Administration

Heather Witt, MAOM, joined Emerge as Executive Director in January of 2023. Heather is the first non-clinician director to assume the role.

Heather has over 25 years of non-profit management experience. She previously served for 10 years as Vice President of Community Impact for United Way of the Piedmont. prior to she was the Executive Director of Prevent Child Abuse and a Program Officer at the Columbus Medical Association Foundation.

Heather has her bachelor’s and master’s degree in organizational management from Southwest University. She is also a graduate of The Riley Institute at Furman University (Diversity Leadership Institute); Leadership Spartanburg Class of 2013 and Spartanburg Regional Fellows.

Her leadership strengths include: strategic, belief, achiever, ideation and intellection.

Brenda Cenicola is the Administrative Coordinator for EMERGE’s Spartanburg location.

She oversees all the administrative tasks that take place in the front office. Brenda plays an important role in payment collection, client billing, answering phone calls, and directing callers to the best possible options for their needs, whether that be to become a new client, or to refer to outside sources that accept their insurance.

She is a graduate of Rio Salado Community College with an Associates in Applied Science in Public Administration.

Her leadership strengths include:harmony, learner, input, developer, and intellection.

Sara Garrett is the Administrative Coordinator for EMERGE’s Greenville location.

She oversees all of the administrative tasks that take place at the front office. Sara plays an important role in payment collection, client billing, answering phone calls and directing callers to their best possible options for their needs, whether that be to become a new client or to refer to outside sources that accept their insurance.

She is a current undergraduate student at Converse University, double majoring in German Studies and Psychology (with a clinical concentration/minor).

Her leadership strengths include: input, intellection, learner, restorative and relator.

Sarah Gervais, LMFT, RPT, is EMERGE’s Director of Continuing Education, a Staff Therapist, and an LMFT, MFT Supervisor , RPT, and RPT Supervisor. She teaches play therapy courses at EMERGE and supervises clinicians in EMERGE'S Post-Degree Institute.

Sarah has a bachelor's degree in psychology from North Greenville University and a master's degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Converse College. She received further training and supervision in play therapy in the Post-Degree Institute at EMERGE.

She is a member of the South Carolina Association for Play Therapy and the National Association for Play Therapy.

Her leadership strengths include: input, learner, intellection, restorative and developer.

Sara Parker, LMFT, is the Operations Director at EMERGE. Since 2013, Sara has been working in an administrative capacity as an administrative fellow and office manager where she established systems and client procedures.

In 2016, she became the first Operations Director for EMERGE where she officially took on the task of clinic operations and administrative management full-time.

She has a Master of Marriage and Family Therapy from Converse College and is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist.

Her leadership strengths include: empathy, consistency, positivity, harmony, and developer.

Monique Watson, LPC, is the Diversity and Collaboration Director at EMERGE.

She has a Master of Marriage and Family Therapy from Converse College and has been in private practice in Spartanburg since 1998. In 2017 she graduated from The Riley Institute at Furman University (Diversity Leadership Institute).

This training along with many years of counseling experience is utilized in her role to increase diversity and collaboration of minoritized populations.

Her leadership strengths include: connectedness, relator, belief, adaptability, and strategic.