Meet the Banyan Boca Staff

Catherine Manley is the Executive Director at Banyan Treatment Pompano and Banyan Detox facilities. She earned her Master’s degree at Nova Southeastern University in Mental Health Counseling and is licensed in the State of Florida. Working in the field of substance abuse treatment, Catherine has led the Banyan staff in multiple roles including Primary Therapist, Detox Supervisor, and Clinical Director. In addition to her experience in human services, Catherine received a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration at Florida International University in 2003. She has a background in marketing, advertising and project management. Catherine brings a great balance of education, compassion, and business acumen to the Banyan family. The driving force behind her ambition is centered on helping individuals struggling with alcoholism and addiction.

Lauren was born and raised on Long Island in New York. She attended community college, as well as business school and majored in Business Administration. Lauren began her career in New York City in 1994 where she worked as a Financial Analyst for two of the largest NY Direct Marketing agencies for over 20 years. In 2013, Lauren relocated to Wellington, FL and pursued a career in the treatment industry. She became a member of the Banyan staff and since 2015, Lauren has been the Director of Finance. Lauren works with patients and their families to help create affordable payment plans for treatment. She assists with cash or self-pay patients and helps families navigate through the financial process to ensure they understand their payment options and what is best for their specific situation.

Kahlia Bersson comes to the Banyan Boca staff with extensive experience in substance abuse and co-occurring disorders. After receiving her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Florida International University and her Master’s degree in Social Work from Barry University, Kahlia honed her expertise working in both the mental health and substance abuse realms. Kahlia promotes a patient-centered, holistic approach to treatment that utilizes relevant and effective interventions to meet the patient no matter where they are in their recovery journey. She also strives to empower patients to meet and surpass their goals.

After struggling with addiction himself for nearly 15 years, Will sought treatment in South Florida and has been sober since 2014. His passion for helping patients is a result of his direct experience with addiction recovery. He states that seeing the physical, emotional, and spiritual changes that occur as patients recover is what drives him to go above and beyond in helping others who are still struggling. Will became a member of the Banyan staff in September of 2015 as a Behavioral Health Technician and due to his hard work and ability to relate to others has received several promotions throughout the years. Currently, Will serves as the Operations Manager at Banyan Boca.

Rob Cole joined Banyan Treatment Center in October 2017 as the clinical director of mental health services. As a native Floridian, Rob graduated in 1987 from Florida International University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Dietetics and Nutrition. After an extended dietetic internship, he passed his Registered Dietitian (RD) certification, became licensed (LDN) in Florida, and after working 10 years in the long-term care industry decided to change his focus to the field of addiction recovery.

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With some personal experience in addiction and recovery, a personal "calling" to the field of counseling and a desire to give back to the community, Rob decided to add to his skill set and sought a Master's Degree in Counseling. In 2000, he began working in treatment and graduated from Trinity University (Miami) and after his two-year supervision period, became a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC). He continued to practice in mental health and substance abuse treatment. In 2012, Rob started a 22-bed Mental Health PHP facility in Broward County which continues to flourish today. Rob became a Qualified Supervisor (QS) in 2014. When the Master Certified Addiction Professional (MCAP) certification became available in Florida, Rob sought and acquired his MCAP in 2015. Rob is able to impart his knowledge of mental health and addiction/recovery to assist patients in working toward positive, solution-based outcomes. 

His personal interests include animals, exercise, jazz and rock music, sports, movies, meeting new people, outdoor activities and finance.