Administrative Staff

Colleen Welder became Hopewell’s Acting Executive Director in May 2024. She began her Hopewell career in 2003 as Nurse Manager, after receiving her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Ursuline College and American Nurses Credentialing Center credentials in Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing. Colleen later received her Master of Business Administration in Healthcare Management.

A love for horses led Colleen to be trained in Equine Assisted Learning and started the first equine program at Hopewell. Horses provide an opportunity for metaphorical learning and offer a safe and organic way for healing to occur. The program has brought healing to so many of our residents.

In 2008, Colleen became Director of Program and Operations, overseeing the day-to-day operations and that program staff are working to benefit our residents. Prior to Hopewell, she worked in inpatient mental health for University Hospitals of Cleveland and in outpatient psychiatry at a Community Mental Health Center.

An advocate of Hopewell's treatment model, Colleen believes that residents can recover. Her patient and supportive attitude helps people find meaning and motivation in their lives.

As a licensed social worker and licensed professional clinical counselor, Daniel views treatment with a holistic approach. He was immediately drawn to the healing power of the Hopewell environment and program. Daniel's responsibilities as Clinical Director include overseeing Admissions & Intake, supervision of the Clinical Team, supervising counseling interns, overseeing all clinical aspects of the Hopewell program and serving on the marketing and program committees of the board of directors. Daniel also maintains a caseload of residents and provides individual and group counseling services to residents. From working in a pre-release prison program in Montana to long-term residential treatment programs in Maine to providing individual, family, and group counseling in Youngstown, Ohio, Daniel's experience brings a well-rounded perspective to his work at Hopewell. In his free time, Daniel is an artist-welder creating sculptures from salvaged steel.

Candace is the one who keeps us on track here at Hopewell. Using her exceptional organizational skills, she oversees our accreditations with a variety of mental health licensing organizations (CARF Surveyor) and collects our research data. Candace does double duty as a clinician, counseling residents and leading group sessions. She also is a Client Rights Officer. According to Candace, working with people in need and seeing them flourish and recover inspires her every day since she joined us in 2000. She believes in the power of Hopewell's beautiful natural setting to heal

Darlene was drawn to Hopewell's approach of addressing mental health as a community in an agricultural setting. She has a Master’s and Bachelor’s degree in Education, and an Associate degree in Accounting. Prior to joining Hopewell, she was a teacher, advisor, and mentor, working with mental health issues and abuse in youth.

Ann started with Hopewell in 2017 as Development and Communications Manager and currently leads the Development Team in the Chagrin Falls office. Prior to Hopewell, Ann worked with numerous non-profits organizing fundraising and events. In 2014, she received her master’s degree in urban design, planning and development, focusing in on her love for sustainability and community involvement. She has lived in the Chagrin Valley for over 30 years, raising two children and too many cats and dogs. In her spare time, she teaches yoga and plays in her yard.

Rick first came to Hopewell in 2001 as an independent contractor and assumed his position as Superintendent of Buildings & Grounds later that year. He also has been Safety Officer since 2006, ensuring that Hopewell remains in full compliance with every regulatory agency. Rick staffs the Buildings & Grounds Committee of the Board. He is also a member of the staff Leadership Team, Performance Improvement Committee and Farm Committee and chairs the Safety Committee.

Dr. Andrew Hunt joined Hopewell in June 2024. Since graduating residency at Case Western Reserve University/University Hospitals, he has been involved in community psychiatry at many levels. Clinically, he is Director of the Transitional-Aged Youth (TAY) Initiative at University Hospitals, with the mission of developing research and services tailored to emerging adults (17-29yo). This includes leading a team of TAY clinicians and supervising trainees in medication management and psychotherapy. Dr. Hunt co-founded a DBT program at The Centers for Families and Children in 2010, where he continues to consult weekly on DBT therapy and training, and see adult patients for medication management.

Dr. Hunt’s clinical research has focused on NEET status (Not-Employed, Educating, or Training) in TAY, looking at the relationship between severe mental illness, substance use, and dropping-out of school and work. In addition to his clinical duties, he is Associate Training Director of Case Western Reserve School of Medicine/University Hospitals Department of Psychiatry Adult Residency Program, where he teaches and supervises residents and CWRU medical students. He teaches extensively for the residency curriculum on the topic teams of psychotherapy, group therapy, anxiety disorders, nutritional psychiatry, and personality disorders.

Andrew joined Hopewell because he saw that it was a place where the staff form a therapeutic community for individuals struggling with more difficult-to-treat conditions. Throughout his career, he has been committed to helping individuals with chronic severe mental illness thrive in their communities.

Sami has been a part of the Hopewell community since 2017. She started as a program facilitator while also working as an RN at a community mental health center. She received her BSN from Malone University. While working as a program facilitator, Sami was actively pursing her master's degree in nursing. She graduated from Case Western Reserve University in 2018 with a degree and title of Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. She then transitioned from program facilitator to psychiatric provider at Hopewell.

The holistic approach to mental health treatment is what drew Sami to Hopewell and led her to embrace the therapeutic farm model. Her role at Hopewell includes providing therapeutic support, diagnosing, prescribing medications and collaborating with nursing and clinical staff in order to help each individual patient reach their mental health goals. She believes Hopewell’s holistic model can transform the way we view and treat mental health.

Sami is a life long learner and is working toward earning her Doctorate of Nursing Practice Degree at Case Western Reserve University. She is a faculty member in the Case Western Reserve School of Nursing and is dedicated to provide mental health education for students, staff, patients and families.

Anne (Annie) appreciates the holistic approach Hopewell takes to understanding mental health. As a clinician, Annie employs this approach in her work with Hopewell’s residents as they and their families navigate their healing and recovery journeys individually and in group settings.

She achieved her BA in Psychology from Malone University and a M.Ed. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Kent State University. Prior to her transition into Hopewell’s community, she provided in-home therapeutic services to children, adolescents, and adults. In her free time, Annie enjoys watching and playing soccer, listening to podcasts, spending time with her family and animals, and refinishing furniture.

Clare has been profoundly shaped by Hopewell’s therapeutic community as a person and a professional. She came to Hopewell as an intern while completing her Master's Degree in Counseling & Art Therapy at Ursuline College. She now supports Hopewell’s clinical program at the farm and Hopewell's transitional program in University Circle. She is grateful to align herself with Hopewell’s holistic and person-centered approach to treatment, to assist residents and their loved ones as they navigate this chapter of healing, and to recognize the strength and resiliency of each person who finds their way to Hopewell. In her free time, she enjoys making art, live music, and spending time with family, animals, and nature.

Kelly completed her dual Master of Social Work and Nonprofit Administration at Case Western Reserve University and has served on trans-professional clinical care teams providing acute crisis response, adult behavioral health care and, most recently, death, grief, and loss support to patients and families across Northeast Ohio.

Having collaborated with Hopewell clinicians and staff in the greater-Cleveland area before joining the farm, Kelly hopes to embody the passion and integrity modeled by team members who came before her. Her affinity for the therapeutic farm model is informed by her earliest experiences caring for both her own aging family members and across in-home, residential elder care, and end-of-life settings.

As a clinician, Kelly brings a trauma-informed life course perspective to the person-centered care environment at Hopewell.

Maya originally came to Hopewell as an intern during her time in Ursuline’s Counseling and Art Therapy Master’s Program. She was very drawn to the community component of Hopewell, and appreciates the therapeutic aspects that being a part of a community can bring to all involved. Before attending Ursuline, she graduated from Bowling Green State University with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, and a minor in art. Maya is a member of our clinical team, providing both individual and group services. Making art and helping people are two of her life aspirations. She values the healing impact art can have in promoting self-expression, and in building a connection with oneself and others. In her free time, Maya loves traveling, spending time with friends and family, and enjoying the little things life has to offer.

Nicole is a licensed independent social worker with over 10 years experience in the mental health field. She started her career at Hopewell in 2013 and has additional work experience as a school social worker and private practice therapist. Nicole believes the inclusivity of Hopewell's therapeutic community is an invaluable healing tool for adults with mental illness.

Kala began working at Hopewell as an intern while completing her Master's Degree in Counseling & Art Therapy at Ursuline College. She found a connection with the supportive staff and the many opportunities for professional development that Hopewell offered. She gained experience providing therapeutic services to individuals of both the autistic and LGBTQ+ communities through other internships but eventually decided to return to Hopewell following graduation. Since graduation, Kala has also received training in EMDR, a trauma processing therapy.

She earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Miami University with a co-major in art therapy which provided education in a variety of art disciplines. Kala runs the ceramics room at Hopewell and has a passion for fiber arts and jewelry making in her personal life. She believes that all forms of art can be therapeutic if given the right approach and is more than happy to help individuals explore new mediums.

Annie finds Hopewell’s therapeutic community to be a profound healing environment and appreciates the holistic and person-centered approach Hopewell embodies. She earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from John Carroll University and a master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling from Cleveland State University. Before joining Hopewell, she worked in a private practice providing individual psychotherapy to children, adolescents, adults, couples, and families. In her free time, Annie enjoys hiking, horseback riding, yoga, and spending time with loved ones.

Heidi embarked on a second career in the mental health field after working as a registered veterinary technician (RVT) in a diagnostic laboratory for over 15 years. Following graduation from Youngstown State University’s Clinical Mental Health Counseling Master’s Program in 2021, Heidi went on to work as a therapist in a group private practice for two years before joining Hopewell. Heidi understands and values the important role community plays in the healing process at Hopewell as she completed an internship at a substance use disorder treatment campus which offered outpatient, residential, and sober living services.

Walking through the woods with her dogs has been part of Heidi’s self-care regimen for many years, and she strives to encourage Hopewell residents to discover the restorative powers of nature for themselves. Heidi also enjoys bird watching, cycling, and kayaking.

Tim Bitting is the Outreach Manager at Hopewell, ensuring the nation and community are familiar with our incredible program. Tim has his BS from Penn State University and his MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Liberty University.

Tim is an avid outdoorsman and enjoys weekend trips to his families hunting complex in the rural mountains of West Virginia. He says it is a much needed respite, a chance to unplug from technology and re-tune his inner being with the peace and serenity nature provides.

Rachel arrived at Hopewell with a business background, therapeutic mind, and a heart for people. She graduated with an MBA from Cleveland State University before working as a Case Manager, Supervisor, and Therapeutic Behavioral Services worker for young adults with autism spectrum disorder. As an avid advocate for mental health, the transition to Hopewell was natural. Rachel is proud to be a part of something bigger, and grateful every day to work for such a life changing organization. In her spare time, Rachel, as a die-hard Cleveland Browns Fan, loves watching football, spreading laughter, being with friends & family, and volunteering as much as she can for those in need.

Jennifer is very interested in fitness and nutrition and how it impacts our mind and body. In 2011 Jennifer learned of Hopewell’s Farm to Table philosophy, and joined our staff. Jennifer worked here as head cook for 5 years, where she could be creative with her passion of whole nutrition and how it works to heal the mind and body.

Jennifer became Hopewell’s Food Service Manager and Wellness Educator in 2016. She is implementing more Mediterranean-style menus to Hopewell’s dining. She also brings fitness classes and nutrition advice to Hopewell residents, whether for weight loss or overall well-being.

Jennifer trained in Cleveland and earned her Personal Trainer Certification in 2007, and was recertified in 2018. She grew up in and has lived in the local area all of her life. She cannot imagine a more serene setting for a therapeutic farm than right here in Mesopotamia.