Agency Leadership

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The strength of the leadership team comes from the longevity, the clinical foundation, and the varied experiences of its members. Each leader brings expertise, balance, and perspective to the overall operations of the agency.

The Chief Operating Team

Our leadership team is committed to the development and delivery of high-quality, client-centered mental health and substance use services, and ensuring that Clara Martin Center services remain accessible to those in need.

Administration

Melanie Gidney
Executive Director

After receiving her degree from the University of Vermont, Melanie Gidney joined the Clara Martin Center in 1992 as a case manager in the Community Support Program (working with adults who have a major mental illness). She then assumed her first leadership position within the agency as the Assistant Coordinator of Case Management Services in 1994. In 1995, she was designated by the Commissioner of the Department of Mental Health as a Qualified Mental Health Professional, which she maintains to this day. Also in 1995, she became the Intake/Emergency Site Coordinator for the Randolph area. In 1997, she shifted from a clinical position to an administrative position within the agency and brought her many skills to the human resource department as the Human Resource Manager. In 2001, she moved into the role of Director of Operations, overseeing many facets of the organization. After having a family, she assumed the role of Director of Quality Assurance and Systems Improvement. She worked closely with the Executive Director for many years and was promoted in February 2020 to become the new Executive Director of the Clara Martin Center.

She has been recognized as a dedicated and highly respected staff member and leader at the agency for over several decades. She has demonstrated an enduring commitment to the Clara Martin Center staff, clients and the many communities served. She is a lifelong Vermonter, who has strong family roots in the Orange County area. Her passion for people, empathy, and ability to connect with others make her a strong leader for the Clara Martin Center’s entire organization.

Christie Everett
Director of Operations

Christie Everett originally joined the agency in 2011 as the Emergency Services Coordinator and Hospital Diversion Case Manager, after relocating from NY where she had served as the Director of the Finger Lakes Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Program (FLCPEP) since 2001. After a short time away from Clara Martin Center, she returned in the beginning of 2012 as the Director of Acute Care Services, following Tropical Storm Irene and in 2014, took on the additional oversight of the Access Services where she helped transition the agency to a centralized scheduling model of care delivery.  In 2014, she took on the lead development role in the creation of a new housing project for the agency at 28 South Main Street in Randolph, a project which opened in 2019.  During this time, her role transitioned again to become the Director of Acute Care Services and Program Development, a position she held until transitioning to her current role as Director of Operations in 2020.  She earned her MSW degree from Syracuse University in 2001 and was licensed in NYS in 2002.  She was designated by the VT Commissioner of Mental Health as a Qualified Mental Health Professional in 2012, and earned her LICSW in 2013. She is a certified ALICE trainer, and is a member of the Snelling Center’s Vermont Leadership Institute Class of 2019.

Tim Ross
Chief Financial Officer

Tim Ross joined the Clara Martin Center as its Chief Financial Officer in 2022, after spending the past 20 years in the healthcare/not-for-profit finance industry, working as a public accountant early in his career before taking on leadership roles with several large healthcare organizations in the New England Area. In his current role, he is responsible for all Clara Martin Center financial functions, including oversight of the accounting and billing departments, as well as the annual financial statement audit. Tim earned his BS in Business and Accounting from St. Michael’s College, and his Master’s in Accounting from Northeastern University. Tim is a resident of Orange County and enjoys being active in the community, serving as a Board Member on his local School District and for several community organizations.

Jena Trombly
Director of Human Resources & Compliance

Jena Trombly joined the Clara Martin Center in 1991 following the completion of her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology with Departmental Distinction from Hartwick College in Oneonta NY. She began her career at CMC as a Case Manager in the Randolph CSP program and became a Qualified Mental Health Professional in 1993. In 1994 she transferred to the Bradford office and took on a leadership position as the Intake and Emergency Services Coordinator, providing direct care and supervising the Adult Out-Patient staff.  While in that position she successfully transitioned the Adult program to a sustainable Fee For Service model with a Walk-in Clinic to provide immediate access for those in need of acute care. Upon obtaining her Master of Arts Degree in Counseling Psychology from Lesley College in 1997, she became the Director of Adult & Access Services and transitioned back to the Randolph offices. In 2002, Jena took on the role of Corporate Compliance Officer, and later added the title of Privacy Officer in 2003. She remains in both of these roles today. In addition, in 2005 Jena left clinical work and accepted the position of Director of Human Resources which allows her to focus on employee recruitment, training, development, and retention. A life-long learner, Jena enrolled in the Vermont Leadership Institute through the Snelling Center for Government in 2005 and graduated from that program with a certificate in Community Leadership in 2006.

Jena has been a strong advocate for Workforce Development at the State level including championing pay equity for Designated & Specialized Service Agencies, working with the Office of Professional Regulation to streamline licensing for Substance Use Providers, and advocating at the legislature for expanded student loan repayment & tuition reimbursement for mental health and substance use disorder providers.  In 2019 Jena was recognized for her work and was selected as the Vermont Human Resources Professional of the Year, by the Vermont Society of Human Resources.

Michele Boutin
Director of Health Information Services

Michele Boutin joined the Clara Martin Center in 2005 as part of the agency’s Information Technology Department before taking on the role of Health Information Coordinator in 2012. Her numerous years of experience in IT helped her to become a foundational member of the team that helped to plan, review, chose, and implement the agency’s electronic health record (EHR) project. In 2021, Michele was promoted to her current role as Director of Health Information Services, where she oversees the EHR help desk and records department team. Michele was instrumental in spearheading the ongoing development of the EHR, expertly managing all of the clinical records in the agency, including monitoring, reviewing, teaching, and identifying concerns. Her expertise in regulations and records standards, as well as data management, has helped build an outcomes-informed system of care at Clara Martin Center. Being a native Vermonter with deep-rooted ties to the community and family, Michele leads her team just as she leads her life with integrity, empathy, and with a drive to succeed.

Our Clinical Team

Dr. Kevin Buchanan
Medical Director

Dr. Kevin Buchanan joined the Clara Martin Center initially through a contract with West Central Services as the Medical Director in 2002 following four years of practice at Rutland Regional Medical Center/Rutland Mental Health. He became employed by the Clara Martin Center in 2008, providing leadership, vision and oversight of all medical services for the agency. He also provides direct clinical care through the Community Support, Adult Outpatient, and Substance Use programs. Dr. Buchanan received his PhD in Neuroanatomy and MD from Loma Linda University. He did his psychiatry residency at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center from 1994-1998. He has been certified by the American Board of Psychiatry/Neurology since 2002.

Demetra Hazatones
Clinical Director

Demetra Hazatones joined the Clara Martin Center in 2006. She received her Master’s Degree in Clinical Counseling Health Psychology from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. Although her initial area of interest was treatment for eating disorders, this interest shifted to addictions treatment after working as a school clinician in 2006. The following five years, she worked as the co-occurring clinician and became a licensed alcohol and drug counselor. During this time, she further developed her skill set with Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT). In 2012, she was promoted to the adult services coordinator position where her leadership development began.

She also became a licensed clinical mental health counselor and received extensive training in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), gained more leadership knowledge as the Bradford regional coordinator, and became trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR).

She currently supports Clara Martin Center’s DBT and EMDR programming. In 2023, she was promoted to the clinical director position and enjoys continuing to provide therapeutic interventions for clients.

Kristen Briggs
Director of Access & Acute Care Services

Kristen (she/her) came to the Clara Martin Center in 2013 as the Hospital Diversion Bed Manager for Chris’s Place, the crisis bed program, soon after taking on oversight of Safe Haven as well. Following several years as Acute Care Coordinator, overseeing Emergency Services, and the two residential programs, Kristen was promoted to her current position as Program Director of Access and Acute Care. Kristen is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker and has a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology. Kristen has been providing mental health services for almost 20 years including much of that time also working to support those with substance use diagnoses. In her current role, Kristen oversees the residential programs of Safe Haven, Chris’s Place, and 28 S. Main as well as the Emergency Services and Access teams. Kristen’s focus in her work remains person first and person centered, strengths based treatment through the risk management and lethality assessment lens.

Gretchen Pembroke
Director of Adult & health Integration Services

After receiving her BA degree in Psychology from St. Michael’s College, Gretchen Pembroke joined the Clara Martin Center in 1999 as a Case Manager in the Community Support Program. She took on a leadership position at the agency when she was named the Community Support Program Team Leader in 2005, a position she held until 2012, when she was named the Director of Adult and Access Services. In 2007, Gretchen received her MA degree in Psychology from Vermont College, Union Institute and University and she has since attained her Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor (LCMHC) license. She remained the Director of Adult Services when the Access Program was merged with Acute Care Services in 2014, and at that time took on the additional leadership and oversight of Primary Care Services integration.

Jenni Campbell
Director of Child & Family services

After earning her Bachelor of Science Degree in Child Development from Colby-Sawyer College, Jenni Campbell joined the Clara Martin Center in 2004 as a Child & Family Case Manager. During this time, most of Jenni’s work was within homes providing support at kitchen tables and engaging with families in their natural space. In 2006, Jenni enrolled in the MSW program at UVM and began also providing therapy within the Child & Family Program upon completing her degree in 2010. In 2011, Jenni began her track to leadership by overseeing Children’s Mental Health Waivers and beginning to supervise Child & Family staff. After receiving her LICSW, Jenni was promoted to Child & Family Team Leader at our Ayers Brook office in 2013. In 2022, Jenni was then promoted to Child & Family Program Director.

Jenni believes in the power of building strong trusting relationships with clients & families, staff and community partners. Jenni is designated as a Qualified Mental Health Professional, a certified trainer in ARC, Strengthening Families, Youth Mental Health First Aid and Teen Mental Health First Aid.

Danielle Cayton
Director of Substance Use & Criminal Justice Services

Danielle Cayton came to the Clara Martin Center in 2018 as the Substance Use Coordinator. She accepted her current position in January 2019. Danielle has been serving in behavioral health for the past ten years, providing clinical services at both inpatient and outpatient level of care. Danielle completed her Master’s degree in 2013, and began working in substance use residential services for both men and women. Currently working as the Program Director for Substance Use and Criminal Justice Services at Clara Martin Center she provides program development, clinical supervision and continues to do a mix of clinical work with people with substance use disorders, and most recently in the Clara Martin Center Domestic Violence Accountability Program and Sex Offender Treatment Program. Danielle enjoys working with a diverse population and a variety of community partners. Strengths-based and trauma-informed approaches are important to her.

Join our team

Clara Martin Center is an organization that offers job seekers a solid opportunity to build a career within a community mental health environment. Visit our Careers page to learn more about working for Clara Martin Center.