Our Team Members
The Right Team to Make a Difference
Our dedicated team brings decades of experience in mental health, social services, program development, and community support. We are passionate about helping individuals and families achieve recovery, resilience, and improved quality of life through compassionate, person-centered services.
Several members of our team are Certified Peer Support Specialists (CPSS) who draw upon their own lived experience of recovery from mental health and/or substance use challenges. This unique perspective allows them to offer hope, understanding, and practical guidance to those they serve. By combining professional expertise with lived experience, our staff creates meaningful connections and helps individuals build the skills and confidence needed to move forward in their recovery journey.
Kimberly Barta
Director of Programs
Kimberly began her career at MHASM in July of 2010 as a Case Manager under a HUD project called Homeless Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing. When that project ended, she worked under a project for people affected by the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill to provide Resiliency and Coping Skills. For the past few years, she has worked with clients in their transition from chronic homelessness. She is now the Director of Programs overseeing all services at Mental Health Association of South MS. Kim is also a certified Mental Health First Aid and Wellness Recovery Action Planning (WRAP) Facilitator. She holds Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work with Psychology and Interdisciplinary minors.
Dominique Butler
Respite Support
Dominique has been in recovery since 2019, and in 2024 became a Peer Support Specialist. She has been with Gulf Coast Respite House since it opened, and loves being able to use her own experiences to let people know they’re not alone. Dominique is a mom, and supporting other moms is especially close to her heart because she understands how hard it can be to take care of everyone else while trying to take care of yourself, too. She loves art, being creative, and finding the little things that make life feel a little lighter. Dominique says, “I’m just here to meet people where they are, listen without judgment, and remind them that recovery and healing are possible.”
Liz Creel
Outreach Case Manager
Elizabeth “Liz” Creel from Biloxi, MS started working for the Mental Health Association in May 2024. Liz holds an associate’s degree in social work from MGCCC. She was previously a paralegal working with clients on social security and work comp. Currently she is an Outreach Case Manager for the Gulfport area. she assists people experiencing mental health challenges who are unsheltered. This assistance ranges from helping to obtain their ID and other documents to securing housing. She says, “Working with the unhoused has always been a dream of mine and I’m so happy I’m able to be a part of this organization. “
Kay Daneault
Executive Director
Kay Daneault has served as Executive Director of the Mental Health Association since 2007, providing leadership to expand mental health services and support individuals on their path to recovery, wellness, and independence. She is an Advanced-Level Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) Facilitator and a Mental Health First Aid Instructor. Kay holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree and is SHRM-SCP certified. Before that she was a Division Director for the March of Dimes.
KIrstyn Folmer
Outreach Case Manger
Kirstyn began her journey with MHA as a volunteer before joining the team in May 2026. She holds an Associate Degree in Psychology and is completing dual Bachelor’s degrees in psychology and criminal justice with a minor in English. Her academic excellence has earned her membership in the Psi Chi Psychology Honor Society and Sigma Tau Delta English Honor Society, along with a 4.0 GPA and recognition on the President’s list. She is certified in Mental Health First Aid and an award-winning nonfiction writer. Kirstyn is passionate about helping individuals recognize their value and believe in the possibility of positive change.
Kari Gerwig
Accounting Assistant
After a rewarding career in accounting and healthcare administration, Kari recently “retired “only to realize she still had so much more to give! Kari’s career journey began in Denver as a Medicare billing clerk, which led to a role in accounting. She also became a certified medical transcriptionist. In 2001, Kari moved to Louisiana, becoming bookkeeper in retail. She found my way to the beautiful Mississippi coast in 2017. Most recently, Kari joined MHASM. She says, “There is nothing more fulfilling than working alongside such kind, caring, and dedicated people who make a real difference in our local community every single day.”
Darius Hill
Respite Support
Darius is a Certified Peer Support Specialist and a Navy Veteran who is passionate about wellness and mental health. He has experience working with a wide variety of people with the goal of destigmatizing mental health and letting others know that it’s ok to talk about it. A firm believer in resilience and hope, Darius uses his reach to inspire and help as many people as possible.
Debra Jackson
North MS Coordinator: Peer Training & Development
Debra has more than five years of experience as a Certified Peer Support Specialist/Peer Bridger and has over six years working in the mental health field. She is passionate about helping others navigate recovery and personal growth. As a 16-year survivor of Leukemia and Lupus, Debra brings lived experience, resilience, and hope to the people she serves. Outside of work, Debra enjoys freelance painting, writing short stories, and is working on a novel. Debra’s favorite quote is: “Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved.”
Johnathan Kilby
Respite Support
Johnathan Kilby is a Certified Peer Support Specialist at Gulf Coast Respite House who leverages his lived experiences to advocate for recovery and bridge gaps between community members, law enforcement, and judiciary. Having overcome profound personal adversity, including navigating the Harrison County Intervention Court, he transformed his path to anchor long-term accountability and help others do the same. Johnathan is currently pursuing a degree in social work at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, where he is a member of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, and remains dedicated to dismantling stigma and proving that redemption is possible.
Connie Lee
Drop In Peer Support Specialist
Connie works at our Opal Smith drop-in center in Gulfport. She went through the state training and was certified as a Peer Support Specialist in November of 2023. She holds the Certified Peer Support Adult Recovery designation, the Peer Bridger designation as well as the Forensic designation. She is currently studying to get a bachelor’s in social work. Connie brings enthusiasm to the program and looks for creative ways to connect. Her motto is “always show kindness, you don’t always know what others are going through”.
Patricia Money
Respite Support
Patricia Money is a Certified Peer Support Specialist serving at the Gulf Coast Respite House. Her journey into peer support began after completing treatment in 2021, after which she relocated to the Gulf Coast to be near her family. Through extensive hands-on experience navigating family and drug intervention court systems alongside multiple sponsees, Patricia discovered a passion for walking with others through recovery. This inspired her to formalize her passion and become a Certified Peer Support Specialist. Drawing from her own lived experience including overcoming childhood trauma, personal tragedy, and navigating the complexities of addiction both personally and within her family, Patricia offers deeply empathetic and practical support. Today, she uses her journey to demonstrate that recovery is always possible and that it is never too late to build a fulfilling life.
Natalie Moore
Lead Coordinator Peer Training & Respite Engagement Peer Support
Natalie Moore has worked in the Peer Support field since July 2018, using her lived experience, passion, and a little humor to bring hope to others across Mississippi. She joined the Mental Health Association team in March 2022 and currently serves as Lead Coordinator for the Peer Support Training & Development Team while also providing Peer Engagement with the Gulf Coast Respite House. Natalie’s personal experiences with mental health challenges and grief following suicide loss continue to fuel her commitment to supporting Mississippians and strengthening the Peer Support workforce. She believes connection, authenticity, and laughter can be powerful wellness tools. And she proudly considers a cold Diet Coke one of hers.
Nicole Pierce
Respite Director
Nicole began her recovery journey in 2010 and entered the mental health field in 2014 as a volunteer with the Mental Health Association of South Mississippi. She currently serves as Director of the Gulf Coast Respite House and South Regional Coordinator for the Peer Support Training and Development team. Nicole is a Certified Peer Support Specialist, Advanced Level WRAP Facilitator, and Adult and Youth Mental Health First Aid Facilitator. She holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in psychology-related and human services fields. Combining lived experience and education, Nicole empowers others to recognize their strengths, embrace change, and build fulfilling lives.
Tamra White
Outreach Case Manager
Since joining MHA in May, Tamra has brought compassion, dedication, and valuable lived experience to her work with clients. With two years of recovery experience and recently completed Peer Support Specialist training, she is committed to helping others find hope, healing, and the resources needed to build a brighter future. Her proudest accomplishments are helping clients secure housing. This is a milestone that reinforces her passion for supporting individuals on their recovery journeys and demonstrating that lasting recovery is possible.
Beth Williamson
Accounting Manager
Beth Williamson comes to MHASM through 30+ years of experience in the Accounting field in multiple states, NY, FL, and MS. Finances are very important to any organization, but as a non-profit we want to be the best stewards of the money we receive through grants and donations. Beth is proficient and dedicated to making sure everything is correct and transparent. She raised three children as a single parent. Her children are grown and has been helping her parents. Beth says, “family is very important to me, I am very lucky to still have my father around, and we all help take care of each other.”