Meet Our Dedicated Team

Cornerstone prides itself on being a family-run, community-focused business. Understanding the importance of community means we truly understand the importance of quality staff, for these people form the heart, the cornerstone of our community. As such, we aim to offer outstanding employee benefits to our staff, as we know we get back what we put in.

Cornerstone is proud to boast a team of the most highly skilled experts in the Substance Use and addictions field. Our staff are all fully trained in treating chemical dependency and related addictions. We also employ many people with experience of substance use disorders or addiction themselves, as we understand that those who have been through the recovery process are well equipped to help another recovering addict get to where they are. We are exceptionally proud of our 90 employees and affiliates.

Over the years we have attracted some of the most senior members of Orange County’s medical and psychological team. Many wanting to work for us because of our exceptional working conditions, camaraderie and sense of community.

Doctors

Michael Stone, MD, FAAFP, ABAM, FASAM

Founder and President

Dr. Stone founded Cornerstone of Southern California in 1984 when he recognized that many addicts who needed help could not afford prolonged hospital stays. Being well versed in the treatment of addiction, he also understood that the sterile conditions of a hospital setting were so far removed from the addict’s normal life, that they were not conducive to long lasting recovery. Deciding to rectify this he set up Cornerstone of California. A place he could offer addicts seeking recovery a safe, non judgmental space where they could learn about the disease of addiction, understand their triggers, look deeper, through various empirically tested therapeutic methods, at the core reasons for their illness, while living amongst other people in a community where they could relearn basic living skills and how to socially interact. Dr. Stone has treated over 80,000 addicts and their families’ since 1969. He is well known and respected in the professional community. Dr. Stone has refused to allow Cornerstone, or himself, be pigeon holed or type cast. He has treated individuals from all walks of life. His priority is setting the individual on the path to successful, long lasting recovery, regardless of whether they are a celebrity or homeless. Dr. Stone graduated from Sheffield University Medical School, England in 1967. In 1969 he opened and directed the first in-hospital drug and alcohol treatment center in Canada. He then became Medical Director of Care Unit Hospital, Orange County, a famous psychiatric hospital. During his employment at Care Unit, the prevalence of alcoholism and drug addiction increased exponentially. Dr. Stone’s experience and ability were highly esteemed and he was asked by Betty Ford if he could, along with his team, train the Directors at the Betty Ford Center by Mrs. Betty Ford. Dr. Stone has committed himself to help people with addictive diseases for over 50 years. He has had extensive training in the field of addiction and is board certified in family medicine, board certified by the American Board of Addiction Medicine and a diplomat of the American Academy of Pain Management. Personal Life: Dr. Stone has been married since 1967. He is extremely proud of his three adult children who work full-time at Cornerstone. He enjoys the beach, loves dogs, and reads science fiction novels in his free time. He is a doting grandfather to five grandchildren.

Malcolm John Wehrle, MD

Dr. Wehrle is a Diplomat of the American Board of Anesthesiology and of the American Board of Addiction Medicine. He is a graduate of the USC School of Medicine and completed his internship and residency at Los Angeles County USC Medical Center. Dr. Wehrle is a member of the California Societies of Addiction Medicine and Anesthesiology as well as the American Society of Addiction Medicine and Anesthesiology.

Dr. Wehrle has extensive experience in the substance abuse and addictions fields having worked in addiction treatment since 1991. Throughout his career he has treated thousands of patients with poly-substance abuse and co-existing disorders needing pain management and pre-operative, intra-operative and post-anesthesia care.

In addition, he has worked as an expert Anesthesia witness in over 50 medical malpractice plaintiff and defense cases.

Personal Life:

Dr. Wehrle is happily married to Mrs. Jacqueline Wehrle and is the proud father of four sons.

Executive Team

Jessica Stone

Co-founder Executive Assistant

Since Cornerstone’s inception, Jessica Stone has been an integral component of the family business. Co-founding it in 1984 with Michael, she has tirelessly dedicated her life to the improvement of recovery outcomes for thousands of addicts.

Personal life:

Born in India, she grew up in the UK where she met and married Dr. Stone in 1967.

Jessica is extremely proud of her three children, Simon, Samantha and Tim, who have also dedicated their lives to Cornerstone and the treatment of addictive disorders. Like her husband, she is a doting grandmother of her five grandchildren.

Phil Kosanovich

Chief Executive Officer

Samantha Stone, BA

President

Samantha graduated from California State University, Fullerton, with a BA in psychology and a BA in sociology. She has been with Cornerstone since its conception in 1984. Her main role at Cornerstone has been to coordinate all of our client admissions. If you need assistance in checking your insurance benefits or learning more about Cornerstone’s programs, do not hesitate to give Sam a call.

Personal Life:

Sam, like her mom, loves all animals and currently has a cute little dog named Henri. She loves sushi, road-biking, going to the movies and traveling. Sam is also a triathlete.

Simon A. Stone, BA, JD

Senior Vice President, Safety Officer, Corporate Business Development and Court Liason

Alongside his duties as Senior Vice President of the company, Simon acts as Cornerstone’s Safety Officer. His main role addresses continuous quality improvement and management of the Cornerstone estate. He ensures that the property is continuously well managed and that the facilities are up-to-date, comfortable and safe for our many clients, staff, and visitors.

Simon also assists in our Alternative Sentencing Program, where he passionately advocates for treatment in lieu of jail time in conjunction with criminal defense attorneys, public defenders, district attorneys, judges, and commissioners.

Personal Life:

He enjoys surfing, traveling in his “sports mobile” and raising his four beautiful children, four turtles, five fish, one dog, one cat, and one hamster, always with the constant support of his wife, Kari.

Timothy Stone, BA

Senior Vice President

Tim Stone has officially worked at Cornerstone since 1999, although he has grown up within the company and it has always been a part of his life. Professionally he has also grown up inside the company, starting out as a maintenance man cleaning the pools and helping around the houses, he now runs and cares for over 20 recovery homes, ensuring they are in compliance with the California Department of Alcohol and Drug program regulations.

Personal Life:

Tim enjoys surfing, trying new restaurants, and taking care of his two dogs and two cats.

Leadership

Tami K. Campbell, CADC-CAS

Director of Operations

Anya Chernitskaya, BSHS, CADC-CAS

Sr. Intake Manager

Lesley Nolen RADT-i

Marketing and Outreach

Clinical and Case Management Team

Maria Carter, RADT-i

Senior Case Manager

Mary Fritz, CADC-CAS

Senior Intake Specialist

Diane Shaw, CADC II, ICADC

Lead Case Manager

Octavia Macklin, MS, RADT-I

Case Manager

Darla Simons, CADC-I

Utilization Review Specialist

Tamika Carroll

Head Intake Specialist

Roberto Palacios, CADC-CAS

Intake Team Specialist

Environment of Care

Michael Wahl

Environment of Care

Scott Ballard

Environment of Care

Other Staff

Rachel Corcoran

Client Care Advocate

Marlys Wood, MS, MFTi, MT-BC

Music Therapist

Marlys Woods is a board-certified music therapist who has extensive experience supplying music therapy to substance abuse facilities. She has performed and taught music her entire life.

Marlys graduated from Chapman University in 2011 with a degree in music therapy and a minor in psychology, and she graduated from Vanguard University with an MS in clinical psychology. Marlys is in the process of becoming a marriage and family therapist and enjoys using her knowledge of relationships, people and music to help those who are struggling with addiction.

Marlys brings a variety of interventions such as active music making, songwriting, and lyric analysis, as well as relaxation techniques and art paired with music to her sessions. Marlys has successfully used these interventions to facilitate Cornerstone clients’ finding healthy coping skills as they move forward on their journey of sobriety.

The Cornerstone Team