Allyson Crickenberger
Oakwood Forest and Glen Haven Program Coordinator
Center for New North Carolinians
Email Address: a_crickenbe@uncg.edu
Education
- MSW, Arizona State University
Get to Know Us
Originally from West Virginia, Allyson has spent a great deal of time in the service field. After graduating college, she spent a year traveling the world, becoming involved with numerous international humanitarian relief efforts in South America, Eastern Europe and Southeast Asia, including refugee relief efforts on the border of Greece.
With a BS in Microbiology from West Virgina University, she spent some time doing research for the Center for Disease Control, NIOSH in Morgantown, WV. Quickly realizing she desired to be more in the community coming alongside individuals, she began volunteering at a local Clean Needle Exchange program and community center for those without housing and later served as an Americorp VISTA member with Catholic Charities Refugee Resettlement Agency in Phoenix, AZ. Seeing the mental health needs of these individuals and needing a move across country, her husband and herself moved to Tacoma, WA and she worked as an AAC mental health counselor and case manager for children and adults with severe mental health diagnoses. While there, she continued to volunteer to support individuals at Lutheran Community Services, a refugee resettlement agency in Tacoma, WA. Allyson returned to school to pursue her Masters in Social Work with Arizona State University.
She enjoys traveling and is passionate about refugee relief efforts and mental health and continues to serve both nationally and internationally in varying capacities. She feels incredibly blessed to serve as the program coordinator for Oakwood Forest and Glen Haven Community Centers.