Our Staff and Board

Meredith Switzer, M.Ed.
Executive Director
meredith@allsoulscounseling.org
828.259.3369 ext. 108
Meredith has over 20 years’ experience in the nonprofit arena and has served in leadership capacities – either on staff, Board of Directors, or Advisory Council – for more than 15 regional nonprofits. She has dedicated her career to finding solutions to challenging community issues including food insecurity, access to mental health services, affordable quality childcare, public education, and housing and homelessness.
Meredith is a graduate of Leadership Asheville and Leadership North Carolina and currently serves on the WomanUP Committee for the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce. She was recognized as the Chamber’s “Outstanding Woman in Nonprofit Leadership” in January 2021 and received a COVID Humanitarian Award in October 2021 for her executive leadership at Homeward Bound of WNC during the pandemic.
She holds a B.A. in Broadcast Communications from UNC Chapel Hill and a M.Ed. in Educational Psychology from Texas A&M University. When not engaged in nonprofit work, she enjoys discovering a new hiking or running spot in the beautiful WNC mountains, spending time with friends, cheering on her children in their sporting endeavors (go Black Hawks!), and practically any activity that includes her husband, three sons, and terrier, Scout.

Pam Penland
Clinical Manager
pam@allsoulscounseling.org
828.259.3369 ext. 101
Many would consider Pam the heart and soul of our counseling center. She has been with All Souls Counseling Center since its inception and has been a pillar of the organizations growth and impact, so much so that we have an annual award named after her called “The Pam Penland Mental Health Champion Award” that annually recognizes an individual’s tireless advocacy and commitment to improving mental health in our community.
Pam’s background is in psychiatric nursing where she worked a number of years in psychiatric inpatient settings and community mental health. She has been with All Souls Counseling Center for more than 18 years and is dedicated to continuing the mission. Pam is also a proud Grandma of two wonderful grandchildren and enjoys spending time with them as much as she can!

Nicole Almeida
Director of Finance and Operations
nicole@allsoulscounseling.org
828.259.3369 ext. 104
Since joining the ASCC team in October 2019, Nicole has played a crucial role with her extensive experience in office management and leadership. Currently enrolled in the Leadership Asheville program, Nicole demonstrates her commitment to continuous growth and professional development.
Nicole recently tied the knot with her husband Blair in the Summer of 2023 and together they have two kids. In her free time, she enjoys dancing and gardening. She is passionate about the work of ASCC and is dedicated to supporting its mission of providing mental health counseling for the uninsured and underinsured of our communities.

Mary Waller
Development Director
mary@allsoulscounseling.org
828.259.3369 ext. 109
Mary brings creativity and professional diversity to her role as our new Development Director. Her career experiences include working for large and small non-profit organizations in the capacity of fundraising, stakeholder relations, writing, event planning, and executing community education campaigns.
A native of Oklahoma, Mary was drawn to Asheville thanks to friends, family, and the nature-forward culture of North Carolina’s mountain communities. She has two adult daughters and a son-in-law who live in Providence, Rhode Island and Durango, Colorado. She loves hiking, reading historical fiction, coffee, gardens, and hopes to expand her nascent fly fishing skills. She is also pursuing a master’s degree in community development.

Adam Lewis, LCSW
Full-time Therapist & Community Mental Health Educator
adam@allsoulscounseling.org
828.259.3369 ext. 102
Adam is a licensed therapist who joined All Souls Counseling Center in August 2023, bringing over 10 years of experience in mental healthcare. Adam holds an MSW from St. Louis University and specializes in DBT, EMDR, and somatic therapies, with a focus on supporting the LGBTQ+ community. Originally a pastry chef, Adam’s passion for mental health was sparked by volunteering at a suicide hotline, which led him to pursue a career in social work. Outside of providing individual and group therapy, Adam enjoys gardening, hiking, baking, and singing with the Asheville Choral Society. Adam believes in meeting clients where they are, fostering a non-judgmental and compassionate approach to mental wellness.

Victoria Hensley
Outreach Manager
victoria@allsoulscounseling.org
828.259.3369 ext. 112
Victoria was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, CA and moved to North Carolina in 2011 to attend High Point University. In 2015 she graduated from HPU with a B.A in Business Administration and minors in Marketing and Anthropology. From 2015-2021 she worked in High Point on food security and local food initiatives and started a non-profit called Growing High Point. Outside of work, she enjoys hiking with her two dogs, Lady and Theo, gardening, and traveling.

Janet Shelton
Finance & Operations Support
janet@allsoulscounseling.org
828.259.3369 ext. 103
Janet joined our team in February 2024 and we are thrilled to have her as our newest staff member! Janet has over 20 years of experience working in the healthcare arena as an administrator and also runs her own bookkeeping business. As an Asheville native, she loves to explore the brewery and restaurant scene, as well as enjoy the beautiful outdoors that surround our area. She is a proud cat-mom to two cats and is currently undergoing a 1972 Corvette restoration project in her free time!
ASCC Board of Directors
Heather Johnson
Board Chair
Kudzu Brands
Peter Best
Treasurer
First Horizon Bank
Chris Smith
Tracy Walker
DMJPS PLLC
Dean Shatley
Campbell Shatley PLLC
Brandy Mills
Owner/Executive Coach of Brandy Mills Consulting
Rusty Edwards
First Bank
Courtney Youngblood
WLOS/ WMYA
Tommy Dennison
Vice Chair
Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce
Tessa Scarborough
Secretary
Mountain Area Health Education Center (MAHEC)
Kristin Scott
Niki Duff
Western Carolina Medical Society
Laura Jones, Ph.D.
University of North Carolina at Asheville (UNCA)
Sarah Hurlbert
Cathedral of All Souls
Paulina Mendez
Alegria Counseling