OUR STAFF
Allen Richardson, LADAC
Executive Director
Allen Richardson has operated as Executive Director of Serenity Recovery Centers for the past 16 years and during his leadership Serenity has served over 10,000 individuals.
Allen has been a licensed Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor (LADAC) for the past 24 years. During his years of experience he has been a Director at Parkwood Hospital Addiction Unit, Director of Alta Care West Tennessee Division, and Director of Addiction Services at Northwest Counseling Center.
Allen has served on multiple committees including local regional health committees and community task forces. He has served on the Licensure Committee for the State of Tennessee and on the Tenn Care Round Table Committee appointed by the Commissioner of the Tennessee, Department of Mental Health.
Allen has been a member of Tennessee Association of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Services for 20 years serving as Vice President and Secretary of this organization for two years, and on the Legislative Committee. He is also a member of the Memphis Area Treatment Consortium. He initiated the first collaborative project with the University of Memphis Tiger Power Program providing addiction education for athletes. Under his leadership in 2004 Serenity Recovery Centers, Inc. received the Community Development Award for outstanding community service awarded by the Mayor of the City of Memphis. Mr. Richardson also received The Summit Award, the highest honor from the Bureau of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Services, Tennessee Department of Health.
Other Staff Members
Paula D. Hopper, M.S., LADAC
Assistant Executive Director
Just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another. John 13: 34-35
“Seeing the devastation of alcoholism and addiction in my own family encourages me to make sure that Serenity is a refuge. Serenity allows me to share hope and love to others.”
Paula Hopper holds a B.A. in Psychology and Sociology from Middle Tennessee State University, a M.S. in Counseling from University of Memphis, and is a Licensed Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor (LADAC). Paula has worked in counseling for over 20 years and also works in private practice with Christian Counseling and Consulting and as an adjunct with Mid South Community College, teaching courses in the program of Addictions Studies. Paula is a surveyor with the Commission on Accreditation for Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) and has participated in the Central East Addiction Technology Transfer Center Leadership Institute.
Veronica Goff
Financial Director
“You name it, I do it.”
“Ronnie” as she is known at Serenity, is the Financial Director… She has been with Serenity since 1995. Her official duties are: payables, receivables, payroll, insurance, general accounting. She also bills and assists in writing grants. She does the financial reporting for the Board of Directors, auditors, CARF and banks. She is responsible for all the program compliance for state and local licenses and 401K. She is the vendor contact and is a notary public. The “…”includes anything else that may pop up in her busy day, if you need to know where it is, just ask Ronnie.
Betsy Walker
Administrative Assistant
“I get to see clients walk in the front door when they first arrive and then I witness their lives transformed when they leave.”
Betsy is the usually the first face our clients see when they walk in the front door. She fields all the calls from the front desk, educates callers on Serenity and assists wherever she is needed. She has been with Serenity since 2003. Betsy began working in the field of recovery in 1988. She says her background has taught her a lot about the program.
Dr. Carolyn Bryant, Phd., LMSW
Coordinator of Outpatient Services
“My passion is in empowering women and helping them re-create their lives.”
Dr. Bryant has been with Serenity since March 2006. She has been a Social Worker since 1976 and has been working in the recovery field for more than 30 years. She also works with the Drug Court.
John McCoy, M.S., PhD
Clinical Psychologist
“I have 30 years of sobriety. I achieved this after treatment in the 1970s at Serenity Recovery Center. My office is in the same building where I attended group meetings and slept.”
Dr. McCoy has 35 years experience as a Clinical Psychologist. He has seen more than 2,000 alcoholics and addicts over the years. Originally from Oklahoma, he did his internship at U.T. Medical School in Memphis in 1975 and has remained in Memphis ever since. In addition to his work at Serenity Recovery Centers, he is in a private practice as a General Practitioner with a specialty in Substance Dependency. At Serenity Recovery Centers he evaluates clients referred by their counselors to determine if they have a psychiatric diagnosis as well as a substance dependency diagnosis, which is true for 65% of addicts and alcoholics.
Debbye Miller, B.S. Social Work, Alcohol and Drug Counseling, LADAC
Women’s Residential and Halfway Treatment Coordinator
“My heart is working with women to guide their broken spirits in order to regain hope in themselves and their lives life through working the twelve step program. Miracles do happen for those who are willing to believe, accept help, and do the necessary inner work to change behaviors.”
Debbye has been with Serenity Recovery Centers since 2000. Her main roles include supervising the clinical and support staff, conducting group and individual counseling as well as educational lectures.
Debbye has more than 24 years experience in Alcohol and Drug Counseling. She is an Internationally Certified Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor, Certified Clinical Supervisor and is licensed in both Arkansas and Tennessee. She has a B.S in Social Work and Alcohol and Drug Counseling from the University of Memphis.
Harold Bates Sr., B.A., LADAC
Treatment Coordinator
“It’s all about helping the clients.”
Harold has been with Serenity Recovery Centers since 2000. He supervises the counselors and monitors, and is responsible for the operations for the entire application of the Men’s Program. He is an Ordained Minister and has a B.A. in Psychology, graduating Cum Laude from Ashford University. He is licensed by the State of Tennessee as an Alcohol and Drug Counselor. Harold is currently in the Master’s Program for Counseling with a specialty in Addictions.
Thurmon Denton, B.A. Criminology
Alcohol and Drug Counselor
“My life is all about helping people change their lives.”
Thurmon has been with Serenity Recovery Centers since 2001. He has a B.A. in Criminology and is a liasion with the legal system, including Federal and State probations. Thurmon collaborates with the University of Memphis Athletic Program conducting assessments and drug screens.
Adolphus Gillespie, CSAC, B.S., AODA, LADAC
Alcohol and Drug Counselor
“We are blessed by helping others. Helping even one individual provides a full sense of gratitude.”
Adolphus is an Internationally Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor. His specialty is Cognitive Intervention and Behavior Modification.
He has a strong and diverse, 15 year background in the field of alcohol and drug counseling. Adophus has been with Serenity since April, 2005 when he moved here from Wisconsin. He has worked as a counselor in the Racine County Jail (2 CI) for five years, and with the Gateway Foundation in Illinois.
Kristy H. Caywood, B.A. Journalism/Public Relations
Director of Community Development and Communications
“This is the most rewarding work I have ever done. I am passionate about Serenity Recovery Centers and the lives it transforms. It’s not just the clients’ lives, it also transforms their families. The recovery of one individual can have a huge positive impact on our community.”
Kristy joined the Serenity staff in October, 2011 but has been working at Serenity as a volunteer and member of the Board of Directors since 2004. Kristy resigned from the Board in October so that she could join the staff. She has a 15 year background in public relations, marketing, advertising, and writing. At Serenity she is responsible for community development, fundraising, public relations and communications. Kristy has a B.A. in Journalism/Public Relations from the University of Memphis.
Clayton Pattat, B.B.A., M.S. Chemical Dependency Counseling
Admissions Counselor and ADAT Coordinator
“I enjoy working with people and it gives me great pleasure to see those in need of help getting a second or third chance in life.”
Clayton has been with Serenity Recovery Centers since 2003. He works with clients from their initial contact through the admission process.
Clayton also works in the Tipton County Court system and with local attorneys in placing individuals with DUI’s in treatment. He received his B.B.A. from Lambuth College and his M.S. in Chemical Dependency Counseling from Madison University.
Elyce Reaves, B.S. Social Work
Admissions, Family Education and Volunteer Coordinator
“The bottom line for me is that I enjoy helping people made a difference in their own lives.”
Elyce has been with Serenity since 2009. She assesses our clients for admission and facilitates the Family Education meetings. She has a B.S. in Social Work. Elyce has been in the public service/rehabilitation field since 2000.
Linda Brooks
Utilization Review Coordinator
”I have the blessing of witnessing miracles on a daily basis.”
Linda joined Serenity in 2009 and is the liaison between our clients and TennCare. She manages the denial and appeal processes, case management and billing.
DeSiree Smoke, B.S. Psychology, M.S Counseling Psychology
Counselor
“I love weaving expressive therapies into the therapeutic fabric of the recovery process.”
DeSiree has been with Serenity since 2009. She facilitates the women’s co-occuring group and co-facilitates the men’s co-occurring group with
the Integrated Combined Therapies curriculum. She is also a counselor in the women’s residential program. DeSiree enjoys using expressive therapies within individual and group therapy sessions. She has mental health ministry supervision and minority mental health project development experience. She is also a former NAMI With Hope in Mind group facilitator, providing psycho-education and family support to families of mentally ill loved ones. DeSiree has a B.S. in Psychology; M.S. in Counseling Psychology.
Lenoria Davis, LPN
“Recovery is my passion.”
Lenoria has worked in the recovery field for the past twenty-two years and has been at Serenity Recovery Centers since 2010. Lenoria assists the M.D. and facilitates groups and classes.
Wesley L. Butler
Director of Food Services
“Great, nutritious food is an integral part of healing the mind, body and spirit. For me, cooking is my calling.”
750 meals? No problem! That is the largest number of meals that Wesley has cooked in one day. For Wesley, cooking is a spiritual experience. He has spent the last decade cooking for private schools and large religious organizations and has followed his calling to Serenity Recovery Centers where he prepares three meals a day for our residents and staff. We’ll put Wesley’s lasagna up against Paula Deen’s any day.
Carl Hatch
Director of Transporation and Maintenance
“I am grateful that God directed me to Serenity Recovery Centers. My work enables me to serve others every day.”
Carl has been with Serenity for more than ten years. He is the point person for any and everything doing with transportation and maintenance.
