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

Beverly-Grant, Inc.

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

Capstone Health Alliance

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

Client Testimonials

[My counselor] brought so much light to our marital issues. He helped us work through years of built up negativity. With his guidance, we were able to find our love and compassion for each other again.

[My counselor] has been a vital part of working my way out of a very difficult time in my life. She listened attentively, asked difficult questions that needed to be asked and with a sincere sense of compassion.

[My counselor] is very likely saving my life. My gratitude has no measure. Thank you.

I am so thankful for ASCC. [My counselor] has been amazing to work with...it's been so helpful to be able to utilize this service and the much needed support I've been searching for. 

[My counselor’s] calm accepting demeanor helped me feel comfortable and safe in discussing anything. Her suggestions were pivotal and realistic in helping me deal more successfully with my anxiety.

My experience here at All Souls has been so life changing. The amount of compassion and dedication I feel here is so comforting. I wasn’t sure I would ever get my mind and life back but I did and I’m so grateful for this place, I love it!

My sessions with [my therapist] have really changed a lot for me. Eliza is always knowledgeable, nonjudgemental, unbiased, and thoroughly insightful. I have never been happier with a therapist.

I am so glad to have found All Souls. I would not have been able to receive therapy otherwise!

I’ve noticed the changes in my personal life have gotten better and with the help of counseling I’m more happier and able to see growth.

ASCC has helped my partner and I have a better quality of life that we otherwise would not have been able to afford. Thank you.

I feel very safe talking with [my therapist]. She always listens to everything I need to say and responds with great empathy and understanding. She has helped me open up more and revisit things that I thought I had dealt with but in fact are still challenging my mental health more than I thought they were. We have been working very hard to get to the root of my problems instead of just fixing whats more visible on the surface.

I'm so glad I found ASCC. I had been in therapy/counseling before, but it had become too expensive. It was important that I had a therapist and I have felt an improvement in my mental health.

I have come for both individual as well as couples therapy and I love the level of care I receive here. So thankful to have found you guys.

This place has been a literal life-saver. I have never felt more respected or understood by a counselor. Now that I’ve come here I can’t imagine what I’d do without this place.