Red Cliff Community Health Center
Behavioral Health Staff
Nicole Gurnoe, MS, LPC, Department Director
Nicole has a master’s degree in mental health counseling and currently holds her Wisconsin state license as a Professional Counselor. Nicole’s services include individual therapy to children and adults along with case management, information and referral, mental health promotion, consult and ongoing collaboration with county, state and tribal service providers. Nicole’s approach emphasizes the mutual development of goals for therapy and provision of ongoing evaluation of the therapeutic approach. She is trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Reality Therapy, Solution Focused Therapy, Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR) and Crisis Intervention. She continues to seek ongoing training to increase her skills and knowledge base. Nicole is invested in an approach emphasizing a more integrative, dynamic, and holistic methods to treat mental health. She is particularly concerned with the impact of loss and trauma and improving intervention to support recovery for better emotional, physical and relationship health.
Melissa Grooms, MS, LPC
Mental Health Therapist
Melissa has her master’s degree in professional counseling from Concordia University – Wisconsin. She graduated from UW-Eau Claire in 2011 with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. She completed an internship at Marriage and Family Health Services, Ltd. and continued to work there as a Psychological Technician in
the day treatment program and as a therapist for outpatient counseling. She is now a mental health therapist at the Red Cliff Community Health Center. Melissa works at the Bayfield public school and the Red Cliff Community Health Center, providing individual and family therapy for ages 5 and up. Her services include assessments, psychotherapeutic treatment plans, and case management for individuals as well as mental health promotion, consult and ongoing collaboration with tribal, county, and state service providers. Melissa believes in a holistic approach to health and wellness and strives to further her knowledge in trauma informed care.
Tammy Kolesar, LPC-IT, SAC-IT
Behavioral Health Professional
Tammy has her master’s degree from the Hazelden Betty Ford Graduate School of Addiction Studies in Center City, Minnesota, with a concentration in integrated recovery/dual disorders treatment. She recently completed the Infant, Early Childhood and Family Mental Health Capstone Certificate program at the University of Wisconsin, Madison to increase her skills with families and provide comprehensive services to local agencies and families. She believes in a person-centered care system where everyone is recognized as an individual and therapy designed around their interest, abilities, and needs. Tammy believes in a holistic approach to total body wellness and she works to help people recognize their potential. When she is not working Tammy gardens, walks her dog, and spends time with her family.
Jeanna Metelica, MSE, LPC, CSAC
Jeanna is a licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and Clinical Substance Abuse Counselor (CSAC) by the state of Wisconsin. She is also trained in Equine Assisted Psychotherapy and intensive trauma approaches to counseling. She has been a AODA counselor since 1995 and has over sixteen years’ of experience working with adolescents and families. Her therapeutic approaches are Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Experiential Therapy, Motivational Enhancement Therapy,( MET), Family Systems Therapy, Mindfulness meditation, Brief Solution Focused Therapy, and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing.
Mishomis Wellness Center
Martin Gordon
CSAC/ICS
Attended the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis where he received his Substance Abuse education and Associate in Arts Degree. Martin has been a Substance Abuse Counselor since 1993. He began his career as the Mishomis Halfway House manager and Substance Abuse counselor in Red Cliff under the supervision of Gene Peacock, Program Director. Throughout his 21 years of service with the Red Cliff AODA Program he became the Program Director and worked in that capacity for 17 years. He was also as member of the Wisconsin Certification Board Peer Review Committee for approximately 7 years. After leaving the Red Cliff AODA Program he worked as a counselor for New Horizon’s North Program and Ashland County with Dual Diagnosed clients. Throughout the years he has received training in numerous theoretical models as a part of his job requirements.
Laura Gordon
Behavioral Health Administrative Assistant
Laura has worked for the Red Cliff tribe for over 20 years in various departments. Laura worked in the AODA field from 2001 to 2008; she was as a Counselor in Training and also a Prevention Specialist in Training during those years. Laura was on tribal council for eight years (four terms). Laura has one daughter and a beautiful grandson. Laura enjoys the outdoors whether it be by walking, biking and taking care of her yard, she also like to crochet and does bead work.
Lorna Gamble, MSE
Comprehensive Community Services (CCS), Administrator
CCS is a voluntary program that provides services to children and adults who have mental health or substance abuse issues
Lorna holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in Native American studies, and an MSE in counseling with a specialty in the Native American population. She worked as a social worker for Ashland County helping elders, people with physical and developmental disabilities as well as those with chronic mental illness remain in their own homes. She has also worked in many jobs with the tribe for 15 years in areas such as Indian Child Welfare and Domestic Violence programs. She is currently working as a Service Facilitator and interim administrator for the Comprehensive Community Services Program for Red Cliff. She hopes to build trust, compassion, and empathy into the work she does with our community.
Sarah Nevins
Comprehensive Community Services, Facilitator
715-779-3707, Ext. 2453
Sarah is excited to be a part of the CCS team at the Mishomis Wellness Center. Sarah’s position as a CCS facilitator involves helping people focus on their goals and their healing, and as a case manager she will help participants build the team of their choosing to work towards their own self-identified goals. Sarah is also continuing to work as a Certified Peer Specialist, and can be a part of the service team that she helps people put together.
Sarah is involved with the Mino Bimaadiziiwin (Living in a good way) Tribal Organic Farm located right next door to the Red Cliff Community Health Center; and part of her focus is outreach to people who want to spend time outdoors as a healing part of their recovery. Get in touch with her if you are interested in gardening or learning about farming, meditation, journaling – or if you want to incorporate other healing and relaxing activities into your routine as part of taking good care of yourself. It’s always an option to just go have coffee and chat too!
Sarah was formally educated in the Fine Arts at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design and loves to paint, draw, and make almost anything. She was informally educated on several organic farms in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and on the east coast.
Sarah’s connection with the Earth, and the healing it has brought to her own life, is what motivates her to encourage others to find their connection as well. She views health and recovery like a garden – when we plant a seed, we don’t see the flower the next day; we must care for it and nurture it and make room for it to grow… and trust that there are beautiful things coming.
In her free time, Sarah loves to hike and spend time in the forest and near our great lake, hang out with her beautiful flock of hens, and spend time with friends and family.
Patricia G. Gordon
CCS Administrative Assistant/
Mishomis Wellness Center, Intake Coordinator
Patricia has an associate degree in Early Childhood and has worked for the Red Cliff Tribe for over 20 years in various tribal departments. Patricia worked in the AODA program as the secretary and billing clerk for eight years, as a teacher for Red Cliff Head Start program, and for BIA- Great Lake Agency in Ashland for five years. Patricia is a single mother and has grandchildren. She enjoys the outdoors, walking, sewing and being around family and friends.
Noojimo’iwewin (We Heal) Center
715-779-3508
Ed Metelica
Certified Peer Support Specialist
Ed is a Wisconsin Certified Peer Specialist and Recovery Coach. He came to us from New Horizons in Ashland where he provided recovery coaching for Memorial Medical patients. Ed and his wife moved to Lake Superior’s southern shore from Platteville, WI in 2014, where he was involved in substance abuse recovery support in various capacities for 12 years. He enjoys cooking, photography, traveling, deer hunting and anything else outdoors.
Justin Hansen
Certified Peer Support Specialist
Justin is a Wisconsin Certified Peer Specialist. He moved here from the Minneapolis area 26 years ago. Justin became involved with the Bayfield Community helping with the Christmas performance at the Bayfield Pavillion and helping g decorate the community Christmas tree. He’s currently pursuing his Associates degree in Human Services and looks forward to working with the Red Cliff Community. Justin currently resides in Washburn with his wife and 2 kids.
Red Cliff Youth and Family TREE (RC TREE)
Community Road Office
Gabrielle Gordon
Project Coordinator/Lead Evaluator
715-779-3707 Ext. 2407
Gabrielle has a bachelor’s degree in Community Health Promotion from the University of Wisconsin-Superior. The degree itself is one that allows the opportunity to study a demographic to determine what services are currently made available to it and assessing possibilities of what could be done to further benefit and support that targeted population. Previously, Gabrielle worked 1 ½ years at the Red Cliff Community Health Center as a Tribal Early Learning Initiative (TELI) Coordinator, where she operated organizational aspects of the position, such as coordinating meetings and writing grant reports in line with efforts to support children and families apart of the Early Childhood demographic. She is enthusiastic to be starting her new position and the opportunity to contribute to the project’s internal operations regarding data management and meeting report requirements.
John Helms
RC TREE Family Services Coordinator
715-779-3707 Ext. 2403
John has been helping families in native communities for over 25 years in their struggles, from alcohol and drug addictions to PTSD with combat veterans, using traditional ceremonies in tandem with clinical strategies to help them get on the road to recovery. He’s learning how to use his traditional teachings with our more contemporary lifestyle. John looks forward to his job as Family Service Coordinator and helping the people of our community.
Mark King
RC TREE Youth Services Coordinator
715-779-3707 Ext. 2414
Mark is 32 years old and is originally from Ashland, WI. He moved to Bayfield, WI in November of 2020. He’s new to the area and is looking to meet more people and get to know the community. He has completed Peer Specialist training, is now certified, and absolutely loves it! Both connecting with people and helping those who struggle have given him a sense of fulfilment. It’s been a personal goal of his to work in a social work field and obtain a mental health position. Some of his hobbies include reading, watching movies, hiking, camping, gaming, playing sports, exercising, and drawing. He loves to be active, especially when it’s outdoors! He’s currently in recovery and is on a personal journey to overall wellbeing and growth. Being a Native American and a part of the Bad River tribe, his heritage and culture mean a lot to him, and is always willing to learn more about it in any way that he can.