Our Staff

The majority of the clinical staff at the Athens Area Commencement Center hold masters degrees and are certified as Georgia Addiction Counselors with an average of fifteen years of experience in the chemical dependency field. All counselors are specially trained to work with alcohol and drug dependent clients.
Administrator - Jim Hinzman

Jim Hinzman is the Administrator of the Athens Area Commencement Center. Since 1982, Jim Hinzman has worked in the drug and alcohol field as a clinician and administrator. He has experience working in a hospital based/multidisciplinary setting and a private setting. He is a Diplomate Certified in Co-Occurring Disorders by the International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium/Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse. Inc. and Certified Clinical Supervisor, as well as a Master Addiction Counselor thru NAADAC, and holds a Masters degree from Emory Univerisity.

 
Medical Director - Farris T. Johnson

Farris T. Johnson, Jr., M. D., F.A.A.F.P. is the Medical Director. Dr. Johnson is Board Certified in Family Practice and Fellow, American Academy of Family Physicians. He is a professional member of the American Academy of Family Physicians, Georgia Academy of Family Physicians, and the Medical Association of Georgia. Dr. Johnson is a member of the American Society of Addiction Medicine. He brings twenty (20) years of expertise in treating Chemical Dependency and ambulatory detoxification, along with experience as a Flight Surgeon, Emergency Room Physician, and a tenured Family Practice. He has active medical staff privileges at Athens Regional Medical Center and St. Mary's Hospital in Athens, Georgia. Dr. Johnson is considered one of our most beloved physicians in the Athens Community.

Program Coordinator - Joe Preston

A Nationally Certified Addiction Counselor Level II and Certified Clinical Supervisor, Joe Preston is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and has more than twenty three years of experience in the treatment field. Joe has been in recovery since 1986.

 

Business Manager - Rob Hinzman
Rob Hinzman

Rob Hinzman's main duties as the Business Manager is handling insurance, and all financial aspects of AACC. He is consistently exploring new ideas to improve patient care, and AACC as a whole. He has a Bacholors degree in Psychology and CAC Level II, Rob has been working in the recovery field at AACC since 2004, also assisting with facilitating group therapy, aftercare, individual counseling and case management. He is a CAC II ( Certified Addiction Counselor) Level II, and enjoys working at AACC helping people with their recovery. Watching this process happen with our patients is the joy of working at AACC. People get their lives back on track, and live happier. People come here with little or no hope, and realize they can change.

Registered Nurse - Dana Bower

Dana has worked in the nursing field since 1985 and graduated as a registered nurse in 1991. Because of her interest in helping people recover from addiction, she joined the Athens Area Commencement Center in 2003.

 

Registered Nurse - Marianne Harvey
Marianne

Marianne is enjoying the Athens area after recently settling in from Southwest Virginia where she received her nursing degree from the Virginia Appalachian Tri College of Nursing Programs. Marianne also holds a B.A. in English from Bevard College, located in the Southern Appalachian mountains of Western North Carolina. Marianne joined the Athens Area Commencement Center in 2011, and is excited to share her passion for helping people who struggle with addition and its disease.


Substance Abuse Counselor- Kasey Drew (LMSW)
Kasey Drew

(A native Athenian/An Athens native), Kasey began working in the field of mental health in 2002. She received her Bachelor of Science in Psychology from The University of Georgia in 2001. (GO DAWGS!) She then moved to Manhattan where she attended New York University and was granted her Master of Social Work degree in 2004. Kasey has always had the utmost respect for the level of compassion and competency at AACC. Kasey was ecstatic to join the staff at AACC in 2012 so she could utilize her mental health and substance abuse training to help those struggling with the often misunderstood disease of addiction. She currently provides group therapy, individual therapy and case management services at AACC. The most fulfilling aspect of her job is seeing the clientele’s drastic improvement in a matter of weeks. The strength and perseverance that our clients exhibit while going through the treatment process is truly inspiring.