Community Grief Support

CGSS STAFF

Steve Sweatt, Clinical and Agency Director
	Steve is a Licensed Professional Counselor and a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with more than 20 years of experience. He directs CGSS programs and services, counsels clients and supervises contract counselors and graduate counseling interns. Steve’s expertise encompasses grief and bereavement, crisis intervention and individual, couples and family counseling. He has a Masters of Education, Agency Counseling, from The University of Montevallo and trained in bereavement counseling with Dr. Alan Wolfelt at the Center for Loss and Life Transition in Fort Collins, CO.
Steve serves on the Professional Advisory Committee for the Department of Counseling. Steve was Founding Director and Clinical Staff Chaplain, Pastoral Services, at St. Vincent’s East (formerly Medical Center East), a post he held for 7 years. He is an ordained Baptist minister and has previously been a clinical member of the American Association of Pastoral Counselors, the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapists, and the Alabama Association for Marriage and Family Therapists. A family man who has experienced the loss of his father and grandfather, Steve has a grown son and a daughter pursuing a Master’s degree. He loves music from the 60’s and is a physical fitness enthusiast.

Carol MacMillan, Administrative Director

Carol has managed the day-to-day operations of CGSS since 2008. She is well-acquainted with grief; her husband, younger sister and father died within months of each other in 2006-07. Learning of her husband's death, a friend recommended Carol contact CGSS for counseling. She began individual counseling and joined a "Young Widowed Support Group" as soon as it was available. Convinced of the value of grief support, she subsequently served CGSS as a volunteer chair for the 2007 "Lift Your Spirits", worked part-time as a grant writer and event coordinator and trained as a support group volunteer.

Carol retired as Marketing Manager from Brasfield & Gorrie where she worked for 18 years. Prior to that, she was with Rust International in Birmingham and Hospital Affiliates in Nashville, TN. She currently serves on the Women’s Committee of Spain Rehabilitation Hospital, and several other boards and is a member of the Hoover Service Club and Hoover Senior Singles.

Carol has a daughter and son and four grandchildren. Her mom recently celebrated her 101st birthday! She enjoys family, friends and travel, is active in her church and has a passion for Mid-Century Modern.

Laudan Khalid, Administrative Assistant
	Laudan joined CGSS in January 2011 and assists in the agency’s day-to-day activities while also managing the CGSS website. After graduating from the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 2003 with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies, Laudan served 5 years as Public Relations Specialist for the Birmingham Airport Authority.
She is a Birmingham native who is most fulfilled when she is helping others. Over the years, she has helped a local nonprofit establish a new fundraiser that continues to bring in additional dollars each year. Laudan enjoys large events and frequent travel to new places. She and her husband love watching American Pickers on History Channel and she is an enthusiastic Food Network fan. She enjoys tackling new Moroccan recipes passed down by her in-laws and brings the staff an occasional treat.

COUNSELORS

John Harris, Counselor and Support Group Facilitator
	John facilitates widowed support groups and provides individual counseling at our Homewood office. John is a Pastoral Care Specialist with The American Association of Pastoral Counselors. He received bereavement care and counseling training at The Center for Loss and Life Transition in Ft. Collins, Colorado.
John is a retired minister and former chaplain. He is active in his church and is a long-time volunteer with Habitat for Humanity. John and his wife enjoy visiting family – especially their grandchildren. As former residents of Baton Rouge, they love Cajun food.

Jacqueline Kelley, Counselor and Support Group Facilitator
	Jacque facilitates our Western Birmingham Support Group and provides individual counseling for CGSS at The Bethesda Life Center in Ensley. Jacque is the former Director of Pastoral Services and Clinical Pastoral Education at Birmingham's Ingalls Center for Pastoral Ministries, Baptist Medical Center Princeton, where she served for 11 years.
She is a Certified Supervisor of CPE with The Association of Clinical Pastoral Education, and a Board Certified Chaplain with The Association of Professional Chaplains. In addition to her work with CGSS, Jacque is an ordained United Methodist minister and serves as an adjunct professor with Samford University's Beeson Divinity School. Jacque's chaplaincy career was preceded by a17-year tenure with Southwestern Bell Telephone Company in Dallas.

Cheryl LeWallen, Counselor and Support Group Facilitator
	Cheryl holds a master's degree in Marriage and Family Counseling from the University of Montevallo. She is an Associate Licensed Counselor, a National Certified Counselor and is working toward her associate licensure in marriage and family therapy. Cheryl is under the supervision of Dr. Charlotte Daughhettee, Ph.D., ALC, LMFT. Cheryl has counseled at Oasis Counseling for Women and Children and worked as a
substance abuse counselor at Alethia House's Women's Hope program where she helped mother's struggling from addiction. Cheryl has a particular interest in adult survivors of childhood trauma and issues related to grief.

Margie Slaughter, Counselor and Support Group Facilitator
	Margie holds a master's degree in Marriage and Family Counseling from the University of Montevallo. She also graduated from The University of Alabama School of Law with honors in 1998 and practiced law for 6 years until she discovered a love for counseling. Margie worked as volunteer chaplain for Shelby Baptist Medical Center. She is an Associate License Counselor in Marriage and Family Therapy and joined CGSS since Spring 2011.