Est. 1989 Lexington, KY Donate

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.

  • Portrait of Jerod Thomas

    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.

  • Portrait of Sean Schomp

    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.

  • Portrait of Cade Thomas

    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.

  • Portrait of James Ellis

    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.

  • Portrait of Emily Lange

    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.

  • Portrait of Tracy McIntosh

    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.

  • Portrait of David Luster

    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.

  • Portrait of Kendra Thomas

    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.

  • Portrait of Jessica Marshal

    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.

  • Portrait of John Vance

    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.