Q&A Associates family of programs has made some exciting staffing changes throughout the programs.
Dr. Sandy Schmiedeknecht has been promoted to Interim Program Director at Cabin Mountain Living Center. Schmiedeknecht has worked alongside Angie Shockley, Founder and CEO of Q&A Associates, for many years and was very instrumental in the development of all three programs under Q&A (Applewood Transitions for young women, The Journey for young men, and Cabin Mountain Living Center) as well as the extensive life skills curriculum used for clients. Sandy Schmiedeknecht, EdD, MA, CLC, CAC, CMHC, holds a doctorate in Education Community Care & Counseling along with a master's degree and several coach certifications.
"We are excited to have Sandy come out of partial retirement, back on the team, and at the helm of Cabin Mountain," stated Keith Bishop, COO. Schmiedeknecht's doctoral thesis was a completed research project focused on how the Q&A life skills curriculum assists Cabin Mountain clients in their growth and development.
Scott Huffman has been the Director at Cabin Mountain since May 2022. Huffman also had a previous career with Q&A. Huffman served as an Executive Assistant to Shockley for many years before leaving to purchase and run his own business. The team at Q&A was very grateful for Huffman's choice to return to Q&A, and he has done a wonderful job managing Cabin Mountain. Huffman is transitioning into the role of Program Support Specialist. Huffman will take on the Symmetry Neuro-feedback programming in-house and manage other key aspects of daily operations. Huffman will still be present with the Cabin Mountain program and interact with both Applewood and Journey regularly.
Kelly Pennington, BA, AA, CLC, CRC, has been a part of the Q&A family for almost ten years. Pennington came to Q&A to complete an internship as part of her bachelor's degree. She did an amazing job in that internship and became a full-time member of the Q&A staff. Pennington has served as the Assistant Director at Cabin Mountain and as the Director of Cabin Mountain and Journey. Pennington was named Director of Applewood in January 2022, and she will continue to have this responsibility, but she will be in the new role of Senior Program Manager. In this role, she will be providing support, training, and coaching to other members of the leadership team, as well as the direct care staff, while overseeing the daily operations of Applewood. Pennington has demonstrated tremendous growth during her tenure at Q&A and is an integral part of the operations team. In her new role, Pennington will be interfacing with referral sources and taking on more overall responsibilities for the company's daily operations.
"As I reflect on the 14 years that we have been in operation, I am overcome with gratitude for the many young adults and families we have mentored," Shockley explained, "I am humbled by the support we have garnered from families and the therapeutic community. Our jobs are not easy, but they are rewarding. I also feel incredibly blessed to have watched the Q&A team come together through the years. We have some very dedicated and hard-working staff members, and without them, none of this work could get done," Shockley continued.
About Q&A Associates:
Q&A Associates works with young adults ages 18 and up, providing opportunities for them to develop independent, functional, and happy lives. Our clients have struggled to reach independence for various reasons, such as the inability to establish and/or implement the life skills needed to succeed or to obtain consistent employment. Our goal is to help these individuals find meaning and an authentic purpose for their lives, and a practical path to achieve their goals. For more information, please call admissions at (304) 704-6383.