Mental Health Therapist
Veron Johnson joined Hudson Behavioral Health in 2021. He works with patients throughout their entire time spent at the inpatient campus and treats mental health disorders.
Johnson earned his Master of Education in Guidance and Counseling from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. Prior to joining Hudson, he served as a Mental Health Professional Counselor at the Maryland Department of Health in Snow Hill, and before that as a Co-Occurring Mental Health Therapist at Tidal Health.
In 2020, Johnson was nominated as one of the Eastern Shores "100 Most Distinguished Men" for his work as a Mental Health Therapist, and for providing workshops at the 3rd Annual African American Boys Conference.
Director of Accounting
As the Director of Accounting at Hudson Behavioral Health, Rita is responsible for assisting CEO Leslie Brown with preparation of the annual budget and audit, she oversees accounts payable and receivable, and she handles reporting and reconciliations.
Rita joined Hudson Behavioral Health in 2021. She previously served as Controller of Tyson Foods in Berlin, MD and Airpax Corporation in Cambridge, MD, and most recently was a Senior Financial Analyst at Tidal Health.
She received her Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Marywood College in Scranton, PA and later went on to earn an M.B.A. from Salisbury University in 2003.
Marketing & Community Liaison
As the Marketing & Community Liaison, Alex is responsible for maintaining relationships with community partners and referral sources. Through collaborative discussions with local health officials and other behavioral health facilities, he assesses the needs of the addictions community and works to accommodate those needs.
Alex joined Hudson Behavioral Health in 2021. He received his Bachelor of Business Administration with a minor in Marketing from Wilkes University in Wilkes Barre, PA.
Clinical Treatment Manager
As the Clinical Treatment Manager, Michele oversees the daily operations of Hudson’s residential campus. She provides clinical oversight for staff on campus and in residential housing along with providing supervision for Associate, Bachelor, and Master level intern students.
Michele joined Hudson Behavioral Health in 2019 as Residential Lead Counselor. She began her career as a substance abuse counselor after receiving her Associate’s Degree in Chemical Dependency Counseling from Wor-Wic Community College. Michele has worked in a variety of settings including both inpatient and outpatient treatment centers, working with both adolescents and adults. Michele earned her Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) and Master of Social Work (MSW) from Salisbury University.
Director of Housing
As Director of Housing, Lisa is responsible for the programs and staff at each of Hudson's off-campus housing facilities throughout Maryland and Delaware. Lisa started her career with Hudson in 2015 as a Peer Support and Case Manager. In 2019 she was promoted to Program Director of Delaware Housing, where she oversaw two recovery houses in Georgetown, DE and sought opportunities for expansion.
Director of Human Resources
Suzanne Caputo joined Hudson Behavioral Health in January 2017 as Director of Human Resources. She received a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Business from SUNY Plattsburgh in New York. For the last twenty years, Suzanne has worked in Human Resources in various healthcare settings, including hospitals, hospice, and home health care. She specializes in Recruiting, Training, and Human Resources Information Systems (HRIS). Suzanne relocated from New York to join the team at Hudson, bringing a valuable perspective from much larger organizations.
Sher’ra Brown started her career with Hudson as Director of Nursing, in 2019. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice from the University of Delaware. She worked as an Addictions Counselor for six years before returning to school to pursue a career in Nursing at Delaware Technical Community College. She has a background working in Pediatrics through end-of-life with hospice. A candidate to receive her BSN in August 2020 from Western Governors University, Sher’ra will continue on to obtain a Master of Science-Leadership and Management in Spring 2021. Her belief is that those with addictions have a right to quality healthcare.
Kellie Noonan is a nationally certified Nurse Practitioner specializing in family practice and addictions medicine. She completed her Bachelor of Science degree in nursing from Salisbury State University in Salisbury, MD and then earned her Master of Science at Wilmington University in New Castle, DE. Ms. Noonan is also a certified Buprenorphine provider through the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM). She holds her national board certification through American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).
Psychiatrist
Dr. Efigenio Lynes Bautista joined Hudson Health Services in 2005. He was educated at St. Thomas Aquiras University, School of Medicine and Surgery 1970. He also trained at the Manhattan State Hospital in 1974. Dr. Bautista has worked with individuals with co-occurring disorders his entire career and has extensive knowledge in treating individuals with complex diagnosis including Substance-Use Disorders.
Medical Director
Dr. Robert Coker is an internist with admitting and consulting privileges at Peninsula Regional Medical Center in Salisbury, Maryland, where he served as Chief of the Department of Medicine from 2005-2007. Dr. Coker is Board Certified in Internal Medicine and is a Diplomate of the American Board of Addiction Medicine (DABAM). He is licensed to practice medicine in both Maryland and New Jersey.
Director of Administration
Leah started her career with Hudson in 2007 and has been integral in program and project implementation. She has contributed years of experience and knowledge to updating and maintaining our extensive Corporate Policies and Procedures to ensure staff and patient safety, as well as to maintaining our Joint Commission Accreditation. She has been instrumental in obtaining and updating various clinical, electronic health record, financial software systems and methods of documentation within the company. Leah manages the overall purchasing for the company, negotiates vendor contracts, assists in obtaining grant funding and insurance company reimbursements. Leah is also one of the leaders of our company Smile Team, that plans employee functions and fundraising initiatives.
Director of Environmental Services
Kelly Pullen joined Hudson Behavioral Health in 2013 as Director of Environmental Services. Prior to his employment with the organization, Kelly was a successfully self-employed contractor in and around Salisbury, Maryland. He is certified as a Lead Paint Risk Assessor and is a Lead Paint Abatement Contractor. Kelly has been an integral part of key renovations and upgrades that have been made to both our Harting Drive Campus as well as our transitional housing properties.
Director of Housing
Rebecca Kimmons, CSC-AD, earned an Associate of Applied Science in Chemical Dependency Counseling from Wor-Wic Community College in 2012. That same year she joined Hudson at the Broad Street Women and Children's House. Wanting to expand on her professional development, Rebecca moved into a Residential Counselor position at Hudson’s Main Campus, where she worked for two years. She accepted the position of Director of Housing in March of 2016. Rebecca received the Certified Supervised Counselor - Alcohol and Drug (CSC-AD) certification in 2015 and is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Social Work at Salisbury University.
Director of Human Resources
Suzanne Caputo joined Hudson Behavioral Health in January 2017 as Director of Human Resources. She received a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Business from SUNY Plattsburgh in New York. For the last twenty years, Suzanne has worked in Human Resources in various healthcare settings, including hospitals, hospice, and home health care. She specializes in Recruiting, Training, and Human Resources Information Systems (HRIS). Suzanne relocated from New York to join the team at Hudson, bringing a valuable perspective from much larger organizations.
Director of Admissions
Shiela Pullen, LPN, Director of Admissions Shiela’s well-rounded professional history and the extensive knowledge she has gained from the more than 20 years she has spent with Hudson uniquely qualify her to serve as Director of Admissions.
She began her career at Hudson in 1998 as a Licensed Practical Nurse in the Nursing Department. She received a Certificate in Nursing from Wor-Wic Community College in 1990 after which she took a position at Peninsula Regional Medical Center where she specialized in MedSurge Nursing. In 2000, she accepted the position of Director of Admissions at Hudson. In addition to her experience at PRMC, she has also worked as a private duty nurse within the local community.
Shiela’s s dedication and loyalty to Hudson’s mission and its patients results in a warm and welcoming environment for new admissions.
Clinical Director
Kevin joined Hudson Behavioral Health as Clinical Director in April 2018. He is responsible for clinical oversight of all of Hudson’s programs, including those provided at the Main Campus as well as at residential housing throughout the community.
Kevin earned a Master of Social Work (MSW) in 2014 and Master of Business Administration (MBA) in 2020, both from Salisbury University. Previously, he completed an Associate of Arts in Chemical Dependency Counseling from Wor-Wic Community College and a Bachelor of Arts in History from Western Connecticut State University. Kevin has years of experience in community-based integrated treatment programs, both inpatient and outpatient, as a clinician and as Clinical Director. He has experience as an adjunct instructor at Wor-Wic Community College and Salisbury University and provides counseling and social work supervision for Associate, Bachelor, and Master level students.
Director of Program Development
Kennedy began at Hudson as an Admissions Counselor in 2010 and was promoted to Director of Program Development in 2013. Her enthusiasm for providing direct patient care, deep knowledge of our service areas and available resources, as well as her belief in Hudson’s mission to cultivate and maintain relationships with our partners and provide education in the community makes a difference for patients and staff daily.
After earning an Associate degree in Chemical Dependency Counseling from Wor-Wic Community College in 2010, she completed a bachelor’s degree in Behavioral Science from Wilmington University in 2014. She is licensed by the Maryland Board of Professional Counselors and Therapists as a Certified Associate Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CAC-AD) and a Certified Clinical Supervisor.
President & Chief Executive Officer
Leslie Brown has served in and led non-profit organizations for most of her career in roles that include Controller, CFO and CEO. Her commitment to helping people recover from addiction and find success in daily life is unparalleled.
At Hudson, Leslie is tasked with managing a staff of more than 100 people over a full continuum of care with a budget of over 7 million dollars. She joined the organization in 2005 as Chief Financial Officer and was promoted to Chief Executive Officer in 2011. During her tenure and due to her vision, the organization has grown, increasing its budget by 300% and tripling staff size – both of which are the key to bringing treatment to people across more locations and creating open access. Among her many responsibilities, she oversees the operations and development of an extensive property portfolio, including the 51- bed main campus and 8 satellite facilities.
Before joining Hudson, Leslie worked at a number of non-profits, in roles that include employee and consultant. Her perseverance, skilled strategic planning, and revenue and investment diversification have led to successful and reliant organizations.