Staff
Eryca Kasse, LICSW
Founder & Executive Director
Eryca Kasse is a licensed independent clinical social worker (LICSW) in Washington, DC with a background in co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders. She received her BSW from George Mason University in 1998 and worked post bachelors with youth in high-risk situations (runaway, homeless, LGBTQ & court involved). She received her MSW from Howard University in 2010 where she completed field placements with women returning home from prison & jail and adults living with chronic mental health & substance use disorders experiencing homelessness. Her post-graduate work has focused on adults living with co-occurring mental health & substance use disorders at community mental health centers, substance use disorder treatment programs, hospitals and emergency rooms; providing diagnostic assessments, individual & group therapy and crisis intervention. In 2016 she founded her consulting practice CHOICES, providing clinical supervision and CEU trainings for providers and workshops for people in recovery, focused on trauma informed behavioral health care. In Fall 2021, CHOICES in Healing & Recovery was approved as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, and has expanded services to provide trauma informed peer support groups & facilitator trainings. Eryca currently lives in NE, DC with her tortie cat, and enjoys drumming, swimming and spending time with family.
Founder & Executive Director
Eryca Kasse is a licensed independent clinical social worker (LICSW) in Washington, DC with a background in co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders. She received her BSW from George Mason University in 1998 and worked post bachelors with youth in high-risk situations (runaway, homeless, LGBTQ & court involved). She received her MSW from Howard University in 2010 where she completed field placements with women returning home from prison & jail and adults living with chronic mental health & substance use disorders experiencing homelessness. Her post-graduate work has focused on adults living with co-occurring mental health & substance use disorders at community mental health centers, substance use disorder treatment programs, hospitals and emergency rooms; providing diagnostic assessments, individual & group therapy and crisis intervention. In 2016 she founded her consulting practice CHOICES, providing clinical supervision and CEU trainings for providers and workshops for people in recovery, focused on trauma informed behavioral health care. In Fall 2021, CHOICES in Healing & Recovery was approved as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, and has expanded services to provide trauma informed peer support groups & facilitator trainings. Eryca currently lives in NE, DC with her tortie cat, and enjoys drumming, swimming and spending time with family.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Suzette Steel
President
Suzette Steele studied Psychology and Math at Harrisburg Area Community College in Harrisburg, PA. She is currently working on her certification as a Peer Recovery Specialist through George Mason University. Suzette has been a CHOICES Trauma Informed 12 Steps Peer Support Group Facilitator for 1.5 years with our virtual groups; and created our first ever in-person women’s group, which she co-facilitates. She is active in supporting groups that empower women. She is the Alumni Representative and Secretary of the Board of Directors for Together We Bake; as well as the Chairperson for their Alumni Council. She has a strong background and passion for outreach and fundraising. “The spaces created in CHOICES provided the safest space I ever found for my recovery. I am honored for this opportunity to give back to an organization that gave me so much personally.”
President
Suzette Steele studied Psychology and Math at Harrisburg Area Community College in Harrisburg, PA. She is currently working on her certification as a Peer Recovery Specialist through George Mason University. Suzette has been a CHOICES Trauma Informed 12 Steps Peer Support Group Facilitator for 1.5 years with our virtual groups; and created our first ever in-person women’s group, which she co-facilitates. She is active in supporting groups that empower women. She is the Alumni Representative and Secretary of the Board of Directors for Together We Bake; as well as the Chairperson for their Alumni Council. She has a strong background and passion for outreach and fundraising. “The spaces created in CHOICES provided the safest space I ever found for my recovery. I am honored for this opportunity to give back to an organization that gave me so much personally.”
Colleen Popores, MA
Secretary
Colleen Popores holds a Master's in Clinical Counseling Psychology from Assumption University and brings nearly a decade of experience in state behavioral health systems. Most recently, she served as Peer Services Program Planner in the Office of Consumer & Family Affairs at the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, Bureau of Mental Health Services, overseeing statewide peer support contracts, SAMHSA/MHBG compliance, and quality assurance frameworks. She recently relocated to Frederick County, Maryland with family, where she is a single parent to two daughters, and brings both professional expertise in program operations and personal experience navigating mental health systems to her work with CHOICES. When she's not watching Forensic Files or negotiating with her two cats, she's busy keeping up with her daughters and their beautifully unpredictable plot twists.
Laura MacPherson, Ph.D.
Treasurer
Laura MacPherson has a Doctorate of Philosophy in Clinical Psychology from the University of California, San Diego and San Diego State University with clinical and research specializations in behavioral medicine and adolescent addictive behaviors. She completed a predoctoral internship and postdoctoral fellowship at Brown University in the areas of adult and adolescent addictions and mental health across inpatient, outpatient, and consult liaison settings. Subsequent to this work she was a faculty member at the University of Maryland where she continued her clinical research and provided mentorship in behavioral and basic affective determinants of addictive behaviors and other areas of mental health with the translation of this knowledge into empirically supported treatments. Laura has a strong commitment to supporting not-for-profit organizations through grant development, program outreach, and peer support services.
Treasurer
Laura MacPherson has a Doctorate of Philosophy in Clinical Psychology from the University of California, San Diego and San Diego State University with clinical and research specializations in behavioral medicine and adolescent addictive behaviors. She completed a predoctoral internship and postdoctoral fellowship at Brown University in the areas of adult and adolescent addictions and mental health across inpatient, outpatient, and consult liaison settings. Subsequent to this work she was a faculty member at the University of Maryland where she continued her clinical research and provided mentorship in behavioral and basic affective determinants of addictive behaviors and other areas of mental health with the translation of this knowledge into empirically supported treatments. Laura has a strong commitment to supporting not-for-profit organizations through grant development, program outreach, and peer support services.
Dorcas Dogara
Board Member at Large
With a Bachelor's degree in Accounting and Finance from the University of Agriculture, Makurdi, and certifications in Virtual Assistance and Social Media Marketing, Dorcas brings a versatile skill set to the CHOICES Board. Through her consulting platform, Dees-place, she empowers small businesses to implement effective financial strategies and operational systems, enabling growth. Her passion lies in fostering ethical financial practices and providing tailored support to thrive in dynamic environments. She lives in Lagos, Nigeria.
Michelle Bowser, CPRS
Board Member at Large
Michelle Bowser studied Psychology at Northern Virginia Community College, is a former Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) and has been a Peer Support Specialist in Virginia since 2018, becoming certified as a CPRS in 2023. Her Peer Specialist experience includes Recovery Program Solutions Virginia (RPSV) as lead trainer of the peer warm line, creator and facilitator of Wellness Recovery Action Plan and APPR peer support groups. While at RPSV she was trained as a CHOICES Peer Facilitator, actively involved in CHOICES first partner site at RPSV to host a virtual CHOICES Trauma Informed 12 Steps Peer Support Group. She is now an active CHOICES volunteer Peer Facilitator with our Monday virtual group. Her passion for and commitment to the mission of CHOICES is personified in her community outreach skills, and has helped the CHOICES community grow immensely. She identifies as recovering from lived experiences of trauma and substance use. Areas of focus for service important to her include: domestic violence, substance use and harm reduction, advocacy and action planning. Her first action step was hope. She loves to help support others that may experience similar situations or emotions and offer this same hope without any judgements.
Board Member at Large
Michelle Bowser studied Psychology at Northern Virginia Community College, is a former Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) and has been a Peer Support Specialist in Virginia since 2018, becoming certified as a CPRS in 2023. Her Peer Specialist experience includes Recovery Program Solutions Virginia (RPSV) as lead trainer of the peer warm line, creator and facilitator of Wellness Recovery Action Plan and APPR peer support groups. While at RPSV she was trained as a CHOICES Peer Facilitator, actively involved in CHOICES first partner site at RPSV to host a virtual CHOICES Trauma Informed 12 Steps Peer Support Group. She is now an active CHOICES volunteer Peer Facilitator with our Monday virtual group. Her passion for and commitment to the mission of CHOICES is personified in her community outreach skills, and has helped the CHOICES community grow immensely. She identifies as recovering from lived experiences of trauma and substance use. Areas of focus for service important to her include: domestic violence, substance use and harm reduction, advocacy and action planning. Her first action step was hope. She loves to help support others that may experience similar situations or emotions and offer this same hope without any judgements.
Volunteer Team
PEER FACILITATORS
Cat Sargentich
Michelle Bowser
WEBSITE ADMINISTRATOR
Luis Castellon
In Memoriam
Jesse Luna, Website Administrator Emeretis
Cat Sargentich
Michelle Bowser
WEBSITE ADMINISTRATOR
Luis Castellon
In Memoriam
Jesse Luna, Website Administrator Emeretis