Meet the team

MRJC Executive Director

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Marisa joined the staff of MRJC in 2008 and now serves as the Executive Director, as well as Program Director for the 24th Judicial Recovery Treatment Courts, Watauga Recovery Treatment Court Coordinator, and all purpose mediator. She has a Master's Degree in Counseling (Expressive Arts Therapy), a Doctorate in Educational Leadership, and an extensive history of advocacy around restorative processes, community- building, peaceful conflict resolution, and experiential learning.

Homestead Recovery Center Director

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Mollie is a woman in long-term recovery, formerly incarcerated person, and a Watauga County native. All of her professional career has focused on the intersections of peer-led recovery, Harm Reduction and justice system work. Starting as Case Manager for Watauga Detention's Recovery on the Inside Program in 2018, she later became Program Coordinator for Watauga LEAD and Recovery on the Inside from 2020-2022. Since 2022, she has served as Center Director for Homestead Recovery.

After leaving Watauga County to access recovery services, Mollie returned to Appalachia in 2013, committed to bringing support back to the High Country. She holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in Social Work from Appalachian State University and has received the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce 4 Under 40 Award (2021) and the Beaver College of Health Sciences Emerging Leader Award (2023).

Mollie also works as a part-time adjunct instructor with Appalachian State University’s Interdisciplinary Studies Department and as a consultant for NCDHHS's Injury and Violence Prevention Branch Overdose Prevention Team.  Mollie recently received her North Carolina Peer Support Certification and continues to experience the gifts of recovery living in rural Watauga County with her husband and six children

Community & Programs Specialist

Project Director for MRJC ARC INSPIRE Initiatives

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Mackenzie came to Boone from Charlotte in 2014 to study history at Appalachian State University. Studying histories of social justice, a part-time job in the school system, and an introductory social work course eventually led her to pursue a Masters of Social Work. She holds a B.S degree in Applied and Public History with a minor in Africana Studies and a M.S. degree in Social Work with a concentration in Communities and Organizations, both from ASU. She completed her second year MSW field experience as an intern at MRJC in 2019-2020 and has since worked in both juvenile and adult services here. Mackenzie now serves as a Community & Program Specialist and ARC Project Director for MRJC and loves the macro social work she has the opportunity to practice! She lives in Foscoe with her dog Murphy, volunteers as a Guardian ad Litem for Wilkes County, and is continuously learning about and working on her recovery allyship. 

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Clinical & Operations Director

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Dale joined MRJC in 2021 and serves as the Clinical and Operations Director for Homestead Recovery programs. Dale received his Master of Social Work from Wayne State University and is a North Carolina Certified Peer Support Specialist.  After entering recovery in Detroit, Michigan in 1985 Dale returned to the mountains and his family in 1992 and has been a resident of Ashe country since . 

Recovery on the Inside Case Manager

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Pam Greer is a Boone native who has a calling to help and support others in their recovery wherever that may be. She is very passionate about helping others and wants to help each individual be the best person possible. She has been down her own path of addiction and wants to help others experience the joy that recovery can bring to the life of someone broken. She is excited and proud to be part of the Homestead team and looks forward to being a link in the chain, a piece to the puzzle that helps paint a beautiful picture. She has a wonderful husband and a beautiful daughter who support her recovery journey.

Watauga LEAD Case Manager

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Born and raised in Ashe County, Crystal has been on a recovery journey for many years. She is a formally incarcerated person who used the support of loved ones and community to break the cycle of addiction. She loves to hike and be in nature, she used yoga and meditation to stay focused and grounded. Crystal says she is excited to be part of the Homestead Recovery team and use her lived experience to advocate and help people with their own journey to recovery and wellness.

LEAD Peer Support Specialist​

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Katlynd began working with Homestead in 2023 as a Peer Support Specialist and now serves as the LEAD Peer Support Specialist. Katlynd our first 'full circle' staff member, beginning her recovery journey as a client of our programs and going on to become an employee. Katlynd says she is grateful for the opportunity to be a part of Homestead and is very excited to use her experience, strength, and hope to make a difference in her community.

Housing Coordinator​

Avery Outreach Coordinator

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Heather Smith is a native of Watauga County. Heather received her Associate in Science from Caldwell Community College. After working most of her career in healthcare she is excited to join the team at Homestead Recovery Center. As a formerly incarcerated person she has found meaning and purpose in helping others find their potential while navigating their reentry back into the community. Heather believes her journey in her own recovery has equipped her with the knowledge and lived experience needed to support others along their recovery and navigate the many complexities faced when coming home. 

Peer Services Coordinator​

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David was raised in Wilkes County, NC and now serves as our Peer Service Coordinator.  David has been in recovery for over three years after many years of substance use, being in the justice system and spending many years in incarceration. David is our second 'full circle' staff member, beginning as a client and using his experience as a calling to help others. David is very passionate about helping others and is excited to be able to use his experience, knowledge, and wisdom to make a difference other's lives.  

Volunteer Recovery & Transportation Ally

Co-Coordinator of Recovery Housing Project

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Ken began volunteering with MRJC in 2022. He is a retired software developer who moved to Boone from West Virginia in 2014. For the past 14 years, Ken has volunteered through local jail and prison ministry  and completed Recovery Coaching Academy in 2022. 

Volunteer Recovery & Transportation Ally

Co-Coordinator of Recovery Housing Project

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Bob began volunteering at Homestead in the Summer of 2023. A native of the Mississippi Delta, he moved to Boone in 2020 from Charlotte, where he was an attorney with Moore & Van Allen. He shares that in the time that he has volunteered at Homestead, he has become a huge admirer of the Homestead staff and the mission of the organization.