Our Team
Lana Atamian, MPH Executive Director
Lana is a woman in long-term recovery who has dedicated her professional life to supporting women with substance use disorder. Deeply committed to her own recovery program, she is a passionate advocate for women seeking healing from alcoholism and drug addiction.
After more than a decade of operating women’s recovery homes on Cape Cod, Lana founded Next Chance Inc. to address the significant gaps she observed in access to comprehensive, supportive services available for women in recovery.
Lana has spent many years working in the nonprofit sector, beginning as Community Impact Manager at the Herren Project and later serving as Executive Director of WellStrong—organizations dedicated to serving individuals and families impacted by substance use. She holds a Master’s degree in Public Health from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and a certificate in Nonprofit Leadership from the Institute for Nonprofit Practice.
In addition to her professional work, Lana is a mother of two young children, a homesteader, and a strong proponent of complementary health and wellness approaches. She integrates practices such as meditation, nutrition, and music and art therapy into recovery support. Today, Lana serves as Executive Director of Next Chance Inc., where she applies her expertise to teaching sustainable living practices and healthy life skills that support long-term recovery.
Kristin began her professional career as a licensed Massachusetts attorney, with experience in family law, probate and estate planning, and personal injury matters. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Business Management and Sociology from Roger Williams University and her Juris Doctor from the Massachusetts School of Law at Andover. Her professional success led her to serve as an associate and junior partner at Quinn, Correa, & Gaynor, P.C. until profound life changes prompted her to reevaluate her path and step away from her legal career.
Throughout her adult life, Kristin struggled with addiction; finally making the decision to pursue recovery in 2019. After participating in several treatment programs, she found lasting stability and support on Cape Cod while living in a Next Chance home. Since 2021, Kristin has been an active member of the Next Chance community, where she has continued to experience significant personal growth and healing.
In 2023, Kristin partnered with Lana to open her first recovery home and now owns and operates two women’s recovery residences. After several years of service as a residential House Manager, Kristin transitioned into her current role as the Program Director for Next Chance.
Drawing from both her professional background and lived experience, Kristin leads with empathy, accountability, and compassion. She is deeply committed to supporting women in recovery as they work toward long-term sobriety, stability, and independence.
Kristin Gaynor, Program Director
Michelle Shaughnessy, House Manager
Michelle came to Next Chance after completing a residential treatment program in February of 2025, when the Shore House first opened its doors. Prior to her arrival, she had endured years of repeated treatment attempts, incarceration, institutionalization, serious car accidents, and even a coma. For decades, Michelle had been uprooting her life month after month, never finding stability or peace.
After 23 years, she reached a turning point. She knew she had had enough and decided, for the first time, to try something different—to give herself one more chance at life.
At Next Chance, Michelle began discovering what she truly enjoyed and, more importantly, who she really was. For the first time in as long as she could remember, she could finally feel genuine joy in her heart and laugh until her stomach hurt.
Michelle has taken pride in caring for the chickens and learning how to raise them, finding purpose and responsibility in her daily routine. Michelle has a sponsor, is actively working the Twelve Steps, and attends a meeting every day. This commitment is how she maintains her sobriety—and continues building a life she is proud of.
Through consistency, accountability, and genuine care for others, she grew into a trusted leader within the home. Today, as a sober house manager, Michelle leads by example—offering structure, compassion, and hope to women who are where she once was, proving that lasting recovery is possible.
Elizabeth Duvel, House Manager
Elizabeth arrived at the Next Chance Shore House feeling completely hopeless. At just 21 years old, years of alcoholism, drug use, and severe depression had brought her to her knees. After repeated stays in mental health hospitals, detoxes, and treatment programs, she reached a point where she could no longer imagine life with alcohol—or without it. Suicidal thoughts had become a constant presence, and she believed she was beyond help.
Her recovery journey began in Colorado, where she entered a residential treatment program in Castle Rock before transferring to a program on Cape Cod. Still struggling and planning to return to Colorado, Elizabeth entered the Shore House with little expectation that anything would be different.
Instead, she found safety, peace, and connection. Through the support of the Next Chance community, Elizabeth learned to trust again and form meaningful relationships with other women in the house. She began attending AA meetings that would ultimately change her life—meetings where she felt seen, understood, and hopeful for the first time. With the guidance of a sponsor, she worked through the Twelve Steps and began to heal at a deeper level. Slowly, the fog of depression lifted, and she started to see the world with more color, clarity, and possibility.
Caring for chickens, embracing structure, and taking responsibility helped ground her in daily life and gave her a renewed sense of purpose.
Today, Elizabeth is sober and thriving. She now serves as the house manager of the Next Chance Shore House, a role she carries with pride and gratitude. Drawing from her own lived experience, she supports residents with compassion, accountability, and understanding, helping others find the hope she once thought was impossible.