The Samaritan Staff
We are blessed to have a dedicated staff who are not just highly qualified for the work they do, but they believe in our mission here at Samaritan, and they truly care about making a difference.
This is who we are
Meet our amazing staff
At the core of Samaritan Recovery Community is an amazing staff who are dedicated to making a difference in people’s lives by ending the disease of addiction and substance abuse.
We are grateful for the contributions of everyone at Samaritan, and we believe the future is brighter because of the work they do.
Dr. Mark Lasko
Executive Director
Dr. Lasko has worked in Behavioral Healthcare since 2005. He has dedicated his career to creating systems of care that provide holistic treatment. He has worked as a substance abuse treatment counselor, a program director, clinical director, adjunct college professor, and has led several facilities as the chief executive.
Dr. Lasko enjoys the support of an excellent leadership team at Samaritan and is passionate about the opportunity to help impact lives. “Every person deserves the chance to become the best version of their self, and I am proud of the many lives Samaritan impacts every day.”
Dr. Lasko earned a doctorate in psychology and enjoys spending time with his family, coaching his children’s soccer teams, and playing music.
Daniel Breeden
Deputy Director
Daniel Breeden brings to Samaritan nearly 20 years of executive management in the non-profit sector. He has dedicated his Master’s degree in Leadership to the development, advancement, and growth of Samaritan Recovery Community staff.
His passion is preparation for the future expansion of the Samaritan community and the desire to develop leaders who are ready for the challenge. His responsibilities include communication, oversight, direction, and compliance related to the day-to-day operations of the Samaritan Recovery Community.
Wendy Gula
Business Office Assistant/Administrative Assistant
Wendy came from California and joined Samaritan in Aug 2022. She is a graduate of Elkton Christian High School in Elkton MD, Hyles-Anderson College in Indiana and Maryland Baptist Bible College.
She brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to Samaritan. She has been a Secretary / Bookkeeper for 30 years and then as an Administrative Secretary for an additional 9 years.
Wendy compiles the agency‘s financials, Newsletters, leads employee engagement, maintains facilities calendar, and composes detailed Board of Director minutes.
Wendy enjoys reading, spending time with her family, along with spoiling her grandbabies!
Thomas Hennessy
Billing/Utilization Review/IT
Tom Hennessy joined Samaritan Recovery Community in February of 2022, and has worked in several positions, currently serving as Billing/Utilization Review Specialist.
He had previously worked in residential treatment for five years. He has found the staff at Samaritan to be a passionate group, dedicated to the mission of serving the underserved that are struggling with addiction, and has been excited to share in that passion.
Tom enjoys live music and staying in cooking with his wife.
Jonathan Pursley
Director of Admissions
Samaritan Alumni Committee Chairperson
Jonathan is a graduate from Austin Peay State University. He is a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist and has been with Samaritan for over 2 years.
Jonathan is an active member in the Nashville recovery community and serves as the chairperson of the Samaritan Alumni Committee. He firmly believes in the mission statement and is compassionate about helping others. Jonathan says, “my favorite thing about Samaritan is being able to give others what was freely given to me when I walked through these doors in 2015. Our staff go above and beyond to provide a welcoming and comfortable environment.“
Christie McClintock
Clinical Director
Christie has loved working here at Samaritan since 2016. She started as an IR Counselor and then became the IR Coordinator for 3 years, and is now the Clinical Director.
She has her Bachelors in Psychology from Kent State University and her Masters in Counseling from Trevecca Nazarene University. She has had her license as an LPC-MHSP for the last 3 years.
She is originally from Ohio, but has called TN her home for the last 20 years. She has always had a heart to help people feel seen and heard and loves being able to do that for the population that Samaritan serves. She enjoys helping people find hope for change and believes that they are worth it.
She believes in the power of joy, hope, fun, and self-awareness as the first step towards change.
Get to know us even more
Our staff is an integral part of what makes Samaritan Recovery Community so successful. But if you’d like to know more about who we are and what we offer, the links below are a great place to start!