Meet the team that makes Aurora Recovery for Women a special place where lives change.
Andrea Stanford brings more than twenty years of personal recovery and professional dedication to the work of Aurora. As a mother, she understands what it means to need a safe place to land, and how rarely that exists for women in traditional care settings.
Through years of working in behavioral health, she watched women be reduced to diagnoses, stripped of individuality, and left without the kind of trust-centered support that lasting recovery actually requires. Aurora is what she built in response.
Róisín Mulkerrins spent much of her life carrying pain she couldn’t quite see. Pain that shaped her relationships, her body, and her sense of self in ways she didn’t yet understand. What she learned through her own journey was this: the hardest part isn’t the pain. It’s believing your story is worth telling.
As a co-founder and program director, Róisín has sat with countless women who could name every wound but still couldn’t believe their experience deserved a witness. That is what Aurora refuses to accept.
Samantha Lipka, LMHC, TF-CBT Certified, brings five years of experience providing mental health services across community mental health, hospital-based, and outpatient settings. Over the past two years, she has focused her practice on trauma-informed, evidence-based care, supporting clients as they work through difficult experiences and life transitions.
Samantha is passionate about providing women with a safe, supportive, and nonjudgmental space to heal, grow, and reconnect with themselves. She understands that women often navigate multiple responsibilities, expectations, and transitions that can contribute to feelings of overwhelm, disconnection, or feeling stuck.
Her approach integrates evidence-based and holistic practices to support the whole person. Samantha works collaboratively with clients to help them better understand their experiences, develop effective coping strategies, build confidence and resilience, and strengthen their sense of self.
Above all, Samantha strives to create a therapeutic environment where each client feels genuinely heard, understood, and empowered. She believes that therapy can be a meaningful space for healing, self-discovery, and creating lasting, positive change.
Nicole White, PMHNP, has worked in behavioral health and substance use treatment for more than 14 years, including the last 6 years as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. Her passion for this work was shaped by witnessing firsthand the impact addiction and untreated mental health struggles can have on individuals, families, and communities.
Nicole believes people deserve more than simply a diagnosis or medication plan. She is passionate about helping women better understand their mental health, symptoms, and care so they can feel informed, empowered, and actively involved in their healing process.
Being part of Aurora deeply aligns with Nicole’s belief in women-centered healing spaces where connection, transparency, and long-term healing remain at the forefront.
Dr. Ximena Sanchez-Samper is a board-certified psychiatrist in Adult Psychiatry and Addiction Psychiatry with nearly 25 years of experience. Throughout her career, she has supported women from all walks of life as they navigate mental health challenges, trauma, substance use disorders, and major life transitions.
At Aurora, Dr. Sanchez-Samper brings compassionate, evidence-based care rooted in dignity, respect, and genuine partnership. She believes recovery is about more than symptom relief. It is about helping each woman reconnect with her strengths, reclaim her voice, and build a life that reflects her values and goals.
As Medical Director, Dr. Sanchez-Samper is honored to work alongside a team committed to helping women heal, grow, and move forward with confidence. For her, one of the most meaningful parts of this work is witnessing women reconnect with their resilience and begin to recognize what is possible.
Request a 100% confidential and secure callback from one of our caring team members to learn more about how we can help you find long-term healing at Aurora for Women.