Last month, we got to talk about who SafeHouse is, how we came about, what populations we serve, and now I want to share with you who we are as individuals!
I can start! My name is Emma Carroll, I am the Prevention, Intervention, and Education Coordinator. I graduated from Troy University this past May with my Bachelors in Social Work and a minor in Global Business. In my position I do all things outreach and prevention. This means you can find me in schools, jails, and even places like barber shops just seeking to educate the public on what is domestic and sexual violence and what can we do to stop it. I aim to have a holistic approach that involves all members of the community so we can all be knowledgeable and fight the war of domestic and sexual violence. Personally, however I am soon to be married, have a sweet dog named Willow, and love to be outside even if it just means sitting in silence. I was born and raised in The Bahamas so any time its sunny I am either outside or wishing I was.
One thing I cannot get enough of is COFFEE and my usual go to is a hot honey and cinnamon latte!
Next is Shelby Hull! She is our Program Manager and is over all of our volunteers and always seeking more help from the community to aid in our SafeShelby Sexual Assault Services Advocacy Program. Shelby and I get to coordinate a good bit through community outreach and will often see both of us at events throughout the community. A little bit about Shelby, "I grew up in Helena and I have always been very close to my family and my friends. I was named after the movie “Steel Magnolias” and some of my nicknames include Smiley, Princess and Tinkerbell. Being very close with my grandparents and having previously worked in senior care, I love spending time with older adults anytime I can. Some of my hobbies are spending time outside, crafting, listening to music, and watching documentaries.
My first cup of coffee is always hot, but after that I prefer iced coffee with caramel syrup or creamer."
Next, we have our counselors. First up is our Sexual Assault Counselor, Allison Schmale. She is over all of our clients who have experienced sexual assault and seeking counseling to help in the healing process. Allison: "I graduated from the University of Alabama at Birmingham with my Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, am currently an Associate Licensed Counselor (ALC) in the state of Alabama, and am a Nationally Certified Counselor (NCC). I am passionate about working with trauma survivors and providing collaborative, affirming counseling services to empower clients on every step of their journey towards healing.
Personally, I enjoy spending time with my husband and our two dogs and cat. I love spending time outside in nature, cooking, reading, and painting.
My favorite way to drink coffee is HOT with almond milk."
To ensure we provide full and inclusive care to all of our clients we have another counselor who specifies in domestic violence survivors. Her name is Kelly Lansden, "I am a Birmingham, AL native and earned my Masters of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). I am passionate about providing trauma-informed care to the community and served as an advocate to survivors of sexual assault for over five years before accepting the Domestic Violence Counselor position at SafeHouse in 2021. In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my husband, who is also a counselor, as well as her dog and two cats.
I enjoy my coffee most when it is made at home using a pour-over system and a very large (24 oz) mug!"
Next, we have our supervisor April Brasher. She wears all of the hats in our office and I truly don't know how she does it! "Hi! I’m April Brasher and I am the forensic nurse for SafeHouse. I have been a nurse for 13 years and worked in the ER for 12 years. I joined SafeHouse in 2016 as the SANE Clinical Coordinator and became board certified as a SANE-A in 2019. I finished with my Master’s in Nursing in 2021 and planning to start Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner School in the Spring in hopes of bridging gaps in mental health services to the population we serve. I am married with a 17 year old son, two huskies (Nova and Mikho), and love to travel in my spare time.
My favorite go to coffee is Iced Coffee with heavy cream and I drink it year round. "
On the administration side of things we also have an interim Executive Director, Financial Coordinator, and Human Resources/Bookkeeper. First off lets introduce our interim Executive Director! Her name is Janelle Sierra. "I have been serving at SafeHouse in the role of interim Executive Director since March 2022. My work in healthcare has provided a variety of experiences working in different areas, including hospital Surgical Services, Intensive Care, and Pain Management as well as community-based school nursing. As a hospital director of Quality, Risk, and Safety, I was responsible for hospital-wide quality assessment and improvement, risk management, and patient safety initiatives in addition to accreditation and compliance activities. The best thing about my role at SafeHouse is being able to support the staff that directly serve our clients and ensuring that our operations continue to thrive.
I grew up in Texas and have had the wonderful opportunity to live and work in the upper peninsula of Michigan, California, Nevada, and for the last five years, Alabama. My husband and I will be celebrating 20 years of marriage this fall and have five children, ages 18-3. I love to travel, cross stitch, and go camping; I have also recently been turning my brown thumb green. The best place to be in my house is in the sun room, by myself, observing nature, and drinking coffee with a little bit of vanilla creamer."
Next we have Amber Tucker, our Human Resources/Bookkeeper. "I have a Diploma in Bookkeeping and Payroll Processing and an Associates degree of Science in Accounting. Since then I have been working in accounting for 17 years! If I'm not at work chances are you can find me at Pelham Parks & Rec coaching Cheer. In my free time, I am usually binge watching the latest Netflix series or true crime podcast or spending time with my sweet little girl Claire."
Unlike, most people in our office, I do not like coffee but am 1000% addicted to diet coke!"
