Board of Directors

Dr. Noreal Armstrong earned her Doctor of Philosophy in Counselor Education and Supervision from the University of Texas at San Antonio’s CACREP-accredited program; she is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor Supervisor (LMHCS), Nationally Certified Counselor (NCC), a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor (LCDC), and a Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor (LPC-S, TX). Dr. Armstrong has taught secondary and postsecondary students, in addition to owning a private counseling practice; she also has a passion for working with the deaf population. Dr. Armstrong demonstrates her passion through service work, presentations, and workshops on today’s current issues.

Noreal is the Department Chair of the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program at Montreat College. During her time at Montreat, she has been instrumental is attaining CACREP accreditation, restructuring the course delivery format, and creating new master’s programs. Dr. Armstrong has served the counseling profession for eleven years and, in that time, she has over 30 professional presentations at the local, state, and national level. She has three peer-reviewed publications, two book chapters, and numerous newsletter publications. Dr. Armstrong is active in her community, providing mental health training and services to local churches.

She is an active member in the following organizations: American Counseling Association (ACA), Association for Multicultural Counseling and Development (AMCD), Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES), Southern Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (SACES), and the North Carolina Counseling Association (NCCA). As member of these organizations, she has served in leadership roles. Dr. Armstrong currently serves as AMCD Vice President of the Women’s Concern Group and was AMCD secretary for the 2019-2020 year. In February of 2020, Noreal was awarded Administrator of the Year by NCCA, recognizing her many accomplishments as Department Chair.

Dr. Armstrong has a strong research agenda in the areas of multiculturalism, deaf populations, substance abuse, adolescent development, and women in the professorate. She is passionate about advocacy, mentoring, and educating future counselors. Noreal believes mentorship is key to her success and the success of those new to the profession. Dr. Armstrong uses her platform to share knowledge, tips, and networks for the next generation of counselors. She is very active in the community, serving as an Advisory Committee Member for the non-profit organization, A Therapist Like Me, and is a Resource for Resilience Board member.

Kerry A. Friedman serves as the Resources for Resilience™ Board Chair. An Asheville native, he has practiced law with the firm of Patla Straus Robinson & Moore in Asheville since 1980 and specializes in business and non-profit law. Kerry has chaired the Boards of a number of prominent organizations, including those of Pisgah Legal Services, Legal Services of NC, United Way of Asheville-Buncombe County, CarePartners Health Services, the CarePartners Foundation, Congregation Beth Ha Tephila, the Jewish Community Center of Asheville, and the WNC Jewish Federation. He also served as the Secretary-Treasurer for the 28th Judicial District Bar from 1984 to 1986. In addition to his Board leadership experience, Kerry has also served as a Board member for the UNC Asheville Foundation, the Community Foundation of WNC, Meals on Wheels of Asheville/Buncombe County, Caring for Children, Carolina Day School, and the YMCA of Western North Carolina.

Dawa Hitch leads the City of Asheville’s award-winning Communication and Public Engagement (CAPE) team where she has the opportunity to put her passion for community decision-making to work. With national and state awards in Citizen Participation, Video Production, Marketing Efforts, the City’s employee website and the City’s external news blog, the CAPE team integrates communication and engagement efforts across the organization. Prior to joining the City, Dawa facilitated Strategic Planning in the private sector and led communication and community engagement in the fields of Natural Resource Management, Sustainable Communities and Education with a focus on underserved communities. In addition to the RFR Board, Dawa is also a member of the International Association of Public Participation and the City County Communication and Marketing Association.

Aisha Shepherd serves as Vice President of Community Engagement at United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County, where she leads the organization’s Community Engagement Team. As a native of Asheville, she brings more than 20 years of experience in public service and community engagement. Before joining United Way, Aisha worked with Buncombe County government from 2003, serving in roles spanning social work, justice services, and community engagement. She leads community-centered engagement strategies that strengthen partnerships and elevate community voice in decision-making. Aisha brings deep knowledge, strong relationships, and a commitment to inclusive and sustainable community impact.

Skeet Ayscue is the husband of the Rev. Elizabeth McNair Ayscue (37 years) and father of two adult children: Rebekah and Spencer.  Before retiring in 2020, he earned degrees in a number of disciplines, including a BS in Psychology, an AA in Computer Technology, and an MSW, and worked for 17 years in the electronics field and 19 years in social work and other non-profit endeavors.  During the last 15 years of his career, Skeet assisted in starting numerous non-profit entities and served as the executive director of Homes of Hope, a housing program for folks without homes in Stanly County.