Meet Our Faculty
Like our students, the DARC faculty is diverse and bring a variety of clinical experiences and areas of expertise to the program. All DARC faculty are Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselors.
Cher Shannon, MHSA, LADC, SAP
DARC Program Coordinator
Assistant Professor
For the past 20 years, I have had the great fortune of working as a clinician, supervisor, and administrator in the behavior health field. Ten years ago, I was given an opportunity to teach a course in the DARC program. To this day, I remain in awe of our students. Their enthusiasm, dedication to the work, and commitment to the field keeps this program exciting and alive. Our students are so eager to learn. They show up with open minds and open hearts. A comprehensive, highly developed curricula, dedicated and knowledgeable faculty, and an exceptionally diverse group of students contribute to this successful learning environment. It is an honor to be a faculty member in Gateway’s Drug and Alcohol Recovery Counselors program.
Lauren Doninger, MA, LADC,
LPC
Professor of Social Sciences
Program Coordinator - General Studies & Liberal Arts
It has been my privilege to be a part of the DARC program at Gateway Community College since 2001. A particular strength of this program is the developmental and sequential nature of the carefully constructed curriculum which prepares students to think critically and to enter the workforce ready to meet the challenges of the rapidly evolving field of addiction counseling. Another important asset of the DARC program at Gateway is the interesting and diverse student population. From professionals with advanced degrees making mid-life career shifts to traditional age students, to mature, first time students - all from a myriad of cultural traditions, come together to create a rich learning environment. I look forward to each new semester in the DARC program and the opportunity to participate in the educational journeys of our extraordinary students!
Eileen Russo, MA, LADC
DARC Faculty and Academic Advisor
I have worked in the addiction and mental health field forthe past 21 years. I have had a variety of experiences including residential treatment, outpatient services, case management and working in a PTSD clinic. I am currently the Clinical Director for Connecticut Renaissance’s residential treatment programs and I am the trainer and consultant for the DMHAS Trauma Center of Excellence. I am excited to be teaching for the DARC program and thus being able to contribute to the future of the addiction field.
Wendy Davenson, LADC, LMFT, CPP-R
Teaching DARC students at Gateway is a terrific experience! I teach the Family Systems course during Fall and Spring semesters. It is a great course and one that students can use both personally and professionally. The diversity of Gateway students enhances the course I teach. Each person brings unique and diverse family system backgrounds, serving to make my course very rich! My credentials are a Masters in Family Therapy (LMFT) from SCSU, School Counselor Certification from U. Hartford, and LADC in CT and RI. I am also certified as a prevention specialist in Connecticut. I am a grief specialist and published a book entitled: Grief and Growth, A Manual for Counselors and Educators.
Tracy Eckert, MA, LADC, LPC
Internship Clinical Supervisor
I find teaching in the DARC program at GCC to be an energizing experience. Our students have a broad range of ages, cultures, educations, life experiences and future goals that come together to create an exciting classroom. I love the interaction and process component of teaching. I find that the instructor as well as the student is challenged, learns and grows in the classroom due to the lively, honest discussions. Working with DARC students has awakened a new energy and enthusiasm that pushes me to continually reevaluate techniques in addictions counseling and pursue methods for us to be effective treaters.
Sheila Zimmerman, LADC, LMFT
Teaching students in the DARC program at Gateway has been a very rewarding experience for me. Students enrolled here are enthusiastic about learning and growing in their chosen profession. Some courses require a significant amount of classroom role play and experiential learning. Each student’s uniqueness is valued and enhances the learning process for all of us.
I have been in the field of mental health and substance abuse since 1986 and have worked as a clinician in various treatment modalities including inpatient, partial hospital, outpatient, and crisis intervention with both adults and adolescents. I received my master’s degree in Family Therapy from SCSU in 1990 and am a licensed family therapist as well as a licensed alcohol and drug counselor in the state of CT. I have worked for the past 8 years in a supervisory/administrative capacity and have developed and presented workshops in the community as well as professional trainings approved by CCB. I have also maintained a private practice in Naugatuck, CT since 1992.
Duncan Magoon
My formal education, training and work in substance abuse counseling, supervision and management began in 1989 through the DARC program. In essence, the DARC Program was my springboard. As a DARC graduate I was well trained for future degrees and roles in our profession. It prepared me for and helped me earn a Bachelor of Social Work degree and a Master of Social Work degree. Most of all it prepared me for the "bane" of all clinical studies, future internships. I wholeheartedly believe that the opportunity to come back to the Gateway DARC Program as an instructor was, as they say, "beyond my wildest dreams." I have a very simple philosophy; it is my turn to prepare our students for future clinical studies, and especially the internships.