Rosemary Duran, 15-Year Board Member

For nearly 15 years, Cazenovia Recovery Systems has benefited from the active participation of Rosemary Duran, executive director of Transitional Services, Inc. (TSI), as a member of our Board of Directors.

Her experience at TSI, a nonprofit that provides residential psychiatric rehabilitation to individuals who have serious mental illness, and her knowledge of current service trends and government regulations make her a valued advocate.

“TSI’s services are very similar to Cazenovia Recovery’s, except TSI serves those with mental health disorders instead of substance use,” Rosemary explained. Both agencies offer residential opportunities to acquire the skills and confidence necessary for recovery and independent living.

Sue Bissonette, Cazenovia’s executive director, invited Rosemary to join the agency’s Board. The two met while serving together on the Board of the Homeless Alliance of WNY. Since joining Cazenovia Recovery’s Board, Rosemary has worked on numerous initiatives, always sharing her knowledge of governance, personnel, and program responsibilities. She chairs the special review committee and she provided valuable feedback in crafting our Corporate Compliance Plan. As a finance committee member, she meets quarterly with the retirement plan broker. She also serves on the Cadence Square Board.

Cadence Square in Canadaigua

With a master’s degree in social work from the University at Buffalo, Rosemary worked through job positions at TSI including counselor, supervisor, program manager and associate director before assuming top leadership in 2013.

“There is a lot of overlap with the populations we serve,” she said. “Some people have substance use issues due to trauma. Referrals are often made between our agencies.” Both organizations focus on training to provide Trauma-Informed Care.

Rosemary said that she enjoys being with Board members attuned to Cazenovia Recovery’s mission and in support of “a very strong and committed executive director.”

She added: “I learn from Cazenovia and I hope Cazenovia learns from me. Andrea Ocasio, Director of Clinical Services, trained TSI staff on the use of Narcan. I don’t know if we would have done that if I hadn’t been influenced by what you have done in that area.”