Our Board
Matthew Nannis
President
Matt Nannis has found a powerful intersection of aptitude and passion. He has experienced first hand the healing, insight, and growth that can come from intentional, facilitated time in the natural environment. He spends his time engaging with community; compiling an ever growing list of mentors; and learning from the experiences of others to inform how he walks through the world. Matt spends his days exploring ceremony, rites of passage, and as many therapeutic lenses through which this organization’s programming can access points of connection to support and guide its participants towards self actualization.PIVOTPoint WNC is the realization of a dream to stay connected to a community dear to Matt’s heart; to keep close to the forests and rivers; and, to stay out of the office as much as possible. As this organization evolves, Matt keeps an eye on the beacons that mark the way and continues to guide PIVOTPoint WNC operations towards healing, equity, inclusion, and connection.
Allison Chapman
Treasurer
Allison has long been invested in the growth and development of her community. Before heading to Western North Carolina, Allison spent 10 years managing a multi-million dollar department of a top retailer. She has worked with various nonprofit organizations in support of increasing access to a variety of activities and services for all. She has found creative and engaging ways to utilize her passion for connection and community. Allison is particularly excited and honored to serve on the board of PIVOTPoint WNC in the role of Treasurer. Allison started W.H.L. Consulting in 2020, focusing on business development and accounting. She lives in Asheville with her husband Brian and their 3 children.
Kevin Rumley
Secretary
Kevin is a combat wounded (32 surgeries) Marine Corps veteran, receiving a Purple Heart for injuries sustained in combat. Kevin is also a person in long-term-recovery, remaining a vocal community advocate for harm reduction modalities, including medication assisted therapy. Serving for 11 years with the Special Olympics of NC, and 6 years at NC Brookhaven Behavioral Health’s Assertive Community Treatment Team, Kevin came to appreciate the healing power of ‘the human connection’. Kevin is a NCSAPPB Licensed Clinical Addiction Specialist, Certified Clinical Supervisor Intern, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, and IATP Certified Expert Trauma Professional. Kevin now serves as the Project Director for the Buncombe County Veterans Treatment Court (VTC), an 18-month, treatment-based diversion court for justice-involved veterans. Upon completion of the VTC, veterans are eligible to have their charges dismissed. Nationally, VTC’s boast a 5% recidivism rate. Kevin is also a drummer, playing in several bands including Tyler Ramsey (from Band of Horses), Her Marigold, and Electric Owls. Kevin is excited to serve on the PIVOTPoint Board and work together to increase access to therapeutic wilderness services, especially in the justice-involved population.
Daniel Summerlin(†)
Director
Daniel Summerlin spent his formative years in the outdoors of WNC through Boy Scouts, family trips, etc. He was an avid outdoorsman embracing camping, hiking, and paddling since childhood. Daniel agreed to join the board of PIVOTPoint WNC to help foster and spread the healing benefits of the unique natural world to anyone seeking it, addressing a number of mental health issues – from substance abuse addiction, to survivors of trauma, to a host of other challenges. He experienced first-hand the benefits and restorative nature of direct contact with, and immersion in, the outdoors. Believing passionately that regular immersion in nature is a crucial part of recovery and healing, Daniel’s own personal passion for engaging in the outdoors, coupled with a unique platform as a native Asheville, NC resident, is hoped to foster the greater community’s awareness of PIVOTPoint WNC’s stated purpose as well as leverage long standing relationships within the community to cultivate donations to support experiential services for every demographic struggling with Substance Use Disorder.Daniel sat on the Board of Adjustments for the City of Asheville as well as the Commercial Investment Realty Association of Western North Carolina (CIRA). He believed wholeheartedly in the personnel behind PIVOTPoint WNC and only wanted to help in any way possible to further their success, as this translates directly into a benefit of the community at large.
Patrick Balsley
Director
Patrick Balsley is a Board Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor and has been working with families affected by substance use for over a decade. He owns and operates a private practice called Sana Counseling in Charlotte, NC that provides services for individuals and families at every stage of the recovery process. Patrick serves on the Behavioral Health Committee at Atrium Health Foundation and on the Board of Directors at Emerald School of Excellence, the Carolina’s first Recovery High School. In Patrick’s free time he enjoys playing basketball, practicing meditation and exploring anything he feels may expand his ability to live a more love-filled life. Patrick has been in sustained remission from substance use disorder since 2011 and lives in Matthews, NC with his wife Anya and their three young children.
Bob Goodale
Director
Bob Goodale is a former Harris Teeter CEO and former NC Deputy Secretary of Commerce. In addition to his past service on the Healing Transitions Board of Directors and current service on the Board of Trustees, Bob serves on the Board of Directors of Monarch, Emerald School of Excellence, Raleigh Boy Choir, Pavillon and the Alcohol and Drug Council of North Carolina where he also served as President. He previously served on the Hanley-Hazelden Foundation Board of Directors, Hazelden National Advisory Committee; Hazelden, New York City Advisory Board, North Carolina Department of Corrections Substance Abuse Advisory Board; Rebound, Charlotte Board of Directors, Amethyst Foundation, Chairman of the Board and the Charlotte Treatment Center Board of Directors and Capital Campaign Chairman.
Patrick Crudup
Director
Patrick is a native of Bunn, NC, a small farm town located in Franklin County, northeast of Raleigh. He came to the Asheville area in 1990 to attend Mars Hill University. After graduating, Patrick worked for Asheville Parks and Recreation where he connected with many area youth and families. He has seen many of the youth grow into adults and maintain a connection to many of them and their children. Through the gained relationships and experiences, Patrick now considers himself a local – now being in Asheville longer than his original hometown.
Nicole Shumate
Director
Ms. Shumate has witnessed first-hand that substance use disorder afflicts every demographic across the community. PIVOTPoint WNC, with leaders who have been affected by Substance Use Disorder themselves in varying capacities and proximities, brings experience to their efforts that very few service providers can bring: genuine interaction with true understanding for the challenges being faced. Ms. Shumate has over 13 years’ experience as an Executive Director of a nonprofit and her professional experience as an attorney combined with her BA in psychology help provide unique perspective into the nonprofit administration and its commitment to cultivating connections. She has also been recognized as a 40 Under 40 recipient. In addition to her legal background, Ms. Shumate has extensive grant writing and fundraising organization experience.
Patrick Armitage
Director
Patrick Armitage has served the WNC community to the best of his ability since he moved to Asheville, NC in 2011. He serves the musical community as a drummer for several bands in Asheville. He serves his spiritual community drumming for Jubilee most Sundays for the last 10 years. Patrick also serves the greater Asheville housing community acting as a real estate agent for Sarver Realty. Lastly Patrick serves the addiction recovery community by actively living a sober lifestyle and regularly doing service work in treatment centers, detox centers and prisons.Bob served in the Army after receiving a B.S. degree from Iowa State University. He also received an M.B.A. from the University of Kansas. Bob’s honors include the Trotter/Black Award, Hope Haven, Charlotte “For his unique contributions in the field of recovery” and the Order of the Hornet, Mecklenburg County, NC Board of County Commissioners’ highest award. Bob’s story of addiction and recovery is told in SECOND CHANCES by Gary Stromberg.
Lawrence Nannis
Director
Larry Nannis was a founder of Katz, Nannis + Solomon, PC, a regional CPA firm in Waltham, MA currently providing financial management and tax advice to entrepreneurs at all levels of the growth curve. In May 2016, after a career of 47 years in public accounting, he retired from active practice as a CPA. Since retirement, he has sub-contracted with Basic Business Concepts of Pittsburgh, PA., a contract CFO firm working to provide CFO services on a team basis for growing companies. Larry is presently an adviser for the Southeast Region of the Massachusetts Small Business Development Center. In addition, he was a volunteer “Expert-in-Residence at TechSandBox, a technology incubator in Hopkinton, MA. Larry was a Virtual Business Adviser for Cohorts 8 and 11 of the National Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business Program. Over the past year, Larry has been a mentor for the first three cohorts on “E for All – Roxbury”: a program that is accelerating economic and social impact in communities nationwide through inclusive entrepreneurship. He earned his B.S. in Business Administration from Boston University School of Management and his M.S in Taxation from Bentley University.
Sandy Newes
Director
Dr. Sandy Newes is a Licensed Psychologist based in Asheville, North Carolina. The founder of Clear View Psychological Services, Asheville, NC. She has been offering clinical services for wilderness and adventure programs, therapeutic schools. residential treatment centers and in the community for over 20 years. She specializes in anxiety, trauma, chronic stress, substance abuse and emotion regulation, with a focus on mindful resilience and brain-based interventions. In her private practice, she combines psychotherapy, comprehensive psychological assessment, neurofeedback, program development consultation, research/evaluation, and clinical supervision. Dr. Newes also offers a number of training programs for clinical professionals and staff at outdoor-based and other types of therapeutic programs, including the Clinical First Responder (CFR). She is an excited and passionate facilitator, and genuinely enjoys supporting participants to most effectively meet the needs of the clients/students they work with. She is an active member of AEE, NATSAP, OBH and APA and continues to present regularly at conferences. She also co-edited a book entitled “Coming of Age: The Evolving Field of Adventure Therapy”. In her free time, Dr. Newes spends as much time paddling whitewater as she can, hikes, enjoys seeing live music, and loves to travel. She also takes her two boys with her on as many of these adventures as she can.
John O’Hearn
Director
John is the Director of Digital Marketing at Obviouslee Marketing. He has spent the last decade marketing local, national, and international businesses and nonprofits. John got his start as the VP of Sales and Marketing for a large e-commerce brand out of San Diego County before being recruited back to his hometown of Charleston to launch a consumer electronics accessories company. After leaving that company, he went on to run his own consultancy working with local and regional small businesses and startups before being asked to head up the digital marketing efforts for Obviouslee Marketing. John lives in Asheville, NC with his wife, daughter and two sons. He has also been substance free since January of 2009 and is active in local recovery programs.
Jeremy French
Director
Jeremy French is a maker. He’s made lots of cool things – a sober life worth living, a marriage, some really great kids, time to spend outside, some furniture, and a business that teaches addicts how to make these things for themselves. Jeremy gets real excited to figure out how to help make more things that make life better for more people.
Tricia Osterberger
Director
Tricia received their Master of Social Work from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker as well as a Licensed Clinical Addiction Specialist. They have worked in the area of mental health and substance since 2003 and have a private practice focused on serving LGBTQ+ individuals and those with addiction. They have extensive experience working with the complex issues of early recovery from mental health/addiction, wilderness therapy, and the specific needs of those on the LGBTQ+ spectrum. When they’re not working with others, they spend time on their farm with their partner and dog, Roux.