OUR TEAM
The people Walking Alongside every recovery.
Shepherd’s House is led by recovery professionals, clinicians, and peer advocates — many of whom bring their own lived experience to the work of helping others reclaim their lives.
President / CEO
Jerod Thomas
Jerod Thomas, M.Ed., CADC, has served as President and CEO of Shepherd’s House since January 2016. He began his treatment career as a drug and alcohol counselor at WestCare Kentucky and rose to Deputy Administrator, overseeing day-to-day operations across treatment facilities throughout the state.
Director of Operations
Sean Schomp
A Lexington native and EKU graduate, Sean entered the recovery field through his own lived experience with substance use disorder. He earned his CADC credential and now serves as Director of Operations, working across all campuses with both leadership and empathy.
Director of Jail Programs
Cade Thomas
Cade earned his CADC and now serves as Director of Jail Programs, overseeing six jail programs, more than 350 clients, and a team of 12 staff. His lived recovery and coaching background inform a leadership style rooted in structure and compassion.
SCDC Substance Abuse Program Director
James Ellis
James leads the Substance Abuse Program at the Shelby County Detention Center. A Summa Cum Laude graduate in Communication from Ashland University, he is also pursuing his MSW at the University of Kentucky to deepen his ability to serve others.
Clinical Director
Emily Lange
Emily provides clinical leadership and supervision across all campuses. She holds a BSW from EKU and an MSW from WKU and has dedicated her career to addiction treatment since 2017, returning to Shepherd’s House in 2025.
Program Director
Tracy McIntosh
Tracy began her Shepherd’s House journey as an intern and rose to Program Director. She holds a BS in Human Services and Addictions from Northern Kentucky and an MSW from NKU, and brings deep personal purpose to her work with clients.
Deputy Administrator
David Luster
A Shepherd’s House graduate himself, David now serves as Deputy Administrator, providing operational oversight across recovery housing. He is a certified Adult Peer Support Specialist and Vice Chair of the Kentucky Alliance of Recovery Residences board.
Clinician
Kendra Thomas
Kendra provides individual and group therapy in the long-term outpatient men’s program. She holds a Master’s in Education in Clinical Counseling and brings both professional expertise and personal experience to her client-centered work.
Nurse Practitioner
Jessica Marshal
Jessica M. Marshal, APRN, CARN-AP, is Shepherd’s House’s primary medical provider, overseeing medical services across residential and outpatient programming. She is dual board-certified as a Family and Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner.
IOP Counselor
John Vance
John holds a PhD in Rhetoric and Composition and is a Shepherd’s House graduate. Now a CADC-credentialed counselor, he serves as primary counselor for the intensive outpatient and RISE programs and is pursuing an MSW at the University of Kentucky.