Meet Our Prevention Staff

Robert Zlotnick, Ph.D.

Executive Director

Dr. Bob Zlotnick has been the executive director of Atlantic Prevention Resources since 1995 and has worked professionally in the field of addiction prevention and treatment since 1989. He received a B.A. in Psychology in 1991, a M.Ed. in 1992 and in 2001 earned a Ph.D. in Psychoeducational Processes, all from Temple University. He is a Certified Prevention Specialist in New Jersey and Internationally (ICRC), and was nationally certified as a Bullying Prevention Specialist by Clemson University. He is currently completing the requirements to be a NJ Licensed Clinical Alcohol and Drug Counselor. 

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Kim Burns
Tobacco Coordinator

   Kim Burns has worked and volunteered in the prevention field for over twenty-three years.    She has been employed at Atlantic Prevention Resources since 2000.  As an employee of Atlantic Prevention Resources, Kim was the REBEL(Reaching Everyone By Exposing Lies) Tobacco Prevention Coordinator for the Atlantic County program for ten years.  In this position she worked with youth and adults across Atlantic County and in sixteen Atlantic County schools to educate young people about the dangers of smoking and tobacco.  She worked with adults from the Communities Against Tobacco Coalition(CAT) and REBEL youth to raise the percentage of tobacco free policies in municipalities and schools. Through these efforts several towns and schools were successful in enacting new Tobacco Free policies.  Kim and her group also actively worked on activities related to the passing of the Smoke Free Air Law in 2006.  Throughout her seventeen years at APR, Kim has done hundreds of presentations to local youth, parents, and community members on the dangers of tobacco, underage drinking and other drugs.
   For the past seven years Kim has been the Southern Regional Coordinator for the Tobacco Free for a Healthy New Jersey (TFHNJ) program.  As the coordinator of the TFHNJ, Kim works with community members in eight counties in southern New Jersey with the goal of bringing community members, agencies, and councils/freeholders together to work on the passing of tobacco-free outdoor policies, and to support smoke free multi unit housing and workplace wellness.  Kim has worked with over 70 municipalities to help pass smoke-free outdoor recreational ordinances.  Kim is also the Co-Facilitator of the Stand Up and Rebel youth empowerment program.

Amanda Hartman

Prevention Specialist

Amanda graduated from Stockton University with a BS in Public Health, concentrating in Community Health Education. She started her career at Atlantic Prevention Resources in January of 2015. She facilitates the Life Skills Program, Forest Friends, and the Strengthening Families Program throughout Atlantic County. She is currently working towards her Health Education Specialist certification. She is also a member of the Brigantine Municipal Alliance. In her free time, she enjoys being active, all things outdoors, traveling, and playing music.

Kathleen McFadden

Associate Director 

   Kathleen Merlino McFadden, Associate Director has been with Atlantic Prevention Resources since 1993. Throughout the years, her job responsibilities have changed with the growth of the agency and according to grants awarded to APR (many which she wrote). Kathleen was instrumental in getting APR involved in the Strengthening Families Program and implementing Botvin Life Skills – both evidence based programs recognized for their effectiveness in the 2016 Surgeon General’s Report., “Facing Addicition in America”. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Health Education from Montclair University and completed graduate work @ Georgian Court College to obtain a New Jersey State Student Assistance Counselor (SAC) certification.  For many years, Mrs. McFadden worked in schools of Atlantic County facilitating groups and doing individual counseling with high-risk youth.
Long before it became a state mandate, Kathleen recognized the need and value of bullying prevention in the schools and APR was on the cutting edge of becoming trained and certified in the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program.  Together, with CEO Bob Zlotnick and later, Jen Pielhau, over 25 school committees have been trained in the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program.
Kathleen continues to coordinate the scheduling of all school programs and other activities required under state, county, and Municipal Alliance grants.  She monitors and reports the progress of all programmatic requirements completed under those funding sources. She also is the Program Director of the federally funded Drug free Communities Grant by which Join Together Atlantic County (JTAC) operates.
Lastly, she happily supervises an excellent staff of six full time and two part time employees. 

Jennifer Pielhau

Certified Prevention Specialist

   Jennifer Pielhau has been working the field of substance abuse prevention since 2002.  After earning her BA degree in Sociology (2000) from Stockton University, she returned to the institution in 2002 to acquire a second BA degree in Elementary Education (K-8).  It is upon completing her second undergraduate degree, that she began working for Atlantic Prevention Resources.  In addition to her study at Stockton, Jennifer received a Certificate of Completion from Ocean County College in the Interpreter Training Program (ASL).  She is also a Certified Prevention Specialist.
   Jennifer is trained and currently facilitates the following programs: Life Skills Training Program (Botvin), Strengthening Families Program, and the Chronic Disease Self- Management Program.  She is a nationally certified trainer for the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program.  Jennifer is also trained to facilitate the Wellness Initiative for Senior Education (WISE) and A Matter of Balance.
   In her spare time, Jennifer enjoys spending time with her 3 children.  If you don’t find her coaching, you will often find her at the field watching her children play sports or leading a Girl Scout troop on their next adventure.

Laurie Smith

Community Initiatives Coordinator

Laurie Smith is the Community Initiatives Coordinator for Atlantic Prevention Resources.  She is in her 20th year with the agency and is the coordinator of Join Together Atlantic County, the Atlantic County Opiate Task Force and co-coordinates the Cape Atlantic Bridge Coalition.  She is a certified trainer of Botvin Life Skills Program, Strengthening Families Program, Coping with Work and Family Stress and the TiPS program.  Laurie also facilitates Peer Leadership, Forest Friends and other programming throughout the county working with both youth and adults.  She is a member of the Atlantic County Juvenile Officers Association, both Atlantic County and Southern Regional Children’s Interagency Coordinating Councils, and the community liaison board of the Egg Harbor Township High School Teen Center.  Laurie is also an advocacy leader for the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence of NJ.  She has received numerous awards in the field of prevention including 2016 Outstanding Service Award from the Hope All Day Foundation, Volunteer of the Year awards from Egg Harbor Township Municipal Alliance in 2002, 2007, 2010, and the Atlantic County Alliance in 2011.  She was the recipient of the first ever W. Cary Edwards State Volunteer of the Year award given by the Governor’s Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse, and was one of the Atlantic City Weekly’s Top 40 Under 40 in 2015.  

Lisa Catalano

Certified Prevention Specialist

Lisa Catalano has been working at APR for 11 years. She has a BA in Psychology from Stockton University and received her CPS credential in 2016. Lisa facilitates evidenced-based programs including, Life Skills Training, the WISE program for seniors, CDSMP, APB and the Strengthening Families Program. She currently serves as the chairperson for the Township of Hamilton Municipal Alliance. Additionally, she is a counselor intern for APR’s Treatment Program. Presently, Lisa is working toward her CADC. In her spare time, Lisa enjoys being at the beach and spending time with family.

Brian J. Wilson
Facility Manager/Project Coordinator

Brian joined Atlantic Prevention Resources in 2007 shortly after graduating from Stockton University with a B.A. in Criminal Justice. His role as facility manger is to oversea the day to day operations to ensure a pleasant, safe and efficient work environment. In addition to that he is also the Project Coordinator for Join Together Atlantic County (JTAC) a county wide substance misuse prevention coalition. He has played a major role in the implementation of placing permanent prescription drop boxes located in police departments throughout Atlantic County. Brian has also worked on many different initiatives combating substance misuse throughout our area. He has been a active member of the Egg Harbor Township Municipal Alliance since 2010. Outside from work Brian is a martial arts enthusiast having trained most of his life. He also loves the beach, surfing, and being active outdoors whenever he can. 

Meet Our Treatment Staff

Kathy Harvey, LCADC, LSW, SAC

Clinical Director

Kathy has been at APR for the last 17 years.  She began as a Substance Abuse Counselor/Communities Against Tobacco Coordinator in 2000; before assuming the role as Clinical Director of APR’s outpatient treatment program in 2008. Kathy takes great pride in being the one that implemented this successful program that continues to help individuals and their families find recovery.  Kathy received her Master of Social Work (Specialization in Substance Abuse) from Fordham University in 2005. Kathy has had numerous trainings in a variety of subjects including Clinical Supervision, NCADD Intervention, and Trauma informed care, to name a few. Kathy has been instrumental in providing a therapeutic and welcoming atmosphere here at APR.  Kathy herself struggled with the disease of addiction and has been in recovery for 22 years.  She is adamant about educating the clients on the disease of addiction.  Kathy stresses the importance of the 12 steps and sponsorship to all clients as it is an integral part of the program here at APR.  Kathy during her free time enjoys going to the beach, working in the garden and spending time with family and friends. 

Ken Litwak

CADC Counselor In Training

Ken Litwak is an Internationally Certified Gambling Counselor and Certified Clinical Trauma Professional.  Ken is a Certified Drug and Alcohol Counselor Intern at APR.  He facilitates recovery groups, meets with clients for individual counseling, and performs intake/assessments for new clients.  Ken graduated from City University of Seattle with AS in General Studies and a BA in Management with certificates in both Child and Adolescent Development and Gerontology.  He is working toward an MS in Professional Counseling from Grand Canyon University.  Ken also works for the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey and has spoken at various events and facilities around the State of New Jersey about the similarities and differences between Substance Use Disorder and Disordered Gambling.  Ken is a US Navy Veteran and lives in Pleasantville, NJ with his girlfriend of 16 years and cares for his toddler nephew.

Nancy Andrews

CADC Supervisor

Nancy has been with APR since 2010 as Senior Counselor/Supervisor. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology. Along with her role as a counselor, Nancy has also been the Drug Court Liaison for the past 7 years. Nancy is highly respected not only by her colleagues, but also by the clients she treats on a daily basis, she is known for being tough but fair. Nancy is known for getting to the root of the problem whatever that may be, also engaging clients to become vulnerable and let their walls down. Nancy is very vocal in regards to the disease of addiction, and also stresses to her clients that having this disease is nothing to be ashamed of and every day is a new day. Nancy when she is not teaching her clients about the disease of addiction enjoys her daily yoga routine, reading a novel, and playing with her loving dog Coco.

Justin Urbonas

CADC Counselor In Training

Justin is a counselor intern here at APR and is currently in the process of receiving his CADC. His daily duties include but, are not limited to running IOP groups, completing intakes and assessments for new clients, along with various office work to which he is assigned. Justin has been in the recovery from the disease of addiction since 2012 and he believes that his experience and hope will motivate clients to understand that recovery is possible no matter what their past might be. Justin in his free time enjoys many activities such as spending time with his girlfriend, playing softball, basketball, watching movies, and running with his two dogs Brandy and Bailey.

Beth Colvin

Office Manager

Beth is the Office Manager at APR and has been since 2013. Beth’s daily duties include, but are not limited to, billing, phone intakes, and setting up appointments for clients just to name a few. She is the first person incoming clients speak to on the phone, and the first bright smile they see when they’re walking through the door. Beth also coordinates with outside vendors in regards to food donations for our clients. Beth is an important asset to APR as she continuously and effortlessly keeps the day to day operations running smoothly. During her free time Beth loves to garden, spending time with her family including her grandson, and enjoys going out to dinner whenever she can.

Ryan Conn

CADC Counselor In Training

Ryan is a counselor intern here at APR and is currently in the process of receiving his CADC. He is also in attendance at Grand Canyon University and is completing his bachelor’s degree in human services. Ryan intends on continuing his education at GCU to receive a master’s degree in counseling with emphasis on addiction. He has been in recovery from the disease of addiction since 2015 and feels that sharing his own experience, strength, and hope will help others in their struggle with addiction. Ryan in his free time enjoys going to the beach, fishing, photography and writing.