Meet The Foundry Experts

Ben’s passion for recovery, prevention and harm reduction comes from his own struggle with substance abuse. Sober since 6/15/96, Ben has been a part of the recovery movement in almost every way imaginable; from a recipient to a provider to a spokesperson. In 2007 Ben left his position as a HR director inside of a Denver based S&P 500 firm to help start the Colorado based nonprofit, Phoenix Multisport, now “The Phoenix”. As an original board member and then their first full time employee, Ben was instrumental in building this organization that has received frequent national recognition for their innovative approach to building sober communities around sport and healthy activities. In 2012 Cort joined the University of Colorado Hospital (UCH) where he ran the marketing, business development and admissions departments for their substance abuse treatment services known as CeDAR. He left that role in 2017 to consult inside of the treatment community, athletics and organized labor. Throughout this time Ben has remained active in the discussion around marijuana, assisting several states efforts to hold back Big Marijuana and always advocating for recovery. These efforts keep him close to the national discussion and make him a frequent guest in the media. Ben has earned a reputation as being pro-logic and recovery oriented rather than anti anything. Cort is considered a subject matter expert on ethical treatment practices, having written widely adopted curriculum on the subject and frequently discusses the topic on national platforms and media. He is also utilized by professional sports leagues, clubs and collegiate athletic programs to determine appropriate treatment for their athletes, coaches and their families as well as develop recovery-oriented policies. Ben is a Jr Fellow at the University of Florida inside of their drug policy institute, a board member for NALGAP (National Association of Lesbian, Gay Bisexual, Transgender treatment providers and their allies), a Board member at SAM (Smart Approaches to Marijuana) and faculty at numerous institutes. He is a published author (Weed Inc, HCI/Simon and Schuster 2017). His TED talk “Surprising Truths about Legalizing Cannabis” has been viewed over 2 million times. In November of 2019 Ben moved from a consulting role with the Foundry Steamboat Springs to CEO. When not working or hanging out with his wife and three kids Ben can be found chasing trout with his flyrod or buried deep in a book.

Dr. Michael Barnes is a Master Addiction Counselor and Licensed Professional Counselor who serves as the Chief Clinical Officer at the Foundry Treatment Center in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. He provides administrative and clinical oversight for all residential and outpatient programs. Dr. Barnes comes to the Foundry after serving for five years as the Clinical Manager of Residential Services at CeDAR (Center for Dependency, Addiction, and Rehabilitation) at the University of Colorado Hospital and 10 years as a full time clinical professor in Counseling. Most recently he served as the Clinical Coordinator and Clinical Associate Professor in the MA Program in Counseling at the University of Colorado Denver. Dr. Barnes has developed trauma integrated clinical models for the treatment of individuals with co-occurring addiction and trauma and he speaks nationally on Families, Trauma, and Addiction. Dr. Barnes received his BA in Psychology from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, his M.Ed. in Rehabilitation Counseling from the University of Pittsburgh, and his Ph.D. in Marriage and Family Therapy from Florida State University. Dr. Barnes is an avid road cyclist and a beginning mountain biker. He also enjoys skiing, hiking/camping, fishing, Colorado Rockies Baseball, and Florida State Football. As a native of Hollidaysburg, PA (about 90 miles east of Pittsburgh) he also enjoys following Pitt Football and the Pittsburgh Steelers, Pirates, and Penguins.

Jasmine, a lover of the great outdoors, can be found riding her bike up some pass in Colorado or out hiking in the wilderness. The outdoors, however, is not her only passion. She is very dedicated to those suffering from addiction, as she understands what it is like to find oneself in the menacing grip of addiction, not knowing how you got there and doubtful as to whether you can find your way out. Her understanding and belief in those struggling with the obsessive, compulsive illness fuel her to ensure those receiving treatment are getting a compassionate, individualized, professional, high-quality treatment experience that is effective. It is, for this reason, she works at Foundry Treatment Center - Steamboat. Jasmine believes Foundry Treatment Center - Steamboat provides high quality treatment, fosters hope as well as aids clients in beginning the journey of life long recovery. As for Jasmine’s experience, she has worked in the field of addiction for well over twenty-five years. She has worked with individuals both in an outpatient and inpatient setting; those seeking treatment on a voluntary basis and those who find themselves court-ordered to treatment. Jasmine has experience treating those who struggle with various forms of addiction, co-occurring disorders and trauma. She has a Master’s degree in Clinical Counseling from the University of Northern Colorado, as well as a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Colorado. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Licensed Addiction Counselor through the State of Colorado. In addition, she is a National Addiction Certification II from NAADAC, an Acupuncture Detox Specialist, and EMDR trained.

Dr. Shuler has lived in Colorado since age 6, growing up in the Fort Collins area. He attended Colorado Timberline Academy in Durango for high school and after that became an MP in the United States Army. After that, he returned to Fort Collins where he was self-employed in a couple of different ventures before attending College at Colorado State University where he did a double major in Botany and Zoology. After graduating, he attended medical school at Des Moines University where he also received a master’s degree in Healthcare Administration. He then attended internship residency in emergency medicine at Michigan State University in Lansing, Michigan. He returned to Colorado and practiced emergency medicine in a wide variety of emergency departments including locum tenens work in multiple states and started an urgent care business with other partners. Dr. Shuler’s passion for addiction medicine arose from his own recovery from alcoholism over a decade ago. He began his training at Harmony Foundation and worked under and with several addiction medicine specialists in a variety of practices over the past 6 years. He is currently dual board-certified in addiction and emergency medicine with a subspecialty fellowship in wilderness medicine. He currently lives with his wife in Lafayette, Colorado and has two girls, ages 19 and 22, and two step-children ages 19 and 25. He is the Medical Director for inpatient addiction treatment at the Foundry in Steamboat, Colorado, and the Lookout in Boulder, Colorado. Additionally, he is a regional medical director for Front Range Clinics, devoted to outpatient addiction treatment and works with the Denver Recovery Group, another outpatient addiction treatment facility. His hobbies include gourmet cooking, as much travel as possible, and a variety of outdoor activities in Colorado.

Scott has been an integral part of the Foundry Treatment Center team since the beginning of 2016 and brings a breadth of knowledge and experience to his position of Chief Operations Officer. He started with the company as the Director of Admissions, where he assisted families and individuals in accessing quality care (both inside and outside of Foundry Treatment Center programming). Scott’s position quickly evolved to include assisting the Foundry Treatment Center team with multiple aspects of the program; coordinating care with outside providers, assisting the Clinical team in aftercare planning, staffing, and Business Development. In December of 2018, Scott transitioned to the position of Director of Operations, where he assisted the clinical team with day-to-day operations at the main facility. This transition segued seamlessly into his role as COO, where Scott helps lead the day-to-day operations, and assist the team in providing the best possible services for every client we work with.

Amanda joined the Foundry in September 2015, and loves being part of a team that provides hope for so many. She is grateful for the opportunities she has been offered, and the growth not only in her professional skill set, but personally as well. Her career in the addiction treatment industry began as Continuity Oversight, offering support to the clinical, medical, wellness and family pillars, along with administration and leadership support. As Operations and Compliance Manager, she played a vital role in developing procedures and implementation of Foundry’s Environment of Care Program. She then became involved in program development, case management, admissions and intake. Amanda now serves as Foundry’s Human Resources Manager. Amanda’s passion for making a difference is not limited to Foundry; she is involved in several local non-profits and ministries; is a youth-group leader, mentor and volunteer. She stays busy with her teenage daughter, who is active in youth ministry, basketball, volleyball and performing arts. When the sun is out, you won’t find them inside-they enjoy hiking, biking and adventuring with their little dog, Louize.

Cait is the Wellness Director for the Foundry’s residential program and is an ACE Certified Health Coach. Cait grew up in Colorado and played soccer for Aurora University in Aurora, IL. Cait got her degree in Fitness and Health promotion while attending Aurora University and has experience in various types of health and wellness careers including personal training and as an Exercise Physiologist. After moving to the mountains in 2012, she took a hiatus from the health and wellness field and worked at a guest ranch for two years in Granby before moving with her husband and dog to Steamboat Springs. For her first two years in Steamboat she worked in the hospitality industry before deciding to get back to her true passion in the health and wellness industry. Cait has been at Foundry Treatment Center since 2016, starting as an Addiction Tech before becoming the Wellness Director in 2018. Cait and her family have made Steamboat their home and enjoy all of the activities the town has to offer, especially snowboarding, hiking and fly-fishing.

Wesley knows what goes on in the mind of an addict. He knows the loneliness, the guilt, the shame, the desperate thoughts and manipulative motives that alienate an addict from healthy relationships and from reality itself. He knows because he has lived it. Addiction plays no favorites. Wesley was raised in a loving and supportive family high in the Colorado Rockies. A natural born leader, Wesley excelled in 4-H, rodeo and other sports and was popular with his peers, who knew him as “the life of the party”. However, by the time he turned 16, addiction was tightening its grip and it wasn’t long before Wesley fell into a downward spiral that took him into the depths of despair. Years later, in a conversation with a cell-mate, he had a moment of clarity and knew what he had to do. Take a direct route to Stout Street Foundation in Denver, Colorado, a high-level behavior modification and residential treatment facility. Stout Street provided Wesley with the structure and the tools he needed to make a clean start. Since that pivotal experience, Wesley has been on a mission to make a positive impact on the world. Driven and determined, Wesley currently brings his heart for addicts, his passion for recovery and his message of hope to the team at The Foundry Treatment Center, helping to find new and creative solutions to the issues of substance abuse and co-occurring disorders. Whether it be giving key-note speeches, climbing one of Colorado’s 14’ers, practicing yoga or playing with his dog Kevin, Wesley is living proof that positive change is possible in a big way.