Damon Toone joined NCSSM as a school counselor for our Durham campus in August 2026, after serving as a full-time temporary counselor since 2023. Damon’s journey with NCSSM actually began in fall 2021 as a school and wellness counseling intern from North Carolina Central University’s Department of Counseling and Higher Education. Alongside his background in corporate America and teaching, Damon brings a valuable higher education perspective from his time recruiting and evaluating prospective students for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the Morehead-Cain Foundation. Deeply passionate about mental health and the transformative nature of higher education, Damon is guided by Howard Thurman’s words: “Don’t ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”
Counseling
Gina Burger
Wellness Counselor (Durham)
Whitt Daniel
Wellness Counselor (Morganton)
Michele Ferry
School Counselor (Morganton)
Suzanne Gavenus
Director of Counseling and Wellness (Morganton)
Terri Ingle-Krause
School Counselor (Morganton)
Dasni Lakpriya
Wellness Counselor
Lori Hackney Newnam
Dean of Counseling
Lacey O’Rourke
Wellness Counselor and Academic Accessibility Specialist (Morganton)
Scott Schwartz ’06
School Counselor (Durham)
Carissa Trotta
Wellness Counselor and Academic Accessibility Specialist
Janice Webster
School Counselor (Durham)
Lamia Younes
School Counselor (Durham)