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Our team

Who is behind this

Nexa is owned by the people who run it, together with a small circle of family and friends who have invested in it. Two of the founders have spent years inside treatment programs, one on the clinical side and one on the business side, and wanted to build one of their own.

Their aim is for Nexa to be a "benefit to the community and ultimately neighboring communities," and for the space to be "comfortable, warm, and welcoming rather than institutional."

The founders

John Poleno

President and Chief Executive Officer. John runs the business side of Nexa, including licensing, accreditation and insurance contracting.

John is a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor II (CADC II CA), credentialed through the California Consortium of Addiction Programs and Professionals. Credential number Aii5800317, first issued 8/1/2016, valid through 8/1/2028.

Jesse Finkbeiner

Clinical programming, operations and compliance. Jesse is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and has been licensed since 2014.

He has about twenty years of experience treating individuals, couples and families facing substance use and mental health challenges, in roles from counselor to clinical manager, program director and executive director of behavioral health services. He has also served on the Ventura County Behavioral Health Advisory Board. He holds a master's degree in Counseling Psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute and another in Spiritual Psychology from the University of Santa Monica.

Jesse's approach is person-centered and strength-based: people can and do recover, and care works best when it starts from compassion, empathy and the goals the person has for themselves. He is a Simi Valley native and a graduate of Simi Valley High School.

Who works with you

The roles that make up Nexa's program. Call (805) 210-2288 and ask who will be working with you.

  • Medical Director — Bruce Stark, M.D., the physician responsible for medical oversight of the program.
  • Counselor — Sakeena Lundy, Registered Addiction Counselor (RAC), registered with the California Association for Alcohol/Drug Educators (CAADE), registration number 25462, valid through 1/16/2027.
  • Therapists — licensed clinicians who run groups and individual sessions.
  • Group facilitators — staff who lead the therapy groups.
  • Case management — help with benefits, records, and what happens after the program.
  • Admissions — the person who answers when you call and checks your insurance.

Leadership and board

The officers and directors of Nexa Behavioral Health, Inc.

  • John Poleno, President and Chief Executive Officer; Director
  • Hunter Poleno, Vice President
  • Jay Persaud, Chief Financial Officer
  • Ann Persaud, Treasurer
  • Sakeena Lundy, Secretary
  • Ryan Persaud, Director
  • Heather Cornes, Director

Credentials you can check yourself

In California, a therapist's license is a public record. Jesse's license can be looked up free on the Department of Consumer Affairs license search at search.dca.ca.gov.

Counselor credentials are held by the organizations that issue them, not the state search: John's CADC II by the California Consortium of Addiction Programs and Professionals (CCAPP), and Sakeena's registration by the California Association for Alcohol/Drug Educators (CAADE). Either one can confirm a credential is current.