CHRISTELLE MARSH

WCCI Co-Chair 2024-
​Events Committee

​Born and raised in South-Africa, Christelle found her way to Watauga County in 2008. She was a founding member of WCCI as a grassroots organization that grew out of the State of Child event in 2015. Christelle obtained her Master of Education degree from University of North Carolina Greensboro in 2019. She has served and supported children and families for the last two decades in both a personal and varied professional capacities. Christelle is passionate and deeply invested in Building Resilience and Preventing Trauma as someone with lived experience losing a sibling to substance use disorder.

With two decades of experience in early childhood education and intervention, Christelle brings a unique perspective to the team. She is passionate about all things trauma, resilience and protective factors. Christelle is a trained HOPE facilitator (https://positiveexperience.org/) and works daily to educate the community on Positive Childhood Experiences, its impact, and what else we can do to mediate the impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences for the next generation.

KATIE WARNER

WCCI Co-Chair, 2023-
​Events Committee

Katie Warner, MSW is a Community Educator and certified Expressive Arts Therapist. She works with large groups at the agency and organization level to promote well-being through mental health awareness, de-escalation techniques, self-care, and suicide prevention. Through integrative and creative approaches, Katie works within large systems to strengthen cohesion, promote understanding, and prioritize communication and wellness. 
​Katie has lived her entire adult life in the Carolinas, spending 12 years in Charleston, SC and in Boone, NC for the last 15 years. She has raised two amazing children and focuses her work on promoting resilience both within the community and at home. When Katie is not working, she is usually outside with family, friends and pets, enjoying time at Watauga Lake, or hiking, biking, running or gardening. 

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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CANDIS WALKER

Events Committee; 
​WCCI Co-Chair 2022-24

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 Boy Scout Troop 109.  Candis is a Boone native who, with her husband and two sons, enjoys hiking, camping, and reading.   ​
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ELIZABETH O'HAGAN

Awareness Committee

Elizabeth England O'Hagan is the Regional Manager of Community Engagement with Crossnore Communities for Children. Like Crossnore, Elizabeth believes strongly in trauma-informed communities' healing power.  The Seven Commitments of the Sanctuary Model created by Dr. Sandra Bloom structures the treatment and organizational framework of Crossnore Communities for Children.  Those commitments are open communication, social learning, nonviolence, emotional intelligence, shared governance, social responsibility, and growth and change.  

Elizabeth is a native of the High Country, graduating from Avery County High School and then Lees-McRae College with a BS in Psychology.  A lifetime of work in different nonprofits and service industries, from animal care to teaching elementary school has come together into a role that uses Elizabeth's diverse talents daily. She lives with her husband, Frank, three children, cats, dogs, goats, chickens, and ducks in Jonas Ridge, NC. ​

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KELLIE BASS

Policy/Prevention Committee 

​Is the Prevention Outreach Manager for OASIS, Inc. -- Watauga and Avery County's local anti-intimate partner and sexual violence agency! Kellie has been a member of WCCI since December of 2019, serving on the Prevention and Policy Committee for 3.5 years before stepping into a committee leadership role. Kellie is passionate about prevention work in the High Country and encourages policy change as an agent to truly preventing violence in our communities. Kellie is involved in various local coalitions and teams to continue the inertia of change incited by many other involved local folks - she also spearheads OASIS's Sexual Violence Prevention Task Force, which is focused on raising awareness, providing education, and ultimately preventing sexual violence in our communities. Bass graduated from Appalachian State University in 2018 with a bachelor's degree in criminal justice and sociology. Following graduation, she returned to her hometown to begin her journey in this field, and at first opportunity moved back to the High Country to join OASIS's stellar team of advocates and educators. Kellie enjoys spending free time exploring trails with her dog Hazel, weightlifting, and reading well-written mystery or horror novels! 

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JESSICA YATES
Policy/Prevention Committee 
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Jessica serves as the Family Services Program Director at The Children's Council of Watauga County, a local nonprofit that supports local children, families, and Early Childhood Education programs.  Prior to that position, Jessica worked as an early childhood educator for over ten years.   Jessica earned a B.S. in Secondary Education from Appalachian State University, and her Master's degree in Birth to Kindergarten Education from UNC Greensboro.   She also serves as the secretary of the Watauga Education Foundation.  Jessica is a native to Watauga county and has dedicated her career to supporting positive experiences for children in our area.  The mission of the WCCI aligns perfectly with her work to uplift families and prevent ACES in our most precious citizens.  When not working, Jessica enjoys spending time outdoors with her husband and daughter.

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FOUNDERS & PAST LEADERSHIP TEAM 

DENISE PRESNELL

Founder, WCCI Lead 2017-2022
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 having led WCCI, she was 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. Denise credits her children with modeling bravery and adventure for her, and inspiring her to do challenging things. 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. In Oct. 2022, she left Watauga County for a position at UNC-Pembroke. She will carry the memories of WCCI, its members, and everything they accomplished with her wherever she goes. 
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A HUGE Thank You to the following people for previously serving on the Leadership Team. Your work and devotion to WCCI is appreciated. 

Suzi Woodard
​Yolanda Adams
​Tiffany Williams
Randy Fehdrau
Emily Harwood
Graham Aiken
Stephanie Thomas
Crystal Kelly
Lindsay Sullivan
Adam Hege
Jennifer Warren
Hayley Bayne
Kellie Reed Ashcraft
Robyn Seamon