Our Team

Kevin Oliver - Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder
Kevin founded Phoenix Counseling in 2003 and serves the agency as Chief Executive Officer. Phoenix Counseling is a non-profit agency, providing a wide-array of behavioral health crisis, residential, and outpatient services throughout Gaston, Cleveland, and Lincoln Counties. He is a Licensed Clinical Addiction Specialist with over 30 years of experience in the behavioral health field and throughout the years he has worked in a variety of clinical settings, including residential/detoxification treatment, opiate maintenance services, and outpatient treatment services.

Kevin received his Master of Arts in Counseling from Gardner-Webb University and a Master in Public Administration from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Kevin currently serves as a member of the North Carolina Mental Health Developmental Disabilities and Substance Abuse Commission and is the Chair of the Rules Committee.

Celine Villax - Chief Financial Officer
Celine serves the agency as the Chief Financial Officer and has been with Phoenix since 2017. She is responsible for overseeing the agency’s financial resources and supporting managers achieve their revenue and budget goals. Celine manages the agency’s financial risks and is focused on building and maintaining strong internal controls. She also prepares all financial statements and helps the Board of Directors and Leadership Team make sound financial decisions aligning with the agency’s strategic goals.

Celine has been working in the behavioral health field since 2002 and has extensive experience working with private providers, managed care organizations (MCOs), and non-profit agencies.

Celine graduated from Western Carolina University with a Bachelor of Science in International Business and a Master’s degree in Project Management. She also has an Associate’s degree in accounting.

April McDade - Chief Resource & Communications Officer
April serves as the agency's Chief Resource & Communications Officer and has been with Phoenix since 2024. April is responsible for developing and implementing HR strategies that align with organizational goals, overseeing talent management, employee relations, legal compliance, and fostering a positive workplace culture that supports growth and engagement.

April began her career in the United States Army working in various HR roles where she served for 15 years. April has three years of experience in the mental health and substance misuse field.

April is a graduate of Limestone University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Psychology as well as a graduate of Tulane University School of Law with a Master's in Jurisprudence in Employment and Labor Law.

Brandi Burchett - Chief Programs Officer- MA, MBA, LCMHCS, CCS, LCAS, NCC, ACS, CCTP, MAC
Brandi has over 15 years of leadership experience in behavioral health, having served in such previous roles as Vice President, Chief Clinical Officer, and Chief Operating Officer. Brandi holds a master's degree in counseling from Webster University (2009) and a master's in business with a focus on Healthcare Administration (2022). Brandi is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor Supervisor and a Certified Clinical Supervisor, providing both oversight and quality in mental health and substance misuse services. Throughout her career, Brandi has had the privilege of overseeing programs as crisis services, outpatient care, federally qualified heath centers (FQHC), housing and homeless services, federal residential reentry centers (RRC), substance misuse treatment, and integrated behavioral health services. In her spare time, Brandi enjoys spending quality time with her family, providing supervision, and watching anime.

Kim Jonas - Chief Quality and Compliance Officer
Kim serves the agency as the Chief Quality and Compliance Officer and has been with Phoenix since 2022. Kim is responsible for direction and oversight in the areas of Quality Improvement, Health Information Management, Health and Safety, Customer Services, and Compliance.

Kim began her career in the public school system supporting children on the Autism spectrum; she later held positions in the private practice environment and eventually transitioned to the non-profit arena, where she worked for Behavioral Health and Intellectual/Developmental Disability provider agencies. Kim spent two years working for the State of California as a Transition Specialist; she was responsible for coordination of care for individuals transitioning out of an institutional setting and into community living. Upon returning to North Carolina, Kim served as the Director of Quality Management and Training for UMAR Services, Inc. for six years.