Leadership Team
Steve Thomason
LMSW, LCDC
Chief Executive Officer
Steve Tomas, LMSW, LCDC
Chief Executive Officer
Steve Thomason is a cofounder of Alta Loma. After working in the mental health and addiction field for 14 years he became aware that individuals with higher acuity psychiatric issues were being underserved in traditional treatment programs. This knowledge became the impetus for Alta Loma. Creating a program that focuses on individuals that have experienced multiple attempts at recovery through psychiatric hospitals and substance abuse treatment centers is his passion.
Steve is a Licensed Master of Social Work and a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor. A Texas native, he obtained his Master of Social Work from The University of Texas at San Antonio and his Bachelors in Psychology from Texas State University. Steve believes that a strong continuum of care after residential treatment is critical for long term recovery. Steve brings to Alta Loma over 13 years of Clinical and Executive experience working with numerous recovery programs throughout Texas. He is responsible for the development and vision of Alta Loma, as well as building partnerships throughout Texas to impact community awareness on dual diagnosis treatment.
Josh Barnett
Director of Operations
Josh Barnett
Director of Operations
Josh has a passion for helping individuals find their path to continued success. He brings to Alta Loma over a decade of experience working in the Substance Abuse field and has succeeded in jobs as direct care staff, business office administrator, Admissions, Marketing, and Operations. As the Director of Operations for Alta Loma, Josh oversees daily operations and facilitates all admissions into our program. Josh is an avid consumer of all things geek culture and feels that celebrating our differences can truly bring individuals together.
Robert McCaslin
Director of Clinical Outreach and Admissions
Robert McCaslin
Director of Clinical Outreach and Admissions
Robert struggled with addiction from an early age, but it came truly apparent to his friends and family while he was attending the University of Denver. Robert initially worked in sales and became very successful in his career but realized he was unfulfilled and took a side job managing a sober home. During this time, he realized his true passion was working in recovery and mental health. With this newfound passion, Robert went on to open his own sober living company and is Co-owner of Sunlight Sober Living. Robert has a true passion for recovery, mental health, and helping others. His passion along with his wide range of personal and work experience allows him to help residents bring real change to their lives while at Alta Loma. He is currently working on getting a PRS (Peer Recovery Support Specialist) certification. After completing his PRS certification, he plans to continue his education further to become a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor.
Medical Team
Dr. Casey Coton
DO
Dr. Casey Coton, DO
Dr. Coton is board certified in general psychiatry by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. Dr. Coton attended medical school at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, and completed his residency in general psychiatry at Baylor Scott & White Medical Center in Temple, Texas. Dr. Coton completed his Master of Science in Clinical Psychology from the St. Mary’s University in San Antonio with a focus on addiction populations in drug court programs, neurorehabilitation, and counseling. He has contributed to research in addiction in various patient populations. Dr. Coton is trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, and approaches treatment from a holistic, non-judgmental, inviting, and empathetic position. Dr. Coton also has an interest in neuromodulation, including transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), to further treat problems with mood, anxiety, and addiction.
Melissa Rivera
MSN, APRN, PMHNP-BC
Melissa Rivera, MSN, APRN, PMHNP-BC
Melissa is a board-certified Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, licensed and trained to treat behavioral health concerns across the lifespan. Through her practice she aims to reduce the stigma in mental health and promote healing with culturally competent care. Melissa is bilingual and fluent in Spanish with a particular interest in serving diverse populations.
Melissa graduated with her Master’s in Nursing from The University of Texas at Austin where she completed a scholars program in Integrative Behavioral Health. Melissa is trained in multiple therapeutic modalities including: psychodynamic psychotherapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, play therapy, and motivational interviewing.
Prior to entering into advanced practice nursing, Melissa served as a critical care nurse in the emergency department for various Austin area hospitals where she treated acute medical and psychiatric needs. Before her entry into nursing she received her Master’s in Counseling and worked as a Licensed Professional Counselor in the Austin Area. Her experience as a LPC spanned from working with severe mental illness through the local mental health authority doing community-based outreach, working with adolescents in the juvenile probation system, as well as working with families and children who were victims of abuse through the Child Advocacy Center in Travis County.
Melissa’s approach to treatment is to work collaboratively with her patients to support their treatment goals with evidenced-based practice, while fostering an empathetic and non-judgmental environment.
Hayley Amols
RN
Director of Nursing
Hayley Amols, RN
Director of Nursing
Hayley is an experienced psychiatric registered nurse with many years of practice in a variety of mental health settings. She has spent her career working with children, adolescents, adults, and geriatric patients in acute care, residential, detoxification and long-term care settings. She is currently pursuing graduate studies in nursing, with the goal of becoming a Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner.
As the Director of Nursing at Alta Loma, her foremost goal is to provide truly individualized, holistic, and compassionate care to our residents and their loved ones alike. She values kindness, open, and honest communication and building therapeutic, healing relationships with those in her care – and recognizes the importance of doing the same with the friends and family of her patients. Hayley considers it a privilege to walk with others on their journey toward optimal mental wellness and sobriety. She wholeheartedly encourages our residents and families to contact her at any time to learn more about medications, treatment planning, convey medical concerns or simply receive extra support. Mental health work is truly a passion for Hayley, and she is deeply grateful to have the honor of serving others in this role.
Outside of work, Hayley enjoys spending time with her family, reading, and writing. She is an avid home cook and loves trying out new recipes and making every meal special for her loved ones. Hayley also adores her two family dogs, a sweet boxer and an affectionate Chiweenie.
Katie Nelson
LVN
Nurse
Katie Nelson, LVN
Nurse
Katie has been a nurse for over three years with experience in detox and residential recovery centers that included caring for a dual diagnosis population. She has started her LVN to RN bridge program through Galen College of Nursing. She is passionate about the mental health of others and finds it just as important as their physical health. Katie is a caring mother to two wonderful boys. They enjoy going to the park, playing sports, and painting together.
Clinical Team
Howard Monsour
LPC, LCDC
Clinical Director
Howard Monsour, LPC, LCDC
Clinical Director
Howard Monsour is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor. Howard achieved a Bachelor’s degree in Community, Family, and Addiction Sciences in 2012 and then completed a Master’s degree in Counselor Education for Clinical Mental Health in 2015 at Texas Tech University.
Howard started his journey in the field of substance use and mental health disorder treatment in 2010 and has held a variety of positions in the field including house manager, mental health tech, research administrator, therapist, and now Clinical Director. Howard has worked with diverse populations in multiple levels of care of treatment, from Detox, Residential, Outpatient, and Transitional living. Howard has experience in state funded facilities, for profit facilities, and also the Collegiate Recovery Community at Texas Tech University.
Howard is passionate about serving those who struggle with substance use or mental health disorders and strongly believes that individuals can recover and get well, if provided the resources and care that they need. He knows this is true because the personal adversity that he has overcome and enjoys seeing individuals find success in dealing with their problems.
Meghan Landry
M.ED., BCBA, LBA
Behavior Analyst
Meghan Landry, M.ED., BCBA, LBA
Behavior Analyst
Meghan developed a passion for helping people overcome their challenges at a young age doing volunteer work with individuals with disabilities. During this time she watched her younger brother struggle to learn and fit in the same way as others in society. In 2015, while finishing her last semester of her bachelor’s in Psychology, Meghan was introduced to the field of behavior analysis, which sparked an interest. Behavior analysis uses science-backed data to help individuals overcome challenging behavior patterns and develop healthy life skills. From there she received her master’s degree from Texas Tech University in Applied Behavioral Analysis while also working as a behavior technician helping children and young adults gain important skills. 6 months later, in 2017, she became fully licensed and holds the designation of Board Certified Behavior Analyst.
While most of her work has been helping people on the Autism spectrum, Meghan knows she can be of service to a wider population. She believes most challenges people face can be tackled by learning more effective ways to communicate their wants and needs, which sometimes must be taught differently than traditional methods. Meghan strives to help clients find the right motivation which ensures new ideas will “click” and become “ah-ha!” moments. Meghan has helped many people learn to communicate more effectively, reduce challenging behaviors, attain new life skills, and successfully interact with their environment no matter the situation. Her end goal is to help clients to be successful and decrease challenging behaviors that interfere with their learning, communication, and everyday life.
Hannah Unruh
LMSW, LCDC
Therapist
Hannah Holtzman-Unruh, LMSW, LCDC
Therapist
Hannah earned a Bachelor’s degree in psychology and neuroscience from Texas A&M University and her Master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Houston. While attending graduate school, Hannah completed a clinical internship at The Menninger Clinic in Houston, Texas, where she provided group and family therapy.
Hannah is a firm believer in systems theory and assesses environmental factors that contribute to mental illness and substance use, as well as internal factors. She implements DBT and mindfulness skills into her practice and takes a strengths-based approach.
Hannah’s professional areas of interest are substance use, mental health, and family systems. She is passionate about decreasing the stigma surrounding mental illness and works to help her clients practice radical acceptance.
“I chose Social Work because the profession calls us to be an advocate for others and because I am passionate about social justice issues.”
Hannah enjoys being a dedicated mom to her calico cat, Chicken, and exploring new places with her family and friends.
David Estringel
LCSW-S, BCD, CART
Therapist
David Estringel, LCSW-S, BCD, CART
Therapist
David Estringel, LCSW-S, BCD, CART is a Primary Therapist at Alta Loma Transformational Services and teaches Social Work, as a faculty member, at Our Lady of the Lake University’s Worden School of Social Services and the University of Texas – Rio Grande Valley’s Department of Social Work.
He is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Clinical Supervisor in the state of Texas, a Board-Certified Diplomate in Clinical Social Work through the American Board of Clinical Social Work, and a Certified Anger Resolution Therapist. David earned his MSSW at the University of Texas at Austin in 2006 and is currently working on his MBA in Health Care Management at Our Lady of the Lake University.
David brings with him over 25 years of experience in social services with 20 of those years focused on working with individuals living with severe mental illness and/or substance abuse disorders in the emergency room, non-profit, acute inpatient psychiatric hospital, and inpatient substance abuse treatment settings.
Maxie Carvajal
LMSW
Therapist
Maxie Carvajal, LMSW
Therapist
Maxie Carvajal, LMSW, is a Primary Therapist at Alta Loma Transformational Services. She earned her Master of Science in Social Work degree at the University of Texas-Pan American in 2014 and is currently working toward obtaining her licensure as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the state of Texas. Maxie brings with her over 15 years of experience in social services with 11 of those years focused on working with individuals living with severe mental illness and/or substance abuse disorders in the non-profit, acute inpatient psychiatric hospital, and inpatient substance abuse treatment settings.
Brianna Quarles
LPC-A, LCDC-I
Therapist
Brianna Quarles, LPC-A, LCDC-I
Therapist
Brianna Quarles is a Licensed Professional Counselor Associate and a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor Intern. Brianna achieved a bachelor’s degree in Psychology at South Carolina State University in 2012. She then obtained her master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling in 2020.
Brianna began her journey in the field of mental health treatment by working at a local community agency that provided low-cost services to racially and culturally diverse individuals out in the community. Brianna has experience working with state-funded and non-profit facilities as well as crisis counseling, acute psychiatric care, and residential treatment. Brianna has experience working with individuals diagnosed with severe mental illnesses who also have co-occurring substance use disorders and/or chronic health conditions utilizing a recovery-based and trauma-informed perspective.
Charlotte Davis
LCDC, NCAC1
Clinical Coordinator
Charlotte Davis, LCDC, NCAC1
Clinical Coordinator
Charlotte brings to Alta Loma 13 years of experience in the counseling field and 21 years being in recovery. Charlotte received an Associate degree in 2006 from Odessa College specializing in alcohol and drug addiction and is a Licensed Chemical Drug Counselor as well as being Nationally Certified as an Addiction counselor. Charlotte has worked in the recovery field and held many positions including, Direct Care Counselor, Program Coordinator, and Clinical Director. She is honored with the opportunity to participate in the healing process of many individuals and families impacted by addiction and mental health issues.
Staff
Carter Dyson
Business Office Coordinator
Carter Dyson
Business Office Coordinator
Having grown up with a brother who is on the spectrum and struggled with mental health issues, Carter has firsthand experience of having a loved one with unique challenges. After his own struggles with substance use disorder in early adulthood, Carter began his journey of recovery from substance use disorder. With his own unique experiences, this has given Carter a passion to help both the families and individuals that struggle with mental health and substance use disorder. With this new devotion of working with those that Alta Loma assists in their own journey, Carter is currently pursuing a Bachelor’s in Global Healthcare Policy & Management at Concordia University. Outside of his professional endeavors, Carter is a fan of the NBA and the Dallas Mavericks.
Amit Mishra
LCDC-I
Admissions Specialist
Amit Mishra, LCDC-I
Amit is a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor Intern dedicated to the work done at Alta Loma. He is passionate about mental health and substance use disorder treatment because watching clients make progress, and their families find hope for the first time is the most rewarding feeling for him. He has worked in Substance Use Treatment for 5 years in multiple capacities including Recovery Coach, Clinical Intern, and Revenue Cycle Management. He has always believed in quality post-treatment services and went on to create his own program. He is currently the managing partner at Clear Horizon Sober Living.
In his spare time, Amit enjoys running with his dog and playing basketball with his friends. He currently lives in Westlake Hills, Texas with his best friend.
Joe
Therapeutic Staff
Joe
Therapeutic Staff
Joe is a local rescue that provides our residents with all the snuggles and playtime they can handle. When they aren’t engaged in these activities, they can be found napping or gnawing on a chew toy of their choosing. We encourage our residents to experience the soothing demeanor Joe displays.