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.
Ashley Cook, Operations Coordinator
Ashley serves as AWAKE’s Operations Coordinator. Ashley recently received an Associates of Human Services Technologies and also has an Associates in Business Administration and Early Childhood Development from Southwestern Community College. Ashley received Victim Advocate training through the National Children’s Advocacy Center. She has worked for several years with families in the community and loves being able to advocate and provide services for families in need. Ashley coordinates numerous youth sports groups in Jackson County in addition to serving as the treasurer for youth sports.
Paige Gilliland, Case Manager
Paige currently serves as AWAKE’s Senior Forensic Interviewer and Case Manager, conducting interviews with child victims and providing advocacy services to families from the point of referral to resolution in court and beyond. She received her Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from the Honors College at Western Carolina University in 2011. Paige has been in the child welfare field for over a decade, serving as a Guardian Ad Litem in Haywood County, as well as working at KARE Children’s Advocacy Center from 2012 – 2015. Paige is a certified victim services practitioner and is trained in four nationally recognized forensic interview protocols. She is also a diplomate certified child forensic interviewer through the National Association of Child Forensic Interviewers. Paige is employed part time as a faculty moderator with the RADAR forensic interview training team. She is also pursuing a law degree through the University of Dayton School of Law.
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!
Celeste Young, Forensic Interviewer/Case Manager
Celeste joins AWAKE after completing her Bachelor of Science in Social Work from the Honors College at Western Carolina University and is currently in the Advanced Standing Program for her Masters in Social Work at Western Carolina University. Celeste also completed an internship with Macon County DSS and was a Child Welfare Scholar, exemplifying her desire to help children thrive. Celeste completed an internship with AWAKE and created and implemented programs to help children and families for AWAKE. She has a strong compassion for children and adolescents who have been abused and AWAKE is thankful to have her as an integral part of the team!
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, Spanish and English Bilingual Mental Health Therapist
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 with the focus being on advocacy and mental health. 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.
