Graham Aitken

Awareness Committee

Graham has a background in higher education and humanitarian aid but currently serves as one of the pastors at theHeart church in Boone. He earned both a BA is Business Management and a Masters degree in Intercultural Studies from Trinity International University in Chicago. While working in higher education, Graham developed a Global Service Learning program for undergraduate students. As part of this program, he implemented debrief models for those exposed to the realities of severe trauma in the US and around the world while engaging in field work. Graham was also involved in trauma work internationally, primarily in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Myanmar, overseeing projects that served migrant and refugee populations. He has also served in a psychological first aid role in disaster contexts. Graham has been a part of WCCI for the past three years and is passionate about the faith community engaging this work and joining the effort to become a trauma informed community.

Suzi Woodard

Awareness Committee

The framework of ACES and resiliency for individuals and communities is a perfect fit with Suzi’s personal values and professional career.  She brings a holistic health and wellness background to her current work as a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor & Supervisor, with Blue Mountain Center for Integrative Health in Boone.  She has specialized in work with trauma survivors and clients from dysfunctional family backgrounds since the mid-1980s and enjoys an eclectic counseling practice with a wide range of clients and issues, with individuals and couples.  Since back in the days when it was a radical idea, Suzi has been known for incorporating evolving research on brain functioning and brain plasticity, along with research-based complementary modalities such as specific mindfulness practices, medicinal botanicals, breathwork and other yoga practices, homeopathics, aromatherapy, nutrition, physical activity, and nature into more mainstream psychotherapy modalities. In addition to offering community education and consulting on mental health, resiliency, and relationship topics, Suzi has volunteered locally with many local non-profit boards and community coalitions over the years.

ADAM HEGE

Data Committee

​Dr. Adam Hege completed his PhD in Public Health at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG) in 2015, with a concentration in Community Health. He also holds a Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree from Appalachian State University. A member of the Appalachian State University faculty since 2015, Adam is currently an Associate Professor and Director of the Public Health program within the Department of Health and Exercise Science. He currently teaches courses focused on Health Policy, Ethics and Law and Professional Development in Public Health. His research interests are broadly on health disparities and the underlying social and environmental determinants of health. Specifically, this has included examining disparities among rural populations in the surrounding Appalachia communities of western NC, with a focus on food insecurity, adverse childhood experiences, access to care, and other factors related to quality of life. In addition, his work examines systems-level and policy-oriented occupational health disparities experienced among U.S. long-haul truck drivers, a highly vulnerable working population. Adam has published more than 20 articles in peer-reviewed journals, has co-authored two textbook chapters, co-edited the text Public Health Nutrition: Rural, Urban, and Global Community-Based Practice, and presents annually at national and state-level professional conferences.
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KELLIE REED ASHCRAFT

Data & Policy Committee

Kellie Reed Ashcraft  is a Professor with the Department of Social Work in the Beaver College of Health Sciences at Appalachian State University. Dr. Reed Ashcraft (Kellie) has been involved with the WCCI since its early beginnings. She also is a co-lead for the WCCI’s Ad Hoc Structures and Program Models Committee. In addition, Kellie is interested in various community and social issues, and she has volunteered with varied organizations and communities. She served for two years as the Board Chair for a non-profit community development organization. Her previous volunteer work includes working as a direct service hospice volunteer; a board member for a domestic violence shelter; a mentor with a non-profit agency serving at-risk youth; a big sister with a foster care agency; and a victim advocate with a non-profit agency serving crime victims. Kellie's current research interests include study of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and resiliency skills among helping professionals involved in a local community ACEs initiative; development, implementation, and evaluation of an inter-professional course on trauma-informed practice; and ACEs-based, community-driven practice research.  Her previous research has focused on family support, family preservation, and intensive family preservation services; child welfare; Latino health, and needs assessment and evaluation.
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MARISA CORNELL

Events Committee

Marisa serves as Executive Director of the Mediation & Restorative Justice Center, a non-profit providing mediation and other restorative justice-oriented programs in courts, schools, and communities across 10 counties in Western NC.  MRJC's programs include Juvenile Mediation, District Criminal Court Mediation, Drug Treatment Courts, Sentencing Circles, and Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD.)  Marisa received a B.S. in Psychology from the University of Florida, as well as a Master’s Degree in Counseling (Expressive Arts Therapy) and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Appalachian State University.  She has an extensive history of advocacy around restorative processes, community-building, human rights, interdisciplinary collaboration, conflict resolution, and experiential learning.   
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DENISE PRESNELL

Events Committee

Denise Presnell got her BSW from App State in 1993. After being a school social worker for the Watauga County Schools for 20 years, she went back to App to get her MSW, which she completed in 2017. Her second internship during her MSW program was with Western Youth Network. The director, Jennifer Warren, was the first person to mention ACEs to her. The Watauga Compassionate Community Initiative sprung from the challenge from Jennifer to Denise to turn Watauga into a trauma-informed community. Denise is a strong believer in the power and momentum of community work. In addition to leading WCCI, she is co-lead on the Compassionate Schools Project and chair of the Faith Community/School Collaborative.  Trauma and resilience work has changed Denise's personal and professional life. Having grown up in trauma, learning about ACEs was a monumental shift in how she views herself and her family, loved ones, colleagues, and clients. The knowledge that resilience can be strengthened and brains can be healed is powerful and life-altering. Denise continues to hold as a mission the drive to get that knowledge to as many people as possible. Married with two children, a junior at NCSU in engineering and a sophomore at Watauga High School, Denise credits her family with helping her to be centered and tethered. She has an enormous sense of gratitude for the growth and healing that has been present in her life for the past several years and for the opportunity to be part of something as seismic as WCCI.
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CANDIS WALKER

Events Committee

Candis Walker is a Professional School Counselor who serves as the Prevention Counselor for Watauga County Schools. As a founding member of WCCI, she sees how understanding adversity and teaching resilience are important steps to increased success in school for all students and their families. Additionally, she serves the youth of  our community through Children's Ministry at Boone United Methodist Church and Cub Scout Pack 109.  Candis is a Boone native who, with her husband and two sons, enjoys hiking, camping, and reading.   ​
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CRYSTAL KELLY

Leadership Team Lead

Crystal received a Masters of Social Work from Appalachian State University and a post graduate Certificate in Maternal and Child Health Leadership from the UNC Gillings School of Public Health. She has worked in the public and nonprofit sectors in the high country for the past 17+ years as a social worker, advocate, administrator, and clinical therapist. She is a also a doula and has taught childbirth and newborn behavior classes for new parents. Crystal joined the Children's Council in 2009 and established the Teen Parenting Program with a grant from the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. Crystal served as Executive Director of the Children's Council from 2012-2018. She is a Graduate faculty member in the Social Work Department at Appalachian State University . She was recently selected as a Pritzker Fellow for the National Collaborative for Infants and Toddlers with a specificfocus of strengthening local investments for the Prenatal to three population in Watauga County.
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STEPHANIE THOMAS

Prevention Committee

Steph is a native of Kill Devil Hills, NC, Steph began her adventure in the High Country when she enrolled at Appalachian State University in 2001. She graduated cum laude with her bachelor’s degree in Social Work from ASU in 2005. In addition to her passion for working with children and families, Steph found that she also has a fervent interest in foreign languages and cultures. This interest inspired her to pursue a Fulbright grant, which allowed her to live and work in Bulgaria teaching English to Bulgarian students for the 2009-2010 academic year. Upon her return to the United States in 2010, Steph once again engaged with children and families in the High Country. For the next 7 years, she worked as a part of team providing Intensive In-Home therapy services with the goal of improving family situations and avoiding out-of-home placement for children. Steph began her role as Family Advocate at the Blue Ridge Children’s Advocacy Center of Southmountain Children and Family Services in October 2017. She continues to be passionate about advocating for and walking alongside children and families in their journeys to overcome adversity and reach their highest potential to lead happy, healthy and fulfilled lives.
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Lindsey Sullivan

Prevention Committee

Lindsey Sullivan is a Positive Parenting Program Coordinator with AppHealthcare and has been a member of WCCI since 2017. She moved to Boone in 2008 and holds a Bachelors in Psychology and a Masters in Social Work from ASU. Her background includes family support, community health, and health equity. As someone with lived experience with ACEs, she is passionate about systems-level prevention efforts, cross-sector partnerships, and advocating for parents and caregivers. Alongside her work with WCCI, Lindsey and colleagues at AppHealthcare are partnering with George Washington University on a project promoting trauma-informed business practices as well as equitable housing opportunities in Watauga County.

JENNIFER WARREN

Policy Committee

Jennifer Warren is the Executive Director of Western Youth Network (also known as WYN) in Boone.  Committed to the mission of nurturing and empowering children to live healthy and engaged lives, Jennifer has been involved with WYN for over 17 years.  She has been the Executive Director of the agency for 14 years.  Jennifer holds a Bachelor's Degree from Pfeiffer University, a certificate in Non-Profit Management from Duke University and a Master's Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Appalachian State University.  ​​

Yolanda Adams

Events Committee

Yolanda Adams, originally from Bogota, Colombia, came to the High Country in 2002. She holds a 2-year degree in Business Administration from Broward Community College in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, her original home when she moved from Bogota, Colombia, in 1992. In 2020, she completed a certification program from Cornell University on Diversity and Inclusion. Adams worked for 5 years as a Spanish Interpreter for the Watauga County Health Department. In 2012, she was hired as the Spanish Interpreter and Translator for Watauga County Schools (WCS). Her passion and service to the Latino community lead her to apply and receive her new position as the Family Resource Coordinator for WCS. She has implemented the Juntos program, promoting higher education for the Latino Community, a program developed by North Carolina State University. She has worked tirelessly to build bridges between the Latino Community and Law enforcement by helping set up meetings between communities with programs such as Coffee with a Cop and the Latino Fair.Adams also serves as a Spanish Interpreter for Child Protection Services, Daymark, the Department of Social Services, and the Children’s Advocacy Center. She has also assisted with interpretation for Watauga County Sheriff’s Department and the Boone Police Department. Adams currently serves as the Chair for High Country Community Health, Board Member for Boone Area Chamber of Commerce, Chair for Manos Latinos Unidas, which she helped form, and member-at-large for the Immigration Justice Coalition. She has been a member of the American Translators Association since 2017. She is also the Co-Founder of the podcast and video outreach program Q' Pasa Appalachia on Facebook. A program developed to empowered and built bridges between the Latino Community and the High Country. She and her husband, Jay, and four children, Alejandro, Christian, Joshuah, and Hannah, enjoy working with the Latin community and experiencing all the outdoor activities the beautiful High Country provides.