Meet Our Team
Chief Officers
With a career dedicated to helping others for over 30 years, Joni Ogle stands as a paragon of clinical expertise, client driven program development, and transformative leadership in the realm of addiction and trauma care. Her unwavering commitment has touched the lives of countless adults and young adults, guiding them towards paths of healing and recovery.
As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Certified Sex Addiction Therapist, Joni brings a deep understanding of societal challenges. Which is further complemented by her specialization in nuanced and often stigmatized areas of addiction. In Joni's pursuit of holistic healing, she has obtained diverse training in EMDR, Pia Mellody's Post Induction Therapy, and Dr. Brené Brown's The Daring Way methodology.
Joni's depth of experience, combined with her passion for enhancing the lives of those struggling with addiction and mental health challenges, positions her not only as our CEO but also as a beacon of hope and a driving force in the therapeutic community.
Born and raised in Houston’s historic Heights neighborhood, Zoe Pulido serves as Chief Operating Officer of The Heights Treatment and Transcend Recovery Community Texas. A full-circle journey that reflects her deep connection to the community we help serve. She brings nearly a decade of experience in behavioral health and organizational leadership, guiding both organizations in their mission to deliver individualized, evidence-based treatment for mental health conditions, dual diagnosis, and substance use recovery.
Zoe’s leadership journey began at Transcend Recovery Community, where she advanced to Program Director at the Houston Women’s Facilities and later expanded her role as Director of Operations. In that capacity, she oversaw teams and systems across New York, California, and Texas for both The Heights Treatment and Transcend Recovery Community.
Since joining our team in 2017, Zoe has been instrumental in developing systems that enhance compliance, streamline operations, and strengthen the client experience. Today, as COO, she leads organizational operations across Texas from Houston, working closely with the executive and clinical teams to ensure the highest standards of care and sustainable growth.
Zoe attended George Washington University in Washington, DC, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences in Clinical Operations and Healthcare Management, as well as a Master of Science in Healthcare Quality with a concentration in Ethics from GWU’s School of Medicine and Health Sciences.
Outside of her professional commitments, Zoe finds her greatest joy in family life with her two young children and her lively household that includes two zany, spirited dogs, Buddy and Nala. She values time spent with loved ones and remains actively engaged in the Houston community, reflecting the same commitment to growth, care, and connection that she brings to her professional role.
Deborah Darnell-Drake, LCSW-S, ACSW, LMFT, is the Chief Clinical Officer at The Heights Treatment. Debbie is a highly accomplished professional with over five decades of experience in the field of mental health and substance use disorder. With a Bachelor's degree in Sociology from Northwestern College and a Master's degree in Social Work from the Jane Addams Graduate School of Social Work at the University of Illinois, Debbie has a solid educational foundation. She has held influential positions in academia, including serving as an instructor at the LSU School of Social Work, and has made significant contributions as a social worker for the Chicago Board of Education. Debbie is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, and facilitates a weekly ‘Family, Friends, & Loved-Ones’ meeting for all of our clients’ loved-ones.
Debbie's expertise in substance use disorder, particularly with an emphasis on co-occurring disorders, and the families involved, sets her apart in the field. She received specialized substance use training at the East Louisiana State Hospital in the 1970s, equipping her with a deep understanding of the complexities and challenges individuals face in their recovery journey. According to Debbie, her passion for helping people struggling with addiction and mental illness remains “unquenchable”.
Currently, Debbie as the Chief Clinical Officer at The Heights Treatment, she continues to make a profound impact on the lives of individuals seeking help. Her empathetic and compassionate approach, combined with her extensive knowledge and experience, allows her to provide world-class care for our clients and invaluable support and guidance to the clinical team. Debbie's dedication to her work, her belief in the inherent worth of every individual, and her commitment to improving lives make her an invaluable asset and an inspiration to others in the field of mental health and substance use disorder.
Education
Northwestern College - BA Sociology
University of Illinois- MS Social Work
Clinical
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Kimberly Daigle has a Masters of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and is a Licensed Professional Counselor Associate under the supervision of Charles McComb Jr.Kimberly believes each person is different and has a unique path to healing. She is trained in EMDR and also uses an eclectic approach with Solution Focused Brief Therapy and Motivational Interviewing principles while adding Cognitive Behavioral and Dialectical behavioral skills to equip and empower clients to begin to meet their own emotional and mental health needs.
Richard White is a licensed professional counselor and certified sex addiction therapist at The Heights Treatment Center, a drug and alcohol rehab treatment center in Houston.
Matt Meares has over 25 years of dedicated service in the field of social services. As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) trained in EMDR, he brings a wealth of experience and a deep understanding of human psychology to his role as Primary Therapist at The Heights Treatment. Matt has a diverse background working in nonprofit agencies, camps, rehabilitation programs, inpatient and outpatient hospital settings, and residential children's homes. He has worked with a diverse array of clients, including teens, young adults, couples, children, and a wide array of professionals including doctors, therapists, musicians, athletes and CEO’s from a variety of industries. He has experience with individuals from different age groups, cultural backgrounds, religious beliefs, varying diagnoses, sexual orientations and gender identities.
Matt earned his Master's Degree in Social Work from Baylor University and a certificate in nonprofit management from Rice University's LINE program. Matt also has a Bachelor's Degree in English Literature from Hendrix College that he has found serves him in discerning metaphors, symbols and patterns in his client's life stories as they share them with him.
Matt’s diverse experiences, along with his commitment to continuous learning and personal growth, has allowed him to develop a holistic and empathetic approach to therapy. He is dedicated to providing compassionate and effective support to individuals seeking to overcome life's challenges and work toward personal growth and healing.
Education
Baylor University, Graduate School of Social Work
Rice University, Leadership Institute for Nonprofit Executives
Dani is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor (LCDC) with more than ten years of clinical experience working with individuals and families impacted by substance use and co-occurring mental health concerns. At The Heights Treatment, Dani provides individual therapy and facilitates process-oriented groups grounded in shame resilience and wholehearted living, informed by the research of Dr. Brené Brown.
Dani earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Sociology from The University of Texas at Austin and her Master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Houston. Her clinical background includes work with adolescents and adults across residential, intensive outpatient, and outpatient levels of care. This diverse experience allows her to tailor treatment to each client’s developmental stage, clinical needs, and recovery goals.
During graduate training, Dani completed an internship with The Daring Way™, where she received specialized training in shame resilience theory and later became a Certified Daring Way™ Facilitator. In her group work at The Heights Treatment, Dani integrates Brené Brown’s research to help clients explore vulnerability, build self-compassion, and strengthen authentic connection.
In addition to her group work, Dani is trained in Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), an attachment-based, experiential approach that supports individuals and families in developing secure emotional bonds. She weaves EFT principles with shame resilience work in individual sessions, believing that healing core attachment wounds and reducing shame are foundational to long-term change.
Dani’s therapeutic style is collaborative, compassionate, and strengths-based. She is committed to creating a safe, respectful environment where clients feel supported in exploring difficult emotions, building insight, and practicing new ways of relating to themselves and others.
Merilee is an LPC with a Masters of Art in Art Therapy. Her welcoming spirit and warm nature help clients feel safe and cared for during their intake.
When facilitating groups, she uses an assortment of knowledge and skills gained from life experience as well as experience in art psychotherapy, trauma focused cognitive-behavioral therapy, somatic experiencing, and mindfulness.
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Operations
Adam Schievelbein serves as Clinical Operations Manager at The Heights Treatment, where he helps coordinate and support the delivery of clinical services. His perspective is shaped by his own recovery journey, which allows him to approach his work with authenticity and understanding. Moving from client to clinician, Adam has built a career rooted in both lived experience and professional training, giving him the ability to connect with clients in a meaningful way.
Adam earned his Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor Intern (LCDC-I) credential through Lone Star College and is a member of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. In his role, he collaborates closely with the treatment team to ensure that clinical programming is consistent, effective, and responsive to client needs.
As Director of Peer Mentor & Alumni Services at The Heights Treatment, Beckie Ellis helps foster connection, accountability, and ongoing support for clients during and after treatment. With nearly three years of experience as a Recovery Advocate and Mentor, Beckie is committed to building bridges between treatment and long-term recovery. She is currently pursuing her Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor (LCDC) certification to deepen her knowledge and expand her impact in the field.
Beckie is motivated by her desire to share hope, encouragement, and kindness with individuals and families as they navigate the challenges and opportunities of recovery. She values being part of a team united by compassion and a shared mission to help people who may feel they cannot walk the path alone.
Outside of work, Beckie is a proud mother of two daughters and a passionate writer, contributing to a recovery-focused blog that offers inspiration and guidance to others on their healing journey.
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