Our Team1

Trey Laird is CEO and Founder of The Lighthouse Sober Living and The Lighthouse Recovery Coaching 365 Program. Before founding The Lighthouse, Mr. Laird was a Wall Street equities trader for 22 years, starting this career with Bankers Trust and exiting with Lazard. Mr. Laird attended the Trinity School in Manhattan and Dartmouth College.

Mr. Laird has five children and lives in New Canaan, Connecticut with his wife. He is a Deacon at The New Canaan Congregational Church, as well as an avid golfer and marathoner. An advisory board member at Recovery.com, he regularly travels to share his expertise on recovery and treatment best practices, and makes regular media appearances to speak on addiction issues. 

Mr. Laird feels that his choice to Recover Out Loud has had an extraordinary impact on his life in recovery.

Cini Shaw, MA, AADC, CASAC, NCPRSS, is Chief Recovery Officer of The Lighthouse Recovery Services. Cini is an Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor as well an Interventionist. She is also a Nationally Certified Peer Recovery Support Specialist and a Recovery Coach Trainer. At the Lighthouse, she supervises a network of recovery coaches and residential directors and provides family support and family coaching services. She has had extensive training through CCAR on all aspects of recovery coaching and through CMC on their Invitation to Change model for families. Additionally, she is trained in Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Mindfulness Self-Compassion and Dialectal Behavior Therapy (DBT). 

Cini’s positive influence and support pervades every aspect of client care. On a daily basis, she meets individually and in groups to assist those with substance use disorders, helping to foster acceptance, empowerment and self-compassion. Multiple nights each week, Cini facilities group sessions on a range of topics, including DBT, Mindfulness Self-Compassion and MBSR. Cini also leads a weekly education and support group for the families of clients, which has proven to be tremendously helpful to both family members and the clients they are there to support.

Cini completed her graduate studies at Columbia University with a Master of Arts degree in Special Education after receiving her BA in Psychology from Colgate University. She began her career in special education, working with the developmentally disabled, and today continues to advocate for the rights of those who do not have a voice and have been marginalized by our society.

In addition to her work at The Lighthouse, Cini is committed to raising awareness about substance use disorders, reducing stigma and bringing pathways of recovery to our communities. She is affiliated with multiple highly-regarded organizations working to support mental health and substance use disorders—she is a member of the ADPC Recovery and Health Management Subcommittee as well as the DMHAS CT Peer Certification Advisory Council. She is also an Executive Board member of Liberation Programs, which is one of Fairfield County’s leading behavioral health organizations specializing in treatment for all types of substance use disorders.

Through her experience of raising five children in Fairfield County, Cini has a deep understanding of the unique challenges, as well as the benefits, associated with raising a family in this area. She understands the social pressures, alienation and competitiveness pervading many of our communities and recognizes that these pressures can be overwhelming and can then lead to low self-esteem, anxiety, depression and unsafe coping skills, making Cini an invaluable source of support and guidance for women with substance use disorders. 

Cini was recently named 2022’s Addiction Professional of the Year by preeminent addiction treatment provider Caron Treatment Centers. The Caron New York Community Service Awards recognize individuals, organizations and institutions that have made an outstanding contribution in the ongoing battle against alcohol and drug addiction. 

New Cannan Parent Support Group:

https://ncparentsupportgroup.org/recovery-blog-post-cini/

Deborah Atkins, MTF, is Clinical Family Recovery Consultant for The Lighthouse Sober Living and the Recovery 365 coaching programs. A marriage and family therapist in Fairfield County for more than 17 years, Deborah recognizes addiction and dysfunction as part of a larger—and often desperate—call for change. She identifies negative thoughts, long-held beliefs and unhealthy patterns of relating within the context of a clients’ work, marriage and family. 

As consultant to The Lighthouse, Deborah shares her expertise in family system dynamics to help coaches and staff develop individualized support for residents and their families. By challenging ineffective and destructive habits and behaviors, she helps our team to uncover latent strengths and develop new strategies that can hold the key to lasting sobriety and transformation. 

Deborah received her master’s degree in marriage and family therapy from Fairfield University and has worked in both agency and private settings with individuals, couples and families. She has also worked in the local judicial system with court-mandated clients addressing chronic substance abuse and anger management disorders. 

Deborah advises allied professionals on the subtle nuances of systemic organization, helping corporate teams and educators as an adjunct facilitator and mediator. Her warmth, compassion, intuition, optimism and commitment to collaboration provide our residents and their families guided strategies for long-term recovery and deeper, more meaningful family relationships. Her systemic approach also brings to light valuable insights into resident and staff relationships to ensure The Lighthouse family provides the most nurturing, healthy and productive environment for our clients’ recovery and wellness journeys.

Jeffrey Guance is a Social Worker and a Recovery Coach. He received Summa Cum Laude honors for his associate degree in Liberal Arts from Norwalk Community College, followed by his Bachelor of Social Work from Fordham University, where he also earned a Master of Social Work degree and LMSW. Next, Jeffrey hopes to attain his LCSW and work toward a PHD in Social Work with a dissertation on substance use disorders and treatment.

Jeffrey has been with The Lighthouse since 2018 and currently hosts the well-known and well-attended men’s Wednesday night dinner meeting. Additionally, he is practicing at Project Courage, where he is an individual therapist, IOP facilitator, school-based substance abuse counselor and Sober Coach.

Jeffrey loves playing basketball and spending time with friends and family. Hs favorite pastime is engaging in philosophical discourse.

Trish has been with The Lighthouse since the women’s residence opened in 2020. She began as a residential manager and is currently a CCAR-trained recovery coach as well as the women’s residential program Director. Originally from Texas, Trish moved to Connecticut in 2018 and has been an active member of the Fairfield County recovery community for the last several years.

Trish received her BA from Whittier College. She taught elementary school and led a successful catering company prior to joining The Lighthouse.

Trish's own recovery journey, connection to the community and personal experience in residential living have helped her become an insightful and compassionate resource for clients.

She believes there are many pathways to achieving long-term recovery and that bringing love, laughter and hope can make everything possible.

John joined The Lighthouse team in 2020 as a Residential Manager and is currently the Men’s Program Director. He is also Director of Client Care and oversees the sober companion and transport businesses. Prior to The Lighthouse, John worked at Fresh Start, a rehabilitation and residential facility in Westport, Connecticut. He is also a licensed EMT.

John spent more than 20 years in finance as an equity sales trader before switching course to work with people in recovery. Having found and embraced his own recovery through the 12-step program of Alcoholics Anonymous, John is deeply rooted in the Fairfield County recovery community. He currently resides in Ridgefield, Connecticut.

Heidi is the Board Member for The Lighthouse. She joined The Lighthouse in May 2018 as Director of Business Strategy. She previously worked in private equity with The Chase Manhattan Bank and later Seaport Capital in New York.

Heidi attended Dartmouth College and Columbia Business School. She is on the Board of Directors of Liberation Programs and the Darien YMCA, and is a member of the Dartmouth Alumni Council. She has raised her four children in Darien, Connecticut.

Kristi joined the Lighthouse in 2021. She grew up in Fairfield County, Connecticut and studied Art History and Marketing at Fairfield University. Previously, Kristi worked for Home Depot as a Décor Specialist and at State Farm as a licensed insurance producer.

Kristi is currently working towards her CCAR Recovery Coach designation and is an active member of the Fairfield County recovery community. She prides herself on sharing her personal recovery journey and working with non-custodial parents whose relationships have been affected by substance use disorders. 

Kristi has four wonderful children and is an avid NFL and Formula One Racing fan. She enjoys volunteering at Stamford Hospital and spending time with her family.

Akisha joined The Lighthouse in April 2020. Akisha was born and raised in Stamford, Connecticut. She earned her Associate of Science degree in Human Services at Norwalk Community College in 2012 and continued to Sacred Heart University to earn her Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice.

Akisha has more than two decades of experience working with families in transitional living facilities in Fairfield County, where she has worked closely with residents in recovery.

For many years, Akisha’s passion has been to help improve the quality of life for the community’s most vulnerable populations. In addition to The Lighthouse, Akisha is a Child Development Specialist and a credentialed provider of supervised visitation for the State of Connecticut Department of Children & Families. For 15 years, she served as president of the non-profit organization she founded, which advocates for single-parent families living below the federal poverty line. The organization also provides individual and group mentoring for youth in the Greater Norwalk area. She has also been instrumental in assisting various organizations obtain tax-exempt status.

Akisha is a member of the Board of Education for Bridgeport Public schools, and she volunteered in Norwalk Public schools for many years before she was voted President of the Norwalk PTO Council.

Akisha loves to spend time with her family and is a firm believer in the practice of self-care. On occasion, she enjoys hosting parties and regularly produces stand-up comedy.

One of Akisha’s favorite quotes is by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., which reads: “Take the first step in FAITH. You don’t have to see the WHOLE staircase. Just take the first step.”

In February 2017, Dave Cator became the Lighthouse’s first client in the Recovery 365 program—the day he walked into The Lighthouse is also Dave's sobriety date. Upon retiring from a long career as a Senior Executive in the publishing industry, Dave made the decision to become a professional recovery coach and join the Lighthouse team.

The most important skill that Dave learned during his career is the art of listening and how to utilize it in resolving conflict, conducting negotiations and in building relationships. This asset is also the primary tool Dave uses for helping people navigate their recovery journeys as they build their own individualized paths. Everyone’s personality, challenges and goals are different. Consequently, so too is the need for their recovery plans to be unique.

Dave, his wife, and three daughters reside in Darien, Connecticut. He loves family time, vacations, time with friends, playing golf and his dogs. Making time for exercise is critical to his own program and he is always up for the next challenge.

Jack joined the team as a manager at the men’s residence in March 2016, making him the first-ever Lighthouse employee. Since then, he has held various roles at The Lighthouse, including residential manager, recovery coach and business development associate. Jack is a certified Recovery Coach Professional (RCP), and is in the process of becoming a certified Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor. 

Jack is involved in numerous recovery-focused organizations in the area. He serves on the Board of the Connecticut Alliance of Recovery Residences (CTARR) and the New Canaan Recovery Corps (NCRC), which he co-founded. He is also a member of the Stamford Reentry Roundtable. 

Before joining The Lighthouse, Jack practiced law for 25 years. He is a graduate of Boston College and Fordham Law School. 

Jack enjoys working with residents and believes that life-changing transformations can occur at The Lighthouse for anyone willing to put in the work. 

David joined The Lighthouse in 2018. In the summer of 2019, he achieved designation as a Recovery Coach Professional (RCP) from the Center for Addiction Recovery. 

David has been in recovery for more than 15 years. He is an active member of local and regional recovery communities, of which he maintains numerous recovery relationships in Fairfield county. David draws upon his empathy and curiosity in guiding his own recovery and in coaching clients forging their paths.

David is a lifetime member of the PGA. Before working with The Lighthouse, he coached golf for 25 years. As a PGA Golf Professional, David relied upon his knowledge, compassion and problem-solving skills to help shape outstanding golfers. In recovery coaching, David has sharpened these skills to help guide men in early recovery. He relies upon active listening as well as his personal experiences to help others find their paths in recovery in a way that works best for each individual—not everyone makes the same golf swing to achieve their best results. The same applies to recovery.

Fabrice began working at The Lighthouse men’s residence in September 2017. Prior to joining the team, he was the head chef and owner of Voila! Bistro in Fairfield, Connecticut for more than 14 years. He also served as head chef at the award-winning White Horse Country Pub & Restaurant in Marbledale, Connecticut.

Fabrice is a graduate of the French Culinary Institute.

Cathie Gore joined The Lighthouse in 2023 and is a recovery coach, family coach and residential manager.  She achieved designation as a Recovery Coach Professional from the Connecticut Community for Addiction Recovery (CCAR) in early 2024, as well as Level 1 Certification in The Invitation to Change Approach from CMC: Foundation for Change. Cathie has been an active participant of the recovery community since 1987.  There is no greater joy than watching someone grow in their recovery and feels blessed to witness this miracle. She believes that recovery is possible for all!

In 2023, Cathie left her long-standing career in an administrative/project management role with an executive leadership firm to follow a calling to work in the recovery community.  She has a strong desire to assist those suffering find a new way to live through connection and community.  She offers guidance and tools to overcome struggles in daily living. She has a strong belief in the healing power that resides within each individual and co-creates a vision of well-being, which encompasses body, mind and spirit. She believes in multiple paths of healing and enjoys guiding each client toward self-care and wellness by looking deep within themselves.  Additionally, Cathie is a Reiki Master and works with divine energy for physical, mental and emotional healing.  She teaches and certifies Reiki; hosts Reiki shares/meditations and enjoys building community through her love of Reiki and Recovery.  She offers Reiki healing meditations at The Lighthouse as part of its monthly Pathway program.

Cathie resides with her husband, Steven, in Stamford, Connecticut.  Together, they have four adult children and four grandchildren. They also share their home with two Labrador Retrievers, as well as several chickens, filling their lives with love and laughter.

Jamie is a residential manager as well as The Lighthouse’s Director of Communications. She also works in Corporate Communications at IBM.

Jamie received her Bachelor of Arts degree in American Studies from Skidmore College. She received her Master of Arts in Communication Sciences from The University of Connecticut, where she focused on psychological principles in mass and interpersonal communication. During graduate school, Jamie was an academic advisor to incoming students each summer and to undergraduates during the school year before she began teaching introductory courses in communication at UConn. 

In her free time, Jamie volunteers with Future 5, which is an organization focused on helping students reach their full potential via connections to resources, communities and people.

Jamie loves spending time with her family and friends and is currently working toward her goal of becoming the world’s best aunt. 

She believes in the power of listening and being heard, the magic that lies in human connection and community and the healing that occurs in a shared laugh.

Jamie considers the opportunity to offer support to people at any point in their recovery journey a gift.

Peter received his undergraduate degree from Cornell University and his Master of Business Administration from Columbia University. He spent his career in senior management roles for privately backed companies in various industries. After leaving his most recent position, he decided to dedicate the next phase of his career to working in the recovery field.

Peter is active in various recovery organizations and serves on the Board of Advisors of Shatterproof, a national organization dedicated to addiction recovery and awareness, and to promoting pathways that support people and their families in dealing with substance use disorders.

Today Dan’s life is full of purpose and people who love, respect and trust him. He chooses to work in the field of recovery because for him, it is the ultimate way to give back what has been given to him. Dan has found working for The Lighthouse to be a wonderful and rewarding experience. He hopes to carry the message of hope and healing to all those in early recovery and beyond.

David McKenna joined The Lighthouse in May 2021. He graduated from Lake Forest College in 1980 and has worked in the insurance business for more than 40 years. 

David raised his three children in New Canaan, Connecticut, where he currently resides with his wife, Juliana. 

David is passionate about recovery and has volunteered for many years at a Bridgeport facility, serving the underserved. David became a certified Recovery Coach in 2014, and has found great joy and fulfillment in helping others in this way. 

In his free time, David loves spending time with his children and three grandchildren, music and all things cars.

Chris received his BA from Dartmouth College and worked in equities on Wall Street for nearly two decades before making a life and career pivot to focus on helping others. He believes strongly in removing the stigma surrounding mental health and addiction recovery.

Chris received a Master’s degree in Social Work from Sacred Heart University in 2023. For his specialist year placement, Chris held positions at Silver Hill Hospital, where he worked simultaneously as an intern on the Acute Care Unit and in the transitional living program as a full-time residential counselor. Chris worked at Silver Hill’s Scavetta House in the Dialectical Behavior Therapy-Substance (DBT-S) Program, where he focused on patients diagnosed with substance use and co-occurring mental health disorders.

Chris achieved designation as a Recovery Coach Professional (RCP) from the Connecticut Community for Addiction Recovery (CCAR) in 2021. He joined the Lighthouse staff in 2022 as a recovery coach after completing an internship there during his generalist year of graduate school.

KT joined the Lighthouse team in June 2021. Born and raised in Greenwich, KT currently resides in Fairfield. For many years, KT worked in retail and several years ago made the transition to the medical field. She now works with top orthopedics and neurosurgeons at Orthopedic Neurosurgery Specialists in Fairfield County, where she recently won the organization’s “You Make a Difference” award—and she truly does.

KT exudes gratitude for her sobriety, crediting recovery for allowing her to live a spiritual and authentic life full of love, laughter and connection.  

KT is grateful to have begun her recovery journey in October 2013 and believes that everyone deserves a second chance. She is passionate about helping others find their paths and truly believes that all things are possible.

KT spends free time creating adventures with her twin daughters, Logan and Sage, whom are the loves of her life.

Dan Valenzano joined the Lighthouse team as a residential manager in 2021. He graduated from the University of Rhode Island in 2011 with a degree in Communications, and several years later began his own recovery. Dan is grateful to have the opportunity to work with people during this significant time in their recovery journeys, and he enjoys helping them transition to this new way of life.

Dan is a huge New York Giants and Mets fan, and he enjoys attending sporting events and playing golf in his free time.

Dan received designation as a Recovery Coach Professional from the Connecticut Community for Addiction Recovery (CCAR) in 2023 and is now a recovery coach with The Lighthouse, in addition to his residential manager role.

Above all, Dan has tremendous gratitude for the gifts he has received as a result of his program of recovery. And he knows that this is only the beginning.

Stephanie joined the Lighthouse team as a Recovery Coach in February 2020. She holds an MS in counseling from Long Island University and a BA in psychology from the University at Albany, SUNY. She currently owns and operates a private fitness studio in Fairfield County, Connecticut.

Stephanie began her personal recovery journey more than five years ago. She became a Recovery Coach in 2019 with the intention of helping others who have suffered in the same way she has. As a personal trainer and fitness coach, the recovery coaching model was a perfect fit for her. Stephanie uses her expertise, her passion for health and wellness and her lived experience in recovery to support and guide others on their wellness journeys.

Ben joined The Lighthouse December 2022. He grew up in Morristown, New Jersey and attended the University of Maryland, where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Economics. After working in financial sales and business development for 15 years, Ben decided to change course and devote his life to what saved his own in 2021—recovery. Because of his recovery, Ben was able to get married and recently bought a house with his wife in Sandy Hook, Connecticut.

Ben understands how it feels to be lost and in need of help—and is dedicated to sharing his lived experience with those struggling the same way he did. Ben is extremely involved in the

Connecticut recovery community and acts as an unofficial ambassador for Move to Heal, which promotes mental health and addiction recovery through exercise.

Physical activity is foundational to Ben’s personal recovery and self-care, and he loves working out, playing golf and playing paddle tennis. He spends down time relaxing with his wife and their two dogs, Beukeboom and Wally. 

During his career in finance, Ben acted on his passion for helping others by participating in the Big Brother Big Sisters of America program, as well as privately mentoring adolescents struggling with everyday life.