Our Experts

Welcome to Caron’s Media Experts Page. You will see a wide range of topic areas related to addiction that our experts can address. You can click on your topic of interest to view experts in that particular area. Please be aware that our experts are familiar with all chemical addictions – including alcohol, cocaine, crack, ecstasy, hallucinogens, heroin, inhalants, marijuana, methamphetamines, over-the-counter and prescription medications, stimulants and steroids.

**Please note, Caron experts are able to speak about the below topics in the context that they pertain to addiction.

Harris Stratyner, Ph.D.

Harris Stratyner, Ph.D., CASAC
Regional Vice President of Caron New York

Dr. Stratyner is the Regional Vice President for Caron Treatment Centers' New York Recovery Center. He is a renowned addiction and mental health treatment specialist with more than 27 years of experience. In addition to treating patients, he oversees the clinical staff and develops and implements workshops and programs for patients in recovery at Caron New York.

Dr. Stratyner developed the technique "Carefrontation," which combines the latest motivational engagement techniques and an environment of respect and dignity to stress individual responsibility to deal with one's addiction or mental health condition.

Dr. Stratyner currently holds positions as a Clinical Associate Professor at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine and as a Vice Chair of the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD) Board of Directors. He is also a contributing author to the PDR Guide to Pediatric & Adolescent Mental Health (Published in 2009 by Thomson Reuters).

Before joining Caron, Dr. Stratyner held leadership and academic positions at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine and the Weill Medical College of Cornell University. He was listed by the prestigious Castle Connelly almanac as one of the profession's leading specialists.

Paul Leslie Hokemeyer

Paul Leslie Hokemeyer, JD, LMFT
Caron New York staff member

Paul is based in Caron's New York City office where he treats adolescents, adults, couples and families in all stages of the recovery process. He is currently completing his Ph.D. in Psychology at Saybrook Graduate School and Research Center in San Francisco. His areas of clinical expertise include adolescent and adult addiction, family dysfunction and sexuality.

Paul is an associate member of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists and the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists. A licensed attorney, Paul completed his Master of Arts degree in Clinical Psychology at Antioch University in Los Angeles and is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist.

Paul has contributed articles to numerous publications including The Therapist, Los Angeles Family Magazine and Canvas. His monthly column, Therapist's Notebook, ran in Telluride, Colorado and the Hamptons. He has appeared as an expert in numerous media including CBS, Fox News and Plum TV.

David Rotenberg

David Rotenberg, MA, MBA, CAC Diplomate
Executive Director of Adolescent and Young Adult Services

Mr. Rotenberg is the Executive Director of Caron Treatment Center's Adolescent and Young Adult Services. He oversees both primary and extended care treatment for adolescents and young adults ranging from ages 13 to 25. He is recognized throughout the industry as an expert in treating co-occurring mental health disorders, relapse and family issues related to adolescents and young adults.

During his tenure at Caron, Mr. Rotenberg has pioneered innovative treatment approaches and developed gender-specific programs that emphasize cultural literacy as a key element in adolescent addiction treatment. In fact, his assertion that industry experts and parents must "speak teen" in order to prevent and treat adolescent addiction inspired groundbreaking research that identified how teens communicate about alcohol and drugs on the internet. In addition, he has also actively campaigned against the phrase "gateway drug," which often dismisses the harm caused by alcohol and marijuana on today's teens.

Mr. Rotenberg contributes to Counselor Magazine and Addiction Professional among other addiction trade journals. He holds a Masters from Marywood University in Pennsylvania and an MBA from Alvernia College. He is a board-certified addiction's counselor.

Janice D. Styer

Janice D. Styer, MSW, CAC Diplomate, CCDP Diplomate,
Clinical Coordinator of Caron Adolescent Treament & Addictions Counselor

Ms. Styer is the Clinical Coordinator for Caron’s Adolescent Treatment Center. She provides counseling to adolescents and their families and also trains and supervises the clinical staff. Ms. Styer helped develop gender-specific programming at the center with a focus on co-occurring issues such as anxiety, depression, eating disorders, self-injurious behavior and anger management.

Ms. Styer has more than 27 years of experience with women’s issues and more than 14 years of experience with adolescent development, addiction and the impact of the disease on the family. She is a frequent resource for media and other public avenues.

Ms. Styer has a Masters Degree in Social Work from Marywood University in Pennsylvania and is a board-certified addiction’s counselor. She is also board-certified to work with patients suffering from co-occurring disorders.

Cheryl Knepper

Cheryl Knepper, MA, LPC, CCDP, ATR-BC,
Executive Director of Caron Adult Services and Extended Care

Ms. Knepper oversees all of the adult primary care, relapse and adult extended care programs at Caron. She is actively involved in staff development, training and treatment at Caron. She has worked extensively in the field of co-occurring disorders with adults, adolescents and families over the past twenty three years.

Ms. Knepper directs the adult continuum of care at Caron, incorporating 12 step facilitation, skill building groups, evidence-based practices, art therapy and integrated treatment approaches for a spectrum of co-occurring addiction and mental health disorders. She also presents at conferences internationally about addiction related topics.

Primary care focuses on educating the patient and family about the disease of addiction and its effects on the entire life system. Relapse patients have had already experienced a period of sobriety. This program focuses on how to reestablish their sober supports in an effort to get back on track to a successful recovery.

After completing 30 days in Caron's primary center, many patients need additional time and tools before they are ready to go home to their family, school and communities. They are recommended to the next level of care to continue working on recovery skills for a healthier integration back to home, work or school.

From 1987 through 2007, Ms. Knepper was the Clinical Director of Adolescent Services for the Division of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry at The Reading Hospital & Medical Center in Reading, PA. While at the hospital she developed, designed and integrated, innovative programming for adolescents and adults with mental health and co-occurring disorders.

She is a licensed professional counselor, board certified art psychotherapist and a certified co-occurring disorders professional. She received a Masters of Arts degree from Marywood University in Pennsylvania. She has a Bachelor of Science degree from Kutztown University.

Ms. Knepper has had academic appointments as adjunct instructor at Marywood University, guest lecturer at Kutztown University and on site clinical supervisor for internships affiliated with Penn State University, Drexel/Hahneman University and Villanova University.