Doug Carter, CADC
Admissions Director
Doug moved to Asheville from Maryland’s Eastern shore to pursue a career in wilderness and adventure therapy. His background encompasses restaurant management, agriculture, equine therapy, environmental literacy, and outdoor education. Before his work in admissions, he served as a Recovery Guide and then Program Manager for Red Oak Recovery®. Doug is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Washington College with degrees in English and Art History; upon graduating, he was a finalist for the Sophie Kerr Prize, the nation’s largest literary award for undergraduate creative writing.
One of Doug’s passions is teaching others how to cultivate the resources necessary to evolve as individual members of a team. Discovering value in varying perspectives, as well as fostering effective communication skills, propels his mission to enhance client and employee culture in the Red Oak community. His continuing education as a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor has led him to incorporate self-inquiry, mindfulness-based stress reduction, and spiritual awareness in his professional and personal life.
At home, Doug finds himself fermenting food, tending to plants, reading, writing, and exploring the natural world. His belief in the connection of mental and physical health has inspired him to unify a practice of running, yoga, meditation, and high-intensity interval training. If not immersed in a hobby, Doug spends his time sitting by a fire under the stars with his partner.
Kelsey Mansfield, CADC-I
Admissions Manager
Kelsey grew up in Greensboro, North Carolina, as the youngest of three children within a close-knit family system. She began to struggle with the complexity of addiction and other co-occurring disorders at the age of 17. This would begin a 10-year struggle, the result being many lost jobs, homes, and, most acutely, her sense of purpose. Kelsey came to Asheville in 2019 when she first went to treatment and ended up finding healing, peace, and stability that she never thought possible.
Kelsey has served in various roles at Red Oak, ranging from direct care as a shift supervisor, alumni coordinator, and sober living founder to later transitioning into her current admissions role. She is passionate about the belief that one is truly never without hope and that the debris that stems from our past can always be repaired. Through her work with women, Kelsey has found meaning within humor, commonalities, and the breaking down of barriers that can culturally separate people from one another. She is currently working towards her CADC and returning to school in hopes of becoming a family therapist.
When Kelsey is not working, you can find her spending time with her labradoodle-dachshund mix named Dox, getting coffee with friends, or watching documentaries.
