Our Leadership

Mona Gauthier, MS, NCC, LPC, MBA
Executive Director

Ms. Gauthier has been with Pine Belt for more than 25 years. Prior to her appointment as Executive Director, she served as Director of Child & Adolescent Services. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor and is also licensed to provide LPC Supervision. Ms. Gauthier is also a National Board Certified Counselor.

Since 2014, Ms. Gauthier has been a certified Wraparound Coach with the National Wraparound Implementation Center. She is also a member of the Mississippi Association of Community Mental Health Centers.

She received a master’s degree in Counseling Psychology and a master’s in Business Administration from the University of Southern Mississippi.

Rita Porter, Ph.D.
Director of Adult Services

Dr. Porter has been with Pine Belt for 22 years. Prior to her promotion to Director of Adult Services, she served as Administrator of School-Based services for Pine Belt’s Child & Adolescent Program. She is a Licensed Psychologist.

Dr. Porter received a bachelor’s degree in Social Counseling from Our Lady of Holy Cross College in New Orleans, Louisiana, and a master’s and doctorate degree in Counseling Psychology from the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg.

Nick Hartley, M.Ed., LPC
Director of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Services

Mr. Hartley has been employed with Pine Belt for 23 years. Prior to his promotion to a program director, he served as coordinator of the Achieve Our Potential program for Pine Belt’s Child & Adolescent Services. He is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Board Certified Counselor Supervisor.

In 2015, Mr. Hartley was appointed to the Developmental Disabilities Council for the State of Mississippi.

Mr. Hartley received a master’s in Education in Community Counseling from Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond.

Felecia Coleman, MS, LPC
Director of County Operations

As Director of County Operations Mrs. Coleman oversees the operation of eight county mental health centers.

Mrs. Coleman has been employed with Pine Belt for 29 years. During this time, she has held a variety of positions including a clinician for adults and children and administrator of two county mental health clinics prior to her promotion to Director of County Operations.

Mrs. Coleman attended the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg where she received a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a master’s degree in Counseling Psychology.

Jean Robertson, LPC
Director of Child and Adolescent Services

Mrs. Robertson is a Nationally Board Certified Counselor, Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Mississippi and Board Qualified Supervisor for the Mississippi Board of Examiners for Licensed Professional Counselors.

She began her career with Pine Belt as an intern in 2007. Since this time, she has held a variety of positions including day treatment specialist, school-based counselor and coordinator and administrator for the Achieve our Potential program in Child and Adolescent Services. In 2015 she was promoted to county administrator and in 2018 was named the Director of Child and Adolescent Services for the agency.

Mrs. Robertson graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a minor in Business in 2005 and Master’s in Counseling Psychology in 2007.

Don Stimely, CPA
Chief Financial Officer

Mr. Stimely has been with Pine Belt since November 2018. Prior to joining Pine Belt Mental Healthcare Resources, he served as the CFO in the for-profit Substance Abuse Treatment industry for 6 years and the private K-12 school industry for 10 years. He served as the controller for a private liberal arts university for 5 years and began his career as an auditor for Ernst & Young, LLP.

He has been a Certified Public Accountant since 1994.

Mr. Stimely received a bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Business Administration from Palm Beach Atlantic University in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Sonya Robinson, LMSW
Director of County Operations

Ms. Robinson has been with PBMHR for 26 years. Throughout the years, she has served in a variety of capacities including SMI Case Manager, Crisis Case Manager, Liaison to the Courts and Adult Clinician. She has also served as coordinator for several programs including Residential, Hattiesburg Behavioral Health Court and Assisted Outpatient Treatment.

She received her Bachelor’s in Social Work from the University of Southern Mississippi and in
2015 became a Licensed Masters Level Social Worker. Ms. Robinson was chosen by the South Central Mississippi Bar Association as a Liberty Bell Award recipient and is also a DMH FOCUS alumni. Sonya is a Certified DLA-20 Trainer and CIT Trainer.

Esther Faye Clay-Arant, LMSW
Director of Chemical Dependency

Mrs. Clay-Arant brings years of experience to the management team as she previously served as the Substance Use Disorders Director where she was responsible for the direct oversight of the SUDS residential program as well as a number of service areas including transition, intensive outpatient, co-occurring, peer recovery support, medication assisted treatment, withdrawal management, outpatient and prevention. She also has experience as an Adult Inpatient and Outpatient Therapist.

She received her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Social Work from the University of Southern Mississippi. She received the Social Work Award of Excellence for USM in 2017.

Alix Dearing, LCSW
Director of Coastal Operations

Mrs. Dearing joins the leadership team to represent our facilities on the Gulf Coast. She has worked in mental health and social services on the coast for several years where she served in a variety of positions including Program Manager, Clinical Director and Patient Advocate of Social Services. She has also served as Liaison to the Chancery Court, Therapist and Gero Psych Social Worker. She previously worked for PBMHR as a day treatment specialist, clinician and a member of the on call team.

She received her Bachelor’s in Psychology and her Master’s in Social Work from the University of Southern Mississippi.

Hal Harrington, MA
Director of Human Resources

Mr. Harrington has been with Pine Belt since 2022. He has worked in various human resource roles for other healthcare organizations for the last 18 years. Earlier in his career, he was a mental health counselor.

He received a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Mississippi and his Master’s in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from Middle Tennessee State University.

Joanne Marsh, MS
Public Relations Manager

Mrs. Marsh has been in this position with Pine Belt since 1999. She serves on many agency committees including the Communications Committee, Quality Improvement Committee, Social Media Committee and Training Committee.

She is a member of the Pine Belt Chapter of the Public Relations Association of Mississippi and the Southern Public Relations Federation.

Mrs. Marsh received a bachelor’s degree in Speech Communication and a master’s degree in Journalism/Public Relations from the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg.