Our Staff

A close up of a woman wearing a necklace and smiling.


Gayane Chambless

Program Director

Email:  gayane.c@freedomhouserecovery.org

Gayane joined the Orange Partnership for Alcohol and Drug Free Youth in 2011 as program coordinator and was promoted to program director in 2017.  She received her Bachelors of Arts from UNC-Chapel Hill, and her Masters degree in Counseling Education from North Carolina Central University. Early in her counseling career, she quickly realized the early use of substances could derail youth from achieving their full potential. As such, she switched gears to reduce and prevent youth substance use. 

 

Gayane has a long history of volunteer activism, particularly in Orange County where she has lived for the past 4 decades. Her priority has always been focused on supporting youth. She has been involved in schools mentoring children and coordinating youth programs. She currently serves as an Advisory Board member of KidSCope, a local nonprofit organization which focuses on serving children birth to age 5.


At the local level, she serves on the Juvenile Crime Prevention Council (JCPC), Healthy Carolinians of Orange County and Safe Kids of Orange County.  At the state level, she has been an advocate for policies to reduce and prevent opioid and prescription drug misuse serving as an inaugural member of the NC DHHS Opioid and Prescription Drug Abuse Advisory Committee (OPDAAC) and is currently serving on the North Carolina Statewide Excessive Alcohol Use Advisory Committee (NC SEAAC). 


Gayane enjoys spending her spare time with her family (especially the 2 grandchildren!), relaxing at the beach and traveling.

Mark Mitchell

Youth Coordinator

Email:  mark.m@freedomhouserecovery.org


Mark serves as the Youth Program Coordinator for Orange      Partnership for Alcohol and Drug Free Youth.  He is dedicated to supporting young people in making healthy, informed decisions and building brighter futures. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communications from North Carolina Central University, a foundation that has shaped his ability to connect with diverse audiences and foster meaningful relationships.


Mark’s career has been defined by his passion for youth development and education. He has held impactful roles with nonprofit organizations such as Student U Durham and Communities in Schools of Durham, where he collaborated closely with students and families. In these positions, Mark gained valuable insights into community needs and the importance of creating accessible resources for young people.


In addition to his nonprofit experience, Mark has served as a special education teacher in multiple positions with Durham Public Schools, teaching at both the elementary and middle school levels. These roles further fueled his commitment to helping students of all backgrounds thrive academically and personally. His ability to engage and inspire young minds continues to drive his work at the Orange Partnership.


Outside of work, Mark is an avid sports fan who loves watching and participating in athletic activities. In his downtime, he enjoys playing and collecting video games, a hobby that combines his competitive spirit and creative interests.

A woman wearing a black sweater and a red shirt is smiling for the camera.

Jennifer Robbins

Data Analyst

Email:  jennifer.r@freedomhouserecovery.org

Jenny joined Orange Partnership for Alcohol and Drug Free Youth in September of 2024. Born and raised in Tampa, Florida, she moved to South Carolina to pursue a Bachelor of Science degree in exercise physiology at Furman University and went on to earn a Master’s in exercise physiology from the University of South Carolina School of Public Health. She and her husband have two children, both of whom attend school in Durham, NC.


During her 10-year tenure as a clinical research coordinator at Duke University, Jenny focused on the benefits of exercise training in the primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease. As an academic researcher, she has managed study data, assembled grant proposals, and authored over 20 peer reviewed journal articles regarding the impact and amount of this positive behavioral change on physiology, functional capacity, and overall quality of life.  


Jenny serves as a middle school parent board member and is an active volunteer in Durham County Schools. As a parent, drug and alcohol prevention, data-driven education, and improved youth mental health are near and dear to her heart. She is excited to be part of Orange Partnership’s important contribution to improved overall health in adolescents, policy change, and sharing what is learned with the community at large.


Outside of work, Jenny enjoys warm weather, ocean water, and spending quality time with her family, friends, and her chocolate labrador retriever. 

A woman wearing a black sweater and a red shirt is smiling for the camera.

Breah Woolson

Program Specialist

Email:  breah.w@freedomhouserecovery.org

Breah joined Orange Partnership in August 2023. She relocated to the Hillsborough-Chapel Hill area 16 years ago from Chicago, Illinois. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from the University of Notre Dame and went on to earn a master’s in business administration (MBA) while working full-time in the financial services industry. She and her husband have two children, who both attend schools in the Orange County School district.

 

Once settled in NC, Breah took her for-profit business background and applied it to the areas of development and fundraising at two local nonprofits- the first focused on public health prevention and tobacco cessation, and most recently served as the Data Analytics Manager at Ronald McDonald House of Chapel Hill, where she oversaw their customer relationship donor management system (CRM) and managed all things donor-giving such as the delivery of management level reports and donor pledge reconciliation for its capital improvement campaign. 


Breah has been a member of the Orange County Parent-Teacher Association and parent volunteer for many years. She looks forward to building on her network as a parent in the Orange County school system and helping Orange Partnership carry out its important work in reducing and preventing alcohol and drug use in our youth - and improving their overall mental wellbeing.

 

Outside of work, you can find Breah gardening, spending time in the cooler mountain air and playing in competitive tennis leagues in the Chapel Hill and Durham area.

Share by: