Eric Hulsey, DrPH
Executive Director
Prior to joining IRETA, Dr. Hulsey served as the Manager of Behavioral Health Analytics with Allegheny County. Most recently, he held the position of Senior Technical Advisor of Drug Use Epidemiology and Data at Vital Strategies’ Overdose Prevention Program as part of the Bloomberg Philanthropies Overdose Prevention Initiative.
Dr. Hulsey previously served as the Scientific Director of IRETA between 2007 and 2010 while earning his doctorate degree from the University of Pittsburgh in 2008. He remained active as a member of IRETA’s Board of Directors since 2014, most recently serving as Board Chair until his appointment as Executive Director. Dr. Hulsey has also served on the Board of Directors for Prevention Point Pittsburgh, Onala Recovery Center, and the Staunton Farm Foundation.
Jessica Samuel
Chief Financial Officer
Jessica Samuel joined IRETA in 2015 and brings over 15 years of experience in finance. As the Chief Financial Officer (CFO), she is committed to advancing IRETA’s mission. In her role, she manages budgets, develops strategies, and ensures compliance with regulations to maintain the organization’s financial health.
Before her role at IRETA, Jessica spent several years in the banking industry, where she learned how to contribute to the company’s overall success by demonstrating her ability to build rapport, effectively solve problems, and critically analyze situations. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Finance, with a minor in Political Science, from West Virginia University.
Christie Nebel, MBA, LPC
Director of Clinical Quality Improvement
Christie earned a MA in community counseling from Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania and a MBA from Chatham University. She earned her undergraduate Psychology degree from Clarion University.
Christie has worked in many different capacities within the behavioral health field. Her career started as a drug and alcohol outpatient counselor, and she transitioned to providing therapeutic support to individuals with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders through community treatment team services. She has also worked in a managed care organization and assisted in the creation of a medication-assisted treatment program within a family health center.
Working at IRETA provides Christie with the continued opportunity to positively impact people’s lives that have been negatively affected by addiction.
Piper Lincoln, MS
Senior Research Associate
Piper joined the IRETA staff as a Research Associate in 2012 to assist with evaluation services after receiving her Master of Science in Behavioral Decision Research from Carnegie Mellon University.
At IRETA, Piper is able to continue her pursuit of behavioral research in public health while working for a nonprofit in an underserved area and having an immediate impact on the lives of others.
As a research associate, Piper enjoys thinking critically about research methods and evaluating what influences behavior spanning from individual to societal level perspectives.
A list of Piper Lincoln’s publications
Crystal Martin, MS NCC CCTP LPC
Clinical Quality Improvement Associate
Crystal earned an MS in professional counseling from Grand Canyon University and her undergraduate Psychology degree from Clarion University.
Crystal has worked in many different capacities within the behavioral health field over the last twenty years. Her career started providing therapeutic support to individuals with children who have mental health diagnoses and progressed into family-based services where she served families with at-risk youth of out-of-home placement in rural communities. She has spent the last seven years working at an SUD inpatient facility where she worked her way up from a counselor to clinical supervisor and clinical director. She has also maintained certification as a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional for eight years. Crystal has spent the last year in private practice specializing in trauma therapy. Crystal became a Nationally Certified Counselor in 2023.
Working at IRETA provides Crystal with the continued opportunity to positively impact people’s lives that have been negatively affected by addiction.
Marla Kauffman, MS
Senior Communication and Health Promotion Associate
Marla received a Master of Science in Health Communication from Boston University in 2022 and a Bachelor of Arts in Integrated Marketing Communication and English Composition from Duquesne University in 2013. After working briefly for a social media marketing start-up, Marla was hired as the Marketing & Development Coordinator at Planned Parenthood of Western PA. During her time at Planned Parenthood, she nurtured a passion for the non-profit sector, particularly as it relates to healthcare and human services.
Working at IRETA allows Marla to advocate for those affected by addiction and educate larger communities about the issue.
