Meet the Team at SRC!
Trudy Strewler Hodges
Trudy is the former CEO of Pikes Peak Community Foundation and longtime Executive Director at CASA of the Pikes Peak Region. There she successfully created a long-term business vision that has led to lasting growth; increased stakeholder investments; and employee, as well as volunteer engagement. She has been highly successful at organizational leadership, aligning business goals, board strategies, and implementation. Her efforts have resulted in an excellent return on investment on the most critical element, our children’s futures. All in all, she has over three decades working in non-profit management in Colorado Springs and the surrounding area.
Trudy’s personal and professional commitment to the mission of SRC has been demonstrated in her guidance as our strategic consultant and willingness to be a support to our board and SRC leadership over the last three years. SRC remains driven by the vision to strengthen the recovery community through peer and family support, public education, and advocacy.
Trudy Strewler Hodges
Chief Executive Officer
Cathy Plush
Founder and Chief Development Officer, Cathy Plush, understands firsthand the importance of community involvement in the recovery process. As a woman in long-term recovery she has made it her work to promote recovery by educating about substance use disorder and the hope of healing.
Her passion is to make SRC’s mission understood in the community one step at a time. She values interpersonal relationships and feels that it is important to make people feel valued, whether they are old friends or first time acquaintances, and this is especially important for interactions with those who may be in times of distress. She values loyalty, trustworthiness, and caring, and she is a firm believer that one person can be an agent of change.
Cathy Plush
Founder
Laura Indermuehle, CPFS
Laura Indermuehle is a Colorado Springs native and a passionate advocate for multiple roads to recovery. When Laura isn’t staring at a spreadsheet, she is a warrior in the fight against the stigma of addiction. Laura’s recovery roots took hold through the support of Oxford House, and she is now an Oxford Alumni. Laura received her peer coaching certification through the SRC Training Institute in September 2018 and began working as a volunteer at SRC. In February 2020, she became the Executive Assistant and Data Analyst at Springs Recovery Connection. She has since received her state certification as a Colorado Peer and Family Specialist and has been working on becoming certified in Human Resources. Laura finds the non-profit environment an absolute pleasure to work in. “The compassion is palpable, and I love how genuine every person I work with is.” She is excited to see what her future holds.
Some of her hobbies include art and videogames, devouring both books and audiobooks, prepping for the zombie apocalypse, camping, and cooking. She finds solace in spending time in the mountains and feeding her Amazon addiction.
Laura Indermuehle, CPFS
Executive Assistant and Human Resources Manager
Amy Husted
Amy has been working with SRC since 2019, providing contract grant writing services. She obtained her certificate in Grant Writing, Management, and Program Evaluation from the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, in 2017.
Amy also brings an educational background in mental health with a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology - Alliant International University, and a sense of compassion and understanding that substance abuse issues are not a reflection of character or matter of willpower.
She hopes to help those in recovery and those seeking recovery through her grant writing to support programs and services that offer life-changing opportunities.
Amy Husted
Contractor, Grant Writer
Angie Neeley, CAC II
Angie Neeley brings personal experience and professional training to her role as Family Advocate at S.R.C. She started her recovery journey in 1988 and relocated to Colorado Springs from Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1989. After working in Corporate America for 15 years, she remade her life, and in 2010 Angie received her Bachelor’s in Ministry Arts with Christian Counseling. Angie is also a Certified Addictions Counselor Level II through the State of Colorado and has worked in several substance use disorder treatment settings. Angie recently worked with the courts, teaching D.U.I. education and offering substance use disorder therapy. Angie is a C.R.A.F.T. certified facilitator (Community Reinforcement and Family Training) and supports families and friends in our groups and through the S.R.C. telephone recovery support system.
Angie loves the people, the energy, the spirit, and the collaboration that happens at S.R.C. She is grateful to be part of the team. She has been married to Kurt for 28 years and has two furry kids, Sassafras and Buddy.
Angie Neeley, CAC II, CPFS
SRC Family Advocate, Peer Recovery Coach
Dominique Knowles
Dominique is a woman in long-term recovery and a COPA-certified Peer and Family Specialist. She holds an associate degree in criminal justice. She is trained in Recovery Oriented Systems of Care, SMART Recovery Facilitato, Jordan Peer Forensics Recovery Coaching and Supervision TOT, CCAR Coachervision, and Mental Health First Aid. Originally from Arizona, she relocated to Colorado in 2008. Dominique has embraced and sustained her recovery since January 4, 2018. Dominique’s experience with childhood trauma, familial alcohol use disorder, teen pregnancy, and domestic violence led her to a path of addiction and hopelessness.
Dominique’s addiction started as a coping tool for all the trauma she endured as a child and gradually turned into a way of life for twenty long years. As a single mom with minimal support, Dominique tried to navigate the unsafe world she found herself in, lost her parental rights to one of her children, and faced many dependency and neglect cases with her other children. In her addiction, she lived a life of teen pregnancy, poverty, homelessness, continued trauma, and incarceration. In 2018, Dominique was faced with another term of incarceration and decided to move forward with an offer of a Recovery Court program. She found herself surrounded by a Court team and a few supportive individuals who offered her another opportunity at recovery and treatment. A core belief reemerged: she and the people she loved deserved more than she had settled for. Dominique acted, faced her experiences with trauma, incarceration, and homelessness, and took back the life she knew she deserved. After rebuilding her life, Dominique’s goal became to help others faced with similar experiences, bring awareness to systems that don’t always work, and use her story to inspire change. Dominique is the Director of Programs for a recovery-centered organization, Serenity Recovery Connection. She is instrumental in program development, event building, advocacy, training, and support for her team. When she’s not working, you can find Dominique involved with community-based recovery fellowships and out on the lake with her family, kayaking, exploring the Colorado terrain, and making memories with her family.
Dominique Knowles CPFS
Programs Director
Carol Romero
Carol was compelled to learn more about Springs Recovery Connection after meeting the wonderful people who work at the agency. She is grateful she found an organization that provides so much support for individuals and families struggling with addiction.
“It is an amazing opportunity to work at the emergency department and support a person struggling and in crisis. It’s an honor to be able to offer them resources to help them on their journey to recovery.” – Carol Romero
Carol has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and Public Relations and a minor in Business Administration from New Mexico State University. She has over 28 years of communications and marketing experience. She spent the last 25 years of her career in pharmaceutical sales.
Carol was born and raised in the land of enchantment in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Her family moved to Colorado Springs in 1992. Carol and her husband Carl have two daughters, Lauren 23 and Julia 20.
Carol has a passion for walking and hiking in nature. She loves snow skiing, golf and writing.
Her family has a cockapoo named Bogie.
Carol Romero, CPFS
Peer Recovery Coach
Tammy Lee
Tammy Lee is a native to Colorado Springs and loves living here. Her explanation of how she came to Springs Recovery Connection she says can only be described as the “grace of god.” In a desperate time in her life, Tammy saw an ad on a bus bench which changed her life and brought her into long term recovery.
Tammy has an extensive background in customer service and has a high school diploma from a place she calls “the school of hard knocks”. She loves arts and crafts and embraces creativity. Tammy is a mother to two amazing sons and is a dedicated daughter to her 85 year old father. Family is always something she can rely on. Some of her other hobbies include hiking, being in nature, shopping, cooking, music, traveling, and many more.
Tammy is a perfect fit at Springs Recovery Connection because she love to laugh and being around happy positive people!
Tammy Lee
Front office Assistant
Nicholas Paczolt
Nicholas Paczolt CPFS
Training Program Coordinator
Koda Sanders
Koda Sanders is a certified Peer Recovery Coach with the Justice team, at Springs Recovery Connection. She suffers from PTSD that was gained from deployments in the military. In 2018 when separated from the military, she fell into a life of addiction and crime, never thinking she would be someone that suffered from the disease of addiction. “It happened so fast, and I felt like I was going at warp speed with little to no control over it, down a deep dark rabbit hole. It consumed me and changed me into a shadow version of my former self.” In 2019 Koda got arrested for possession and by the end of 2020, OD’d in the bathroom of a trap house. The very next day she took herself to peak view detox, where she spent 7 days and has been clean and sober ever since.
Koda is originally from Pennsylvania then moved to Colorado for the Air Force in 2011 as an 11-year Veteran of the military. As well as having been to 10 different countries and over 30 states. Getting clean and sober not only saved her and her 2 puppies' lives, but now she is blessed with a gift of understanding, knowledge, and drive, to help others get to the other side of addiction. This has all assisted her with the ability to graduate veteran’s trauma court at El Paso county courts, completed PRCA courses, became a sponsor, and is currently a sober house manager at Next chapter Transitional women’s houses.
Koda Sanders, CPFS
Justice Program Peer Recovery Coach
Kiryn Lake
Kiryn was born in England but has lived in multiple places including multiple states and countries in Europe. Colorado was one of the states she found the most connection to and she moved back from Washington, D.C. in 2012. She has experience in the medical and mental health field, having worked for both as a biller and coder and even as a nursing assistant.
In 2019, she suffered a seizure and was hospitalized. Immediately after, she attended treatment, but never felt like she was fully able to address her addiction. Months later, in the summer of 2020, her boyfriend of three years proposed to her. "I never thought someone could love me unconditionally and support me like that. I thought, surely, he wouldn't want to marry someone like me, I'd be too much trouble. But when he kneeled on the ground, holding the ring that he personally made me, I felt like I was worth it. I felt like I could be a great wife, that we had a future and that I wanted children. I didn't do it for my now husband or my future children, I did it because I felt confident in myself and I wanted to be healthy and live a long life with a family I knew I could build. After that, I started doing things my way."
She practiced harm reduction techniques, MAT, and online groups while she sought out her answers. In the end of August or beginning of September of 2020, she was able to eliminate the harm caused by alcohol and was able to confidently say "no" to alcohol. She began living a full life without alcohol.
"I was tired of alcohol occupying such a major section of my thoughts, so I got outside and connected to the universe. I started going camping, hiking, climbing, paddle boarding, four wheeling, going to festivals and events and just immersing myself in the world around me. I started cooking fun foods at home, doing art work, writing fictional stories, playing with my fashion sense and my hair and just learning to be confident in myself. I now live a life free from my addiction. I am happily married and my husband and I have marvelous adventures. I am finally living the life I knew deep down in my heart that I deserved. Now I hope to help others in their recovery."
Kiryn believes firmly that there are many roads to recovery and supports traditional and non-traditional approaches to recovery. "Any path you take to better yourself is a valid path."
Kiryn Lake, CPFS
Outplaced Peer Recovery Coach with Diversus
Daniel Sullivan
Dan was born and raised in Colorado Springs, earning the title of a true native.
“I enjoy being able to work with clients and help them to rediscover their purpose, passions, and strengths. SRC staff, volunteers, and interns walk side by side with their recoverees to offer hope for recovery. We also help clients uncover and experience the things that bring joy, meaning, and purpose to their lives.” – Dan Sullivan
Before SRC, Dan worked in the recovery community for 4 years. His experience includes outpatient, inpatient and MAT facilities. Dan loves going to sporting events, the great outdoors, tenkara fishing, and blowing off steam at a shooting range. Above all else, Daniel loves being a hockey dad.
Dan’s immediate family consists of his beautiful wife Jessica, and his son Liam. He also takes care of Bristol the rottweiler, Aspen the husky, and a cat named Chloe. He has chickens named, Josi, Sidney, Ozzie, and Louie. Something unique about Daniel is his status and relationship within the military. His experience as an army paratrooper and artillery work is helpful to those who have served and are seeking hope for recovery.
Daniel Sullivan, CPFS
Peer Recovery Coach
Liz Herod
Liz Herod is a Colorado native and has lived in Colorado Springs for seven years. As the Front Office Coordinator for Springs Recovery Connection, Liz is the first person encountered when walking into our agency, and she provides a warm welcome to everyone she meets.
Liz’s past employment experience includes working in healthcare as a Nurse’s Aide and a Hemodialysis Technician. Her education has certifications as a CNA, QMAP, and PCT, and she is currently in the process of training as a Peer Recovery Coach at the SRC Training Institute. Liz believes that working at SRC has given her a unique opportunity to be involved in the recovery community and loves offering support to others using her lived experience, and is in long-term recovery herself.
Liz loves being outdoors, hiking, fishing, and tubing, and enjoys the perks of living in Colorado. She is married with four children, and she is always busy trying to keep up with their different life paths. Their family dog, a miniature Poodle Shitsu named Fred, rounds out her chaotic household!
Liz Herod, CPFS
Front Office and Workforce Manager
Rachel Fowler
Rachel Fowler, CPFS
Lead Trainer
Grace Kane
Grace Kane
Website, Resource, Branding Coordinator
Frank Montesano
Born and raised in Colorado Springs, Frankie is a Certified Colorado Peer and Family Specialist.
Frankie is currently in school working towards his BA in Human Services with an emphasis on substance use and recovery.
I am in long-term recovery and enjoy mentoring others to help them create a new life where they do not need substances. I also enjoy helping other peer recovery coaches ignite their passion for supporting the recovery community and obtaining their professional goals.
In my free time, I do strength training. I go on backpacking/camping trips where I wander around in nature with my dog Reishi. I love to go to shows; my favorite venue is Red Rocks Amphitheatre. I also snowboard in the winter.
Frank Montesano, CPFS
Outplaced Coach and Group Coordinator
Liani Murphy
Liani Murphy is the DOC/Jail Program Coordinator at Springs Recovery Connection. Due to personal experience and justice involvement, Liani stepped into this role to help guide the Justice team into creating more accessibility to those currently incarcerated. Liani is a Certified Peer Recovery Coach and will soon be state certified.
Due to her justice involvement, Liani is knowledgeable about court processes and the programs required to be successful in recovery, while navigating the Judicial system. Giving back to those that have struggled with addiction and hardship with the justice system has led Liani to SRC, with the hope of continuing to advocate for those to maintain their recovery.
Liani has lived in Colorado Springs for 28 years with her two teenage children and two cats. In her free time, she likes to play Pickelball, go on hikes, and practice yoga.