Starting Point Behavioral Healthcare Thanks Outgoing Board Members for Years of Dedicated Service

Pictured Above Left to Right: Dure Ashwell, Tom McKenna

Yulee, Fla: Starting Point Behavioral Healthcare wishes to express its deepest gratitude to Drue Ashwell and Thomas “Tom” McKenna for their committed leadership on the Board of Directors. Both members joined in March 2012 and served over 9 years to elevate the mission and vision of the agency, reduce stigma surrounding mental health and substance use disorders, and provide oversight to the nonprofit which has delivered behavioral health services to Nassau County and Northeast Florida since 1992.

Drue Ashwell is presently the Pharmacy Manager of RxPert Inc. in Jacksonville Florida. She held many positions during her tenure as SPBH leadership including President and Vice-President of the Board. Tom McKenna is the former National CEO at Big Brothers Big Sisters of America and was a Senior Lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania. His leadership on the Board included Vice President and Chair of the Governance Committee.

“There aren’t enough words to express my sincere appreciation and gratitude to both Drue and Tom for their many years of service to Starting Point,” says Laureen Pagel, CEO at Starting Point. Their dedication of time and commitment helped SPBH become the innovative, results-driven leader in Behavioral Healthcare for Nassau County that we are today. I personally have enjoyed the time spent with Tom and Drue and have learned a great deal from each of them.”

– Laureen Pagel, CEO, Starting Point Behavioral Healthcare

During their 9+ years of volunteer service, Starting Point Behavioral Healthcare was able to:

• Rebrand the agency and name to Starting Point Behavioral Healthcare
• Establish CARF accreditation in the area of Leadership and Governance
• Create a succession plan to ensure continuity and stability for the organization
• Expand its footprint throughout Northeast Florida
• Lead a capital campaign to purchase and renovate the Drop-In Center in Fernandina Beach, FL

Starting Point is always accepting applications for its Board of Directors. For more information on the current slate of members and officers, please visit www.spbh.org/about/our-leadership/.

About Starting Point Behavioral Healthcare

Starting Point Behavioral Healthcare provides mental health and substance abuse treatment services to children, teens and adults in Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia. The non-profit agency serves more than 3,000 individuals each year and has been serving the region for more than 29 years. Starting Point is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF). For more information, please visit www.spbh.org.

###