Our Senior Leadership Team

Hermitage Hall is dedicated to helping young people heal from the trauma they’ve experienced and the challenges they’ve overcome. That work can’t be done without an equally dedicated staff of behavioral health professionals. Our clinical department is comprised of licensed professional counselors, psychologists, and social workers that hold a minimum of a master’s degree in their area of expertise. The medical team includes a board-certified pediatrician and psychiatrist, and our teachers are certified in Special Education.

Read on to learn more about the group of senior leaders that guide our mission to provide the level of high-quality care and treatment our residents deserve.

EXECUTIVE STAFF

Maurice Ware, Chief Executive Officer
Originally from Albion, Michigan, Maurice D. Ware is the current CEO of Hermitage Hall. Before coming to Nashville, Maurice served as Chief Executive Officer of the Boys & Girls Club of the Piedmont in Statesville, North Carolina. Maurice also founded MDW Consulting Services, and previously served as President and CEO of The Children’s Home of Winston-Salem. Maurice began his service to youth in 1994 at Starr Commonwealth Residential Facility in Albion, Michigan as a Youth Specialist. He quickly moved up the ranks, becoming an Assistant Director of two sexually reactive youth units and two delinquent youth units. After six years of dedicated service, Maurice then transitioned to public education. Maurice served the public school sector for 12 years, providing leadership in various roles from Assistant Principal, Principal, Director of Alternative Education and Executive Director of Educational Support Services in Battle Creek Public Schools before relocating to Charlotte, North Carolina in 2011. While, in Charlotte, Maurice served as Director of Residential Services, with The Keys of Carolina, a 60-bed Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility. During his tenure at the Keys of Carolina, Maurice successfully implemented Partners In Empowerment, as a peer-centered treatment modality. Additionally, Maurice also served as Program Supervisor at Thompson Child and Family Focus, also located in Charlotte. Maurice earned his bachelor’s in Marketing/Management from Northwood University in 1991 and his master’s in Counseling Psychology in 2000 from Western Michigan University. He is a member of several state and national organizations and is a proud member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated. Maurice is most proud of his roles of husband, father, and grandfather. He and his lovely wife Telicia have five adult children, two teenagers at home, and four grandchildren.

Corey Jackson, Chief Operating Officer
Corey graduated from Winston-Salem State University with a degree in Rehabilitation Studies and came to us with years of experience working with trauma, developmental disabilities, substance abuse, sexually reactive, and aggressive youth. Corey joined the Senior Management Team at Hermitage Hall in April 2012. He is a certified instructor of Crisis Protection Intervention, Handle with Care, Verbal De-escalation, and Psychodrama Facilitation. He is also a Residential Child and Youth Care Professional through the University of Oklahoma.

Mitzi Milts, Chief Financial Officer
Mitzi joined Hermitage Hall in October 2012 as the CFO. Mitzi has extensive experience working in both the private and public financial sectors. Before Hermitage Hall, she was the Chief Financial Officer with Natchez Trace Youth Academy. Mitzi has her bachelor’s from Middle Tennessee State University and is a Certified Public Accountant.

Gladys Bush, MD, Medical Director
Dr. Bush is a graduate of Meharry Medical College. She completed her residency in General Psychiatry and her fellowship in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at The Ohio State University Hospital. Dr. Bush has experience working with children and adolescents in academic settings, inpatient hospital settings, and community mental health settings. She is board certified in General Psychiatry and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

DIRECTORS

Calissa Brooks, MS, Director of Risk Management & Performance Improvement
Calissa is a native Memphian and has lived in Nashville for five years. She holds a Master of Science in Counseling from Freed-Hardeman University, and both a bachelor’s and master’s in Criminal Justice from the University of Tennessee, Chattanooga.

Jenny Dressler, LPC-MHSP, DBTC, Clinical Director
Jenny is originally from the Los Angeles area but has lived in Tennessee for the past few years. She is currently licensed as an LPC-MHSP and is trained in EMDR, TF-CBT, ARC Model, DBT, and AMA. Jenny is working on both her certification as a certified EMDR counselor for juvenile sex offenders and her doctorate in Integrative Behavioral Health through Arizona State University.

Chelsea McKissack, Director of Education:
Chelsea is originally from Minneapolis, MN but now resides in the Nashville area. She received her bachelor’s in Elementary Education from Middle Tennessee State University and her Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Minnesota. She obtained her Ed.S. from Middle Tennessee State University and is currently working on her doctoral degree at Trevecca Nazarene University. She received training in exceptional education as well as gifted and talented youth from Vanderbilt University. “My favorite part of working at Hermitage Hall is getting to guide the educational team on providing rigorous academic instruction for each child’s structured learning and educational growth while ensuring each student continues his/her academic development and gains Social Emotional Learning tools for navigating everyday life.”

Kathryn Murphy, BSN, RN, Director of Nursing
Katie is originally from the Nashville area. She graduated from Lipscomb University in 2009 with a bachelor’s in Education. In 2014 she obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing Science from Cumberland University and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree for Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. “My favorite part of working at Hermitage Hall is being able to build therapeutic relationships with the residents we serve daily and watch them develop into successful young men and women.”

Nadine Lewis, Residential Director
A native New Yorker, Nadine received her bachelor’s in Psychology from the State University of New York College at Old Westbury and her master’s in Health Administration with a concentration in Healthcare Leadership from Capella University. She also earned a graduate-level certification in Business Management from Capella University.

Melissa Williams, MSSW, Director of Admissions & Utilization Review
Melissa was born and raised in Knoxville, Tennessee, but lived and worked in several East Tennessee areas before moving to Nashville in 2016. She earned her bachelor’s in Legal Assistant Studies from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in 2008. In 2018, she received her Master of Science in Social Work with a concentration in Management, Leadership, and Community Practice from the University of Tennessee.

PSYCHIATRISTS

Dr. Laura Reynolds, Psychiatrist
Dr. Reynolds is originally from Knoxville, Tennessee, but now resides in the Nashville area. She received her bachelor’s and M.P.H. from Tulane University and her M.D. from the University of Tennessee. She completed her residency in Adult Psychiatry and her Child and Adolescent Psychiatry fellowship through the University of Tennessee. She is board certified in Adult, Child, and Adolescent Psychiatry.

Reach Out for Help Today

Our admissions staff is available Monday through Friday from 9 a.m to 5 p.m. (CST) to schedule a no-cost, mental health assessment. Call 615-742-3000 to get started. For questions about our programs, you can also use our online contact form. In the case of a medical emergency or crisis, please dial 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.