Executive Team

Jack Kline, MS, LPCS, LCAS, CCS, CTT-2, MAC

President & Founder

Jack has more than 30 years of experience in dealing with mental health, substance abuse disorders, recovery trauma, and the array of co-occurring mental health issues that go along with it. He also has extensive training in depression, bipolar disorder, gender identity issues, family issues, grief and trauma, conduct disorder, and developmental issues pertaining to adolescents and young adults. Jack holds a Masters degree in Mental Health Counseling as well as the following six clinical licenses and certifications:

• Licensed Professional Counselor
• Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor
• Licensed Clinical Addictions Specialist
• Certified Clinical Supervisor
• Certified Trauma Therapist – 2 Internationally Certified Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor

Jack has specialized training in the following areas:

• Substance abuse
• Addiction/recovery issues
• Trauma
• 12-Step facilitation
• Advanced relapse prevention therapy
• Attachment disorders including Reactive Attachment Disorder
• Sexual abuse
• Marriage and family therapy
• Adventure based counseling
• Systemic family interventions
• Clinical supervision

He has designed and helped open six other highly regarded programs in the field of adventure therapy substance abuse field focusing in the substance abuse field, mental health, and addiction treatment. He has provided care in both private-practice settings and the public sector. He presents nationally at various conferences on cutting-edge treatment for young adults and adolescents. The needs of the clients that he sees continually change, and so he believes our treatment team and program offerings must continually evolve.

Jack believes in an integrative approach that deals with the underlying emotional issues that are simultaneously present with chemical dependency substance use disorders. Consequently, he uses a holistic, strengths-based orientation that empowers clients to develop their inherent talents, skills, and resources.

Additionally, as a Black Belt in American Kenpo, Jack instructs Red Oak Recovery^® clients in self-defense, personal empowerment, character development, and the underlying principles of self-respect, respect for others, and self-discipline.

Mick Masterson, CSAC

Vice President of Operations

Mick brings over 10 years of experience in mental health and substance abuse treatment. He has served in positions as direct care, admissions, transitional living management, program development and management, and operations. Currently, in his role as Vice President of Operations, Mick works to ensure Red Oak Recovery^® programs continue to offer quality and effective programming to our clients, with the highest standards of safety and accountability. Through effective recruitment, training and mentorship Mick ensures that Red Oak Recovery^® employs the most qualified and compassionate staff to deliver impactful and effective clinical and holistic treatment services.

Mick draws upon his own experience in recovery to connect with our clients and share his experience strength and hope. He is a firm believer that anyone and everyone can recover and works tirelessly to ensure that our clients are given the love, support, and tools they need to achieve the changes they seek in their lives.

Mick is a dedicated and grateful father of three girls. He spends his time away from work with his partner Carrie, their daughters, dogs, cats, chickens, and bees enjoying the beauty of Western North Carolina and the gifts that his life of recovery has provided.

Meg N. Nygren, CAI-II, CTP-I

Vice President of Marketing

Meg Nygren re-joins the team as the Director of Marketing for Red Oak Recovery^® programs. Her vast experience includes working in the marketing and business development arena, strategic planning, leadership development, and working with families, clients, and referral sources during the admissions process and throughout their treatment stay. She also has experience with regards to operations, regulation, and compliance in a prior role with Red Oak Recovery^®.

Meg delivers a high standard of excellence and offers a collaborative team spirit with those she works with. She enjoys working with families and professionals to help deliver solutions for customized treatment and long-lasting, sustainable recovery for those struggling with substance use, trauma, and mental health issues. Meg is a Certified ARISE Interventionist, Level II and a Certified Trauma Professional, Level I.

On her downtime, you can find Meg exploring the many things to do in beautiful Western North Carolina with her husband. Eric and miniature pinscher, Romeo.

Shane Phillips, MSW, LCAS

Executive Director

Shane is grateful for the opportunity to return to Red Oak Recovery^® as Executive Director of the men’s campus. Shane is a founding member of the team and helped Red Oak open its doors in 2014. He is passionate about working with young adults and their families. Shane has worked in a variety of treatment settings serving adolescents and young adults with co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders. Most recently, he worked as a clinician in an outpatient program at Duke University Medical Center.

While getting his MSW at UNC-Chapel Hill, Shane was a recipient of the Governor’s Institute Scholarship, and he received a fellowship through the NAADAC National Minority Fellowship Program for Addiction Counselors. He was a member of the collegiate recovery community at UNC and served for a year as the President of the Carolina Recovery Group. After completing his master’s program, Shane supervised the development of a grant-funded initiative to provide peer support services to overdose survivors in Wake County.

Shane believes deeply in a young person’s capacity to initiate and sustain long-term recovery from addiction. In his current role, he manages the young adult men’s campus and works to ensure that clients and their families receive compassionate, evidence-based treatment.

Paul Weaver, MS, LPCS, LCAS, CSI

Clinical Director

With a Masters in Professional Counseling from Georgia State University, Paul has worked extensively with Emerging Adults in both hospital and outpatient settings, largely focusing on the client with co-occurring substance use and psychiatric disorders. Being deeply influenced by the work of Carl Rogers, Viktor Frankl, and Carl Jung, Paul tends to focus on themes of autonomy and power, identity formation, and meaning and purpose in his work with clients. Paul brings to Red Oak Recovery^® experience and interest in clinical rehabilitation program development and training.

Paul and his wife’s passion for the outdoors and for sustainability drew them to the Asheville area. Working at Red Oak enables Paul to continue to focus on his work with Emerging Adults and explore his interests in Eco and Adventure Therapy. When not working, Paul, his wife, and their two young children spend much of their time camping, hiking, and enjoying the serenity of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Derek Rutter, LPC, LCAS

Program Director

Deeply influenced by person-centered and existential approaches to therapy, Derek is passionate about co-creating experiences of self-examination, discovery, and acceptance, so as to embrace and motivate the whole person. While strongly rooted in Motivational Interviewing, Derek draws on a variety of approaches based on the needs of the individual. He has worked with adolescents and adults on a range of developmental, mental health, and addictions-related concerns in community-based, outpatient, and inpatient settings.

Specific areas of clinical experience include substance-related and addictive disorders, depressive and anxiety disorders, trauma, concerns of adult children of dysfunctional families, gender and sexuality issues, and adjustment challenges. Derek holds a Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Wake Forest University and is pursuing licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor and Licensed Clinical Addiction Specialist.

In addition to counseling, Derek is passionate about hiking, yoga, trail running, making things with his hands, playing and recording music, and spending time with his wife, family, and friends.

Nathan Gazaway, CSAC-I

Operations Director

Nathan is originally from the Atlanta, GA area and arrived in Western North Carolina seeking relief from a debilitating drug addiction. It was in these mountains where Nathan found new purpose and the desire to separate from all that had defined his life previously. Nathan brings his hard-won recovery to his position at Red Oak and knows he has been exactly where all Red Oak clients have been: in the same hopelessness and futility of trying to get clean on their own and failing. Nathan is thankful to be one of the lucky few to have the opportunity to get clean in a treatment facility, and this experience led him to serve in the field of recovery in roles as direct care, management at both transitionary and primary treatment facilities, and adventure programing. Nathan truly believes in the healing power of the natural world and brings an intense desire to respect and protect the mountains of Western North Carolina. This desire compelled him to achieve the title of Leave No Trace Master Educator as well as Certified Substance Abuse Counselor Intern.

Nathan’s mother is also active in her own recovery community, supporting those with addicted
children and offering her experience to those in the destructive wake of the addict. In his spare time, Nathan loves to hike and explore the Great Smoky Mountains and the Pisgah National Forest with his therapy dog Ellie May. He enjoys woodworking, playing sports, and working on motorcycles. He also spends much of his time working with and mentoring other young men in recovery that may be seeking help from the 12-step community.