Dr. Kelly Graves
Dr. Kelly Graves is the co-founder and Executive Director of the Kellin Foundation. She is a licensed psychologist in the state of North Carolina. After serving as a tenured Associate Professor for a combined almost 16 years at UNCG and North Carolina A&T, Dr. Graves decided to pursue her passion of bridging research and practice by hanging up her academia hat to build a community-based behavioral health center. Since that time, the Kellin Foundation has been named a partner with the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) for its expertise in community-based trauma recovery for children and families. Dr. Graves is a consultant with the United States Department of Justice and has been invited to the White House under the Obama Administration to participate in think tank efforts around building community resiliency. She is also a training consultant with the UNC-CH School of Social Work’s AHEC Training Partnership. She has successfully implemented dozens of large-scale grants totaling over $10 million dollars focused on community change, and is an accomplished scholar with dozens of peer-reviewed publications, books, and book chapters. She co-developed the Greensboro Child Response Initiative, which is nationally-recognized model by the US Department of Justice for best practices in responding to children exposed to violence. Her awards include the American Psychological Association Division 56 Trauma award, the Triad Business Journal Top 40 Leaders Under 40 award, named as a Top Psychologist award with the International Association of Health Care Professionals, and several others. In her free time, she loves to spend time with her family and friends, cheering on her favorite sports teams, and reading.
Abbie Szymanski
Abbie joined the Unite Us/NCCARE360 team in October of 2019 and comes to the role with a background in non-profit management, including most recently being the Executive Director of the CoC lead agency in Wake County. Housing and homelessness are a passion and driving force, and she brings the goal of ending homelessness in NC to work every day. She attended NC State University and has three wonderful children. She is excited about sharing the Unite Us mission with local community partners across NC.
Veronica Crawley
Veronica Crawley received her bachelor's at Pembroke State University in Psychology and master's at University of North Carolina at Pembroke Service Agency Counseling. She is certified in Trauma-Focused Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy and Child and Family Forensic Interviewing. She also has over 20 years of clinical experience across a variety of mental health/clinical settings such as her current outpatient private practice, agencies, residential, and schools holding a variety of positions such as Psychotherapist, Clinical Director, School Counselor, BED/Lead Teacher, Program Administrator, Program Coordinator, Intensive In-Home Specialist, Teaching-Parent and Advocate. She provides clinical and administrative supervision to other Licensed Clinical Mental Health Clinicians. Veronica’s approach to treatment is collaborative, holistic, integrative, and strength based. The treatment techniques she utilizes are tailored to meet the needs of the individual and/or family. Veronica has clinical experience working with individuals, families, and/or groups across the life span in the following areas: Trauma: Psychological, Sexual, Physical, and Emotional Abuse, Rape, Domestic Violence/Intimate, Partner Abuse, Chronic Illness, Veterans, Accidents, Traumatic Grief and other traumas; Christian/Biblical Counseling: Inner Healing and Prayer/Deliverance Ministry, PTSD, Substance Abuse, Anxiety, Couples, Depression, and Self-Harm.
Vickie Pait
Vickie Pait is the founding Executive Director of Families First, Inc. Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Shelter and Services serving Columbus and Bladen Counties. She has held this position for 25 years with prior experience working in the mental health system with adults with developmental disabilities. She has her BA degree in Criminal Justice and her Master’s of Public Administration.