Professional Staff
The Beacon House employs a team of highly skilled professionals in the field of recovery. Our CADAAC certified addiction counselors and clinicians are trained and knowledgeable in the treatment of addiction. We also have a top-rate team of experienced registered nurses who provide supervision and support.
We supplement our team with the finest specialists on the Monterey Peninsula. Our specialists are trained in mood management, family dynamics, spiritual training, yoga practices, meditation skills and assimilation into 12-step work, paving the way for transition after residency. We also retain experiential treatment specialists in many specialties, reinforcing the principles of recovery with experiences such as equine training with horses at a private stable and golf on the many famous courses on our area. To focus on all aspects of our clients’ health, we employ an excellent chef who creates 5 star meals and helps to teach nutrition and fitness as a recovery tool.
See below for introductions to our leadership team, including our Executive Director, Clinical Director and Director of Admissions.
Phyllis Meagher, Executive Director
Phyllis Meagher is Executive Director of the Beacon House. She has spent the last 25 years developing and providing innovative solutions for clients. Much of our creative approach to a client’s experiential and individualized treatment is a result of her experience and insight. Phyllis was administering treatment for behavioral issues alongside substance abuse treatment long before "dual recovery" or "co-occurring disorders" became accepted terms.
Phyllis is dedicated to three guiding principles for every client we treat:
1. Successful recovery is supported by addressing underlying issues
as well as the addiction itself.
2. Each patient will be treated with individualized programs crafted to get the best results for them
3. Aftercare support like the Beacon House OneRecovery™ System is essential to achieve lifetime recovery
"We sought out Phyllis to lead the Beacon House into the next century because of her extraordinary accomplishments in the field and her superlative leadership skills. Phyllis has an absolute commitment to see that the quality of treatment our clients receive is the finest anywhere in the world at competitive prices. This is the Beacon House mission. Her ability to recruit and lead a team of esteemed doctors and clinical professionals inspires us all."
- Guy Riina, Chairman of the Board
An innovator, Phyllis has worked alongside cutting-edge leaders in the field of neuroscience and addiction, as well as a wide range of traditional medical staff and alternative practitioners like equine therapists, acupuncturists, and naturopaths. She has a Bachelors Degree in Behavioral Science with an emphasis in Personnel Management, as well as a Masters in Business Administration with an emphasis in Organizational Leadership.
Dana Sperling, Admissions Director
As Admissions Director, Dana will likely be the first person you speak with when you call. Dana will discuss what is best for you and compare your options within and beyond the Beacon House. If you decide to enroll in the Beacon House, she will lead you through the intake process with experience, insight, sensitivity, and compassion. Dana is one of the founders of the "integrity of your choice" policy at the Beacon House. This means that we will always inform clients about their alternatives instead of primarily promoting ourselves when clients call us.
"When I called the Beacon House it was different than the other centers I spoke with. Dana listened to me and really understood what I was going through. She talked about other choices and shot straight with me on what the Beacon House was like rather than give me a big sales pitch. I felt comfortable with her and have come to know her during my stay. She is very honest and genuinely interested in my best interests." Former Client’s experience with Dana
Dana M. Sperling received her BA in Clinical Psychology from the Claremont Colleges and Master’s Degree from Bethany University, specializing in Marriage and Family Therapy. Dana also attended Alliant International University, where she received further postgraduate training. She has worked in hospital settings, residential care facilities and a family service agency.
Jim Sapia Director of Culinary, Facility and Fitness Services
Jim Sapia creates healthy, delicious meals at the Beacon House. He has developed a nutrition lecture program, conducts weekly cooking demonstrations, and encourages our clients to build healthy habits that go beyond the treatment of their addiction. Jim has been cooking professionally for 25 years. He has held chef positions at two five star resorts and cooked for the opening ceremonies at 2002 Winter Olympics. He attended the Cabrillo College Culinary program in 1994 and the University of Utah Food and Beverage Management program in 2003.
Dr. Lee Larimer, Clinical Director
Dr. Lee Larimer is the Director of Clinical Services at the Beacon House. In this role, Dr. Larimer provides individual and group treatment, as well as comprehensive diagnostic services. He has over 30 years of experience helping others, including extensive addiction treatment experience in a variety of inpatient and outpatient settings. He has expertise in the primary treatment of addiction disorders, as well as relapse prevention and co-occurring disorders.
"We recruited Dr. Larimer to be our Clinical Director on the strength of his nearly forty years of experience in treating addictive disease. The results of his compassion and love of helping clients find sustainable recoveries speak through thousands of our Beacon House alumni who never forget Dr. Lee."
- Guy Riina, Chairman of the Board
Dr. Larimer received his doctoral degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He completed his internship training at the VA Medical Center in Palo Alto, California, and his post-doctoral residency at Children’s Hospital in San Francisco. He has advanced credentials in family systems therapy, and he is credentialed in the treatment of addictions through the American Psychological Association’s College of Professional Psychology.
Lee Goldman, MD
Lee Goldman, MD, is the Beacon House’s medical director. In this role, Dr. Goldman works closely with our clients to develop medical treatment plans that meet their unique requirements. He has been actively involved in the addiction community since 1980, when he accepted the position of Medical Director for the Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula (CHOMP) Recovery Center. He brings over thirty years of expertise in family practice, addiction treatment, and emergency medicine, and is ideally suited to oversee medical treatment at the Beacon House.
“We recruited Dr. Lee Goldman to join us as our medical director. Research found that he was the most experienced and celebrated specialist in treating chemical dependency on the Monterey Peninsula. His history as Medical Director at the Community Hospital Emergency Services at the Community Hospital. We have known Dr. Goldman for decades and are delighted he joined our team.” Guy Riina, Chairman of the Board
Dr. Goldman completed his medical training at USC and moved to the Monterey Peninsula after finishing his residency in Pennsylvania in 1978. He is board-certified in both family-practice and addiction medicine. He joined the Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula in 1980 and continues to work with their emergency department, where he received the Physician of the Year award in 2009. He developed and implemented an alcohol withdrawal scale tool that is used by the hospital and many forensic facilities to treat patients. Dr. Goldman has served as an expert witness and a speaker numerous times in the area of addiction medicine.
Carol L. Edmonds, Family Counselor
Carol Edmonds is our Family Counselor. She facilitates our weekly family support group and helps families to address addiction issues and codependency. She also facilitates our weekly aftercare groups, assisting clients as they work to meet the recovery goals of their continuing care plans. She has over 20 years experience in the drug and alcohol treatment field. Carol is a certified relapse prevention specialist, a trained Arise interventionist, and also holds a certification in substance abuse counseling from UC Berkeley.
