A native southern West Virginian with a passion for prevention, Greg Puckett has worked tirelessly to bring special projects and initiatives to the area in the hopes of preventing the use of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs amongst youth. In 2001, he began serving as Director for the Mercer County Drug Free Community Support Program, a special initiative of Community Connections Inc. Together with community partners from the local community anti-drug coalition, he has been successful in reaching across county and state lines to help guide the prevention process. He led the charge to support funding for Teen Courts throughout West Virginia and has advocated for the establishment of Local Coordinating Councils in every county. Most recently, he coordinated bi-partisan support at the state level to support mental health awareness and pass legislation supporting the 988 Crisis lifeline and has been a staunch supporter of expansion of clean air policies from second hand smoke and vape. As Executive Director of Community Connections, he continually advocates for strong public policy and leads others to combat the opioid epidemic and community revitalization/stabilization efforts. He currently serves on several state committees including the Governor’s Committee on Crime, Delinquency and Corrections: Juvenile Justice Subcommittee, the WV Tobacco and Cessation TaskForce, the WV Tobacco Taskforce, the state Public Health Advisory Committee, and has previously served on the Board and Advisory Committee of the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA), where he is a past recipient of CADCA’s National Advocate of the Year award. In 2010, Puckett also assisted CADCA in securing funds to host the first-ever, statewide National Youth Leadership Initiative (a movement that changed how youth are educated and view environmental strategies in communities across the US). In his role as County Commissioner in Mercer County, Greg has encouraged reinvestment with its local community mental health system and diversifying funding to combat the Hepatitis B/C and HIV problems due largely to the health emergency left by the drug problems in the area. Since being elected in 2014, the Commission has invested millions of dollars into its local infrastructure, parks and recreation department, and courthouse improvement strategies. They have reinvested funding to its local community mental health system and under Puckett’s leadership, the Commission also placed a heavy emphasis on the county’s litter problem and has been awarded over $2.25M by the WV Department of Environmental Protection for its community based, award winning “Keep Mercer Clean” and incredibly successful dilapidated structures initiative. In addition, he currently serves on the Board of the National Association of Counties (NACO) Board of Directors and is Ex- Officio Chair of the National Rural Action Caucus. He has served as one of only ten county officials on the National Opioid Taskforce, and is on their policy team as Vice Chair of the Healthy Counties initiative, Juvenile Justice and Arts and Culture Subcommittee, the Arts and Culture Subcommittee, Economic Mobility and Coal Communities Resiliency teams, among others. Greg is a long-time advocate for effective policy change at the local, state and federal level. He works in close partnership with Federal Legislators and other national organizations such as SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) to carry out a host of national initiatives and pilot programs, and is a long-time advocate for effective policy change at the local, state and federal level. In 2020, he was awarded the Louis Gorin Award for Outstanding Leadership in Health Education from the National Rural Health Association and currently serves on the Rural Justice Collaborative, a partnership with the Bureau of Justice Assistance; teaching rural communities the value of a prevention framework and how to create sustainable programs and practices. He was also awarded the National County Leadership in the Arts award from the Americans for the Arts, and continues to advocate for greater investment for all communities. For the past decade, he has traveled throughout the United States to train communities on community sustainability and locally has worked with funders from the Benedum Foundation, the Appalachian Regional Commission, and others to revitalize his hometown of Princeton, West Virginia. Through the “Princeton Renaissance Project” the group has been actively using culturally effective change strategies to leverage over $1.8M in community donations to revitalize its local downtown theater. The project is also a community engine to reduce substance abuse, reinvigorate hope in its young people, and engage the future, while embracing its past. He is the father of two children, Lauren and Joseph, who keep him dedicated to making positive changes and leaving a legacy for the next generation to follow.

Jamie currently serves as the Assistant Director of Community Connections, Inc. As a prevention advocate and member of our agency’s leadership team, Jamie’s goal is to develop new and strengthen current substance misuse prevention efforts on the local, regional, state, and national levels. With a career spanning over 20 years, Jamie has held clinical and administrative positions in community behavioral health and substance use disorder treatment, higher education, and in the primary prevention sectors. As a former behavioral health director, he has helped develop and implement our region’s first Quick Response Team (QRT) and Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) Program, which successfully brought together local, state, and national agencies to help combat the opioid epidemic in Southern West Virginia. Academically, Jamie holds a Doctorate in Human Services, specializing in Mental Health Administration. Additionally, he has earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in forensic psychology, sociology, criminal justice, and communications. Jamie holds certifications in neurocriminology, positive behavior support, counseling, healthcare administration, public health, and is a member of the Reaching Rural Fellowship inaugural class through the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau for Justice Assistance. In addition to his duties at Community Connections, Jamie serves on numerous boards and committees in and around West Virginia. A native of Maryland’s Eastern Shore, Jamie transplanted to southern West Virginia during his adolescence. An avid explorer, Jamie enjoys traveling to experience the wonderful 'melting pot' of cultures across our nation. Although he spends a great deal of time in West Virginia, Jamie and his family reside just across the border in beautiful Tazewell County, Virginia.

Natalie Keaton is the Financial Services / Human Resources Director for Community Connections., Inc. and serves as program coordinator for the West Virginia Teen Court Association and CADCA grants. She has several years of experience as an administrative assistant, notary public, and program coordinator. Natalie holds a Master of Healthcare Administration and several certifications including Certified Tobacco Treatment Specialist, NREMT – Basic, Adult and Pediatric First Aid/CPR/AED Instructor, Narcan Administration Instructor, Crisis Prevention and Intervention, Freedom from Smoking Facilitator, INDEPTH and N-O-T Facilitator. In her free time, Natalie enjoys reading, camping, fishing, and travel. She currently resides in Princeton with her husband, son, and three rambunctious dogs.

Candace Harless has built a career dedicated to community health and youth empowerment, particularly in the realm of substance use prevention. With a Bachelor of Social Work from Concord University, Candace brings over six years of experience in prevention work and supporting at-risk youth. Currently serving as the Drug Free Communities Program Director, Chairperson for the Mercer County Coalition for Healthy Communities, and Camp Mariposa Clinical Director at Community Connections Inc., Candace excels in fostering collaboration among various community sectors to tackle substance use issues. Her work spans from youth programming and truancy intervention to facilitating classes such as life skills and parenting classes for individuals in recovery and evidence-based curriculum to youth in a variety of settings. Candace's commitment extends across micro, meso, and macro levels within rural communities of Southern West Virginia, aiming to empower youth, provide essential resources, and cultivate healthy living environments. Her advocacy for mental and physical health is evident, not only through her professional endeavors, but also in her personal interests, which include attending community events, going to the gym, fishing, hiking, and exploring the outdoors with her two dogs. Overall, Candace Harless stands as a dedicated advocate and leader, driving impactful change through her multifaceted roles in prevention and community development.

Eden Scruggs is the director for Camp Mariposa, a year-round camp for children 9-12 who have been affected by substance use disorder, as well as the Youth Coalition Coordinator for the Mercer County Coalition for Healthy Communities (MCCHC). Eden has a BA in Social Science, with a concentration in Psychology from Bluefield State University. During her time with Community Connections, Eden has developed a strong passion for helping her community and working with children. She was born in Bluefield, WV and currently resides in Falls Mills, VA with her husband and two spoiled dogs.

Cheryl Jonese was born in West Virginia and has lived here for most of her life. She has over 40 years of experience in the field of Substance Use Disorders. Thirty of those years were spent in the Treatment and Recovery portion of the Continuum of Care as a therapist working in West Virginia, Virginia, Arizona, and Hawaii. Serving both youth and adults, Cheryl has worked in various settings to include In patient, Residential, Outpatient, Drug Court, Day Report, and Youth Health Expanded School Mental Health. As a Program Coordinator for Community Connections Inc., Cheryl develops partnerships with community stakeholders who serve youth. Specifically she collaborates with School Counselors, Expanded School Mental Health, Youth Reporting Centers, Youth Coalitions, After School Programs, Summer Youth Programs and more to collaborate and provide Facilitator Training and Resource Materials for Evidence Based Prevention Programs to assist youth ages 9-20 who are at a higher than usual risk for Underage Drinking, Marijuana or IV Drug Use.  This PFS Grant goes beyond serving the universal population to serving the higher 'at risk' youth population of Selective and Indicated. She designed and implemented a Co-ed Residential Program in Yuma AZ called “Crossing House”. Through the use of various counseling theories and educational components of the Eight Dimensions of Wellness, residents of “Crossing House” practiced living in the present moment, a lifestyle inconsistent with addiction. For over 15 years, Cheryl has worked on the Prevention portion of the Continuum of Care as a Prevention Coordinator at the community level working with youth and adults. In this capacity she has worked in Region 6 covering 11 counties in southern West Virginia. Her work has included helping communities in five West Virginia counties establish community anti-drug coalitions, coordinate evidence – based programming in schools, create partnerships with key stakeholders and develop environmental strategies that prevent and reduce the abuse of tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs. She has a Bachelor’s of Arts in Counseling Rehabilitation from Marshall University and a Master’s of Science in Counseling Psychology from Chaminade University. She is also a WV certified Prevention Specialist II. She is a member of the Board of Directors of Allegheny Mountain Radio, a community radio station that serves Pocahontas Co in WV and Bath and Highland Counties in Virginia.. She is married with three adult children. She considers her most blessed accomplishment raising her healthy, happy, successful children!

Heather Green works under the Partnership for Success (PFS) grant as the PFS Coordinator for Fayette, Raleigh, Mercer, McDowell and Wyoming Counties. The grant has a goal of preventing and delaying the use of alcohol, marijuana, and IV drug use among high-risk youth ages 9-20. Heather has been working in prevention for almost two years and enjoys serving others. She has plans to obtain her Prevention Specialist Certification in the near future. Prior to working in prevention, Heather spent most of her career in human resources and has a bachelor’s degree in psychology. Heather is a Maryland native and loves the beach. She and her husband, who works in the recovery field, have two cats, Miss Boots and Ginger, and recently got a lab/collie puppy named Luna.

Chelsea serves as CCI's Director of Drug Strategy and Region 6 Drug Control Policy Coordinator for the Office of Drug Control Policy (ODCP). The goal of the ODCP coordinators is to connect with local stakeholders and community organizations to help identify gaps and barriers in each county and work together to overcome them. ODCP works with local community mental health centers, law enforcement, QRT’s, and community coalitions monthly to conduct and implement outreach events in the proper locations to meet the needs of the targeted population needing assistance. Our role is to help existing organizations in the action counties to close the gaps in our community with visual tools, data, and collaboration to help create a faster response to areas with high overdose numbers and trends to help reduce overdose related deaths. Chelsea previously held a position in a clinical and administrative position in a community behavioral health and substance use treatment. Chelsea helped develop the region’s first Quick Response Team (QRT) and Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) Program to help combat the opioid epidemic in Southern West Virginia. Chelsea holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work from Concord University and is a southern West Virginia Native. She currently resides with her family in Princeton, West Virginia.

Crystale Farmer is currently the Family Support Center Liaison for Community Connections, Inc. In addition to her duties as FSC Liaison, she also serves as the Summers County Community Outreach, Resource, and Education Specialist (COREs). Crystale has worked in Non-profit for over 7 years and holds a Bachelor’s in Business Management. Crystale enjoys empowering people and helping them see they can flourish to new heights and overcome their obstacles. Crystale is a Southern West Virginia Native and currently resides in Rock, WV. She has three grown children and two amazing, smart, adorable grandbabies. When she is not loving on the grandbabies in her spare time, she is coaching the Richlands High School Auxiliary teams or off traveling and finding new places to explore.

Michelle Sparks serves as the fingerprint Technician through Identogo. As a channeling agent through the FBI and State Police she provides reliable and quality service in a timely fashion. Born in Wyoming County, she is a proud resident of southern West Virginia and enjoys the outdoors by camping, hiking, 4 – wheeling, and researching local history. As a member and registrar of the Matthew French Chapter of the DAR, she enjoys helping preserve local history, genealogy, and serving the community. Michelle enjoys working with the 200+ monthly applicants she serves through IdentoGO.

Callie Lamb currently serves as the Communications Manager at Community Connections, with her primary focus being media and public relations. In previous roles, Callie has worked as a Student Success Coach in the Virginia Community College System and as Director of Marketing for a local business in Bluefield, WV. Callie's position at CCI combines many of her professional and personal areas of focus, including community outreach, public relations, writing, prevention, and youth enrichment. As Communications Manager, Callie aims to provide prompt and cohesive collaboration with external agencies, programs, media, and the general public. Callie enjoys meeting new people and is proud to facilitate the work being done at CCI to benefit the people of Appalachia. Callie's favorite pass-time is enjoying the company of her two daughters, friends, and family, but she also loves to swim, write, paint, and cook. Her favorite place to be is in her backyard with her girls when the sun is shining.

Having been with CCI since March 2023, Megan Dobbs currently serves as a Peer Recovery Support Specialist (PRSS) with the WV Collegiate Recovery Network at Bluefield State University. In this role, Megan helps create a supportive network for students in recovery in the higher education setting. As a member of the WVCRN, Megan is a supporter and advocate for those in recovery, and wants them to know - "we are here for you; we support you, and we want to see you succeed in all areas of life!". Megan brings a combination of personal experience and formal education to her role as Peer Recovery Support Specialist, which contributes greatly to her success. Academically, Megan is pursuing a degree in Social Work with a minor in Psychology through Concord University. In addition to her role as a PRSS, Megan also works as a mentor with Camp Mariposa. Megan is driven and effective in her outreach efforts because she is passionate about recovery and supporting others to reach their goals.

Shane Bell is a Peer Recovery Support Specialist and member of the QRT. Shane also works as a Mental Health First Aid instructor for youth. Shane has always had a passion for helping his community, and worked in EMS and as a volunteer firefighter for over 15 years before moving to Mercer County. Shane is a McDowell County native and attended Big Creek High School. Shane is a devoted single parent, and enjoys spending time with his son while doing outdoor activities, like fishing.

Leah Hensley currently serves as a member of the Quick Response Team (QRT). As a member of the QRT, Leah responds to and decreases incidences of overdose by providing referrals, information, resources, and harm reduction materials to the community. Leah has been in long-term recovery for three years and also works as a Peer Recovery Coach. Academically, Leah is pursuing a Psychology degree through Southern New Hampshire University and aims to become a Peer Support Specialist. Leah is an animal lover, and she enjoys reading and listening to music in her free-time. Leah is native to Beckley, but currently resides in Bluefield, WV.

Mandy recently joined the CCI team as a member of the Quick Response Team. In this role, Mandy assists with the duties and services carried out by the QRT. Mandy is currently in a pursuing her Bachelor's Psychology with a concentration in Addiction Counseling through SNHU. In her spare time, she enjoys being outdoors and watching her son compete in dirt track races.

Donna Dunn is a Peer Recovery Coach with Community Connections, and a member of the Summers County Quick Response Team (QRT). Donna has been in long-term recovery for 5 years, and has a passion for supporting others in their recovery journey. Ultimately, Donna seeks to earn state certification as a Peer Recovery Support Specialist and identify a primary area of focus within the recovery support umbrella. Donna is a Princeton native, but currently resides in Montcalm, WV. In her spare time, Donna enjoys spending time with her two children and three grandchildren.

Michelle recently joined the CCI team as a member of the Quick Response Team. In this role, Michelle assists with the duties and services carried out by the QRT.

Julie Jennings recently joined the CCI team as an Office Assistant. She is the friendly face that greets clients at our IdentoGO location, and assists in administrative tasks for the entire organization.