Leadership Team

Robert C. Parkinson was appointed Chief Executive Officer in November 2025. He joined Turning Point in 2016 as the Chief Financial Officer and was responsible for the overall financial leadership of the agency. During his tenure as the CFO Robert was instrumental in significantly improving the financial health of the organization. Prior to joining Turning Point, Robert worked in senior financial (CFO), operations (COO), business development, and strategic planning roles in two other large non-profit drug treatment agencies and worked for 10 years as a Management Consultant leading major change programs for global corporations. He serves on the Board of Hyacinth AIDS Foundation and holds an MBA from Penn State University and a BS from Ithaca College.

Heather is responsible for providing administrative oversight for the facility and ensuring that services are consistent with the organization’s mission. 

Heather is a licensed psychotherapist and addiction professional with clinical and administrative experience in mental health and substance abuse programs. She has been in the public sector since 2003 and has wide-ranging experience with program development, quality improvement, licensure and grant procurement on the state, county and federal level. 

Heather has a comprehensive understanding of psychiatric illness and practices for community behavioral health services, and a strong knowledge of the interplay between mental illness and the criminal justice system. She has extensive experience working with diverse groups of patients with biological and psychological addictions and proficiency in the coordination and planning of complex treatment interventions for co-occurring patients overcoming acute and chronic difficulties. 

Heather holds an MBA (2022), a MA in Applied Clinical and Counseling Psychology (2004) and Certificate in Non-Profit Management (2017) from William Paterson University. She earned her BA in Psychology from Cornell University (2000). 

Colette Charles-Davenport is Turning Point's Director of Human Resources. Colette has more than 20 years of experience in human resources and workplace compliance across a diverse set of industries. Colette serves on the leadership team and is responsible for implementing key initiatives consistent with Turning Point's strategic goals. Colette is a dynamic practitioner with leadership and operational experience. She previously served as Vice President of Human Resources & Administration for Boys & Girls Harbor Inc., a nonprofit education management organization based in New York City. Over her career, Colette has held senior leadership roles serving as subject matter expert on operational and strategic HR practices. She is experienced in labor relations and mediation and is credited with guiding the development and implementation of change initiatives, developing Human Resource teams, cultures of collaboration and capacity building to effectively support business growth. 

Colette holds a Juris Doctorate from Georgetown University Law School and a bachelor’s degree from Spelman College. She has served on professional boards during her career. 

Christian Castano, MS, LPC, LCADC, NCC, joined our team at Turning Point in 2014 as an Operations Technician. He was quickly promoted to an Outpatient Counselor position, with his credentials as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Licensed Clinical Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LCADC), and National Certified Counselor (NCC) highly recommending him for the position. After transitioning to the admissions department, Christian was promoted to Director of Admissions in 2017. 

Prior to his tenure at Turning Point, Christian had experience working with outpatient rehab groups and individual rehab patients as a counselor. As a facilitator of male-focused meetings, he gained specific insights into the needs of this population. We are lucky to have this specific expertise to bolster our programs. Before pivoting his focus to addiction medicine, Christian worked with traumatized children who were victimized by domestic violence. His experiences with abused children inform his approach to dual diagnosis/co-occurring disorder treatment. 

Christian received a BA in Psychology from New Jersey City University and an MS in Mental Health Counseling from Monmouth University. 

Heidi was promoted to Director of Nursing in October, 2022. She has worked with Turning Point since 2016 and has served as charge nurse for the overnight shift since 2018. Heidi brings more than twenty years of experience as a nurse and administrator and is also an experienced Director of Nursing with expertise in substance use disorder treatment.

The role of the Director of Nursing at Turning Point is a critical one and most importantly focuses on client care. The role has an impact in most operations within Turning Point and directly collaborates with our department directors, medical team, medical consultants and manages a large medical staff operating in the Paterson facility. As the designated health and safety official, the Director of Nursing is actively engaged in health education initiatives, staff development, medical protocols as well as enterprise-wide management of Covid-19 and infectious disease prevention.

Amelia is responsible for overseeing all clinical and pragmatic aspects of Turning Point’s withdrawal management and residential programs.  

Amelia has 19 years of experience working with individuals who struggle with substance use disorders and mental illness.  She joined our team at Turning Point in 2017 as a primary counselor.  In 2019 she was promoted to Unit Manager for Turning Point’s Withdrawal Management Unit.  She was responsible for fostering teamwork among counseling staff, efficient planning, and maintained organization and implementation of the various components of the program.  In 2022, she was promoted to a dual role, Assistant Director of Withdrawal Management Services/Intern Program Supervisor. She was responsible for coordinating clinical and programmatic aspects of the withdrawal Management Program, coordinated clinical staff training/development, and provided direct clinical supervision to staff members. Amelia was also responsible for spearheading the intern program as she worked with various universities throughout the Country. She was responsible for the recruitment and education of interns entering the field.

Prior to her career with Turning Point Amelia served as a Program Coordinator for a Partial Care Program where she worked for 12 years.  Amelia has extensive experience in addiction, mental illness, curriculum development, leadership, training, networking, recruitment, and management.

Amelia earned her associate degree (A.S.) at Bergen Community College.  She went on to earn her BSW at Rutgers University, Newark NJ and her MSW at Rutgers University, New Brunswick.  She is currently working on her Doctorate Degree in Social Work at Capella University.  She holds an LCADC (Licensed Clinical Alcohol and Drug Counselor), a CCS (Certified Clinical Supervisor), and SIFI (Seminar in Field Instruction).

Dawn Knill brings over 30 years of experience in the non-profit sector with skills in administration, program development, finance and budgeting, customer/member services, stewardship and relationship building, special events, volunteer recruitment and management, as well as public relations and marketing. She has held a certified fundraising executive certification (CFRE) from June, 2008 through June, 2026. 

Dawn is also a former faculty member at County College of Morris as an adjunct instructor teaching Creating Donor Centric Communications and Creating Special Events That Raise Funds and Friends. For several years, she shared her grant writing experience with the students attending the grant writing certificate program and then progressed to this position. She loved sharing her experience and knowledge with the students. 

Volunteer service is a passion of Dawn’s and she enjoys sharing her knowledge of marketing and fundraising. She is former faculty for the Association of Fundraising Professional’s Fundamentals in Fundraising and the CFRE Review Course. She is a former executive board member of the New Jersey Chapter’s Association of Fundraising Professionals and additionally has held multiple positions within the chapter which include secretary of the board, resource development chair, chairperson for the Conference on Philanthropy, chairperson for the Awards in Excellence Dinner as well as involvement with the Youth in Philanthropy program. She has also served on the Vestry of her church and was instrumental in helping raise $2M for their capital campaign as well as increasing the number of families pledging to the annual stewardship campaign. She also started a healing blanket ministry at her church during COVID where she was able to recruit over 25 volunteers to knit and crochet healing blankets for those who are ill or experiencing difficulties. 

Dawn lives in Basking Ridge, New Jersey with her husband, Chuck, where they raised their six children. In her spare time Dawn enjoys spoiling her 5 grandchildren, cooking, canning, gardening, raising chickens, and crocheting. 

Helen is a licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), a Licensed Clinical Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LCADC), an Approved Clinical Supervisor (ACS), a National Certified Counselor (NCC) and a Certified Social Worker. Helen graduated from Fairleigh Dickinson University in 2002 with a Master’s degree in Clinical Counseling with a specialization in Addictions Counseling. Helen began working with the developmentally disabled in 1973 at the Hunterdon Developmental Center in Clinton NJ and worked there until 1979 when she moved to Oregon. In Oregon she worked as a head start teachers aid while she volunteered for Dunn House the local battered women’s shelter. Helen attended her first year of college in 1985 at Southern Oregon University as an Art Major and began working with emotionally disturbed children as a work study job. Although she loved Art, she knew her heart was in social work and counseling. Helen moved back to New Jersey in 1986 and shortly thereafter began working with clients with co-occurring mental health and substance abuse issues) at the Warren County Easter Seals Program. She was there for 7½ years until she realized that in order to advance in her career she would have to go back to school. So, at 40, Helen enrolled at Warren County Community College getting her associates in liberal arts within two years and followed that with a three year combined Bachelor’s/Master’s program at Fairleigh Dickinson University. In 2001 Helen took a position as a residential aide and a program for Women in Recovery in Hunterdon County. A year later she was offered the position of Clinical Director. Helen facilitates the Family Counseling Program and created the Family Education program there as well. Helen has been the Clinical Director since 2001.

Helen is a client centered relational therapist using Motivational Interviewing and Cognitive Behavioral therapies as well as trauma informed therapy to help her clients towards change. Helen strives to help her client’s understand the beliefs and coping skills they have developed in order to negotiate their relationships and family systems. Helen helps her clients to understand the relationship they created with the drug or behavior of their choice and how this affects all of their relationships, with themselves, their families their co-workers, friends and larger community. She works with her clients to develop more effective life affirming coping skills and healthy alternatives to their addictive behaviors.

Helen is an avid organic gardener and promoted the creation of an organic garden. Helen continues to tinker in artistic endeavors, plays guitar, sings and loves to work on her house, read practically everything and dote on her three grandsons every chance she gets.

Nitin Shah joined Turning Point in 2016 as a member of the finance team and steadily advanced to his current role through his dedication and expertise. With extensive, in-depth knowledge of accounting, he has been a key contributor to strengthening the organization’s financial operations. Throughout his tenure, Nitin worked closely with the CFO, providing vital support in achieving strategic goals and driving the organization’s mission forward.

Before joining the organization, Nitin held various finance and accounting positions in the private sector, gaining broad experience across multiple roles and industries.

He is a Chartered Accountant (1983) and Law Graduate (1980) from India (equivalent to a U.S. Certified Public Accountant, CPA), and a qualified Enrolled Agent (2009).

David Thomas has an Associate’s Degree from Essex County and is a certified drug and alcohol counselor (CADC) with more than twenty years’ experience working in the behavioral health profession with co-occurring and substance use disorder individuals.  

David’s experience includes working in several levels of care including outpatient, intensive outpatient, partial care and residential care. David began his career working as a primary counselor; he also worked as a clinical team leader, aftercare coordinator and Director of Operations for over ten years.  

In 2004 he was awarded, The Denis Mansmann Award by Addiction Treatment Providers, Inc of New Jersey for his hard work and dedication in the field of substance abuse treatment 

Bio coming soon