OUR MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAM
Meet the recovery experts behind Natural State Recovery Centers
Christopher S. Dickie
Chief Executive Officer
Chris serves as CEO at Natural State Recovery Centers. Together with his experienced team, they are impacting Arkansas in a major way. When not running the center, he is involved in recovery advocacy. He visits prisons, school districts, and other organizations speaking about various addiction recovery topics. He has also been featured as a guest writer in the Democrat Gazette.
Dickie started his career as proprietor of his family’s restaurant, Smokehouse Grill and Café, and as a State Farm insurance agent in Batesville. In higher education, his experience includes working as director of enrollment management at the University of Arkansas Community College at Batesville, where he was the Students Choice Award recipient in 2014. As director of employee relations and community outreach, Dickie helped establish University of Arkansas System eVersity, the only completely online University of Arkansas System institution. He also worked as a consultant for the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service, where he helped create its online executive Master of Public Service degree.
Dickie holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Lyon College as well as a master’s degree in college student personnel from Arkansas Tech University. He is a doctoral student in the adult and lifelong learning program at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville.
Active in the community, Dickie serves as Vice President of the Wolfe Street Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping people recover from alcoholism and addiction. He was also named to Arkansas Business’ 2010 “20 In Their 20s” list in 2010.
Dickie and his wife, Tara, have a 6-year-old daughter, Adelynn, and live in Bryant.
Dr. Jordan Weaver, M.D.
Clinical Director
From a young age Dr. Weaver knew that he was destined for a career in medicine. It wasn’t until a rotation during college through White River Medical Center with his grandfather, Bob L. Slaughter, MD, that he realized his love for Family Medicine.
Dr. Weaver graduated from University of Arkansas Fayetteville with a BS in Biology and obtained his MD from University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. After completing residency training at UAMS Northeast in Jonesboro, Dr. Weaver returned to his hometown of Batesville and assumed Dr. Slaughter’s practice after 52 years of service to the area. Dr. Weaver was in solo private practice for 7 years prior to his return to UAMS Northeast as part-time faculty in 2017. For the next year he continued to maintain his private practice and teach part-time in Jonesboro while developing the UAMS North Central program.
In August 2018 Dr. Weaver closed his private practice to devote his attention to academics full-time as the Medical and Residency Program Director for UAMS North Central. Dr. Weaver enjoys teaching residents but continues to focus on delivering direct patient care both in outpatient clinic at UAMS North Central Family Medical Center and at Wood-Lawn Heights Nursing Facility. Dr. Weaver serves as the Assistant Medical Director at Wood-Lawn where he has a large nursing home practice and is responsible for the Geriatrics curriculum. Dr. Weaver holds several leadership roles in the community including White River Health System Board of Directors, Elite Home Health Medical Director, Caring Hands Hospice Medical Director and Independence County Health Officer.
Dr. Weaver and his wife Nancy have 2 active children. His interests outside of medicine include spending time with family, travel and Razorback sports.
Meet the recovery experts behind Natural State Recovery Centers
Christopher S. Dickie
Chief Executive Officer
Christopher Dickie serves as Chief Executive Officer at Natural State Recovery Centers, a substance abuse treatment center in Little Rock. Together with his experienced team, they are impacting Arkansas and how we approach helping individuals and families recover from addiction. Working closely with state leaders, he is assisting in efforts to innovate and redesign substance abuse treatment in Arkansas. When not running the center, he is involved in recovery advocacy. He visits prisons, school districts, and other organizations around the country speaking about various addiction recovery topics. He has also been featured as a guest writer in the Democrat Gazette covering topics around Medication-Assisted Treatment and the importance of Peer Recovery.
In higher education, his experience includes working as director of enrollment management at the University of Arkansas Community College at Batesville, where he was the Students Choice Award recipient in 2014. As director of employee relations and community outreach, Dickie helped establish University of Arkansas System eVersity, the only completely online University of Arkansas System institution. He also worked as a consultant for the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service, where he helped create its online executive Master of Public Service degree.
Dickie holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Lyon College as well as a master’s degree from Arkansas Tech University. He is a doctoral student in the adult and lifelong learning program at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville.
Active in the community, Dickie serves on a governor appointed council dealing with prevention and recovery. In the past, he was Vice President of the Wolfe Street Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping people recover from alcoholism and addiction. He was also named to Arkansas Business’ “20 In Their 20s” list in 2010.
Dickie and his wife, Tara, live in Bryant with their daughter, Adelynn.
Dr. Jordan Weaver, M.D.
Clinical Director
From a young age Dr. Weaver knew that he was destined for a career in medicine. It wasn’t until a rotation during college through White River Medical Center with his grandfather, Bob L. Slaughter, MD, that he realized his love for Family Medicine.
Dr. Weaver graduated from University of Arkansas Fayetteville with a BS in Biology and obtained his MD from University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. After completing residency training at UAMS Northeast in Jonesboro, Dr. Weaver returned to his hometown of Batesville and assumed Dr. Slaughter’s practice after 52 years of service to the area. Dr. Weaver was in solo private practice for 7 years prior to his return to UAMS Northeast as part-time faculty in 2017. For the next year he continued to maintain his private practice and teach part-time in Jonesboro while developing the UAMS North Central program.
In August 2018 Dr. Weaver closed his private practice to devote his attention to academics full-time as the Medical and Residency Program Director for UAMS North Central. Dr. Weaver enjoys teaching residents but continues to focus on delivering direct patient care both in outpatient clinic at UAMS North Central Family Medical Center and at Wood-Lawn Heights Nursing Facility. Dr. Weaver serves as the Assistant Medical Director at Wood-Lawn where he has a large nursing home practice and is responsible for the Geriatrics curriculum. Dr. Weaver holds several leadership roles in the community including White River Health System Board of Directors, Elite Home Health Medical Director, Caring Hands Hospice Medical Director and Independence County Health Officer.
Dr. Weaver and his wife Nancy have 2 active children. His interests outside of medicine include spending time with family, travel and Razorback sports.
Bobby Ward, LADAC
Program Director
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Bobby Ward, has worked in the substance abuse field for 27 years. He holds a masters in counseling (LADAC)and is a Clinical Supervisor. Bobby has helped to train and develop counselors in the state of Arkansas for many years. Bobby served on the certification board for licensing for substance abuse counselors for 6 years and 4 years on the certification board as a Honorary member. He was voted the Counselor of the year in 2009 and holds an international certification in substance abuse as well.
Bobby honed his skills under the legendary Joe McQuaney while working at Serenity Park. Bobby was instrumental in developing the UAMS Suboxone Outpatient Program for opiate dependency.He is passionate about helping others and especially passionate about helping people with addictions to recover from substance abuse.He is currently working for Natural State Recovery Centers as Lead Therapist.
Alisa Anthony, LAC
Mental Health Therapist
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Alisa comes to NSRC as a Licensed Associate Counselor. She graduated in 2011 with a Bachelors degree in Criminal Justice from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and graduated in 2015 with a Masters degree in Clinical Counseling from Bellevue University. Gemma Troy once said, "If I can survive the war that I battle with myself, I can survive anything."
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Alisa believes that everyone can benefit from therapeutic intervention as a resource for adjusting to life's unexpected changes and personal growth. As the family member of many addicts, her passion for working with those who are struggling with addiction and helping their family members heal is critical to long term recovery. As a former law enforcement officer, Alisa has also seen negative impacts that addiction has in our community. She strives to help clients find healthy perceptions of themselves and understand that no single approach is the right one for every individual. Her experience and education gives NSRC clients a unique foundation in creating a non-judgmental, comfortable and motivating environment.
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Alisa lives locally with her German Shepherd (Meeka) and three cats.
Copeland Hughes
Peer Support & Admissions Specialist
Copeland is a Little Rock native who serves as a Peer Support Specialist and Counselor in Training at Natural State Recovery. His role is to offer guidance to the men living in recovery housing. Residents have 24/7 access to him. He is also crisis intervention certified as well as CPR and First Aid trained. When not working, he is spending time with his 2 beautiful children, Ryder and Emerson.
Bobby Ward, LADAC, CS
Program Director
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Bobby Ward, has worked in the substance abuse field for 27 years. He holds a masters in counseling (LADAC)and is a Clinical Supervisor. Bobby has helped to train and develop counselors in the state of Arkansas for many years. Bobby served on the certification board for licensing for substance abuse counselors for 6 years and 4 years on the certification board as a Honorary member. He was voted the Counselor of the year in 2009 and holds an international certification in substance abuse as well.
Bobby honed his skills under the legendary Joe McQuaney while working at Serenity Park. Bobby was instrumental in developing the UAMS Suboxone Outpatient Program for opiate dependency.He is passionate about helping others and especially passionate about helping people with addictions to recover from substance abuse.He is currently working for Natural State Recovery Centers as Lead Therapist.
Mental Health Therapist
Kimberly Key-Bell, LCSW
Kim is a graduate of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock with both a Bachelor and Master’s Degree in Social Work. She has practiced as a Licensed Certified Clinical Social Worker since 2006.
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Kim is currently the lead therapist for Natural State Recovery. A new innovative Recovery Center providing Residential and Intensive Outpatient recovery services and peer support. She is also a Staff Clinician for SeniorWorks, LLC providing mental health services for patients residing in skilled nursing facilities across Central Arkansas. And has a private practice where she sees individuals, couples, and families.
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Kim has worked in Mental Health, Substance Abuse and Community Social work since completing her secondary education. She is dedicated to dispelling the myths about mental illness and substance abuse recovery that routinely keep people; often minorities, people of color, the impoverished, and the uninsured bound and untreated.
Prior to her current positions Kim served as the Director of Clinical Operations for the Network of Wellness Behavioral Healthcare, LLC (NOW). The NOW program was an outpatient behavioral healthcare clinic; that developed programs aimed at preventing the under-served, very poor and homeless diagnosed with mental illness from going untreated.
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Kim has received several awards and recognition for her work as a Social Worker including Women’s Own Worth’s 2015 “Woman of the Year” recipient; and induction as an Honorary member of the UALR chapter of The National Society of Leadership and Success.
Copeland Hughes
Peer Support & Admissions Specialist
Copeland is a Little Rock native who serves as a Peer Support Specialist and Counselor in Training at Natural State Recovery. His role is to offer guidance to the men living in recovery housing and see them through the many resources offered while in the program at NSRC.
He is also crisis intervention certified as well as CPR and First Aid trained. When not working, he is spending time with his 2 beautiful children, Ryder and Emerson.
Lila Pearsall
Yoga/Meditation Intructor
Lila discovered yoga in 1999 and has been practicing ever since. She found it as a way to ease both her depression and anxiety and a much needed tool to break away from the mental gymnastics going on in her head. She has studied many forms of both yoga and meditation throughout the years and completed a 200 hour teacher training in 2008 through Yogaworks.
Lila has a simple approach yet dynamic class that incorporates mindfulness, balance, strength, flexibility, humor, and a little rock and roll. She says, "my intention for my students is to always walk out of class with more peace than they entered with." She has a playful way of creating space for her students to get in touch with their spirit, light, and the love within them.
Scott Graves
Counselor
Gilly Gill
Wellness Coach
Gilly provides Natural State Recovery with a critical service for those in early recovery. As a wellness coach, his goal is to help people create a sustainable way of life through healthy nutrition and exercise choices.
He and his fiance, Lauren live in Little Rock.
Mollie Watts
Office Manager
Bonnie Stribling
Recovery Housing Manager
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Bonnie Stribling, Russellville/Little Rock, received her Bachelor of Arts degree specializing in music from Arkansas Tech University in 2012. Before she worked in mental health, she taught students in public schools as an adjunct music teacher up until 2017. In May 2017, she became certified as a mental health paraprofessional and started working for Birch Tree Communities Inc.. She worked alongside members as a paraprofessional, case manager, supportive housing/employment support, and certified peer recovery support specialist. Her peer services were billable to medicaid and she assisted in writing the peer support prescriptions in treatment plans as well as shaping the role in her agency. Bonnie is a trainer of the Arkansas model of peer recovery support specialist core and advanced training as well as a trainer of trainers. Bonnie is a state recognized Supervisors for PIT. On July 1, 2019, she became the first PRSS for the Department of Youth Services at DHS where she works at a juvenile treatment facility in Alexander and a part of a treatment team of professionals. She also works with Natural State Recovery Center as the residential manager for women in transitional living. She is secretary for the Arkansas Peer Advisory Committee.
Starting in August of 2020, she will be attending the Clinton School Masters in Public Service Program.
