Rochelle “Shelley” Poerio

Chief Executive Officer & Founder

Shelley founded Living Free Health & Fitness (LFHF) in 2013 after researching – and observing – the benefits nutrition and exercise can have on helping people stay stopped. It has worked for many people, including Shelley herself (sober date: September 5, 2001). Shelley has been a clinician since 2009. Her previous business experience has been as a securities brokerage principal, and a principal in several small (<$10MM) businesses in the Washington, D.C. area. Shelley is the author of the book, “Rebalancing the Addictive Mind: Beating Addiction with Exercise and Nutrition.” Shelley is credentialed as a licensed alcohol and drug counselor-supervisor, master addiction counselor, and certified fitness trainer. Shelley has an M.A. in professional counseling from Liberty University and a B.A. in Communication from Stanford University.

Frank Troisi

Treasurer

U.S. Air Force, retired. Frank served as a pilot in the Vietnam War before returning home to continue serving his country, this time for 25 years as a San Diego County Sheriff. Frank retired at the rank of Captain. He has spent time on numerous non-profit organization boards of directors. Frank currently runs a property management business in Pahrump. His assistance was critical in the build-out, renovation and other improvements in Living Free’s office and transitional living facilities.

Dina Williamson-Erdag

Secretary

Dina LOVES Pahrump, and gives of her time and talent to numerous community service organizations. She is a charter member of the League of Women Voters of Pahrump Valley, serving as a past President, Vice President, and Treasurer.

Dina joined the Valley Electric Association Ambassador program in 2010. She became Co-Chair then Chair of the Membership Sub-committee. She was awarded the distinction of being the 2013 Ambassador of the Year, and was then elected to the Ambassador Executive Committee in June 2014, then again in June 2015 and 2016. Dina finds her association with and service to VEA and their Ambassadors to be one of the most rewarding experiences of her life in Pahrump.

Dina fills her time with volunteer work for many other Pahrump organizations. She was a Court Appointed Special Advocate Case Volunteer of the 5th Judicial District Court, graduating as a member of the first class of the Pioneer Territory CASA, and at the end of her two-year CASA term she was elected to their Board of Directors. She is also a supporter of Nathan Adelson Hospice, Pahrump Holiday Task Force, Friends of the Library, Pahrump Museum, Pahrump Arts Council, Pahrump Veterans Memorial Advisory Committee, Amargosa Conservancy, and the Death Valley Natural History Association. She served two terms on the Pahrump Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and was the proud recipient of the Pahrump Chamber’s 2010 Community Volunteer of the Year Award. And she is currently President of the Nye Communities Coalition Managing Board.

In 2016 she was appointed by the Department of Energy to a six-year seat on the Nevada Site-Specific Advisory Board (NSSAB) as a community representative for Environmental Management legacy clean-up at Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) and Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR).

She is an active member of Soroptimist International Pahrump Valley, and the Pahrump Valley Rotary Club where she a Paul Harris Fellow, and was recipient of their 2013-2014 Rotarian of the Year, and Rotary International District 5300 Foundation Club Member for the years 2013 & 2015.

Catherine “Casey” Jones

Business Adviser

Casey got involved with LFHF in 2014 to learn more about the challenges people face when in recovery. She is an experienced entrepreneur, having been in 7 start-ups, ranging from semiconductor design automation, semiconductor intellectual property, speech recognition and most recently pharmaceuticals. After spending more time with LFHF, she now contributes to the content and program development we offer to help people develop more traditional and satisfying – and sober – lives.

MS/MBA, The Tepper School, Carnegie Mellon University BA/MA, Stanford University

Willi Baer

Consultant

Willi Baer is a non-profit and donor consultant. In 2018 she retired as Executive Director of Pioneer Territory CASA, Inc. (Court Appointed Special Advocates) in Pahrump, Nevada and was the face of that organization since it’s inception.

Willi retired in 2005 as President/CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Nevada where she worked since 1993. From 1982 until 1996 Willi taught classes at UNLV Continuing Education on various topics relating to non-profit operations and management. She has also taught Board Training to prospective board members within United Way’s Blueprint classes. Willi is a past chair of the Better Business Bureau and for four years sat on the Las Vegas Chamber’s Business Council Board of Directors. She was a recipient of the Las Vegas Chamber’s Circle of Excellence Award in February 1998 and was featured in Distinguished Women of Nevada for four consecutive years. In 1998 she chaired the Chamber’s annual Customer Service Luncheon and prior to that the Chamber’s HERO Awards luncheon for two consecutive years. In 2005 Willi chaired the Board of Directors of the then-newly formed National Association of Non-profit Organizations (NANO). In 2004 Willi was named one of 25 Notable Women of Las Vegas by Distinguished Publishing Company as well as one of the many women who helped shape the first 100 years of Nevada. A banner to that effect hangs in the Library of Congress in Washington D.C.

Since moving to Pahrump, Nevada Willi helped to steer a club of Soroptimist International Sierra Nevada Region to charter in March 2006 and became charter president of the SI of Pahrump Valley.

Board of Directors

THE TEAM

Debra Jentzsch, Clinician

LADC, MFT-I

Debra has been working with people struggling with substance use since 2015. Debra uses empathy and humor to guide clients towards their preferred version of themselves. Her positive attitude and approach allow clients the support to face their issues and move forward. Debra holds a Master’s degree in Marriage, Child, and Family Counseling. She is a Licensed Drug and Alcohol Counselor and Marriage and Family Therapist intern.

Zachary Gittings, Clinician

CSW-I

Zach is a Clinical Social Worker with a passion for helping clients achieve greater wellness through a client-directed, evidence-based, and trauma informed approach. He is experienced in various modalities, including Motivational Interviewing, Trauma-Informed Addictions Treatment, Trauma Recovery and Empowerment, Solution Focused Brief Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Adapted Dialectical Behavioral Skills.

Demi Warrick

Peer Recovery Support Specialist

Demi brings amazing talent and instinct to supporting the men’s and women’s programs in LFHF’s transitional living house. She has extensive experience in customer service, process improvement and is a stickler for precision. She brings excellent organizational skills, an eye for detail and a passion to help others to LFHF.  Demi became a member of our team by qualifying for the Nye Communities Coalition’s Youth W.E.R.K.S program, and through her desire to learn more about substance abuse counseling and helping people in recovery. 

Kenneth Kline

Director of Fitness Programming

Kenny served in the U.S. Navy for 20 years as a SeaBee. He retired in 2019. Kenny served in Iraq in 2003, and again 2010 through 2012. He was LPO and PT coordinator for 50 men. Kenny has a gift for motivating men and women and has encouraged significant improvements in the lifestyle habits and physical health of our clients.

David Kidd

Administration and Operations

David is a Marine veteran (1983-1987) and retired from the medical field as a radiology technologist. He has a BA degree in arts and sciences with an emphasis in behavioral sciences.

Cathy Swan

Billing Specialist

Cathy Swan has lived in Pahrump since 2006, and has been working in the Behavioral Health field since 2010. She is a certified Medical biller and Medical office assistant.

Myron DeVoto

Consultant

Myron has over 25 years of experience in the CPG (Consumer Packaged Goods) industry along with Real Estate Investing since 1999. Over the years Myron has built teams with a foundational focus using technology to help take on the repetitive tasks. This, in turn, has allowed his teams to flourish and drive real business results. Myron’s involvement in Living Free Health & Fitness hits home as he has had personal family experiences with substance abuse. “It’s a lifestyle, not something you do once to fix the problem”, Myron says about staying stopped. “I personally have never had a drug addiction or have even used drugs for that matter, however, I’ve had issues with weight and my love of chocolate, so I can partially relate. I do understand how substance abuse can affect family and how you feel helpless in the moment.” Myron’s passion for keeping a positive mindset and driving forward through fear helps keep him motivated to help others see the light at the end of the tunnel.