Russell & Louise Boardman
Russell and Louise are the parents of three boys, now men. The journey to form William's Place began as they were searching for a program to send their son. When they were told that the program that their son's counselor wanted to send him to did not exist, they determined that they would make it so. The vision was for a program that would integrate faith, community, and good clinical care, including any needed medication. This would be a program for those willing to engage in the hard process of recovery, and it would be a program to support the families whose resources had been depleted by addiction. William's Place is a comprehensive, Christ-centered residential recovery program for men seeking life, hope and restoration. This is a program for the William's.
Nikki Hughes, LCMHC, LCAS
The vision for William’s Place began many years ago in my work as an inpatient therapist at a state facility specializing in the treatment of individuals struggling with mental health and substance abuse. This dream of what men truly needed to live a life of recovery, integrating sound clinical care with an understanding of the grace found in the gospel in the context of the healing in real community, began to take shape and would not let go. That it transitioned from vision to reality is nothing short of a miracle centered on God’s relentless love for these men, his people. That I get to participate in this work of healing and redemption: pure joy.
Nikki practices as a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor and Licensed Clinical Addictions Specialist in the state of North Carolina. In addition to her work as the Clinical Director at William’s Place, she is the Regional Director for Safe Harbor Christian Counseling of Asheville.
Nikki received her Master of Arts in Community Counseling with a dual emphasis in Addictions and Marriage and Family Therapy from Appalachian State University in Boone, NC in 2002. She earned her undergraduate degree in Human Services from Montreat College in Montreat, NC in 1998.
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Alfonso Graceffo
In April 2001 Alfonso found himself at the end of a long journey that seemingly ended in a place of darkness, without hope. There was an unlooked for interview with William's Place and from there God started to make himself known and real, and hope began to take hold.
These people have reinforced who I really am, and not who I was. And they continue to do so. It has changed me and freed me from that cycle of addiction. Now, I want to help people find that same freedom, and to be able to care for other people the way people care for me.
Alfonso is a Peer Support Specialist who now serves as the full time Resident Manager and purveyor of joy.