Meet our Staff
AWAKE operates with full time employees, part time employees and many dozens of volunteers. In addition to our essential functions, we organize outreach to the community in a variety of ways, and conduct fundraisers throughout the year.
Crystal Jones, Executive Director
Crystal serves as the Executive Director of AWAKE and is tasked with grant management, fundraising, collaborative governance, and project coordination. She also conducts victim outreach in our communities by ensuring effective cooperation and child-centered needs are met. She worked with AWAKE as the Assistant Director/Victim Outreach Coordinator from 2020 to 2022. She will forever be grateful for her mentor and friend, Renee Coward (retired Executive Director). Crystal served her country by enlisting in the United States Air Force from 2005 to 2011. She also served her community as a law enforcement officer for over nine years. Crystal has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice from Western Carolina University and has a Master’s Degree in Public Affairs, also from W.C.U. She proudly serves as the Board Secretary on the Child Medical Collaborative Inc. Crystal is currently working on her PhD in Public Affairs and hopes to graduate in the Spring of 2026.
Kristen Brady, Forensic Interviewer and Case Manager
Kristen serves as a Forensic Interviewer/Case Manager. She has received her Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Western Carolina University. She is also trained as a Victim Advocate through the National Children’s Advocacy Center. Kristen is certified in the RADAR Forensic Interview Modality and soon to be RADAR Jr Forensic Interview Modality. She is highly skilled and even more passionate about obtaining the child’s story in a nonleading, trauma-informed manner that allows the child to speak about their abuse from their point of view.
Hannah Trammel, Forensic Interviewer and Case Manager
Hannah received her Bachelor’s of Art in Educational Studies from Bryan College and is currently working to obtain her Master of Human Services in Lifespan Development. Hannah has received training in NCAC and RADAR forensic interviewing protocols. Hannah is assigned to the Swain County Center but also assists as needed in Jackson County. She has worked with children and families for several years and is excited to serve the families of Swain and Jackson Counties!
Molly Boughman, LCSWA, Senior Mental Health Therapist
Molly serves as AWAKE’s Mental Health Therapist, providing evidence-based trauma focused therapy to children and families. She received a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a Bachelor of Social Work from the Honor’s College at Western Carolina University and a Master of Social Work from North Carolina State University. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker Associate. Molly has worked in the child welfare field for over a decade, working as a social worker in foster care, adoptions, and Child Protective Services forensic investigations. Molly supervised a blended team of forensic investigators and family in-home social workers for 5 years at the Department of Social Services. She is trained in RADAR forensic interviewing, Adoption Competency, Motivational Interviewing, Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Alternatives for Families: A Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
Margarita Martinez-Lopez, Bilingual Victim Advocate
Margarita received her bachelor’s degree in social work in 2022 and her master’s degree in social work in 2024, both from Western Carolina University. Margarita has experience working with English and Spanish speaking victims and has worked in a variety of settings providing services to children, teenagers and families. Margarita loves working with our communities and is excited to continue to enhance her experiences and learning to provide the best possible services to those in need.
Stephanie Martinez Cedillo, Bilingual Victim Advocate and Case Manager
Stephanie serves as AWAKE’s English and Spanish bilingual Victim Advocate. She is a certified CNA and will be enrolled in the Psychology Department at Western Carolina University in the Spring. Stephanie completed an internship with AWAKE during which she had the opportunity to work with children and families as well as provide interpretation services. After graduation, Stephanie aspires to be a mental health therapist for children who have experienced trauma.
McKenzie Cecero, Mental Health Therapist
McKenzie serves as one of AWAKE’s Mental Health Therapist, providing evidence-based trauma focused therapy to children and families. She received a Bachelor of Social Work from Western Carolina University and a Master of Social Work from Concord University in Athens, West Virgina. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker Associate. McKenzie has worked in the child welfare field as a social worker in foster care and as a child grief counselor. She is trained in Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Child Parent Psychoeducation.
Isabelle McCabe, Forensic Interviewer and K9 Handler
Isabelle serves as a Forensic Interviewer/Case Manager, she is also a trained Victim Advocate. She has received her Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice with a minor in Psychology from Western Carolina University. Before joining the AWAKE team, Isabelle held other roles in the child welfare field, working as a Department of Juvenile Justice case manager, a forensic interviewer serving Macon and Graham County, and as an investigative social worker serving Buncombe County. Isabelle is certified in the RADAR Forensic Interviewing Model, RADAR Jr Forensic Interviewing Model, and the NCAC Forensic Interviewing of Children model. Isabelle strives to maintain a child-friendly, trauma informed environment for victims of child abuse to tell their story, receive support, and start their journey to healing.
Noah Pruett, Victim Advocate Assistant
Lady Mae
Please welcome our new facility dog, and soon to be therapy dog, Lady Mae!
Lady Mae is a pure-bred Bloodhound from the Charlotte, North Carolina area. Her name was inspired by a classic Tyler Childres song “Lady May”. Childres wrote this song about the connection that he and his wife share in the Appalachian Mountains, the song also emphasizes finding peace and bettering oneself and was ultimately voted on by the Jackson and Swain multi-disciplinary team members as she serves to provide cuddles for them as well. Lady Mae’s role at AWAKE is to provide comfort and solace to child victims of abuse, maltreatment, and/or neglect. Lady Mae will serve children therapeutically by being a loving, calming presence for them as they navigate their journey of healing. Her primary handler is Isabelle McCabe, one of AWAKE’s Forensic Interviewers, and her secondary handler is AWAKE’s Executive Director Crystal Jones.
