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Meet Our Leadership

Led by Purpose. Grounded in Experience. Focused on Outcomes.

At Mainspring Recovery, leadership means more than managing — it means guiding. Our executive and clinical teams bring decades of experience in behavioral health, recovery, and healthcare management. Just as importantly, they bring heart: a shared commitment to helping clients rediscover hope, rebuild relationships, and reclaim their lives.

Meet Our Leadership

Yitzy Halon serves as Chief Executive Officer of Mainspring Recovery, bringing a dynamic blend of strategic vision, operational leadership, and deep personal commitment to transforming lives impacted by substance use disorder. With a background in business development and commercial finance, Yitzy has leveraged his expertise in growth strategy, capital structuring, and organizational planning to build Mainspring into a mission-driven, scalable recovery platform.

As CEO, Yitzy focuses on building high-performing teams, forging strategic partnerships, and ensuring long-term sustainability in a complex regulatory and reimbursement landscape. His leadership is marked by an unwavering belief in people’s ability to change, and in the importance of creating environments where healing and accountability can thrive.

Yitzy’s drive to build Mainspring Recovery stems from firsthand experience. Having lost a close family member to struggles with mental health and substance use, and having walked alongside others through recovery, his leadership is deeply personal. That experience fuels his commitment to expanding access, reducing stigma, and improving outcomes for individuals and families across the region.

Known for his collaborative leadership style and mission-driven focus, Yitzy is passionate about culture, innovation, and continuous learning. Outside of work, Yitzy treasures time with his wife and children, finds joy in community service, and brings humor and heart to everything he does.

Isaac Katz, CPA, serves as Chief Financial Officer at Mainspring Recovery, bringing over 15 years of experience in financial leadership, strategic planning, and operational excellence. He is committed to ensuring the organization’s growth and sustainability through sound financial stewardship and a deep understanding of healthcare operations.

At Mainspring, Isaac oversees all financial functions, including planning, reporting, cash management, compliance, and strategic forecasting. His leadership supports the organization’s mission to provide ethical, effective, and person-centered recovery services by aligning fiscal responsibility with long-term vision and impact.

Isaac’s background includes roles in Big Four public accounting at PwC, corporate finance at Stanley Black & Decker, and ultra-high-net-worth wealth management at Acadia Family Office, where he managed assets exceeding $4 billion. His expertise spans complex financial systems, risk mitigation, investment strategy, and process optimization—skills he now applies to drive innovation and stability at Mainspring.

As a licensed Certified Public Accountant in Maryland, Isaac brings precision, integrity, and strategic insight to every aspect of his role. He is passionate about building financial frameworks that empower growth without compromising care, and he plays a key role in ensuring Mainspring continues to thrive as a trusted leader in recovery services.

Dr. Nicole Erkfitz, LCSW, serves as Chief Operating Officer at Mainspring Recovery, where she brings extensive experience in behavioral health leadership, clinical operations, and trauma-informed care. A licensed clinical social worker with a Doctorate in Social Work, she is known for her ability to align clinical excellence with operational strategy.

At Mainspring, Dr. Erkfitz oversees day-to-day operations and ensures the delivery of high-quality, client-centered care across all levels of service. She leads with a focus on building systems that support both client outcomes and staff development, fostering a culture rooted in accountability, empathy, and continuous improvement.

Her approach is shaped by a deep understanding of how environments, relationships, and systems influence healing. She is particularly passionate about integrating trauma-informed principles into every phase of care—from admission to discharge—ensuring clients are treated with dignity, safety, and consistency throughout their recovery journey.

Dr. Erkfitz’s leadership reflects Mainspring’s mission to deliver ethical, effective, and compassionate treatment. She is committed to innovation, equity, and building strong interdisciplinary teams that are empowered to support clients and communities with purpose and integrity.

 

Casey Papp serves as Corporate Compliance Counsel at Mainspring Recovery, where she brings over 15 years of legal and regulatory experience in the healthcare sector. Licensed in both New York and Virginia, Casey has a proven track record of helping high-growth healthcare organizations navigate complex compliance landscapes with integrity and precision.

At Mainspring, Casey leads the compliance program with a focus on aligning regulatory standards with the organization’s mission of delivering ethical, effective, and person-centered care. She ensures that policies and procedures not only meet legal requirements but also support innovation in care delivery, particularly for vulnerable and underserved populations.

Her approach is rooted in system-based thinking, transparency, and accountability. Shaped by her experience advising healthcare companies during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond, Casey brings a practical, compassionate mindset to every aspect of her work. She is deeply committed to fostering an environment where staff feel empowered and clients are protected.

Casey’s leadership reflects Mainspring’s values of dignity, access, and collaboration. Through her work, she helps build sustainable systems that support compliance without losing sight of the human experience. Her dedication to doing the right thing—every time—ensures Mainspring continues to grow with both purpose and integrity.

 

Melissa Brown, CSAC, serves as Chief Growth Officer at Mainspring Recovery. With over 11 years of experience in addiction treatment and recovery services, she brings a strong focus on community engagement, operational growth, and marketing strategy. Melissa’s leadership is guided by a deep belief in access to compassionate care and the power of second chances.

Specializing in outreach, brand development, and program expansion, Melissa has played a pivotal role in building and sustaining two successful treatment facilities. Her work is rooted in real-world experience and a passion for serving underserved populations, particularly through Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) and long-term recovery support.

At Mainspring, she oversees admissions strategy, marketing, alumni programming, recruiting, and growth initiatives. Her efforts ensure that clients and families can access care that aligns with Mainspring’s mission to provide ethical, effective, and person-centered treatment. She also plays a key role in strengthening the organization’s impact across Virginia.

Melissa’s leadership is grounded in authenticity, empathy, and purpose. She believes in meeting people where they are and building systems that reflect dignity and hope. Through collaborative leadership and commitment to innovation, she strives to create lasting change for clients, staff, and the communities Mainspring serves.

 

David Cassise, MBA, serves as Executive Director at Mainspring Recovery in Lynchburg, bringing over 20 years of experience in healthcare leadership and behavioral health advocacy. He is known for his mission-driven approach, strong operational insight, and commitment to building systems that support both client success and staff well-being.

At Mainspring, David oversees day-to-day operations and strategic initiatives aimed at expanding access to ethical, high-quality addiction and mental health treatment. He ensures regulatory compliance, drives innovation in care delivery, and leads multidisciplinary teams in creating a culture of compassionate, person-centered care.

David’s leadership is shaped by a background in psychology and business administration, as well as a career dedicated to advancing behavioral health at the local and state level. Before joining Mainspring, he served as Regional Director for a multi-state provider, where he led cross-functional teams, managed multimillion-dollar budgets, and implemented systems to improve outcomes across diverse communities.

He also served as President of the Virginia Association of Medication Assisted Recovery Programs, where he championed legislative efforts and statewide collaboration to expand evidence-based treatment. David’s approach to leadership is rooted in service, transparency, and a belief in recovery for all—a vision that aligns deeply with Mainspring’s mission and values.

 

Ashley Rose serves at Mainspring Recovery as an Executive Director. She has spent over a decade working in the substance use and mental health fields. Her philosophy is that substance use disorder is a complex, treatable health condition that requires compassion, evidence-based care, and a holistic approach. Her leadership philosophy is rooted in the fundamental belief that every individual deserves dignity, the opportunity for recovery, and the support necessary to rebuild a meaningful life. She is committed to fostering an environment where clients feel seen, heard, and empowered and believes treatment must be trauma-informed, culturally sensitive, and tailored to the unique needs of each individual. Recovery is not a one size fit all journey. 

Throughout her career, Ashley has successfully led operations at multiple treatment facilities, including developing and launching substance abuse and mental health rehabilitation programs for a start-up in Northern Virginia. Her areas of focus are trama informed care, motivational interviewing, recovery coaching, crisis prevention and de-escalation training and her leadership is grounded in a belief in recovery, personal growth, and the power of human connection.

At Mainspring Recovery, Ashley leads the Residential and PHP Programs for the Dumfries locations and walks alongside others on their paths to healing and self-discovery, and is dedicated to making a lasting, positive impact in the lives of those she serves. With a deep passion for helping individuals uncover their potential and pursue meaningful goals, Ashley is committed to guiding others toward becoming the best versions of themselves.

Ashley’s motivation is driven by losing loved ones and friends to addiction and holding the hope for those in recovery until they believe in recovery for themselves. Her leadership is grounded in one word: unity. She believes in compassion, support, collaboration, and encouragement—not only for clients, but for staff as well—fostering environments where healing and growth can thrive. Ashley looks forward to helping others achieve success while at Mainspring believing what Maya Angelou said, “People may forgot your name but they will never forget how you made them feel.”  

 

Amit Kuckreja, MBA serves as the Vice President of Admissions & Utilization Review at Mainspring Recovery. Drawing on nearly 11 years in the substance-use-disorder field, he blends business-operations precision with a person-centered mindset, ensuring every individual reaches treatment promptly, safely, and full of hope for what comes next.

With an MBA in Executive Management from Ohio University and a B.S. in Business Management & Marketing from Penn State, Amit brings a systems-management and analytical lens to treatment operations. Before joining Mainspring, he spent nine years at Glenbeigh—one of Ohio’s largest residential facilities for substance-use-disorder care and a Cleveland Clinic affiliate—serving five years as their Lead Intake Specialist and four as a Utilization Review Specialist. Those roles refined his expertise in admissions optimization, utilization management/authorization oversight, payer strategy, regulatory compliance, and data-driven continuous improvement, proving that streamlined processes are themselves a form of compassionate care.

At Mainspring, Amit leads the Admissions & Utilization Review functions across all facilities. He sets strategy for client-intake workflows, coordinating with clinical, nursing, and medical teams as well as the organization’s external UR partner to secure timely authorizations, and tracks key metrics to keep capacity aligned with demand. By refining workflows and upholding rigorous documentation standards, he removes administrative barriers for staff and accelerates each client’s transition into care—supporting Mainspring’s commitment to deliver the highest quality client care.

Amit’s leadership is fueled by a sincere desire to help people begin their recovery journeys. Guided by Rick Pitino’s reminder that “Excellence is the unlimited ability to improve the quality of what you have to offer,” he leads with curiosity, transparency, and collaboration. He challenges his teams to ask, “How can we make this better?”—cultivating an environment where continuous improvement elevates both staff performance and client outcomes.

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