Awareness
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Graham Aitken
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 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, including OASIS, WYN, JCPC and the Watauga Co.Children’s Collaborative among others. She is currently active with WCCI, Watauga Substance Abuse Prevention coalition, and the Watauga Substance Abuse Treatment Collaborative. Her two masters degrees are in health psychology, which integrates neurobiology (brain science), nutrition, exercise, physiology, and lifestyle with psychotherapy; and in marriage and family therapy, which deepened her understanding of the complexity and power of relationships, from partners and immediate family to the community and other larger systems. |
Data
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Adam Hege
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. Kellie Reed Ashcraft 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. |
Events
Denise (middle) is pictured here with Christelle Marsh (left) and Elizabeth Kerley (right)
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Marisa Cornell
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. Denise Presnell 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. Candis Walker 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. |
Leadership Team Lead
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Crystal Kelly
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. |
Prevention
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Stephanie Thomas
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. Emily Alford |
Policy
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Jennifer Warren
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. Jennifer Schroeder |