Operations Team

Maryana Newton, MA, ATR-P, LCAS-A, CTP

Program Director & Milieu Art Therapist

Maryana serves the Foothills at Red Oak Recovery team as both the program director and also as the milieu and art therapist; she has a deep passion for human creativity and curiosity. Maryana completed a dual Bachelor of Arts in art therapy and psychology from Mars Hill University in the foothills of Appalachia, before pursuing a dual masters in art therapy and clinical counseling, with a focus on interpersonal neurobiology from Southwestern College in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Having started in the mental health field over ten years ago, starting in caregiving, Maryana has worked with and holds a passion for neurogenesis as it relates to traumatic brain injury, memory, and brain development. She has spent the last several years working in a residential capacity with adults, providing case management, art therapy, and administrative development throughout her time.

Maryana’s first passion is art therapy, which as a whole focuses on the creative processes of healing and integration of the self, but can often look very different than one may expect. Maryana strongly believes humans are creative in nature, and “art” is simply a byproduct of the human experience. As humans, we are made to make meaning – art, creativity, and expression can facilitate ways to do this when words fall short. In addition to art therapy, Maryana bases much of her clinical work around Jungian and Adlerian psychology with emphasis on the experience of individuation, fragmentation, and integration utilizing person-centered and existential therapies. Through this, Maryana is passionate about helping individuals create an empowered and fulfilling life.

When not at work, Maryana enjoys creating art of her own, hiking with her dog, Leo, various flow-arts, and playing in her garden!

Erik Gulliver, EMT, WEMT

Client Services Manager

Erik grew up in Texas before moving to Arkansas and spent over a decade there. Even though he was raised in the South, he grew up enjoying many winter sports (including ice hockey) as well as soccer.   Erik received his Wilderness EMT certification through National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) in Lander, WY. He also received training in swift water rescue and high angle rescue.

Erik believes that treatment is a place for growth within oneself, a place to heal, and to connect with others on an honest, meaningful level. He enjoys everything that nature and the outdoors has to offer. Erik joined the Red Oak Recovery® team several years ago, starting as a Recovery Guide and then a Lead Guide before stepping into the Operations Manager role at Foothills. In his current role, he oversees operational needs, ranging from client comforts to renovations to the entire campus.

Chip Hoppes, MBA

Facilities Manager

Chip grew up in Bostic, North Carolina. After high school, he left home to serve in the Marine Corps. During his time in service, he learned to appreciate maintenance practices and how they contribute to overall operational efforts. Small town life eventually called Chip and his family back to the local area. Since returning home, he has had a chance to perform maintenance in the industrial and commercial sectors. He has also had the opportunity to oversee logistical and operational support for a variety of projects. Throughout his career, Chip continued his education, eventually receiving his Master’s Degree from Strayer University in 2021.

With a history of diverse responsibilities and duties, Chip has had the challenge of supporting organizational operations in a variety of unique capacities. Along with this, his time in service helped shape his perspective of the world and has granted a special appreciation for the people he encounters in it. This has created a desire within him to continue to serve others.

Chip brings his experiences to Foothills to answer his call to serve. As the Facilities Manager, he works to help create and maintain an environment that feels safe, secure, and suitable to support recovery processes.

In his spare time, Chip strives to be a life-long learner, studying various topics conducive to personal development. Chip enjoys the outdoors and tends to a small home farm with his family. He also enjoys working on blacksmith projects in his workshop.

Rachel Harris

Barn Manager

Originally from Rancho Cucamonga, CA, Rachel moved to North Carolina in 2005. Rachel’s love of animals started at a young age, with her volunteering at animal clinics and worked with programs that used equine to assist with special needs children while in school. After graduating she moved into the veterinary field working on animals as a veterinarian technician. She has also been passionate about wildlife rehabilitation; she has cared for numerous animals in need of rehabilitation due to injuries and successfully released them after they have made full recoveries. Rachel brings years of experience with horses, she has studied the natural horsemanship way of training and has been riding, training, and caring for horses since before she graduated from school.

Rachel oversees the care, exercise, and safety of all the animals at Foothills. She strives to provide the best atmosphere for Foothills’ clients and animals to enhance the benefits and experiences gained through equine assisted psychotherapy. Currently she is furthering her education by working toward her Natural Lifemanship certifications.

When not at work Rachel enjoys the outdoors and spending quality time with her husband and three daughters.

Nick Aust

Kitchen Manager

Nick is a native to Asheville and is the proud single dad to his 14 year old son. He loves music and plays the bass guitar. He also loves sports and played baseball for Blue Ridge Community College. His passion for cooking is what brought him to Red Oak and he looks forward to being able to impact someone’s life through nutritional therapy.

Jacob Whittemore

Cook

Jacob was raised in Polk County, North Carolina and has worked in several kitchens in the area where he honed his cooking skills. At Foothills, Jacob is on the culinary arts teams at a cook, providing substantive and nutritional meals to the clients. Jacob loves what he does and believes that the conversations had while gathered around food serve as a phenomenal way to connect with others and make them feel more comfortable.

Although his cooking skills are what make him a good fit for the job, his compassionate nature is what make him an ideal fit for this line of work. “Cooking is my art,” says Jacob. “What I can bring to the table helps to paint the faces of the people around me with happiness.”

Christopher Haug

Quality Assurance Officer

Christopher grew up in the Hudson Valley region of New York in a small town neighboring the Catskill Mountains and Hudson River. He received a bachelor’s degree in exercise science while minoring in psychology from the University of New York at Cortland. Christopher later moved to Asheville and began working at a holistic residential program for adults experiencing mental health challenges. While there, he enjoyed the relationship-based approach and opportunity to help others learn and grow and appreciates this same spirit at Red Oak Recovery® programs.

His prior work experience ranges from creating exercise programs for athletes, running professional kitchens, developing occupational health, and safety programs, to most recently serving as an operations director for a non-profit mental health organization. Christopher’s attention to detail and capacity to see the big picture are two important traits he brings to the Quality Assurance Officer role.

When Christopher is not working, he enjoys spending family time with his wife, Emily and their two young children, Rosalie and Zev. He loves working on home improvement projects, time in nature and finding the latest and greatest taco truck in town.

Christa Laws

Client Financial Services Coordinator

Christa is a Western North Carolina native. She has worked in healthcare for the last 15 years, starting as a Certified Nursing Assistant after high school, while attending AB Technical College in Asheville. Christa soon discovered her knack for detail and organization and pursued an administrative career. She has served a diverse population in roles over the years, where she has become well versed in billing and administrative functions.

Christa is thrilled to take on the role of Client Financial Services Coordinator as she has a deep-rooted aspiration to help families on their collective recovery journey. She feels privileged to help with any assistance she may be able to provide to make the process a smooth one.

Christa enjoys good coffee, spending time with her family and fur babies, kayaking, traveling, and exploring new places.

Justin Slack, SHRM-CP

 Human Resources Manager

Justin Slack was born and raised in Florida and moved to North Carolina in 2010, drawn by the beauty of the mountains. After graduating from Florida State University, Justin served in various management roles prior to discovering his true passion for Human Resources. As a certified HR professional, Justin enjoys learning all about the many ways Human Resources can have a major impact on both the lives of the employees and those they serve. His desire is to continually provide and ensure a positive atmosphere and experience for the employees at Red Oak Recovery, so they can continue to provide the absolute best care for our clients.

Outside of work, Justin enjoys a number of volunteer activities, teaching and sharing the joy of music with both children and adults. Justin also enjoys traveling whenever possible to discover the beauty and uniqueness that other cultures and places have to share.