Sally R. Lawes, EdS

Sally Lawes joins Michael’s House from The Oaks at La Paloma, located in Tennessee, where she served as Chief Executive Officer/Managing Director for two years. She brings with her a wide range of experience in substance use and mental health disorder treatment, including her most previous position as executive director of Pasadena Villa’s Smoky Mountain Lodge treatment center in East Tennessee. Prior to that, she served for nearly 15 years as a director, administrator, and counselor with Bradford Health Systems.

Born in Houston, Texas, and raised in Cleveland, Mississippi, Lawes earned her bachelor’s degree in English and her master’s degree in community counseling from Delta State University. Lawes earned her Educational Specialist degree in Counselor Education and Supervision from The University of Alabama and is a Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor in the state of Alabama.

She felt drawn to the world of behavioral healthcare because she is driven to make a difference, both for her staff and the individuals they treat. “If I’m successful in ensuring that the systems and processes at this facility work effectively and efficiently, then I contribute in a small way to more people getting better than I could ever impact directly,” explains Lawes.

As she guides the team at Michael’s House in its mission to help people discover hope and build lasting recovery. “Michael’s House celebrated its 30th Anniversary last year, and I look forward to being a part of the next 30 years. We continue to provide high quality, patient-centered care to those struggling with the devastating effects of substance use and other co-occurring disorders.”

Lawes finds motivation in her personal motto, as originally said by Helen Keller: “Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it.” Outside of her work, she enjoys spending time with her son and her dog, Dizzy.