Lisa grew up in Kings County and suffered from substance abuse and alcoholism for many years. She came to Bakersfield in 2006 to attend rehabilitation. Since then, Lisa has been a part of the recovery community in Bakersfield. Lisa watched the disease destroy families for many years. Wanting to help people and give back to her community, she enrolled at Cal State University, Bakersfield in the drug and alcohol studies program, graduating in 2020. After graduating, Lisa became a counselor at Aspire Counseling Services. In her free time, she enjoys live music, comedy, and her large family.

Cynthia was born in a small military town in Okinawa, Japan, and was raised in Oceanside, California. For the last 20 years, she has called Bakersfield home. She is the youngest of five siblings. She knew very early in life that she had a calling to help others and unwavering compassion for those in need. She has contributed many volunteer hours to various organizations within our community and has years of experience working with at-risk adolescents. Her passion for working with clients who suffer from substance abuse issues, specifically adolescents, derives from her own troubles as a young adult. She began her internship with Aspire in June 2021 and, in 2023, became CADC II certified. Cynthia has had great success helping her clients in their recovery.

Paul grew up in California’s Central Valley before relocating to Arkansas at the age of 21. For 13 years, he worked as a towboat captain on the Mississippi River, until a life-changing accident left him partially paralyzed. Throughout much of his life, Paul struggled with addiction, which ultimately led him back to California in 2021, where he entered his first outpatient treatment program. Inspired by the support he received from counselors and motivated by his own experience living with a disability, Paul decided to pursue a career in counseling. He enrolled at California State University – Bakersfield, and is currently working toward becoming a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC-I). Paul is dedicated to giving back to his community and in his free time he enjoys CrossFit and going to the movies.