As Substance Use Disorder Treatment Needs Rise, Phoenix House NY Adds New Board Members

NEW YORK, NY (12/22/2021) (readMedia)-- After a particularly devastating year of record drug overdose deaths and an influx in people seeking treatment for substance use disorder, Phoenix House of NY/LI announces the addition of two new board members, who will help steer the organization as it innovates substance use disorder treatment.

Over 100,000 Americans lost their lives to drug overdose deaths in the 12-month period ending in April 2021, the most in at least three decades. The increase is attributed to the destabilizing effects of the coronavirus pandemic and the rise of fentanyl, a deadly synthetic opioid that is frequently mixed into other drugs. Many people with Substance Use Disorder (SUD) lost access to in-person treatment and other support systems as a result of the pandemic. Now, as the future of addiction treatment is uncertain, Phoenix House NY/LI is expanding its roster of experts who will help the organization fight this epidemic inside of the pandemic and invest in new treatment methods.

Meagan Gordon, Esq., AWI-CH is the Senior Employee Relations Consultant at Adobe. Prior to joining Adobe, she was the Deputy Director in the Administrative Trials Unit at the NYC Department of Education and taught at Borough of Manhattan Community College. She has also worked at Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and in various bureaus within the Bronx District Attorney's Office. She holds a JD from the University of Connecticut School of Law.

"I have always had an interest in seeing those that I share a community with excel, leverage opportunities, and experience fair treatment. Life is different for each of us, and I hope to leverage my education and resources to help improve the life experiences of those the Phoenix community serves," said Gordon. "I believe we are all one, and must engage and provide support with that understanding. A significant portion of my professional life has been dedicated to public service. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve the Phoenix House community."

Tonguç Yaman, MPH, CHCIO is currently a doctoral candidate at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. As a senior IT executive in healthcare, Tonguç has led successful initiatives in many complex environments-infrastructure, financial services and application development experience. Prior to becoming the first Chief Information Officer of SOMOS, NYC's 2,500-member independent physician association, he was the Deputy Network CIO for South Manhattan Healthcare Network at Bellevue Hospital; a flagship hospital for New York City Health & Hospitals Corporation. Mr. Yaman has earned a Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering at Bo?aziçi University in Istanbul, Turkey, and has completed the Executive Master of Public Health program also at Columbia University. While Tonguç is studying to obtain his Doctor of Public Health (DrPH, expected 2022) degree, he is the teaching assistant for Health Information Technology (HIT), Principles of Epidemiology, Infectious Disease Modeling, Environmental and Social Epidemiology courses.

"My mission in life is to play a role in making healthcare and education more accessible to all, and IT is essential in that quest-more critical today than ever," said Yaman. "I'm looking forward to leveraging connections within the industry, government, and community leaders to help Phoenix House provide the best possible treatment services to its community."

"I am thrilled to be joined on the board by Meagan Gordon and Tonguç Yaman at this crucial time for Phoenix House," said William D. Rifkin, Chairperson of the Phoenix House NY/LI board of directors. "Last year, we lost too many lives to overdose deaths. As substance use disorder is on the rise, we need more talented minds like these working to eradicate this deadly disease. I'm grateful to be fighting the opioid epidemic with them."

"After the most devastating year in history for substance use disorder, I am so glad we have new board members fighting with us," said Ann Marie Foster, president and CEO of Phoenix House NY/LI. "Meagan Gordon and Tonguç Yaman are joining us at a critical time, and I'm so excited to work with them."

About Phoenix House

Since 1967, Phoenix House New York has helped thousands of people overcome substance and alcohol use in order to lead healthy, productive, and rewarding lives. Phoenix House New York offers short-term and long-term residential, intensive outpatient, and general outpatient treatment. Phoenix House also offers treatment for co-occurring mental health disorders, medical, psychiatric, and dental services, and impaired driver programs. These services are designed to meet the individual needs of adults at various stages of recovery, including military personnel, and veterans. In addition, Phoenix House provides educational and supportive services to family members, friends, significant others, and the community.