At Sereno Ridge Recovery, our team is committed to providing every client with high-quality care during their stay in our luxury retreat. Every member of the Sereno Ridge Recovery staff has been chosen for their expertise in treating addiction as well as their compassion. Learn more about our team and how we work together to help every client heal.
Executive Team
Evidence-based recovery. Passion-driven leadership.
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Nancy White, MD, FASAM
Executive Director
Nancy White, MD, FASAM
Executive Director
Dr. Nancy White has a heart for those struggling with addiction and has been working in the field for nearly 20 years. While finding great satisfaction serving in various roles, including medical director, at other treatment facilities, Nancy has long dreamed of starting her own program.
“I learned so much about addiction and the recovery process during my own experience and found it absolutely fascinating,” said Nancy. “I thoroughly enjoy working with patients who are battling this disease and helping them to recover. Starting Sereno Ridge is a dream come true!”
Nancy earned her undergraduate degree at the University of Alabama in Huntsville and her medical degree at the University of South Alabama. She is board-certified in both addiction and family medicine. Nancy also volunteers as the physician for Pathfinder, a north Alabama halfway house. She and her husband, Andrew, have three grown children, whom they love dearly, and a dog.
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Karen Petersen
Director of Marketing & Business Development
Karen Petersen
Director of Marketing & Business Development
Karen Petersen spent nearly 20 years working in nonprofits, but she couldn’t pass up the opportunity to join Sereno Ridge as Director of Marketing & Business Development. After all, Karen knows firsthand the impact Sereno Ridge stands to have on everyone who walks through its doors.
“It’s a devastating disease,” said Karen. “I had lost all hope before entering treatment in 2002, when I finally admitted I couldn’t stop drinking on my own. Recovery has changed my life, and only for the better. I am grateful that I get to promote this amazing facility, and let people know that they can find hope and healing right here, at Sereno Ridge.”
Karen earned an English degree at the College of St. Benedict in St. Joseph, MN. She grew up in Minneapolis, but moved to Huntsville in 1997. She and her husband, David, have a full house with two teenage daughters, Serina and Sophia, along with two dogs and two cats.
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Andrew White, CPA, CMA
Chief Financial Officer
Andrew White, CPA, CMA
Chief Financial Officer
Andrew White, Sereno Ridge’s CFO, has extensive experience working with new and established companies across the Tennessee Valley. He spent 15 years as a software engineer, 25 years as an accountant, and has more than 12 years in management. While this is Andrew’s first time working in the mental health field, he is no stranger to recovery.
Andrew has seen the positive impact treatment has had on friends and loved ones. “The most inspiring things I’ve ever heard or read are personal stories of recovery in the Big Book and at open AA meetings. Each one is unique, yet they’re all so similar,” said Andrew. “We are really excited about making a difference for people at Sereno Ridge, where we’ll we get to work with clients on a personal, one-on-one basis without the pressure often found in larger, institutionalized facilities.”
A native of Huntsville, Andrew earned a degree in accounting at the University of Alabama in Huntsville. He has been a certified public accountant since 1994. Andrew and his wife, Nancy, have three grown children, Samantha, Alex, and Maddie.
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Bryan Andrews, JD
Bryan Andrews, JD
Bryan Andrews grew up in Atlanta, GA, but has made north Alabama his home for the past 20-plus years. Bryan has his own law practice, specializing in bankruptcy law. He earned his bachelor’s degree in history at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where he played football for one year. He attended Birmingham School of Law, graduating with a Juris Doctorate in 1999. He started his own recovery journey on January 17, 2011 and began working in the recovery field two years later. “I love this work because I get to help people, just like others helped me,” says Bryan. “It feeds my soul.” He and his wife, Kelli, have been married 19 years and have two sons, Patrick and Parker.
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Lucy Douglas, LPC-S, NCC, MAC, MCACII
Peer Support Specialist
Lucy Douglas, LPC-S, NCC, MAC, MCACII
Peer Support Specialist
Lucy Douglas is currently serving as a Peer Support Specialist at Sereno Ridge Recovery. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from Oakwood College and a Master of Science in Counseling Psychology from Alabama A & M University. While this is different from clinical positions she has held, Lucy says she enjoys working with the guests in the peer support role. “You meet people where they are, you connect with them, and you support them through their most vulnerable times,” she says. She enjoys working in recovery because she gets to help guests understand that they matter and that their resilience can help them overcome challenges. She believes everyone can find their way back to their best life, even if it takes time, which is usually the case. Lucy was born and raised in the Bermuda. She and her husband have two adult children.
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Pat Laney, CRSS
Peer Support Specialist
Pat Laney, CRSS
Peer Support Specialist
Pat Laney was hired as the lead Peer Support Specialist and helped build the facility’s exceptional peer support team. He has been clean since 1994 and has been working in the recovery field for more than 14 years, having served at several Tennessee Valley treatment centers, as well as Partnership for a Drug-Free Community. Pat is a Certified Recovery Support Specialist, a designation issued by the Alabama Department of Mental Health. He has a vast knowledge of recovery-related resources throughout the state and is often called on to help identify detox, treatment, and sober living options for those seeking help. Pat believes his career path has allowed him to give back what has been given to him from so many over the years. “I especially like working one-on-one with people and watching them grow as we go through the steps,” he says. Pat has one son, who is currently a junior at Samford University in Birmingham. In his spare time, Pat can often be found cheering on the Atlanta Braves or the Crimson Tide.
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Cheryl McClendon, CRSS
Peer Support Specialist
Cheryl McClendon, CRSS
Peer Support Specialist
Cheryl has been living the steps since she started her recovery journey in 2015. She has been working in the addiction field for four years and joined Sereno Ridge Recovery in August 2020. “Working at Sereno Ridge Recovery allows me to carry out my passion for helping others and showing them recovery is possible,” says Cheryl. “I know what it is like to feel beat down and defeated but even more importantly: I know what it is like to pick yourself up and create a life worth living.” Cheryl is also a Certified Recovery Support Specialist, as well as a certified recovery coach. She is busy raising 13-year-old identical twin boys. They are very active and keep her on her toes, but she cherishes every minute she is able to spend with them.
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Chad McLemore, CRC
Peer Support Specialist
Chad McLemore, CRC
Peer Support Specialist
Chad was born in Decatur and still lives in Morgan County, in nearby Priceville. He is a Certified Recovery Coach and has been working in the addiction field for nearly 10 years. He was inspired to take on this role to help those who suffer, especially from addiction. He wants to do it with love. Chad understands personally that the disease of addiction can affect anyone, and none of us can fully recover alone. “I believe everyone human is worthy of love, help, and support,” he says. Chad, his wife and their three kids love their Church and they love animals and help rescue them when time allows.
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Brad Ploof, CRC
Peer Support Specialist
Blad Proof, CRC
Peer Support Specialist
Brad Ploof, a Certified Recovery Coach at Sereno Ridge, has over 20 years in business administration and entrepreneurial education leadership. In 2019, he took a position as a counselor assistant at a local substance abuse treatment facility. This was when and where he discovered his passion for serving those suffering with substance use disorder. He was elated to join the team at Sereno Ridge, which offered a more intimate model of care for persons seeking sobriety. In 2020, Brad began his graduate work toward a Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at the University of West Alabama. Brad and his spouse live in Huntsville with their two cats, Secada and Sammie, and their two dogs, Chuey and Homer. When not working or serving, they can often be found on their mini-farm in nearby Grant, AL where they are working to create a self-sustaining community garden. They’d also like to build a retreat for persons in recovery and their families
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Morie Hampton
Chef
Morie Hampton
Chef
Jamoriean Raphael Hampton, or Morie, joined Sereno Ridge Recovery full-time in January. Besides cooking delicious and creative meals for Sereno Ridge guests, he has his own catering company. As Executive Chef and owner of EventsByJRaphael, he has very little free time. But when he does, Morie enjoys hiking, volleyball, tennis, and watching TV (his favorite show is “Chopped!”). Morie tag-teams with his mother, Chef Bennetta. Morie says he’s inspired by his mom and Bobby Flay, “The best two cooks in the world!” This is his first time working with people in recovery, and he says it’s amazing to watch people transform during their stays at Sereno Ridge. “It’s an honor to be able to serve, listen, learn, and grow with them. Morie cooks southern staples, but he also creates unique dishes from all regions of the world.
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Bennetta Wheeler-Fuller
Chef
Bennetta Wheeler-Fuller
Bennetta is a Decatur resident and has always loved cooking. She is a graduate of JF Drake State Technical and Community College, where she earned a degree in Culinary Arts and Sciences. She has been a Chef for more than 15 years and is the owner and Managing Chef of FireCreek Grille Events Planning and Catering LLC. Her passion for cooking is creating dishes that are delicious, inviting, creative, and nutritious. She enjoys working with her son, sharing what they refer to as a chef’s dream kitchen.
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