Desert Star

Richard J. Poppy, MA, LISAC, Owner, Executive Director

Richard Poppy is the founder of Desert Star and a graduate of the University of Washington and Seattle University. He is a Licensed Substance Abuse Counselor in the State of Arizona and has been involved in substance abuse and mental health treatment in a variety of settings since 1993.​

Mr. Poppy’s professional involvements include advocating for mental health and addiction treatment at the local, state and national levels.  Mr. Poppy’s past involvements include NIDA’s clinical trials network, NIDA’s blending/steering committee, the ATTC (Addiction Technology Transfer Center), adjunct professor at ASU School of Social Work, co-founder and president of TPAA (Therapeutic Practitioner’s Alliance of Arizona), a nonprofit advocacy group that worked with community stake holders, and the BBHE to bring about legislative changes for Arizona state mental health professionals licensing requirements.

 

Amy Tilley, PsyD, Clinical Director

Amy Tilley graduated from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology in 2007, and has 20 years in the mental health and addiction recovery field.  She is the Clinical Director at Desert Star and has worked at Desert Star for 12 years. She trained in inpatient and outpatient settings in Chicago, IL, working with children, adolescents, families, and adults, and completed her pre- and post-doctoral internship in Tucson, AZ. She is skilled in utilization review and coordinating with insurance companies to ensure coverage for client’s treatment. Dr. Tilley’s clinical interests include working with young adults and adults diagnosed with co-occurring conditions, in outpatient settings, running psycho-educational and process groups, as well as working with clients who have a history of trauma.

 

Nicole Velasco, PhD, Clinic Manager

Nicole Velasco has been with Desert Star since 2014. Nicole has held various positions while at Desert Star. Currently she has administrative and clinic management responsibilities, along with insurance billing for Desert Star.  Nicole has been working with insurance companies and billing since 2015, when she began to specialize in the field of Behavioral Health. She received her PhD in Business Administration in 2018 and continues to pursue ways of advocating for clients with insurance companies.

 

James “Jim” McShea, Peer Support, Business Development

After retiring from forty years of service as a law enforcement commander, Jim still values finding ways to help people. Jim’s career spanned many years as a first responder, hostage negotiation supervisor, major offenders unit supervisor, and numerous other assignments as an officer and supervisor. He also worked as a commander for seventeen years of his career in many areas, including several sensitive administrative and specialized assignments.

With a special interest in helping public safety personnel and other professionals obtain treatment, Jim believes that careers, lives and families can be saved and thoroughly enjoyed.  Jim knows that confidentiality is vital to first responders and others, and he enjoys assisting people in getting the help they need while alleviating their confidentiality fears. Jim is currently pursuing Substance Abuse Disorder and Employee Assistance Professional certificates.

 

Judy Hileman, NP, Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner

Judy Hileman draws from a vast and varied experience to improve the mental health and functioning status of Desert Star’s clients. Attending both the University of Arizona and Arizona State University, Judy became a nurse practitioner in 1987, before many in the state had ever heard of the profession. She worked and taught in the medical area until 2000, at which time she completed her post master’s degree in Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing, and has been working in mental health ever since.

 

Kelly Linebaugh, DNP, Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

Kelly has been a psychiatric nurse practitioner since 2002, and received her Doctor of Nursing Practice in 2013. With 16 years of practice in various inpatient and outpatient mental health settings, Kelly approaches mental health care by seeking to fully understand a person’s past and current cumulative stress load (physical, spiritual, and mental) and how this impacts their mental health and ability to cope with stress. From there, she forms collaborative relationships with clients to support and guide their journey to improved mental health.

 

Marla Perry, Ph.D, Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner

​Marla is a Rehabilitation Ph.D. and board certified Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner who utilizes trauma-informed approaches. She practiced in general psychiatry, residential and out patient addiction recovery settings, and previously served as faculty at University of Arizona, College of Nursing. Marla studied Buddhist Psychology in Bhutan and India, and loves to garden and feed carrots to her neighbor’s burros.

 

Norma Vazquez, BA, Administrative Assistant, Graduate Intern

Norma Vazquez received her Bachelor’s Degree in Nutrition from the University of Arizona and is currently working on her Masters in Counseling from Grand Canyon University. Norma has worked in multiple eating disorder treatment facilities including Desert Star. Norma is a member of the administrative team and is a graduate student intern, offering compassionate guidance and assistance to clients.

 

Devyn Van Ardoy, Administrative Assistant, Social Media & Marketing

Devyn is a graduate of the University of Arizona and studied Nutrition with an emphasis in Dietetics. She is currently working towards her credentialing as a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist. Born and raised in Tucson, Devyn enjoys working at Desert Star on the administrative team to help heal the community.

 

Susan O’Day, MS, ICADC, CMKP, Therapist

Susan O’Day has a Master of Science Degree in Psychology with a specialization in addiction from Capella University.   Her special areas of interest are sexual addiction and the ways in which addressing childhood abuse can contribute to recovery from addictive disorders.  She started working in this field in 1989, and joined Desert Star after many years of working in residential settings.  She also assisted South Pacific Private in NSW, Australia with program and staff development.  Susie is experienced in the practice of equine assisted therapy.  She has been with Desert Star since 2010, and currently works as a therapist in multiple programs.

 

Rose Chaboya-Balboa, M.Ed., B.C.C., Therapist

Rose brings her passion and experience working with individuals in early recovery to Desert Star! Rose holds a Bachelor’s degree in Family Studies from the University of Arizona and a Master’s in Educational Leadership from Northern Arizona University. Rose blends her bi-cultural heritage and experience in substance abuse treatment and prevention as well as behavioral and mental health diagnoses to the groups she facilitates.

 

Tony Redhouse, Native American Practitioner

A consultant to Native American communities as well as behavioral health organizations, Tony brings traditional healing such as sound-guided meditation, drumming, and creative arts projects to Desert Star’s gender-specific Friday night groups.

 

 

Calley Steel, MA, LPC, NCC, Therapist

Calley is a therapist with diverse experience and a special interest in the treatment of eating disorders. Bringing energy and focus to Desert Star’s Mesquite program, Calley also runs groups in other Desert Star programs and provides individual counseling. Additionally, she teaches yoga in the Tucson community.

 

Arturo Torres, MA, Therapist

​Arturo Torres is bilingual in English and Spanish. He has a bachelors in psychology and a masters in addiction counseling from Grand Canyon university. Arturo is also a former Paralympic Athlete whose focus is on the importance of staying physically active to improve mental health. He has mentored kids and adults with disabilities, addictions and in gang prevention. Arturo has also volunteered with the university of Arizona wheelchair youth sports program.

Michael Dues, Recovery Coach

Michael Dues, PhD, was a college professor for 45 years, the last 20 the Department of Communication at The University of Arizona. Much of his study and teaching over his career has focused on how communication affects personal and work relationships. His “Great Courses” lecture series, “The Art of Conflict Management,” has sold more than 80,000 copies. In recovery for 33 years, he is especially interested in the daunting challenge of communicating in recovery. He loves working with people who are new in recovery.

James Stewart, LASAC, Therapist

I was raised mostly in Arizona, and live in Mesa, but have lived throughout Phoenix area, Tucson and surrounding communities. I received by bachelors degree from U of A (go Wildcats!) and masters from Ottawa University. I enjoy hobbies in aviation (anything with airplanes), music-I play mostly guitar today, and enjoy most genres of music, hiking, fishing, camping and travel.

Stephanie Speake, MSC, NCC, LAC, CYT-250, EMDR Certified Psychotherapist/Somatic Therapist

Stephanie is a native Tucsonan and life adventurer. Stephanie earned her Masters of Science degree in Counseling from Prescott College with an emphasis on somatic therapies and substance abuse disorders. Stephanie is a licensed associate counselor holding several additional certifications. Stephanie brings into her work a heartfelt and integrative approach of care that is rooted in trauma-informed, present-centered, strengths-based, and solution-focused therapies.

Nancy Franklin-Hicks, MA, Therapist

(She/her)

Nancy has a MA in Counseling and Rehabilitation from the University of Arizona. She went on to work for a Tucson Hospice organization for 15.  Nancy is currently enrolled in ASU MSW program and will graduate May of 2023. Since leaving hospice work, Nancy has enjoyed working in an IOP/PHP program in Tucson where she specialized in adolescences and young adults.

Nancy is passionate about providing trauma informed care by exploring with clients how trauma has affected their relationship with their addiction to promote a higher level of mental, physical and spiritual wellbeing. One of her favorite quotes is by James Baldwin, “Not everything that is faced can be changed. But nothing can be changed until it is faced.”