About Us

Clarence grew up in Chicago, Illinois. He was recruited by Appalachian State University to play football. He graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice. After graduating from App State, Clarence signed on with the Chicago Bears and played until an injury forced him to retire. He and his family moved to Texas where he worked with the juvenile courts system to provide support to teens at high risk for incarceration. Clarence returned to North Carolina and became a Sheriff’s Deputy in Concord. He started working in the mental health field and helped to start Greater Metrolina Therapeutic Services and eventually bought out the company and renamed it CTSHealth, Inc. a for profit provider of mental and behavioral healthcare and foster care services in NC, SC, and Illinois. Clarence is committed to uplifting communities locally, nationally, and internationally. Clarence is the author of two books, the first being, Why Not Me? My Journey from Survival to Significance which tells his story of growing up in Chicago and through hard work and determination was able to leave the dangerous streets to become a successful businessman who has returned to help the communities where he grew up. The second book, Is it Us? Is the story of despair and redemption, finding and growing in spirituality.

Co-CEO Corey Sutton, the older brother of Clarence, was also born and raised on the west side of Chicago. He joined Clarence in 2008, driven by his passion for social services and supporting at-risk youth. A proud U.S. Marine Corps veteran and Certified Culinary Artist, Corey brings discipline, leadership, and mission-focused execution to every endeavor, grounded in his military background and refined through hands-on experience. He has developed a strong skill set in culinary arts, business development, and strategic planning. From formally leading teams in creating innovative culinary experiences to currently managing high-pressure teams and developing business strategies, Corey excels at the intersection of precision, passion, and performance. Driven by a commitment to excellence and continuous improvement, he brings a unique, real-world perspective to every project.

Leah was born and raised in central New York. After receiving her undergraduate degree in Psychology at Le Moyne College, Leah started working with a non-profit as a Case Manager with the schizophrenia population. Leah and her family relocated to Charlotte, NC in 2004 where she continued to work as a Case Manager for adults and children with behavioral and or MH diagnoses. In 2006, Leah started working as a Foster Care Case Manager where she would continue to train and license foster parents and coordinate services for children in foster care for the next 8 years. Leah is happily married and is a proud mom to 4 children and even prouder Meme of three grandchildren.

Holly Shivadecker has worked at CTS Health for 15 years. She successfully helped to grow CTS Health from a mom and pop small business to mid-level enterprise. Holly has a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration and Marketing from UNC-Charlotte in 2003. Holly is well equipped with critical thinking and problem-solving skills and enjoys the fast-paced business world, structure, and growth. Holly is a North Carolina native, enjoys being active, working out, traveling, fine cuisine, and experiencing new adventures.

Aaliyah Griffin is employed as a Salesforce Effectiveness Analyst at IQVIA, Aaliyah plays a pivotal role in the organization. She excels in developing data visualizations and possesses a keen eye for identifying, analyzing, and interpreting trends and patterns within complex datasets. Aaliyah holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science with a minor in Economics from Appalachian State University. Building upon her strong educational foundation, Aaliyah pursued a Master’s in Business Administration with a specialization in Business Analytics at the University of North Carolina, Greensboro. Prior to her current position, Aaliyah gained valuable experience as a Sales Support Analyst and Executive Assistant to the VP of Global Board Advisory at Nasdaq. Her responsibilities included conducting extensive research on corporate governance practices, contributing to the development of customized board assessments for a diverse client base, performing in-depth analysis of Fortune 500 boards to identify areas for improvement and conduct competitor benchmarks, and expertly extracting, manipulating, and analyzing case/client data using Excel for internal and external purposes.

Katie Tapert-Merado is employed with the City of Chicago, Chicago Department of Family and Support Services. She is a Social Worker at the Trina Davila Community Service Center. In her 26 years, she has worked in many roles and projects. She enjoys community outreach, which is how she became interesteed in working with Carolina Therapeutic Services – Chicago, when they assisted families fleeing Puerto Rico due to the ravages of Hurricane Maria in 2017. During her tenure with DFSS, Katie has provided services to the homeless, seniors, families, disabled and worked with various mental health issues. Katie is a LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker) and CADC (Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor) and a Certified Domestic Violence Counselor. She received the Fifteen Credit Achievement Award Certificate Program in Gerontology from Wilbur Wright College. Katie has participated in various committees with the National Association of Social Workers and Board Member with the former Chicago Abused Women’s Coalition. In the Humboldt Park Community, she participated on the Heathy Hermosa Committee, Northwest Committee Alliance, 25th District Domestic Violence Subcommittee and various planned community events.

Bruce is an attorney at Gardner Skelton, AAL in Charlotte, NC, where he handles civil litigation and workers’ compensation matters in both North and South Carolina. He is married and has two children. In his spare time, he enjoys playing golf and cooking. Being active in his community is an integral part of Bruce’s life and aspirations. Bruce believes that if you see something that needs done, don’t wait, just do it. Bruce hopes his time on the Board can be used to help improve and enhance the lives of families across the Carolinas.