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Stories

Faced with a rising need for mental health and substance misuse care, Lakeview Center has grown with our community since 1954. Each year, we serve more than 29,000 adults and children in Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa and Walton counties.

Some of these stories of growth and success – for our team members and those we serve – are below.

All interview requests must be made through the Marketing and Communications department. For assistance, please call 850-503-8164 or e-mail [email protected] or [email protected].

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Chad Gornick professional growth journey

Professional growth journey: Chad Gornick

For Chad Gornick, technology isn’t the end goal, it’s the tool. What motivates him most is using his IT expertise to support the people and mental health services that make Lakeview Center’s mission possible. Chad earned a bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, followed by a master’s degree in Instructional Design and Technology. He joined Lakeview […]

Professional growth journey: Ashtin Lafountain

Professional growth journey: Ashtin Lafountain

As clinical manager and counselor for Lakeview Center’s Short‑Term Residential Treatment (SRT) program, Ashtin Lafountain plays a vital role in supporting individuals during recovery from a mental-health crisis. Ashtin’s journey into mental health was deeply personal. Like many in the field, her interest in psychology began to better understand her own experiences and those within […]

Community Action Team members named Lakeview Center Team Members of the Quarter

Community Action Team members named Lakeview Center Team Members of the Quarter

Community Action Team (CAT) members Matthew Harris, Dawn Stewart and Linzy Plessel have been named Lakeview Center’s Team Members of the Quarter for their extraordinary compassion, teamwork and unwavering commitment to the families they serve. Nominated by their managers, Patti Hyde and Hailey Vascik, the trio was recognized for going far beyond their roles while […]

Lynn Hare Team Member of the Year

Lynn Hare named Team Member of the Year

For three decades, Lynn Hare has been an essential part of our organization’s story. As the project manager in the Marketing Department, Lynn has become known not only for her professionalism and creativity, but also for the warmth, compassion, and genuine care she brings to every interaction across our family of companies. “I’ve been with […]

amy gokey headshot

Amy Gokey has been named Lakeview Center Team Member of the Year

For nearly two decades, Amy Gokey has dedicated her career to strengthening mental health and substance use services in the communities Lakeview Center serves. Today, as director of the Friary Pensacola, Amy oversees a comprehensive set of counseling programs designed to support adults at some of life’s most critical moments. “The Friary Pensacola is an […]

Professional growth journey: Dana Edwards

Professional growth journey: Dana Edwards

As an outpatient counselor in Lakeview Center’s Children’s Services, Dana Edwards provides individual, family and group therapy for children ages 6 to 18, including those involved with the Department of Juvenile Justice and FamiliesFirst Network, as well as military families. Dana joined Lakeview Center nearly five years ago as a registered mental health counseling intern. […]

Professional growth journey: Marvin Dailey

Professional growth journey: Marvin Dailey

When Marvin Dailey started his career, working in mental health wasn’t part of the plan. “I thought I was going to be a history teacher the rest of my life,” he recalled with a laugh. After earning degrees in political science and special education from UWF, Marvin began teaching second-grade students with emotional disturbances. That […]

Eddie and Allison’s journey as CHIPS foster parents

For more than 22 years, Eddie and Allison have opened their doors to more than 80 children in need, offering safety, compassion and stability. Though they joined Lakeview Center’s CHIPS (Changing Horizons through Innovative Parenting Systems) program just this past October, their fostering journey began decades earlier. Lakeview Center’s CHIPS program serves youth in foster […]