Twenty Dollars

Colleen Murphy is the Manager of CES Access at the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA). Since 2017, she has been the co-lead on the County of Los Angeles’ strategy to build and foster a more coordinated outreach system for the 45,000 people experiencing unsheltered homelessness. Previously, she served as a Director of Outreach and Community Engagement at both PATH (People Assisting the Homeless) in Southeast LA and St Joseph Center on the Westside. She’s a trained public health professional and researcher with more than 20 years’ experience fostering community engagement, partnerships and outreach in underserved communities both here in LA and in sub-Saharan Africa. She received her bachelor’s degree in international affairs from James Madison University and her postgraduate diploma in epidemiology from the University of London, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

Kentucky Ayahuasca is a docu-series on Viceland about Shaman, Steve Hupp as he works with people seeking healing from severe emotional and physical issues. Steve comes from an unusual background of career criminal and bank robber, and because of his time in prison with a Peruvian Shaman, has decided to bring the tradition to the United States. Steve is careful not to mock what shamanism is by creating ceremony in the States. He wants facilitation to be done as safely as possible and is simply trying to help people through Ayahuasca ceremony.

Matthew A. Torrington, M.D., is a board certified Family Medicine physician with a specialty in Addiction Medicine. Having completed a two-year fellowship at UCLA’s Integrated Substance Abuse Programs, he is an active Clinical Research physician. Dr. Torrington is boarded by the American Board of Addiction Medicine and certified by both the American Society of Addiction Medicine and the American Academy of Pain Management and is a licensed medical review officer. Based in Los Angles and licensed to practice in the states of California and Idaho, he is or has been involved in most aspects of the treatment of substance dependence. The Private Practice of Dr. Matthew Torrington has been developed to foster long lasting therapeutic relationships that help individuals overcome debilitating and potentially life threatening illnesses. It is clear that a sustained effort is usually required to have the best chance for recovery from severe medical conditions.

Tim Hagel is assigned as the Chief of Police for the City of Thousand Oaks. He has been a Police Officer for 35 years and has been employed with the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office since 1987. Born and raised in the City of Thousand Oaks, he attended Moorpark College after graduating from Thousand Oaks High School. Since beginning his career with the Sheriff’s Office as a volunteer Reserve Deputy, Tim has worked in every Division in the Sheriff’s Jurisdiction including assignments in the Sheriff’s Helicopter Rescue Unit, Search and Rescue, four different jails, patrol operations in Fillmore, Thousand Oaks, Moorpark and nearly all of the unincorporated communities. In addition, Chief of Police Hagel has worked assignments as a detective in felony investigations, narcotics and the internal audit unit.

Age 32, Kourtney R. was born and raised in the small suburbs of Thousand Oaks, California. Kourtney comes from a very tight knit family and is the eldest of five girls. Her mother was always present and was very strict when it came to drinking, drugs and anything having to do with partying. Of course, as a young girl, Kourtney had no idea that an innocent series of events (or so she thought) would take her down a deep, dark path...forever changing her life. Kourtney now has a year of sobriety under her belt, has a beautiful daughter and is giving back by sharing her tragic story in hopes of it helping others. She admits that sobriety is something she constantly has to work on, but knows that she has been presented with a second chance in life-and she will not take advantage of it this time!

Julie Kelley is a CAADE Substance Use Disorder Counselor, who is passionate about assisting those seeking help with their drug and alcohol addictions. She shares with us her knowledge of addictive behavior, current treatment methods and resources for addiction recovery. A recovering alcoholic herself, Julie provides a sense of hope and comfort, as she personally relates to the struggles of addiction. Julie is currently working at an out-patient substance abuse center in southern California.

John was gracious enough to agree to be apart of our podcast, and share his honest opinion of what happened with him and Jeremy. His story is difficult for us to hear, but is an important part of Jeremy's story.