Who We Are
Karen Johnson, LAC- Owner/Director
Karen graduated from the University of South Dakota in 1991 and began working as an alcohol and drug counselor at Carroll Institute and then Avera St. Lukes Worthmore Treatment Center in Mitchell. She opened Choices Recovery Services LLC in Mitchell in March of 2000 and opened the Sioux Falls office in 2004. She is grateful for her continuous sobriety since May of 1982. She is responsible for supervision of counseling staff and all phases of operation of the facility. She has been an authorized provider for SCRAM (secure continuous remote alcohol monitoring) through Alcohol Monitoring Systems since February of 2006.
Bev Baker - LAC - Clinical Consultant
Bev volunteers her services at Choices. She shares her experience, strength, and hope that recovery is the beginning of a new and better life. She assists in supervising counseling staff and conducts our quality of care reviews. Her prior experience includes primary inpatient counselor at Keystone Treatment Center and outpatient treatment counselor at First Step Counseling. She supervised the adolescent treatment programs at Plankinton and Custer. Bev has been active in her 12-Step recovery since May of 1982 and continues to enjoy her sobriety one day at a time. Bev is a certified CIB-SA instructor.
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Nancy Nicholls - Office Manager/Secretary/Receptionist
Nancy joined Choices in November 2016. She is responsible for the daily operations at Choices, and enables the counseling staff to focus on client needs. Nancy is the first person who will welcome you at Choices. She is grateful for her continuous recovery since 2013.
Molly Pingrey - Certified Addiction Counselor
Molly joined Choices in July 2016. Molly graduated from the University of South Dakota in May of 2015. She was previously employed with Minnehaha County Detox and the Keystone Outpatient Program. Molly facilitates treatment and aftercare groups and is the treatment representative on the Minnehaha County DUI Court.
Michelle Azzara - Certified Addiction Counselor
Michelle returned to Choices in January 2018. She was previously employed by Choices, as well as a CIB-SA instructor with the State of South Dakota. Michelle currently works part-time and facilitates a Getting It Right Group for federal probationers. She is also trained in Moral Reconation Therapy (MRT).
Nathan Weber - Licensed Addiction Counselor
Nathan began working at Choices in April 2019. He was previously employed at the Glory House. Nathan currently facilitates the evening intensive outpatient treatment group and the Treatment Readiness Group for federal probationers.