OCTOBER 16, 1996
Greensboro - The Board of Governors for the Greensboro, Charlotte and Raleigh Summit Houses has a new chairman. Roselyn Powell, Judicial Division Manager for the Division of Adult Probation and Parole, begins her chairmanship of the community based homes for convicted mothers and their children in December.
Powell a long-time advocate of Summit House, will oversee a board of community volunteers from the three cities. Summit House provides a half-way home setting so that convicted mothers are not separated from their children. At the same time, the mothers are given counseling in substance abuse, parenting skills and job training. The board is responsible for the long-range planning which may include expansion into other large cities.
"It is amazing to see the amount of time and energy all three cities have contributed to summit House," Powell said. "This is purely a community service effort."
Correction Secretary Franklin Freeman praised the selection of Powell for the chairmanship. "A number of women's lives have been substantially improved thanks to the hard work of those who run Summit House. Those workers deserve someone with Roselyn Powell's enthusiasm and commitment to making sure female probationers get practical help that will change their lives for good."
Powell started working for DAPP as a probation and parole officer in 1977. She was promoted to chief probation and parole officer in 1989 and Judicial Division Manager in 1993. As division manager, Powell oversees probation and parole operations in 22 counties.
Powell said she has been involved with Summit House since its incorporation in 1987 and has been actively working with the organization since 1989 when she was asked to serve on the Greensboro board.
Charlotte's Summit House opened in 1995 and moved into a permanent house in June 1996. Raleigh has had a temporary location since May 1995. When the governing board of the three homes was formed in 1995, Guilford Superior Court Judge Tom Ross was the first chairman. Ellen Gerber, a retired High Point attorney was the second and Powell makes the third.
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