Staff

TROSA Leadership

TROSA has nearly 80 staff members led by seasoned professionals. Nearly 70% of our staff are graduates of residential therapeutic recovery programs. Each TROSA staff member serves as a vital part of the TROSA campus. Below is a sampling of our key leadership staff:

Kevin R. McDonald

Founder and Board Director Emeritus

At the request of Durham business and community leaders, Kevin founded TROSA in 1994. Prior to coming to Durham, Kevin spent 12 years with the Delancey Street Foundation, a therapeutic community in San Francisco. He also opened and directed Delancey Street Foundation’s North Carolina facility. Immediately prior to founding TROSA, Kevin directed a program that assisted homeless parolees who were former gang members in Los Angeles. Kevin has been recognized locally, regionally, and nationally for his work at TROSA.

Keith Artin

President and CEO

Keith joined TROSA in 2001 and previously served as TROSA’s Chief Operating Officer. Keith was named President and CEO in 2020. He has several years of experience working for entrepreneurial start-ups, investment banking and public finance, and served as General Manager for independent record label Merge Records. He holds an MBA from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University, and received his BS in Commerce from the University of Virginia.

Michael Keene

Vice President of Business Operations

Michael joined TROSA’s staff 1999. Michael currently oversees TROSA Moving and Storage, TROSA Thrift Store, and TROSA’s seasonal Christmas Tree Fundraisers (TROSA Tree Lots). Michael is the force behind the success of the award-winning TROSA Moving and Storage, which is TROSA’s largest social enterprise that helps to keep TROSA’s comprehensive recovery services cost-free for our residents. Michael has mentored thousands of TROSA residents while helping to make TROSA Moving and Storage one of the largest moving services in the Triangle. Prior to TROSA, Michael managed Delancey Street Movers in Greensboro, NC.

Kim Chambers

Chief Finance Officer

Kim has worked for TROSA for more than 10 years and previously served as TROSA’s controller from 2011 to 2014. Kim has over 25 years’ Accounting/Finance experience in a variety of industries (including Big 6, custom home building and professional sports teams) since 1988. Kim has extensive experience with audit, cash flow, and forecasting processes. She brings a particular expertise in streamlining finance procedures. She is a CPA and has a BS from the University of Maryland University College.

Karen Kelley

Chief Program Officer

Karen has worked at TROSA since 2003. She served as Special Projects Manager and Director of Clinical Operations before being named Chief Program Officer in 2018. Karen oversees the men’s and women’s programs, counseling, medical, intake, continuing care, senior residents, education, and leadership training departments. Prior to coming to TROSA Karen was the Executive Director of Schoolhouse of Wonder, an environmental education organization in Durham. She holds a Bachelor’s of Science degree from North Carolina State University. In 2019, Karen was selected to serve as a member of the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC)’s Substance Abuse Advisory Council. Members of the Council were selected in partnership with the Governor’s office in each of their respective states to make recommendations for the ARC to consider as part of a strategic plan to build and strengthen recovery ecosystems throughout the Appalachian region.

Kristen Rosselli

Chief Operating Officer

Kristen joined the TROSA team in 2012 as Chief Strategy Officer and was named Chief Operating Officer in 2020. Kristen oversees internal services, IT, risk management, construction and property maintenance, fleet management, community partnerships, and our lawn care social enterprise. Kristen has over 20 years of experience changing how communities work together to improve the lives of low-wealth families. Her areas of interest include substance use disorder and mental health treatment access and options, alternatives to incarceration, re-entry, living wage employment, and educational success. Kristen previously served as Director of Community Services Department for the City of Raleigh. She also worked for the Raleigh Police Department, Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office and Hallmark Cards, Inc. Kristen has an MPA from North Carolina State University (NCSU). She currently serves on the advisory boards for the NCSU College of Humanities and Social Sciences and the NCSU School of Public and International Affairs.

Morgan Edwards Whaley

Chief Development Officer

Morgan oversees TROSA’s fundraising efforts as the Chief Development Officer and has worked at non-profits for the past 12 years. TROSA’s mission has inspired her and her husband since moving back to Durham in 2005, and she is now honored to support the organization professionally. Morgan received her MA from George Washington University and her BA from Wake Forest University.

Sandie Alger

Women’s Program Senior Advisor

Sandie joined the TROSA team 2004 as the TROSA Women’s Program Director. Under Sandie’s leadership the TROSA Women’s Program grew significantly in residents served, staff capacity, and treatment services provided. Currently, Sandie serves as TROSA Women’s Program Senior Advisor, where she mentors both residents and staff alike, drawing from her decades of direct experience serving individuals with substance use and mental health disorders. She holds a BA in Human Relations from Golden Gate University and is a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor. The Triangle Business Journal recognized Sandie with its 2014 Women in Business Inspiration Award.

Jesse Battle

Senior Director of Community Partnerships

Jesse joined the TROSA staff soon after graduating from TROSA in 1997 and held leadership positions in several departments, including the Director of TROSA Men’s Program from 2000 to 2019. In his current role, Jesse establishes important community partnerships throughout the Triangle and beyond, serving as ambassador for TROSA, and working to advocate for TROSA’s residents. He has served on the boards of Troy House Community Corrections Center, Durham Teen Court, Durham Drug Court, Carolina Justice Policy Center, and is a North Carolina Addictions Fellow. He currently serves on the Criminal Justice Advisory Committee and the Alcohol and Drug Council of North Carolina. Jesse holds an AAS in Computer Network Administration, a BS in Human Services and Management, and a MS in Mental Health Counseling. He is a Licensed Clinical Addictions Specialist (LCAS), Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor (LCMHC), Certified Clinical Supervisor (CCS), Master Addictions Counselor (MAC), Certified Criminal Justice Professional (CCJP), and Certified Substance Abuse Residential Facility Director (CSARFD).

Pierre Bynum

Men’s Program Director and TROSA Triad Director

Pierre has worked at TROSA for nearly 20 years and currently holds a leadership role in our Men’s Program. He will bring his vast experience to our new Winston-Salem satellite campus, serving as the site’s Program Director. Pierre is a graduate of the Delancey Street program and managed Delancey Street’s Greensboro facility before working at TROSA. Pierre’s demonstrated expertise in working with individuals with substance use disorders is complimented by holding several nationally-recognized credentials, which include Certified Alcohol & Drug Counselor (CADC) and National Certified Addiction Counselor (NCAC I).

Sandy Cummings

Director of Human Resources

Sandy joined TROSA in 2011 as the Human Resources Manager and was promoted to Director in 2021. Sandy has over 20 years’ experience in Human Resources with experience in diverse industries: marketing, retail, manufacturing, food service, and nonprofit. Sandy’s expertise is in staffing, compliance, training, employee relations, performance management and benefits administration. She is a certified CPR/First Aid instructor for the organization and has her BA in Liberal Studies from Belmont Abbey College.

Lisa Finlay

Director of Clinical Services

Lisa is a licensed clinical counselor and has been working at TROSA since 2008. She oversees TROSA’s staff counseling team and is credentialed by the North Carolina Substance Abuse Professional Practice Board as a Certified Clinical Supervisor to offer clinical supervision for other therapists. In addition to her Masters in Counseling, Lisa holds several credentials in the field of addiction and mental health counseling, including: NCBLPC /LCMHC; NCSAPPB / LCAS, CCS. In 2014 she was awarded the Addiction Professional Magazine’s Outstanding Clinician Award.

Rebecca Graves

Operations Director

Rebecca came to TROSA in 2009 as a student intern from UNC’s School of Social Work. After graduating, TROSA hired Rebecca to assist with the operations of its Medical, Intake, Education, Counseling and Continuing Care departments. Today she supervises these departments and conducts the organization’s data collection and analysis.

Steve Hill

Lawn Care Manager

Steve joined the TROSA staff after graduating from the program in 2004. Steve is a Certified Lawn Care/Landscape Technician, a licensed Herbicide/Pesticide Applicator, and Certified Peer Support Specialist. Under Steve’s leadership, TROSA’s Lawn Care social enterprise has grown exponentially while being recognized by the community as one of the best lawn care services in the Triangle region.

Michael Lally

TROSA Thrift Store Manager

Michael joined the TROSA staff after graduating from the TROSA program in 2013. Michael has held several management roles at TROSA. In his current role, Michael oversees our award-winning TROSA Thrift Store operations in Durham, North Carolina. With more than 20 years in the hospitality industry and experience motivating and managing individuals and managers, he has a wealth of operational knowledge to pull from to support and mentor our residents.

Michael McLawhorn

Director of Service Operations

Michael graduated from TROSA’s two-year program in 2011 and joined the TROSA staff in 2013. As a staff member, he first served as our In-Kind Senior Manager, where his responsibilities included implementing and managing all aspects of corporate gift-in-kind cultivation, solicitation, donor recognition, and reporting for TROSA. TROSA’s In-Kind department offsets TROSA’s fiscal budget by several millions of dollars in donated products and services each year. In 2023, Michael became TROSA’s Director of Service Operations, overseeing special projects and supervising our Warehouse, Automotive, and In-kind departments. He is a dedicated mentor and community volunteer, serving currently as a member of the Durham Rotary Club and formerly as logistics chair for Bull City Stand Down, an annual event dedicated to providing resources and services to homeless individuals who have served in any branch of the military.

Susan Mowery

Women's Program Director

Susan graduated from TROSA’s program in 2009 and became a staff member in 2011. As a staff member, she first served as TROSA’s Frame Shop Supervisor and then as Furniture and Frame Shop Manager. In 2012 she started her tenure as Assistant Women’s Program Director and was promoted to Women’s Program Director in 2022. She is the second person to serve as Women’s Program Director, succeeding her mentor Sandie Alger. Susan holds several credentials in the field of recovery, including: Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor; Qualified Therapeutic Community Professional; and Internationally Certified Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor. She is a proud and active volunteer for the local nonprofit organizations Habitat for Humanity Durham and Animal Protection Society of Durham. Susan is also an avid runner and has successfully completed several endurance races, including the Spartan Trifecta.

Alan Seawell

Construction Manager

Alan has been an NC Licensed General Contractor (NCLGC) since 1996 and TROSA’s Construction and Property Manager since 2000. A graduate of TROSA’s program, Alan is a mentor to the residents in his department, many of whom go on to work in the construction industry. He is licensed as an unlimited residential contractor and is a qualifier for two corporations in North Carolina. Alan has overseen tremendous growth on our campuses, including our townhouses, community center, and new housing for TROSA residents and graduates.

Jeff Stern

Director of Business Operations

Jeff joined TROSA in 2011 and has worked in the nonprofit sector for over 25 years as a volunteer, staff member, executive, and board member. He earned his MBA from Duke’s Fuqua School of Business in 2003, where he focused his studies on social enterprise, strategy, and marketing. Prior to TROSA, Jeff worked at numerous organizations focused on informal education and lifelong learning, including Durham’s Museum of Life and Science, Laboratories for Learning, and Community Education in Durham Public Schools. His prior Board service and volunteer experience reflects his interests in the arts, social justice, and community development.