Our Leadership
At Royal Life Centers at Spokane Heights, our compassionate leadership is dedicated to providing exceptional care to our guests. Royal’s caring staff provides a comprehensive range of services, such as medically-assisted detoxification, intensive therapies, psychoeducation, and life skills training. Our leadership team creates a nurturing environment where individuals can heal from substance abuse and find the support they need.
At Royal Life Centers, our dedicated leadership is committed to assisting individuals in achieving lasting recovery through our evidence-based programs. With a holistic approach to substance abuse treatment, we strive to create personalized plans tailored to each guest’s unique needs. In doing so, we aim to empower each guest to reach their sobriety goals.
The Leaders of Royal Life Centers at Spokane Heights
Teresa Rorie, SUDP, LMHC-A Regional Executive Director
Teresa Rorie, SUDP, LMHC-A, is the Regional Executive Director for Royal Life Centers’ five treatment centers located in the state of Washington. As Executive Director, Teresa oversees the operations of our inpatient and outpatient facilities in Spokane, Mead, Lacey, and Sumner in Washington. Within her role, Teresa inspires guests and staff through positive reinforcement and endless support. Likewise, she provides around-the-clock encouragement, guiding each guest through their journey of recovery and sobriety as a key motivator.
Utilizing her MA in Addiction Studies, Teresa provides insight into the best practices within the field of substance use. Since 2008, Teresa Rorie’s experience and expertise have impacted the lives of recovering individuals as they work through early recovery.
With a commitment to providing compassionate care, she works diligently to ensure our programs assist each guest in recovery. In short, Teresa Rorie is dependable, inspirational, and highly organized, ensuring all programs run seamlessly from start to finish. Her motivation in life is to help others recover and begin a life of fulfillment and hope.
All of our team members in Washington appreciate her hard work and dedication that assist Royal Life Centers in providing the best possible care to all of our guests. She is an invaluable asset to our team, and we are proud to have her on our side!
Rick Rorie, SUDP Executive Director
Rick Rorie serves as the executive director for Royal Life Centers’ addiction treatment centers in Spokane and Mead, Washington. In his role, Rick employs comprehensive oversight of our medical detox, residential, aftercare, and outpatient programs. Originally joining Royal as a therapist in 2008, Rick’s dedication to the field of chemical dependency drives his exemplary work. His inspiration comes from his personal battle with addiction and a deep desire to give back. Through his compassionate guidance and unwavering commitment, Rick offers hope and direction to individuals on their journey to recovery.
Rick has compassionately served clients from diverse walks of life, extending his care to individuals of various ethnicities and backgrounds on a daily basis. Throughout his career, he has assisted gang affiliates, children, and adolescents battling addiction, employing a range of treatment modalities. Rick firmly believes in confronting addiction head-on as the most effective approach. He embodies the mantra, “healing is in the storm,” when helping individuals free themselves from the shackles of addiction.
Throughout the global pandemic, Rick’s unwavering force at Royal Life Centers at Spokane Heights diligently upholds quality standards. Despite the challenging circumstances and ever-changing regulations, his team commends his unwavering dedication and inspiring leadership. While COVID-19 affected several staff members, Rick’s problem-solving skills ensured the safety and well-being of both staff and guests, while maintaining the highest standard of care and compassion. Through effective collaboration and communication, his supervision ensures the continuation of exceptional medical detox and treatment services. Valuing employee satisfaction, Rick fosters unity within the team, always ensuring everyone is on the same page.
Emer Simpson, SUDP Clinical Director
Emer Simpson is the clinical director for Royal Life Centers’ detox and inpatient facility in Spokane, Washington. Emer proudly joined Royal Life in 2019 as one of our amazing and caring therapists and has carried out our motto of “Because We Care” in everything she does. Using her knowledge and experience as a Substance Use Disorder Professional (SUDP), she practices with love and guidance, knowing that no one is hopeless to heal from the ravages of drugs and alcohol.
Emer entered the field of Chemical Dependency treatment in 1998 and became licensed to practice in 2003. During her career, she has worked with a variety of individuals within multiple addiction treatment facilities. For example, Emer assisted tribal teens at the Healing Lodge of the Seven Nations for 11 years. Also, she has assisted adult men and women at American Behavioral Health Systems for 9 years.
Throughout her work, Emer Simpson practices a wide variety of therapeutic disciplines including REBT, CBT, DBT, and Motivational interviewing. Additionally, she employs the whole-person approach of the medicine wheel to help guests regain a strong sense of self-worth. Emer believes strongly that our worth is separate from our behaviors. She believes that utilizing a person’s strengths, culture, and spirituality aids in personal healing that benefits the entire community.
With over 25 years of experience, she continues to change the lives of incarcerated individuals, Native American youth, and Royal Life Centers guests. Emer is a Choctaw descendent who has a love for the people and hopes to influence the next 7 generations into recovery.
Lisa Tomsak, DO Medical Director
As the medical director for the Royal Life Centers treatment network in Washington State and Arizona, Lisa Tomsak has been overseeing the medical services at both the inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation facilities since 2016. Her expertise and dedication have been instrumental in providing quality comprehensive care to individuals seeking recovery.
Dr. Lisa Tomsak began her medical career by graduating Summa Cum Laude from Wilkes Barre University. She later earned her D.O. from Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences. Today, she is a board-certified professional in internal medicine and addiction medicine. With a profound knowledge of osteopathic medicine, Lisa provides our guests with comprehensive medical care. Her expertise ranges from conducting intake evaluations and crafting personalized treatment plans to offering dual-diagnosis addiction treatment and medication-assisted treatment services.
As the medical director, Lisa is committed to delivering secure and impactful addiction treatment. She assumes responsibility for crafting customized treatment plans for each guest, guaranteeing personalized care. Lisa also supervises the incorporation of evidence-based treatments within a holistic framework, facilitating the healing of the mind, body, and spirit. By placing person-centered care at the forefront, she and her team actively strive to prevent relapse and cultivate sustainable recovery practices.
Lisa Tomsak is an indispensable asset to the Royal Life Centers at Spokane Heights, consistently surpassing expectations in upholding our medical services and standards. With her exceptional leadership, we are dedicated to establishing a strong foundation for long-lasting recovery success, offering unwavering support and guidance throughout the entire treatment process.
Our leadership is committed to providing a supportive environment where people can get the help they need and start living healthy lives again.
Because We Care.
