Residential Staff

All of our residential staff are Certified Peer Support Specialists.  The primary function of the Wisconsin Certified Peer Specialist is to provide peer support. The certified peer specialist engages and encourages peers in recovery from mental health and/or substance use disorders. The certified peer specialist provides peers with a sense of community and belonging, supportive relationships, and valued roles. The goal is to promote wellness, self-direction, and recovery, enhancing the skill and ability of peers to engage in their chosen roles. The certified peer specialist works with peers as equals.

  • Mandi Meisner

    My name is Mandi Meisner. I have been in recovery since 2012. I was a Neuro ICU RN until I became ill in March 2011. During that illness I was prescribed multiple controlled substances and became addicted to oxycodone. I was a RN for 10 years and never violated my oath until I struggled with my addiction. Due to the financial cost I was unable to continue the professional monitoring for my license and surrendered it. I have started to return to school to become a Substance Abuse Counselor but recently had to take a break due to my divorce and custody battle with my ex-husband. I was diagnosed with PTSD related to a childhood filled with abuse and trauma and until I received that diagnosis I did not completely understand that all of the coping skills I had were maladaptive and destructive. Today my mission is to help others and CORE is the embodiment of how to treat the entire person, if the underlying issues are not treated it is so hard for someone to maintain sobriety. I also wish to help educate our community that those with substance use disorder do not have a lack of morals and values but a disorder that affects a persons mind, body, and spirit. Addiction knows no boundaries, with my life experience of having two addicted parents and my career experience of caring for people with traumatic brain injuries, overdoses, and suicide attempts often caused by substance use I have learned no amount of knowledge, reason, or willpower will stop a person from abusing drugs. Understanding, knowledge and support is how a person obtains and maintains sobriety.

  • Terry is a Recovery Coach and Peer Support Specialist with CORE. Terry volunteers at Faith Adult Sober Living Home and also works part time at Lighthouse Recovery Community Center. Because of his personal lived experience with substance use disorder, the effects addiction has had in his family, and his own journey in long-term recovery, Terry wants to give back and help those going through the same struggles he went through. "My generation is struggling to survive and I want to help save lives by showing that recovery is possible.”

  • Hi, my name is Kelly Underwood and I have worked as a Certified Peer Support Specialist for the past year in this community. I look forward to being a part of Core’s amazing mission and team of outstanding and compassionate staff! I have an authentic desire and great passion to help others towards recovery because of my personal experience with substance use disorder. There is nothing more beautiful than to meet and support an individual that has been pulled down by addiction and to see them rise from the ashes and become the best version of themselves. This is why I will “stay in the trenches” and help others find the freedom of recovery. I am honored to be a member of Core Treatment Services.

  • My name is Mike Thompson. I’m a Recovery Coach and Peer Support Specialist hired at CORE Treatment Center. I got sober in 1994. What sobriety has given me the last 25 years is myself, my family and a few close friends, which is something 20 years of alcohol abuse took away. The last 5 years have been the second coming of my recovery. My past employment was at a treatment center, currently at a recovery center and now being a part of a treatment center once again. It’s so exciting to know that the staff at CORE are some of the most knowledgeable and compassionate people in the fields of mental health and substance use. I believe everybody has a right to recovery and CORE will be the beginning to a new way of life for many.

  • I'm Sarah Ferreri. I am 33yrs old, a single mom of 3 children. I have 29 months clean and sober. I want to be involved at Core because I love helping people. I want to be able to let the residents know they’re not alone. I hope that I am able to give the residents hope and inspiration along their journey at Core.

  • My name is Cody, and I am a person in long term recovery. What that means for me is a different way of living than I was used to. I am a Veteran of the U.S. Army, I served on active duty from November of 2002 until March of 2009. I succeeded in the Army because I was self-sufficient and had a natural ability to improve not only myself but others around me. After leaving the Army in 2009 I worked factory jobs, always doing well and getting raises with promotions very regularly. However, something didn't feel right, and I started a downward spiral using alcohol and drugs to cope with mental health concerns I was trying to ignore, that eventually ended with me asking for help. In November of 2017 I started my Recovery journey and quickly felt a sense of purpose and fulfillment as I not only worked at improving myself but others around me as well. I choose to work at CORE because other people that have helped me on my journey have always stressed that in order for us to continuously work and strive to be the best versions of ourselves, we must be there to help others and share everything we have learned on our path to freedom. I believe CORE allows me to do that as well as challenges me to become an even better person than I was the day before, and stay open minded and willing to always make progress and learn from others as well.

  • My name is Alex Hunt, I am a person in long term recovery (18 months) from opiate use disorder, among other things. I grew up in Nevada and lived in Manitowoc for the last 5 years. I am Manitowoc County’s 15th Drug Court alumni, Certified Peer Specialist and trained Recovery Coach. I’m currently employed part time at the Lighthouse Recovery Community Center. I’m an animal lover, Christian, and passionate about helping people.

  • I’m Luke Yanda a 28 year old father, son, friend, and Recovering addict. The experience I have gained and wisdom I have learned from my own journey has been my number one asset when helping others recover from a hopeless state of mind! The love I have for recovery and my community make a great force to be reckoned with as we trudge the road to a brighter future for us and our kids!