TRAINERS
Donna L. Johnson, JD, ICADC II, ICCJP, ICCDP-D, LADC
Donna is the CEO of the Clare|Matrix Training Institute in Atlanta, Georgia, and has been providing Matrix and various other trainings for over 25 years. She is also the co-author of the Matrix Model for Criminal Justice. Donna has a focus on integrated care in order to improve overall treatment outcomes. Donna has worked with numerous international programs, including those in Dubai, UAE; Abu Dhabi, UAE; South Africa; Australia; New Zealand; Canada; Thailand; Honduras; and the United Kingdom, among many others.
Donna has been a featured Criminal Justice columnist for Counselor Magazine and has published numerous articles. She has appeared on CBS Atlanta, ABC Los Angeles, PBS, CNN, Fox News, and other media outlets discussing issues related to substance use disorders, behavioral health, and criminal justice. Donna previously served as the Executive Director of a large community mental health center offering treatment services across all levels of care. Additionally, she owns a company specializing in training and consulting, providing services to state addiction authorities, hospitals, agencies, Fortune 500 companies, and many criminal justice and drug court programs. She was also appointed by two State of Georgia Governor’s to serve on the Governor’s Advisory Board for Behavioral Health for which she served 8 years.
Donna has been a keynote speaker and presenter at many state and national conferences, including the National Association for Drug Court Professionals Conference, California Addiction Conferences, Georgia Conference on Addictions, National Trauma Summit, National Conference on Addictive Disorders, and the United Kingdom and European Symposium on Addictive Disorders. Donna also provides training on various topics to University of California Los Angeles David Geffen Medical School and UCLA Health.
J Rocky Romero, Ph. D., LMSW
Dr. J. Rocky Romero, LMSW, is the CEO and owner of JR Romero & Associates, a company he founded 21 years ago. He completed his doctoral studies at the University of New Mexico in Language, Literacy, and Sociocultural Studies (LLSS), focusing on analyzing legal discourse related to Spanish colonization through a critical race theory lens.
Dr. Romero is a former Assistant Professor at the New Mexico Highlands University School of Social Work in Albuquerque, NM. He served as the co-chair for Governor Richardson’s New Mexico Higher Education Cultural Competency Taskforce and was an Executive Council member for the NM Consortium for Behavioral Health Training and Research, among other boards and committees.
For the past 13 years, Dr. Romero has been a trainer and consultant for the SAMHSA-funded National Hispanic & Latino Mental Health Technology Transfer Center. Additionally, he has served as a national and international senior trainer for Clare|Matrix Training Institute for the past 14 years. Dr. Romero is one of the primary trainers for indigenous and tribal communities both nationally and internationally.
Scottiann McLain, M.Ed, LPCC-S
Scottiann McLain, M.Ed, LPCC-S, is the Senior Director of Recovery Services at Ramey Estep Homes, Inc. in Rush, Kentucky.
With over two decades of experience in the mental health field since 1999, Scottiann has worked with diverse populations, including families, individuals with mental health disorders, children, women with postpartum depression, and individuals with substance use disorders. Her work spans from early childhood to adult populations.
Since joining Ramey Estep Homes in 2016, Scottiann has collaborated with leadership to develop all of the agency's recovery programs. She finds great joy in training and teaching others, which has become a significant aspect of her career. Scottiann is a key supervisor with Matrix, a trainer for Motivational Interviewing and the North Carolina Family Assessment Scale, and a Counseling Board-approved supervisor in Kentucky. Her passion lies in mentoring the next generation of professionals to grow and expand the field.
Her outstanding work in building clinical programs and providing clinical supervision led to three of her agency's sites receiving the prestigious 3-Year Matrix Certification with Excellence. Due to her clinical success, Scottiann became a natural fit as a Matrix Trainer and has been training for the past two years.
Gena de Sousa, MS, CSAC, CS-IT
Gena de Sousa brings over 35 years of dedicated experience in integrated Substance Use Disorders (SUD) and Co-Occurring Disorders (COD) behavioral health care. Her professional journey includes a blend of direct clinical services (across residential, day treatment, outpatient, in-home services, and detoxification) as well as leadership roles in diverse settings.
Gena’s connection with Matrix began during her time at the Milwaukee County Behavioral Health Division, where she worked alongside community providers to develop and implement vital protocols for clients in need of Substance Use and Mental Health services. She is enthusiastic about continuing to contribute to and advance Matrix through these training opportunities.
Throughout her career, Gena has played a pivotal role in implementing treatment programs, including SAMHSA grants, often serving as Project Director, as well as several State of Wisconsin grants and initiatives. Her unwavering commitment to improving treatment options has been a profound driving force in her life.
Gena began her career at the United Community Center (UCC) in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Returning to UCC in 2015 allowed her to give back to the organization and community that significantly shaped her professional journey and personal growth. Currently, she serves as the Clinical Director of the Human Services Department, overseeing the implementation of various Evidence-Based Practices, including Matrix.
Originally from Portugal, Gena brings her personal experience as a bilingual and bicultural individual, enabling her to connect with diverse communities and navigate the unique challenges of providing effective treatment across different cultural contexts.
Lynda M. Coraluzzi, LCADC, CAADC
Dr. Lynda M. Coraluzzi is a seasoned addiction specialist with over 15 years of clinical experience, currently serving at the Jefferson Health Transplant Institute (Einstein Campus, Philadelphia, PA). She holds licensure as a Clinical Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LCADC) in New Jersey and certification as an Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CAADC) in Pennsylvania.
Dr. Coraluzzi is the founder of the H.E.A.L. Program—Hope, Empower, Acceptance, Life—a groundbreaking virtual treatment model tailored for patients with alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD). This innovative program integrates evidence-based addiction care with telehealth delivery, addressing the unique challenges faced by transplant candidates and recipients.
Dr. Coraluzzi combines clinical expertise with research to advance patient-centered, integrated treatment solutions. She is a national trainer for the Matrix Recovery Program for Substance Use Disorders and Integrated Care, delivering structured interventions to justice-involved populations.
Her work has been featured at leading national conferences, including the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) and the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM). She has authored publications on liver injury in patients with substance use disorders and virtual treatment models for AUD in ALD populations.
Dr. Coraluzzi is widely recognized for her leadership in bridging addiction medicine and transplant care, advocating for compassionate, evidence-based approaches that improve access, equity, and outcomes for vulnerable patient populations.
Amanda Mack
Amanda Mack is a member of the training team at CLARE/Matrix, based in Boonwurrung Country outside Melbourne, Australia. She is a therapist with qualifications including a Bachelor of Applied Social Science specializing in Counselling, a Master’s in Addictive Behaviours, and expertise in Clinical Supervision for individuals and groups, Single Session Family Therapy, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, SMART Recovery, MARAM, ASSIST, ACT, and Grief and Loss.
With over 15 years of experience supporting people in need, Amanda has worked in areas such as grief and loss, student wellbeing, homelessness, and substance use issues. She has extensive experience supporting youth, adults, and families in both community and private practice settings. Amanda has been working with Matrix for both youth and adult clients since 2020 and values how the Matrix framework supports clients through various stages of recovery.
Amanda is the Key Supervisor for Reset Life at Taskforce, which received Matrix’s highest recognition as a Certified Matrix Program with Excellence for 3 years. This designation highlights programs that not only adhere to Matrix with fidelity but also demonstrate overall program quality and excellent treatment outcomes.
Yvonne Spandiel
Yvonne Spandiel is registered with the South African Council for Social Services Professions and holds a Master’s degree in Social Work and a Btech degree in Child and Youth Development from the University of South Africa.
She is a qualified Facilitator, Moderator, and Assessor, and is skilled in designing and developing outcomes-based learning material. Yvonne is also registered with the Health and Welfare SETA.
Extensively trained in Matrix Model for Criminal Justice Settings, Yvonne was responsible for overseeing 11 child and youth care centers for young people in conflict with the law in South Africa. This program operated from 2010 until 2021.
Yvonne was a key member of the team that achieved the distinction of Matrix Certified Programs with Excellence for 3 years for all 11 Youth Care Centers across South Africa.
Brian Gibson, MA, LPC, CPCS, ICAADC, CCTP, MATS
Brian Gibson is a Licensed Professional Counselor, Certified Professional Counselor Supervisor, and Internationally Certified Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor. Brian is located in the Atlanta, Georgia area.
With 24 years of experience as a mental health counselor, Brian began his career working in a Partial Hospitalization Program, focusing on adolescents. His work has encompassed trauma, abuse, mental health issues, and substance use disorders. Observing the increasing challenges associated with substance use disorders, Brian sought further training and knowledge in this area.
Impressed by the Matrix's functionality, adaptability, and ease of use, Brian established a Matrix-based Intensive Outpatient substance use program at his hospital. This program primarily served adults but also included adjunct programming for adolescents, many of whom were involved in the criminal justice system and presented with co-occurring disorders.
After several years overseeing this program, Brian transitioned to managing a dual diagnosis PHP/IOP campus for adults with acute and chronic mental illness, frequently accompanied by substance use disorders. Currently, Brian continues to provide individual counseling to both adolescent and adult clients within a hospital setting and in private practice, focusing on co-occurring disorders.
Since 2020, Brian has been working with Clare|Matrix, providing training on the implementation and use of Matrix with adolescents and adults across various settings.
Warren Burnhams
Warren, based in Cape Town, South Africa, has been a key figure in the widespread adoption of Matrix across the country. South Africa has long been a strong supporter of Matrix, and Warren has played a pivotal role in its success.
With over 20 years of experience in the addiction field, Warren is a qualified social worker (BA in Social Work) and holds a master's degree in Health and Welfare Management. He has served as the Key Supervisor for Cape Town's eight community-based treatment centers that utilize Matrix for the past 10 years. Notably, two of these sites, Delft South and Tafelsig, have been certified with excellence by the Clare|Matrix Training Institute. Additionally, he has provided key supervision to other organizations, including Scienza, which earned a one-year certification from the Clare|Matrix Training Institute.
Warren's expertise extends beyond supervision; he has co-authored several articles and participated in the UNODC conference on promising perspectives for the treatment of stimulant dependence. He was also part of the subsequent workgroup focused on implementing psycho-social treatment. With over a decade of experience as a Matrix trainer, Warren continues to contribute significantly to the field.
The Matrix Model for Criminal Justice Settings includes
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a therapist's manual with a complete research bibliography on USB
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reproducible worksheets and handouts on a USB
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three lecture videos
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medallions to commemorate successful program completion
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calendar stickers to help clients track their sobriety PROGRAM TRAINING AVAILABLE
With The Matrix Model product training, certified Matrix Institute trainers familiarize participants with the program and the most recent findings in treating substance use disorders.
Call the Training Department Monday through Friday 9AM-5PM Eastern
Donna Johnson, CEO, Clare|Matrix Training Institute
We also offer in-person training that will address your agency needs specifically and how to implement the Matrix Recovery Program™ and other evidence-based approaches into your treatment program. Call us to request a quote!