George Joseph
Chief Executive Officer
George Joseph took over the reigns of The Right Step in 1994, when the company had one location- a residential treatment program in Houston. His vision and passion is evidenced by the fact that The Right Step is now the largest provider of chemical dependency services in the Southwest, serving over 3500 individuals last year. He remains successful in his mission of maintaining a high quality and affordable service for adolescents, adults, and their families seeking a life without the devastation of active addiction. With 25 years of experience in the field of recovery and treatment, George’s insight, knowledge and leadership is well regarded within the field and our organization alike.
Using his own struggles as a youth and his education thereafter as a springboard to help others find solutions to their alcohol or drug problems, George began his career in the chemical dependency field in 1983. He worked at Parkside for 5 years prior to The Right Step. In addition to his unwavering commitment to clients and creating a caring organization, the years of hard work were recognized during 1999 and 2000 when George won the triple crown of counseling. In 1999, he captured honors as the Houston and State of Texas Counselor of the Year, presented by the Texas Association of Addiction Professionals. In 2000, he won the highest honor given to a counselor in our nation, the 2000 Lora Roe Memorial Counselor of the Year, awarded by the National Association of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors (NAADAC).
George does not limit his outreach just to TRS, but is involved on both the local and state levels of counseling professional organizations, serves on school boards, on advisory councils for spiritually based organizations, and various sober recreation groups.
He is married with two children and despite being over 40, maintains a respectable golf handicap and bragging rights in his basketball league.
Dr. Jason Powers
Chief Medical Officer
Prior to joining The Right Step in 2006, Dr. Powers served as an attending physician at Memorial Hermann Prevention and Recovery Center and as an assistant professor in the department of family and community medicine at Baylor College of Medicine.
Previously, he operated an outpatient primary care and addiction & recovery medical practice and a private medical practice in Houston. He also worked as an associate physician, specializing in addiction & recovery and family medicine for the Contemporary Medicine Associates in Houston, TX.
Dr. Powers received his medical degree from Texas Tech University Health Science Center. While in school, he was the recipient of several academic scholarships including the Kellogg Foundation Academics Scholarship and the Student Senate Endowed Academic Scholarship. Dr. Jason Powers is an Addictionologist (M.D.) and voted as one of Houston’s “Top 50 Doctors” for two years running. Dr. Powers serves as the local expert and as a steering committee member for the Partnership for a Drug Free America.
In addition to his engaging bedside manner, he actually takes time to understand his patients and work with the families. His wife wanted him to say that he has a beautiful wife and two loving kids who he enjoys spending time with. He enjoys yoga and camping.
Robert Pitts
Chief Clinical Officer
Joining The Right Step in April 2004, Robert Pitts has climbed the ranks from his initial days as the Admissions Coordinator. Prior to being named Chief Clinical Officer, Robert worked as the Director of Clinical Services for the Dallas-Fort Worth region. The experience he has gained working in all levels of The TRS system brings a great source of knowledge and understanding to his current position.
Prior to The Right Step, Robert worked at Recovery Resource Council in Fort Worth managing their outreach, screening, assessment and referral department. He began his work in the addiction field working as a Director of Quality Assurance ensuring all standards met the requirements of licensing and accrediting bodies.
Robert holds a Masters degree in Social Work from the University of Oklahoma in addition to a Master of Business Administration degree from Oklahoma State University. He is a Texas Licensed Master Social Worker and a member of the National Association of Social Workers.
The academic foundation coupled with the practical experience gives Robert a unique combination of clinical and business background. He brings extensive clinical skills to The Right Step as well as an understanding of the importance of quality care. With an emphasis on continuum of care he understands that the length of engagement is one of the most important elements for a successful recovery. Along with knowing that this is a family disease, he is always working to integrate the family into the treatment process since it is such a crucial part of the recovery process. Robert believes it is our duty as healthcare professionals to plant the seeds in guiding our clients through the most successful treatment episode possible.
Robert is an avid, somewhat above average, golfer. He is married to his childhood sweetheart and together they have a daughter.
Donna Charleson
Chief Financial Officer
Donna joined The Right Step in October 2006, bringing almost 20 years of professional experience to her role as Chief Financial Officer. Upon graduating from the University of Houston with a Bachelor’s of Business Administration (with a concentration in accounting), she started her career with the Houston office of Arthur Andersen & Co., advancing to audit manager. Her clients consisted of both public and private companies concentrated in the construction & engineering, non-profit and retail industries. She later joined a local CPA firm as audit principal, working with clients in the savings and loan industry.
In 1989, Donna entered the health care field as CFO for a local Houston clinical reference laboratory associated with the Memorial Hospital System. Later experiences included stints at a Houston multi-specialty physician-owned clinic, a large behavioral health managed care company, and two publicly-owned, national clinical reference laboratories. Her most recent experience prior to The Right Step was as CFO for a Houston-based developer of ambulatory surgery centers, outpatient cardiac cath labs, and small rural hospitals. Donna’s varied experience includes initial public offerings (IPO’s), loan agreements and restructurings, and operational and financial audits.
Throughout her career, Donna has championed not only financial discipline and rigor for her organizations, but also a primary focus on superior client and patient service. She believes that the two missions are intertwined; an organization must be both financially healthy and dedicated to superior customer service.
Donna is a member of the Gulf Coast Chapter of the Health Care Financial Management Association, the AICPA and the Texas Society of CPA’s.
Paul Auchterlonie
Chief Marketing Officer
Paul is responsible for all marketing, sales, and call center functions for The Right Step and Spirit Lodge. He has over 15 years of experience in the behavioral healthcare field. Throughout his career, Paul has been passionate about helping adolescents, adults, and their families experiencing difficulties find hope and health. A sampling of the companies he has worked with are The Brown Schools, Aspen Education Group and RMC Research focusing on strategic planning, programmatic outcome studies, business development, marketing, sales management and demographic and market research. Paul enjoys establishing effective and efficient systems and developing personnel while educating and engaging professionals about our quality services.
Raised in Southern California, he earned his undergraduate degree from Willamette University in Salem, Oregon. He holds a masters degree from Harvard University.
Paul resides in Austin, Texas and has three daughters and a son, who, all being under the age of 10, still enjoy going out in public with him and laughing at his jokes. Paul enjoys improving his average golf game and fighting his pre 40 age by running and cycling.
Liz Starr
Chief People Officer
Liz brings over 15 years of Human Resources Generalist experience to The Right Step and along with her team oversees all human capital needs and requirements for our organization. A graduate of Houston Baptist University, Liz has spent the majority of her career in the hospitality industry representing a number of upscale full-service hotels and has also honed her HR executive experience in the fields of retail and information technology.
A passion for systems improvement & development and a strong focus on legal compliance and training along with an appreciation for the operational piece of the companies she supports, Liz takes great pride in striving to make Human Resources simple and comprehensible for those with whom she partners.
She is the proud mother of four beautiful daughters ranging in age from 3 to 17 and firmly believes in the importance of family, health, education, and individual well-being.
