Board

President, Attorney

Maureen C. Karhut

“My heart has always been pulled to helping adolescents in different ways. I raised two girls while working as a full-time litigator.  I recognize the vast disparities, though, between the advantages taken for granted in my girls’ lives, compared with the difficulties faced by teens who are either not so fortunate, or are facing challenges which they need help to overcome. It’s especially for those young people that I embrace Teen Health Connection’s mission.  I’m so happy that my good friend, one of our founding members, introduced me here!”

-Maureen Creehan

Treasurer - Summit Coaching Solutions

Kristin Washam

“I have been serving Teen Health Connection in some capacity now for 10 years. In that time, I can continue to find more reasons why the mission of Teen Health Connection is so vital to our community. Not only have I served as a volunteer and Board member, but my teens also benefit from the behavioral health services provided in our clinic. As the mother of teens, I see how vital Teen Health Connection is to our community’s success. In a world where the need to normalize behavioral health concerns is on an exponential climb, places like Teen Health Connection must continue to exist to create awareness and provide a place for our teen population to feel heard and served.”

-Kristin Washam

Joseph Graham

Joining the board of Teen Health Connection is an extension of my 25+ years of commitment to the social and emotional well-being of young adults at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and youth in the Charlotte area. As an advocate for wellness, I’ve embraced my roles as a professor, author, and wellness coach to empower individuals and communities. Partnering with a solution-driven organization like Teen Health Connection allows me to continue making a difference by helping teens navigate and overcome the challenges they face. As a father of two girls and two boys, my involvement with Teen Health Connection is deeply personal. I consider it an honor to work alongside a team dedicated to transforming lives and creating lasting change for the next generation.

Community Leader

Tom Gettelman

I have been a proud supporter of Teen Health Connection for over twenty years. I became aware of the extraordinary vision of this organization back in 2000 when I was the Director of Clinical Services for what is now Atrium Health’s behavioral health facility on Billingsley Road. Teen Health Connection was located at the Northpark primary care clinic at that time and was one of the first medical clinics to understand the critical importance of incorporating behavioral health services into a primary specialty care clinic.

We had several excellent mental health therapists integrated into their medical team. Teen Health Connection has grown substantially since then and has become one of the most unique adolescent specialty care sites in the country. The commitment to using only evidence-based treatment options, providing invaluable psychological evaluations for some of our most vulnerable youth whose circumstances necessitate them being involved with the Department of Social Services, the high-quality parent and teen education offered, and their commitment to outcome research truly sets the Teen Health Connection apart from anything in this region. Teen Health Connection lives its mission and strives every day to deliver its vision.

Community Leader

Jerri Haigler

Teen Health Connection is one of the leading non-profits in the country offering quality adolescent medicine and behavioral health services, as well as parent training, teen leadership development, education, and advocacy. Now more than ever, our teens need resources and support. I’m humbled to be part of the Teen Health Connection board, and I’m amazed by the dedicated staff and the work they do daily for our teens and our community.

Latisha Hensley

I joined the Teen Health Connection Board to support its mission of empowering teens and families to lead healthy and purposeful lives. I am dedicated to helping close gaps in access to resources and support systems, ensuring that our youth have the tools they need to thrive. With my background in family and community engagement, I aim to raise awareness of available resources, advocate for equitable opportunities, and foster a deeper understanding of the challenges teens face. Investing in our youth is both a responsibility and a commitment to building a stronger, healthier community.

Olivia Turnbull

I joined the board of Teen Health Connection inspired by my extensive experience as an accounting advisor for various non-profit organizations in the Charlotte area, and the desire to utilize my insight to help lead an impactful community organization. I was drawn to the organization’s unique mission, which I believe can have a powerful influence on our teen population not just locally, but also nationally. The opportunity to connect and collaborate with like-minded individuals who value the work of Teen Health Connection resonates deeply with my own core values. As I enter a period of life where many of my peers are starting families, I am driven by a desire to spread awareness about the vital services offered by Teen Health Connection.

Atrium Health

Kedra Reynolds

“I have spent the last couple of years looking for opportunities to serve on a Board that aligns with my core values. It was not until I was introduced to Teen Health Connection that I identified a nonprofit organization’s mission and vision that aligned with what I was looking for. I truly believe in the mission and vision of Teen Health Connection. Serving on the Teen Health Connection Board of Directors has allowed me to be able to give back to what was given to me when I was a teenager. Being a teenager is probably one of the hardest times in our lives. During my high school years, I had a great pediatrician who constantly poured into me and always told me that if I believed in myself that I could be anything I wanted to be. I also had a high school teacher who worked with teen girls that came from single-parent homes and gave us the groundwork to succeed in life, the first step of which was to go to college. These two amazing women shaped my life and gave me several tools to help me succeed along the way.

I will never be able to repay them for the positive impact they had on my life. However, I can pay it forward by having a seat at a table where I can support and contribute to decisions about services that impact the physical, emotional, and mental health of pre-teen and teen patients.

Being on this Board has truly been a full circle moment and my goal is to ensure that the best interest and well-being of individuals that Teen Health Connection serves is at the forefront of our discussions in my role on the Board.”

-Ankedra Reynolds

Senior Vice President, Corporate Communication - LPL Financial

Kristen Oleson Rouzer

I joined the Teen Health Connection Board to help advance the organization’s vision to empower every adolescent to be healthy, safe, and successful. I believe that by providing a differentiated approach to healthcare that empowers teens to take an active role in their own health advocacy, we can help foster a lasting sense of agency and confidence in their ability to manage their medical and behavioral health, and to lead fulfilling and productive lives. As a mom of two school-aged children, I am proud to spread awareness about the services offered by Teen Health Connection to children and parents in our community.

South Piedmont AHEC

Joann L. Spaleta

“Teen Health Connection is a wonderful organization that serves teens. Serving on the Board is my opportunity to give back and be of service to others. Connecting teens and parents with appropriate resources to impact the physical and behavioral needs of the teens is part of my purpose. The investments we make in teens will impact their lives now and in the future. I want everyone to know about Teen Health Connection and how this organization provides a needed service for the community. My purpose is “my why” and is not what I do, but who I am from within as a servant leader.”

-Joann Spaleta