Supervisor Spotlight: Briana Petersdorf

Briana Petersdorf, MS CASAC, has a lot going on these days. From Program Director of Visions Place, to Interim Site Supervisor of New Beginnings, and soon-to-be Program Director of Unity House, she’s constantly on the move. With all of these responsibilities, it’s a wonder she can keep her head straight. “It’s been hard, and a lot of multitasking,” she said. She doesn’t waver, though. In fact, she’s the consummate optimist: “I’m really excited for the outcome of all of this and for what the future holds.”

She’s been a staple of Cazenovia Recovery Systems for seven years and has held a litany of jobs within the agency from Case Manager, to Counselor, to Senior Counselor, and now Program Director. Thankfully, she feels valued within our agency. “I feel like the agency really appreciates all the hard work I do.”

As if she doesn’t have enough to do, she recently spear-headed the creation of Cazenovia Recovery’s Wellness Committee, a new project within the agency that’s designed to promote wellness and healthy living among our employees. “It’s really exciting,” she stated. The Wellness Committee is holding its first event this month by sponsoring an agency cruise on the Miss Buffalo. “The reception has been great; I had no idea it was going to take off like it has.”

Recently, a resident transferred from Turning Point House to New Beginnings, where she’s currently serving as Interim Site Supervisor. The resident stated that he had trouble connecting with his counselors throughout his recovery. After working with Briana, though, he felt that she took a genuine interest in his recovery and felt that she truly cared. This helped him stay clean, and now he’s been sober for over 11 months, which is something he hasn’t been able to accomplish in years.

Feeling like she “made a mark on the world” inspires Briana and it’s easy to see that she is an incredibly positive influence on the lives of our residents.