Grassroot was not built from a business plan, it was built from knowing what it takes.

Henry Grass

Henry was born in New York City and raised in Bronxville, New York. He excelled in sports while navigating ADHD and dyslexia through school, played Division I lacrosse at Johns Hopkins, and transferred to Syracuse University to finish his degree.

Through his teens and early twenties, Henry faced significant mental health and addiction challenges. After finding a sustainable path to recovery in his mid-twenties, his experience became the foundation of his life's work.

Today Henry lives in Brooklyn with his wife and spends his time helping individuals and families move through their own struggles. His work is rooted in empathy and connection, and in the belief that people thrive when they feel understood, supported and aligned with the right team of professionals.

Jack Grass

Jack was born in New York City, often in trouble in the classroom but thriving on the field. Sports became his anchor and earned him a Division I lacrosse scholarship to Johns Hopkins University.

His struggle with addiction began early and eventually cost him the opportunity he had worked so hard for. He first entered treatment as an adolescent and found lasting sobriety around his twenty-first birthday. Recovery changed the course of his life and became the foundation of his commitment to helping others.

Jack brings a rare mix of lived experience, emotional insight and steady presence to the people and families he supports, driven by the belief that recovery is possible for anyone with the right guidance, accountability and connection.

Joaquin Corr

Joaquin grew up in Bronxville, New York, where he formed a lifelong friendship with the Grass family. He faced academic challenges in school and later struggled with alcoholism and addiction. He pushed forward and graduated from Fordham University, a turning point in his life.

Before Grassroot, Joaquin worked in commercial real estate. As his own recovery grew stronger, Henry and Jack saw in him what they value most: integrity, relatability and a deep understanding of what people in early recovery need. Today he brings patience and grounded energy to every resident and family he works with.

Mackenzie Fauser, MSW

Mackenzie was raised in Westchester County, New York. She studied at Barnard College and earned her Master of Social Work from the Columbia School of Social Work. Before entering the mental health field she worked in finance, which shaped her appreciation for structure and for helping people navigate complex systems.

Mackenzie has been in recovery since 2014. She leads case management at Grassroot, helping residents access resources, coordinate care and build stable foundations, and she also works as a therapist specializing in substance use disorders.

Max Arcara

Max grew up in New York City and began his journey with addiction as an adolescent. He later moved to Colorado to attend the University of Colorado Boulder. His substance use reached its lowest point there, but it was also in Colorado that Max began to find recovery and rebuild his life.

As his own recovery took shape, Max discovered a passion for helping others through many of the same challenges he had faced. After several years in Colorado following graduation, he came home to New York City and began building a career in the recovery field.

Drawing on both lived and professional experience, Max brings empathy, authenticity and a firsthand understanding of the recovery process to the people he supports. He is passionate about helping others discover a life in recovery that feels honest, purposeful and genuinely their own.

James McDermott

James grew up in Bronxville, New York, known for his humor, optimism and ability to put people at ease. In college he began to struggle with depression and alcoholism, and spent several years in Malta looking for a fresh perspective.

Coming home was not easy. With support from Henry and Jack and his own commitment to change, he got sober and rebuilt his life. Today James brings steadiness, empathy and a genuine desire to help others feel understood to the house every day.

Peter Valeiras

Peter grew up moving often, spending most of his childhood outside Philadelphia and in London before finishing high school in San Diego. His close-knit family supported everything he took on, from school and his rowing team to music and art. He was driven, focused on doing well, and always seemed to be in control.

In college in New York City he stayed driven academically, but began to experiment with drugs. For years he kept it within reason, through a Master's degree in Teaching and an MBA. Over time he was spending more time with people who were using than with his true friends, and he found himself in the depths of addiction, feeling lost.

His friends alerted his parents, who stepped in and got him the help he needed. Since getting sober, Peter has been rebuilding his life and getting back to the things he loves. His experience taught him how addiction can sneak up on people, how hard it is to overcome, and how much there is to gain in sobriety. Today he surrounds himself with people who support his recovery and with activities that help him reconnect with the world around him.

Brannan Crook

Brannan was born and raised in Shreveport, Louisiana. Close family experience with addiction taught him the value of accountability, connection and consistent support.

He toured nationally as a drummer, earned a degree in Popular Music Studies from the University of South Carolina, and has worked in security and as a volunteer firefighter. Today he helps residents build stability, purpose and momentum in recovery.