Leadership

David Smith, MD - Medical Director

Dr. Smith is a board certified psychiatrist with a subspecialty certification in addiction. He has over 20 years of experience as a medical director for inpatient services at various centers including Sierra Vista Hospital and Charter Hospital. While on the faculty in the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the University of California-Davis, Dr. Smith was a staff psychiatrist, and he is a consultant to the Center for Behavioral Health's methadone treatment center in Sacramento. He was director of the dual diagnosis treatment program in St. Thomas (Ontario, Canada) for 7 years and he lectures regularly on the topic of dual diagnosis.

 

Lora Larsen, CADC II - Executive Director

Since 2002 Lora Larsen has been the program director of New Dawn Recovery Center's chemical dependency programs and she serves on the board of directors. She is responsible for New Dawn's program development, structure and growth. Lora selects and oversees a team that includes psychiatrists, nurses, PsyDs, certified counselors, medical assistants, administrative staff, and support staff.

 

Lora has also worked from 2002 through 2008 for the CAARR Institute as an institute coordinator and institute instructor, bringing to the students there her belief in a client-centered, multi-disciplinary, strength-based approach to all areas of the 12 core functions.