Bob Lynn Ed.D
CEO /Founder

Dr. Lynn is an internationally recognized lecturer, researcher, and clinician in the field of Counseling Psychology and Substance Use Disorders. During the past 50 years, he has held leading positions in many clinical settings, levels of addiction treatment, Employee Assistance Programs, State Government, and as a professor in several universities.  He is a Board Certified Licensed Professional Counselor and Senior Fellow in Neurofeedback Practice. He is also a recognized expert in Family and Behavioral Therapy.

Dr. Lynn completed his doctoral studies at Rutgers University School of Graduate Education. His major research focuses on issues related to treatment outcomes.

Dr. Lynn has been recognized by NJ Assembly Resolution for his efforts in the fight against Drug Dependence. He is Chief Clinical Advisor for The Levenson Foundation, Affiliate Rutgers Center of Alcohol and Substance Use Studies,  Director of Program Development-International for C4 Recovery Solutions, CEO/Founder Addiction and Behavioral Health Alliance LLC, as well as Clinical Director for the National Council on Alcohol and Drug Dependence NJ Juvenile Justice System Adolescent Evaluation and Treatment Project.

Dr. Lynn, although known for his many contributions to the   Treatment Community, may be best known for his development of methods for the assessment and placement of clients and developing client centered care coordinated treatment systems focused on research and outcome data in the United States, Europe and the Middle East. His major focus being the development of systemic community-based systems that promote wellness.

Dr. Lynn’s most significant accomplishment may be his ability to help restore hope in communities overwhelmed with despair, finding strength when resources have been depleted and empowering local people to better utilize finite resources and create programs for growth and empowerment that promote family and community sustainability.

Jilly Lynn
Principal and Registered Agent for
Addiction and Behavioral Health Alliance LLC

Jilly managed the elementary library at Greenwood Friends school before entering the Social Services as Outreach Specialist with Wyoming Valley AIDS Council in Wilkes-Barre, PA.  Covering six counties in NE Pennsylvania, Jill engaged in HIV counseling and testing as well as Primary and Secondary prevention activities.  In this capacity she educated many at various venues ranging from Drug and Alcohol Treatment Programs to County Prisons.  At present Jilly manages production at Sunshine Daydream Ranch in Amboy, WA and provides essential support to Addiction and Behavioral Health Alliance.

Peg Wright
Founder/CEO Center for Great Expectations

Peg Wright has served as the President and CEO of The Center for Great Expectations since 1998, when she founded The Center to assist homeless, pregnant women and adolescents in “breaking the cycle” of homelessness, abuse, and addiction. The program began in a donated house in Somerville, serving twelve women per year. Under Peg’s leadership, CGE now serves over 900 people annually, through a host of dynamic and comprehensive service programs, including expanded residential programs, treating both adult women and adolescent mothers and their children; an outpatient center, specializing in gender-specific treatment for women and men with substance use and or co-occurring disorders; supportive housing, providing 28 units in Somerset and Middlesex Counties; a vibrant and enriching child development center; and an in-home program providing clinical and case management service to mothers and women in recovery from opioid use disorder.

 Peg leads a team of over 100 full- and part-time employees, countless volunteers, and a dedicated Board of Directors. Her commitment to providing the most impactful programming has supported an innovative clinical approach—integrating trauma-informed care with parent-infant mental health—resulting in programs that address underlying traumas and focus on building self-esteem, life skills, and the critical relationship between mother and child. During her first career in sales and sales management of diagnostic imaging equipment, Peg developed the dynamic skills she uses today to partner with the public, private, and academic sectors to bring the highest level of care to the clients of The Center. She is passionate in collaborating with dedicated behavioral health clinicians, specializing in trauma-informed care and parent-infant mental health, to advance the individualized, compassionate mental health and substance use treatment CGE provides to marginalized women and men from all counties of New Jersey.

 In 2018, Peg was recognized for her extraordinary service to the community, receiving the New Jersey State Governor’s Award for Public Service, by the State of New Jersey, the Jefferson Awards Foundation, and PNC Bank New Jersey, at the New Jersey State Governor’s Jefferson Awards Ceremony. That same year, she was named Citizen of the Year by the New Jersey Psychology Association, an award given to a non-psychologist who has made significant contributions to the ideals of mental health or social welfare, and also named in the “Top 25 Leading Women Entrepreneurs and Intrapraneurs” by New Jersey monthly magazine, in the categories of Innovation, Community Involvement, and Advocacy for Women. In 2015, Peg was selected as an NJBIZ “Top 50 Women in Business,” an affirmation of her outstanding contribution in the nonprofit sector and our New Jersey communities, and was honored to be named a “New Jersey Hero,” by the NJ Heroes Foundation. Governor Chris and First Lady Mary Pat Christie and leaders of the Foundation visited The Center for Great Expectations to tour the facilities, meet clients and staff, and deliver Peg’s award, along with a foundation grant.

Terry O’Connor
Former Assistant Commissioner for Addictions, Department of Health, New Jersey

Wayne Wirta
President/CEO at NCADD-NJ

Randy Grimes
Former professional football player

A former professional football player whose career spanned 10 years with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Randy Grimes spent 20+ years battling an addiction to pain killers developed while treating career related injuries. He now uses his inspiring story of recovery and his 10+ years in the addictions industry to help victims of drug and alcohol abuse, as an Interventionist and the founding advocate at Athletes In Recovery. In 2012, Randy launched “Athletes in Recovery,” a program designed to help athletes of all levels find treatment for addiction and mental health, while offering continued support for those already in recovery. Due to the success of Athletes in Recovery, Randy has partnered with the NFL, NHL, Gridiron Greats, After The Impact Fund, MLB, The Jockeys Guild, MMA and a host of collegiate programs to bring further awareness and treatment services to professional and collegiate athletes and their families. As a result, 100s of former professional and collegiate athletes have since been treated. Randy’s passion does not end with athletes; he is committed to helping all families find balance and peace of mind. Randy believes that “when families get well, addicts get well.” Randy has performed countless interventions across the U.S. and in five countries—bringing hope and healing when all seemed lost. Randy has been an exemplary ambassador and example of the power of professional treatment. Married for 36 years to his college sweetheart, Lydia, who is also a Certified Family Addiction Coach, they have two children and three grandchildren. Randy is regularly a commentator on numerous national TV networks and media including NFL Network, Anderson Cooper, Father Albert, CNN, Fox Sports, MSNBC, Fox News, SiriusXM Sports, New York Times, New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and countless others. His “Never Give Up” attitude translates from the gridiron to recovery. On his recovery, Randy states: “God didn’t open the gates of heaven and let me in....He opened the gates of Hell and let me out!”

Quincy B.
Founding Director of EraseTheRedline Inc

Quincy B. is Founding Director of EraseTheRedline Inc., innovator of the nation's only Technology and Wellness Training Center Barber Shop, and recently served as Tri-Chair of New Jersey’s Poor People Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival, and  immediate past President of the Board of Directors at the Anti-Poverty Network (APN) of New Jersey. He is also a Doctoral of Social Work student at the University of Southern California, Adjunct Professor at Seton Hall University, and Governor Murphy Appointee to the DR. MLK Commemorative Commission. His current place-based research centers around harnessing technology for social good through increasing internet connectivity and digital devices as prescribed by the American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare Grand Challenges for Social Work. At the macro level he has served as an advisory to many advocacy groups presenting around his forthcoming book, EraseTheRedline: A comparative study and comprehensive community guide to combat the effects of redlining in NJ. In addition to consulting community-based organizations, Mr. Bloxom previously served as Director of Operations and Development to a holistic wellness substance abuse and mental health outpatient treatment facility. Prior to becoming a social worker, Mr. Bloxom served in the US Army; achieved the rank of Staff Sergeant and receiving multiple awards and decorations associated with his service and deployment under Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Manuel Guantez, Psy.D., LCADC
President and CEO of Behavioral health Consulting Group

Dr. Manuel Guantez is a Partner with Community Health Care Associates,   President and CEO of Behavioral Health Consulting Group, and business consultant to Rutgers UBCH.  He recently served as Vice President of Outpatient and Addiction Services at Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care where he oversaw adult partial hospital programs and outpatient/addiction services. He was instrumental in the implementation of the Interim Managing Entity, NJ’s central access point for public sector care and transition to fee-for-service /managed care for substance use disorders.   

Dr. Guantez served as Chief Executive Officer at Turning Point from 2001 to 2015, one of NJ’s largest short-term residential treatment programs. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Montclair State University and a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Long Island University followed by a Post Doctoral Fellowship at New York University. 

In his very early career, Dr. Guantez worked in residential and outpatient addiction treatment conducting individual, group and family therapies, and coordinating programs for some of the more challenging treatment populations, including adolescents and persons with co-occurring disorders. 

During his graduate and post-doctoral work, Dr. Guantez treated patients in acute psychiatric services, adult, geriatric and adolescent populations.   Following his studies, Dr. Guantez served as the Coordinator of Addiction Studies at Montclair State University and as Assistant Professor taught all core graduate and undergraduate courses in addiction and mental health.  As a consultant, he has worked with a variety of behavioral health and managed care entities to improve service delivery and treatment outcomes for various populations. 

Dr. Guantez is an international speaker and consultant who has worked with the United Nations to help other countries achieve the gains in combating addiction that we have seen here in the United States.  He has been singled out as an important contributor in shaping statewide policy and practices in mental health and substance abuse, and has served on the New Jersey Division of Addiction Services’ Residential Licensure Standards Revision Committee, the Residential Treatment Services Committee, the Quality Standards Substance Abuse Treatment Committee, Chair of the State Professional Advisory Committee on addictions, and the co-chair of the state mental health and addictions  association co-occurring disorders committee.  In addition, he served in various capacities at the New Jersey Association of Mental Health and Addictions Agencies having chaired a number of committees and served in various governance and leadership roles on the board.  He was appointed by Governor Christie to the NJ SAFE Task Force to provide recommendations on Violence Prevention with Comprehensive Review of the Intersection of Gun Control, Addiction, Mental Health and School Safety Issues. He currently serves as member of the State Professional Advisory Committee on addictions, on the Board of Directors of NCADDNJ and was appointed by the Governor to the NJ Child Fatality and Near Fatality Review Board. 

A former U.S. Marine and Presidential Honor Guard, Dr. Guantez brings a wealth of diverse knowledge and experience.