Our Team
Built on Love, Kindness, and Recovery
Meet the People Behind the Mission.
Recovery Café Longmont operates with a small, dedicated team of compassionate professionals. We strive to bring our mission to life every day. Our staff creates the foundation of safety, stability, and connection that makes the Café a trusted refuge for people in recovery from mental health challenges, substance use disorder, isolation, and life’s many hardships. While our team leads the way, our impact expands through the strength of our broader community. We work closely with our members—whose courage and commitment shape the heart of the Café—and we’re supported by generous volunteers who help us offer recovery-focused programs, peer support, shared meals, and daily acts of kindness.
Work at RCLOur Team
Waltrina DeFrantz-Dufor, PhD
Executive Director
Beth Shipp
Interim Executive Director
Virginia Choung, MPA
Director of Philanthropy
Virginia has been the Director of Philanthropy at the Café since 2022. She started her career in finance and worked at Chase Bank in New York City and Fidelity Investments in Hong Kong. In 2016, she earned her Masters in Public Administration with a concentration in Nonprofit Management at CU Denver. Virginia has served on local nonprofit Boards, founded Left Hand Giving Circle, and is a partner at Social Venture Partners of Boulder County. In her free time, Virginia loves to travel, hike, read and spend time with her community of family and friends.
Chris Poma, CPFS
Program Director
Chris has been with the Café since 2022 and is a person in long-term, sustained recovery. He is a volunteer Restorative Justice Facilitator with Longmont Community Justice Partnership and in 2023, Chris received his Colorado Peer and Family Specialist Certification (CPFS). Now, Chris volunteers his time with various organizations to advance the Colorado Peer workforce and Colorado Peer Support Supporters. He loves dance and DJs on-air at KGNU 88.5 specializing in Reggae/Jamaican Music. He grew up in Southern California and moved to Longmont in 2018.
Kristina Garcia, CPFS
Bilingual Program Manager and Peer Support Specialist
A Colorado Native and member of the Recovery Café community since 2019, Kristina is currently working on the final steps of her CPFS license. She also works in partnership with the Family & Adult Integrated Treatment Courts in the City of Longmont, and does bilingual outreach throughout the community. Passionate about her work, Kristina finds much fulfillment and joy in watching others overcome hardship and flourish into lives of sobriety with meaningful purpose. A hairstylist by nature, Kristina gives back by providing free member haircuts. She enjoys traveling to new places with her kids, swimming, and volunteering at her church, in addition to appreciating beautiful music, Colorado skies, and yoga.
Sabrina Flanagan, CPFS
Peer Support Specialist
Sabrina has been part of the team since May 2024 and loves connecting with everyone who comes in. She is passionate about meeting people where they’re at and walking alongside them as they move towards their hopes and goals. Working to help RCL members seal eligible records with her clinic, The Mersaides Project, she hopes to open doors for individuals in our community that may otherwise remain closed. If she’s not at the Café, Sabrina is at the barn with her horse, Genesis, or spending time with her family.
Gretchen Ford
Operations & People Manager
Gretchen brings our team years of experience in office administration, ranging from funeral homes to pediatrics offices. Although Recovery Café Longmont is her first role with a non-profit organization, supporting others and building community is where she feels she needs to be; after losing her daughter to substance abuse, Gretchen felt drawn to the Café and its mission. When she is not working, she loves to hike, listen to podcasts, talk to her son, and spend time reading with her cats.
Elyssa Hamilton, CPFS
Volunteer and Grants Manager
Elyssa found her way into recovery within local 12-step programs in February of 2022. As a Colorado Peer and Family Specialist (CPFS), she finds meaning in walking alongside those in search of a path of recovery that aligns with them. Along with wearing her CPFS hat as needed, Elyssa writes grant proposals, manages grant funding, and coordinates our volunteer base. Elyssa is pursuing a degree in human services and non-profit management. To rest and restore, Elyssa spends time in the mountains hiking, running, and practicing yoga.
Liv Herring
Communications Manager
Liv is a recent graduate of the University of Colorado at Denver with a degree in Communications. After some career related soul-searching, Liv realized her ultimate goal was to make a difference in the lives of others and found her place to do so at RCL, where she runs our social media platforms, writes web articles, organizes Café events, and takes a lot of pictures. Outside of work, you’ll typically find her on hours-long reading streaks, playing gigs around Longmont with her band, paddle-boarding, or napping with her cat.
Sarah Honstein, CPFS, ADS
Peer Support and Acudetox Specialist
Bio coming soon!
Morgan Hufner, ADS
Peer Support and Acudetox Specialist
After losing both parents at a young age due to substance abuse, Morgan is passionate about bringing recovery to all communities. Her journey started with becoming a Reiki practitioner in 2019, followed by her becoming an AcuDetox Specialist in 2020. Since, Morgan has built a client-base and established herself as a leader in the AcuDetox community, teaching classes around Colorado. She currently serves as a Peer Support Specialist with Natural Highs and the Boulder County Probation Department. Outside of the Café, Morgan loves exercising and mediation, and spending time with her amazing six year old son.
Amanda Lopez
Recovery Coach
Bio Coming Soon!
José Matos
Bilingual Resource Navigator
José has been with Recovery Café Longmont since 2023, first as a volunteer, and now as a Bilingual Resource Navigator. He leads weekly bilingual meditations and Poetry Connection. He loves reading, learning new languages, and walking around Lake MacIntosh.
Harold Niedzielski, CPFS
Community Peer Recovery Navigator
Harold is a Community Peer Recovery Navigator and certified Colorado Peer and Family Specialist (CPFS) serving the entirety of Boulder County. Working alongside numerous Boulder County agencies, he goes to various communities in the county to assist law enforcement in addressing the unhoused and to offer support to those abusing substances. After choosing recovery eight years ago, Harold has devoted himself to getting others on better life paths. On his rare days off, Harold enjoys rockhounding, exploring Colorado, and gardening.
Our Board of Directors
Strategic Leadership Rooted in Community
The Board of Directors at Recovery Café Longmont offers steady, strategic leadership that helps the Café grow with intention and stay strong over time. Board members bring a mix of professional insight and lived experience, helping guide decisions around governance, fundraising, and long-term direction. Together, this leadership keeps the Café grounded in its mission while remaining financially responsible and responsive to community needs. Above all, the Board remains deeply committed to creating the best possible Café experience for both members and staff. By listening closely to those who show up every day, and by staying connected to the realities of the work, the board helps ensure decisions are grounded in care, respect, and dignity. In turn, this dedication supports a Café where people feel supported, staff feel valued, and the environment continues to be a place of safety, belonging, and growth for the entire recovery community.
Learn how to get involvedOur Board
Claire Clurman
Board President
An East Coast transplant, Claire has lived in Boulder for over 35 years. With experience in both corporate and non-profit management, her most recent role was Executive Director of Attention Homes (now TGTHR). Affiliated with Social Venture Partners of Boulder County since 2018, she currently provides pro-bono consulting, and is a contributing member of the Women’s Foundation of Colorado. Her personal interests include skiing, biking, and traveling to new destinations. She also loves spending time with her family and raising their newest addition: Teddy the Bernedoodle.
Crystal Yepez
Board Vice President
Crystal started volunteering at Recovery Cafe in 2021 after her father lost his battle with alcoholism. Knowing that her dad showed up as an amazing father when he was receiving support inspired Crystal to join in Recovery Cafe’s mission. Supporting others on their recovery journey has been an important part of helping Crystal heal. Aside from her work supporting the Café, she is on a journey of taking golf lessons with the hopes of graduating from Topgolf and Putt Putt to playing on the green.
Andrew Pierce
Board Treasurer
Andrew has had a successful career in risk management, lending, commercial bank regulation, and consulting, while also owning vacation rentals. He is married to Jennie and has four amazing adult children (with equally amazing significant others/spouses) and two grandchildren. He enjoys biking and skiing in the mountains, yoga, cooking, reading, and traveling to warmer climates.
Ryan Forbes
Board Secretary
Ryan works to explain and improve the criminal penal system through public speaking, community outreach, graphic novels, and hosting the podcast The Shakedown. Ryan serves on the board because he believes that the community created at Recovery Café Longmont allows people to grow in recovery, develop connections, and discover purpose. In his spare time, you can find Ryan playing Pokémon GO, listening to other podcasts, and being an emotional support human to a small beagle.
Dave Bartel
Board Member
After studying at St. Peter’s College in Oxford, England, and at the University of Oregon, Dave served for 30+ years as a Senior Executive in Sales and Marketing for several pharmacy automation companies. Since retirement, he has volunteered for a variety of non-profit groups and spends his free time skiing, reading, and keeping a watchful eye on his grandsons. He has lived in Longmont for 34 years.
Amanda Garcia
Board Member
Amanda has been a Colorado resident for 30 years and, alongside her husband, has raised her family here. One of her greatest joys in life is bringing people together and creating spaces for celebration. Over the past five years, she has been able to focus on her passion as a small-business owner, running her events and design business.
She became aware of Recovery Café in early 2024. Drawn to its mission and vision, she is honored to now serve on the board. She looks forward to meeting everyone who bravely walks through RCL’s doors in search of a community that supports their recovery and encourages them to be their best selves. In her spare time, Amanda enjoys traveling, golfing, and spending time with her family.
Cathy Hawley
Board Member
Cathy is a Colorado native who grew up in Longmont. Her two grown children went to Niwot High School. In addition to the professional work below, Cathy loves to spend time with family and friends and loves to travel, hike, snowboard, and just generally be active.
On the professional front, Cathy splits her work time between community services and executive coaching/leadership consulting. She has 30+ years of experience in Human Resources, Operations and other leadership roles. She’s always been passionate about building great environments that allow people to thrive and ensuring that everyone is included. The RCL’s mission and culture is a great match and she hopes to contribute to its continued growth and success.
Frances Linderman
Board Member
Bio coming soon!
Matt McKinney
Board Member
Matt lives in Longmont with his wife and two children, and is currently a business lawyer. Before law school, he taught English and math for two years in Lesotho, Africa as a volunteer with the United States Peace Corps. Matt has served on the boards of other non-profits, including a childrens’ museum, a youth soccer club, and Intercambio. Originally from Iowa (Go Hawks!), he enjoys travel, enjoying the outdoors in all seasons, and improving his culinary skills in the kitchen.
Claire McNulty-Drewes
Board Member
Claire Drewes has lived in Longmont on and off since 1995. She and her husband, Joel, are the parents of three sons, all graduates of Skyline High School. Claire is deeply committed to helping build a compassionate local community where no one has to walk the recovery journey alone.
Her passion for recovery work became especially personal while walking alongside a son in recovery, deepening her commitment to fostering spaces of dignity, belonging, and hope.
Claire is an ordained elder in the United Methodist Church and now serves as a hospital chaplain with Intermountain Health and UCHealth, providing spiritual and emotional support to patients, families, and staff.
In her free time, she enjoys riding her horse, caring for animals on her farm, and spending time outdoors with her family.
Margaret Merrill
Board Member
Stephanie Wilson
Board Member
Stephanie grew up in Longmont and remains closely connected to the community. She earned a BA from the University of San Diego and broadened her global perspective through studies in Sevilla, Spain and Guadalajara, Mexico.
Her professional background includes leadership roles in IT, purchasing, marketing, process improvement, project management, and strategic leadership, managing teams across Boulder, Phoenix, and San Antonio. Stephanie is also certified as a life coach through the Coaches Training Institute and has served on the boards of Intercambio and Social Venture Partners.
Outside of work, she enjoys travel, learning Spanish and Italian, teaching English to non-native speakers, spending time with family and friends, and skiing in the Colorado mountains.
Our Partners
