Rhyan Harris is a Bakersfield native who has been in the drug and alcohol counseling field since 2015, volunteering throughout his education with diverse populations before joining the Aspire team. Having dealt with his mother-in-law struggling with Alcoholism and her unfortunate passing away from her addiction, Rhyan has always had a passion for helping others in recovery and wanted to save others from losing loved ones from addiction.

Rhyan completed his Bachelor of Science in Human Services, with a minor in Child and Family Development in 2020. He is currently a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC III), Substance Abuse Disorder Certified Counselor (SUDCC), an Internationally Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (ICADC).

In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his wife and 3 kids and doing various family activities.

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.

Annamarie O’Rourke, a life-long Bakersfield native, has made the decision to give back to her community. Soon after graduating from Bakersfield High School, Annamarie went to work for the Kern County Sheriff’s Department (2008-2021).  After a 13-year long career; one in which she had been imbedded in and surrounded by the aftermath of addiction (overdoses, drunk drivers, and suicides), Mrs. O’Rourke decided that she needed to do something more. Without hesitation, Annamarie knew exactly where to go to play her part, Aspire Counseling Services.  

As a recovering addict herself, Annamarie has a passion for helping people who struggle with addiction. She attended Promises Malibu in 2005, and to this point, has remained sober, healthy, and happier than ever.  Annamarie continues to participate in 12 step meetings and works with several sponsors who assist women in their recovery program. Annamarie dedicates her personal time to enjoying her husband and children, traveling, and loves to watch her children play and grow in the world of competitive basketball.

Angelica Zuniga is a Bakersfield, CA native. She is a substance use disorder certified counselor with CADTP. Angelica has been in the drug and alcohol counseling field since 2016. She got into the field because she wanted to give back to her community in an area that is impacted the most. Before coming to Aspire, Angelica was providing substance use disorder counseling to incarcerated men in state institutions. During her free time, Angelica enjoys spending time with her family, going to the farmers’ market, and reading.

Cynthia was born in a small military town in Okinawa Japan, was raised in Oceanside California, and for the last 18 years has called Bakersfield her home. She is the youngest child of five siblings. She knew very early in life that she had a calling to help others and an unwavering compassion for those in need. She currently holds an AA in Human Services, Psychology, Substance Abuse and Mental Health as well as awaiting her RADT. Being able to effectively contribute to the community from different aspects was her ultimate educational goal. She has contributed many volunteer hours with 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 of 2021 and quickly became an official part of the team.