Godwin
Director of Admissions
Growing up in Hudson, Florida, Samantha was no stranger to the opioid epidemic or the many people struggling with substance abuse in her personal and professional life. She has been working in the addiction industry since she was 18 years old. Starting in reception and quickly working her way up. Samantha has a passion for making a positive impact on someone’s life, it drives her to work harder and improve herself. To have a CEO and Co-Founder open their doors for your ideas, welcome individuals to disagree, and invest in employees is rare. It is that outlook towards employees and a team that builds great companies.
Jotham Fady
Admissions Coordinator
Jotham is a native Floridian. He is in recovery and similar to many other stories at Riverside Recovery, that is how Jotham found himself working in the addiction industry. Jotham has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from the University of South Florida. His experience prior to Riverside Recovery includes working in psychiatric emergency care and detox for 8 years.
Katie McNulty
Admissions Coordinator
Katie was born and raised in Tampa Florida. She has been with Riverside Recovery since the opening in August of 2017. Currently enrolled in college, working towards becoming a social worker. Katie’s passion for helping people is evident in her life, in and outside of work. In her free time she enjoys spending time outside at the dog park, working out, and spending time with her family. Katie is in recovery hersel and enjoys working with others who struggle with addiction. Riverside Recovery has been a perfect place for her to explore this passion. She believes she has been given the opportunity to watch miracles happen on a daily basis and is truly grateful.
