SHANNON WHITE, LCDC
Founder & Executive Director
Shannon White graduated from the University of Texas with a degree in Early Childhood Education. After her last drink on August 24, 2007, she left the teaching field and returned to school to become a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor.
In 2011, she turned her dream of having a treatment center into a reality by founding GraceToChange. Shannon has been an active participant in multiple drug courts, has taught Moral Reconation Therapy classes inside the Collin County Jail, and has become a well-known and avid advocate for those suffering from the disease of addiction in Collin County.
Shannon transformed GraceToChange into a 501(c)3 in 2017 to help the growing, underserved indigent population of the county.
JENNIFER CHELGREN, LCDC
Program Director
Jennifer Chelgren lived through 20 years of drug addiction before deciding to dedicate her life and career to helping men and women in their recovery of substance use disorders.
She completed her coursework in counseling in 2013 and became a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor. In addition, she is a certified Moral Reconation Therapy (MRT) instructor and currently is the primary facilitator for GraceToChange’s men’s and women’s MRT classes.
Jennifer remains active with Alcoholics Anonymous and with her recovery community.
KIM HUGHES
Administrative Director
Kim Hughes started her career at GraceToChange in 2016 after spending several years utilizing the program with her teenage daughter who is now in recovery. This “insider view” allows her to offer compassion and understanding for the journey all parents experience as they face addiction with their children.
Kim considers her position at GraceToChange not as a job, but instead as her passion in life.
Kim is a graduate of the Leadership McKinney Class of 2017 and is very active in the philanthropic community. She was awarded the Leadership McKinney Alumnus of the Year by the McKinney Chamber of Commerce in 2022.
BONNIE DONALDSON, LCDCI
Adolescence Counselor
Bonnie Donaldson's story in recovery started in high school. In 2018, she left corporate America and enrolled in training the following week to join GraceToChange as a Peer Recovery Coach. She also decided to return to school with a focus on helping families in recovery.
Bonnie is a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor intern and is currently attending Texas Woman's University to earn a Bachelor of Science in Family Studies. Drawing upon her own experiences with addiction in high school,
Bonnie especially enjoys advocating for and working with our adolescent group.
DANIEL HAWKINS, LCDCI
Counselor
Daniel Hawkins graduated from Texas Tech University with a Bachelor's degree in Human Sciences. In 2021, he became a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor Intern.
After living through 20 years of drug addiction himself, Daniel decided to dedicate his life and career to helping others in their recovery from substance use disorders and mental health challenges. Daniel is a dedicated advocate who works with both adults and adolescents.
OUR COMMITMENT TO YOU
GraceToChange's proven treatment program is designed to meet individuals where they are in their journeys. We create safe spaces for all people, embracing diversity, equity, and inclusion. We believe empathy is central to successful outcomes for individuals, families, and organizations. We commit to communication and counseling that encourage both individual flourishing and strong connections to each other.
EDUCATION & OUTREACH
EDUCATION & OUTREACH
Discover Hope In Change
GraceToChange counselors commit to studying new approaches and developing innovative ways to implement and add them to our other proven practices.
We evaluate our success in this field by gathering qualitative and quantitative data, and using that information to measure shifts and changes from our baseline measurements.
As part of our mission, our founder, Shannon White, spends hours in the community meeting with adult groups and area schools to share her knowledge and experience so others will discover that there is hope in change.
2021-2022 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Mitzi Yavoski
RN-Retired
GTC Board President
Chimicé Brown
Ryan LLC
GTC Board Treasurer
David Azad
Azad & Barlow, PLLC
James Tolivar Craig III
Craig International, Inc.
Sam Johnson
Johnson Friedman
Law Group, PLLC
Mark Scroggins
Scroggins Law Group, PLLC
Nicole Smith
Old Republic Title,
Director of First Impressions
David Swearingen
SFMG Wealth Advisors