Our Home

At A Reprieve for Men, we’re committed to being genuine, honest and invested even when the path for our resident is hard.

About A Reprieve for Men

We believe so strongly in the processes we teach our residents – of developing Spirituality, Community, and Self – that we practice them as a staff as well.

A Reprieve for Men opened in 2009 in a 120 year old historic home in Opelika, Alabama. Today, A Reprieve continues as a unique place in the recovering and spiritual community as the center for a solution to alcoholism and drug addiction. Our staff, alumni and volunteers, who are the epicenter of this community based program, witness on a day to day basis the very spirit in which the fellowship of service to others thrives. The 12 Steps live and breathe in each of our residents, staff and volunteers as they strive to do the work that they have been called upon to perform.

A Reprieve for Men is a year-long program founded in three distinct but interwoven phases. Phases one and two are each 90 days in length and the final phase is 180 days. From beginning, to the programs conclusion, the goal is to assist adult males with obtaining the skills and tools needed to live in recovery as productive members of a community where service to others is the focal point.

The most important thing to us at the end of the day is that we are a constant reflection of what we teach to our residents. With a staff, largely in recovery themselves, we share more life experiences with our residents than most programs.

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The Staff at A Reprieve for Men

Click names or photos to learn more about our staff.

Brett Young

Executive Director

Mike Denmark

Administrator

Claire Fierman, M.Ed., LPC

Director of Business Development

Britten Elliot

Office Coordinator

Bo Mullins

Community Representative

Hans Shellhamer

Community Living Specialist

Hiram Henegar, LPC

Program Specialist, Counselor

Ross Pape

12 Step Immersion Coordinator

Wesley Logan

Program Coordinator

Phil Welzyn

Medical Clerk

Wyatt Winters

Program Specialist

George Eich

RA Manager

Reese Ryan

Recreation Specialist

Mark Zippin

Program Specialist

Brett Young

Executive Director

Brett Young is a native of Alexander City, AL. He attended college at The University of West Alabama on a football scholarship. After college, he began working at a television station in Birmingham, AL. He left that career and bounced from sales, management, and finance before addiction took over his life. Brett went to long term treatment and a sober living community in order to get his life back. Shortly after getting sober, Brett began his career working in treatment. In 2011, he first learned about The Reprieve. His personal experience with the 12-steps and treatment caused him to immediately gravitate towards The Reprieve model. Brett worked in several positions within The Reprieve, including National Referral Liaison before being promoted to the Executive Director in 2014.

Britten Elliot

Office Coordinator

Britten is a native of Hoover, Al. After graduating high school she moved to Auburn, AL. In 2004 she graduated from Auburn University and began working for Bradford Health Services. She has been working for The Reprieve since the day it opened in 2009. She loves helping people and is dedicated to this field. Britten brings a much-needed sense of balance and truly adds great value to all the staff, residents, and the program.

Seth Sherwin

Administrator

Seth is a native of Laurel, MS.  Seth attended college at The University of Mississippi.  While he was a student, Seth began a career as a musician.  For 9 years Seth toured the country playing with his band.  Seth’s growing addiction, paired with a toxic environment, led to the implosion of his career.  Shortly there after, Seth reached out to a previous band mate in Nashville, TN and asked for help. Once in Nashville, Seth began his journey of recovery and became involved in 12-step fellowship and mindfulness meditation. Now in long term sobriety, Seth has brought his extensive knowledge of 12-step programming, meditation and life experience to The Reprieve. 

Claire Fierman

Director of Business Development

Claire Fierman was born and raised in the world of recovery. After family members personal struggles with addiction, Claire became passionate about helping others heal. For over twelve years, Claire has devoted herself to the clinical work in the treatment of addiction and mental health issues.  As Director of Business Development, Claire creates and maintains relationships within the recovery and wellness community. 


Claire’s clinical practice and expertise stem from her own personal therapeutic work. Spending countless hours diving deeply into her own personal history in order to heal, she is able to connect with, and support her clients in a unique way. With over 11 years of clinical experience, Claire has the ability to recognize the inherent wholeness of each client, and create a safe and non-judgmental environment where she can witness their stories. Understanding that growth and healing is more powerful when clients find their own answers, Claire leads her clients as they engage in the process of discovering truth and healing. 

Mike Denmark

Administrator

Mike is a native of Birmingham. He started experimenting with drugs and alcohol as an early teenager. Mike’s life quickly began to spiral out of control. After a couple failed attempts through 30-day impatient treatments centers, Mike enlisted into the U.S. Army. At the time, Mike thought a more disciplined life style and change of location would fix his problem. Upon enlisting into the Army, Mike’s addiction only manifested from drug use to more Alcohol use. After his service, Mike found himself deep in the grips of the Heroin Epidemic. He began a long run of emotional turmoil and chaos, that had his life and the lives of his family in a complete state of hopelessness. After years of Faith based homeless shelters, treatment centers, and jails, Mike finally ended up at The Reprieve. There he was introduced to the 12 Steps of Recovery and a new way of life. After graduating and staying connected with the Reprieve, he came back to work as a Program Specialist in the 12 Step Immersion portion of the program.

Will Howle

Program Specialist

Will is a native of Huntsville, Al. Will started experimenting with drugs and alcohol when he was 12, and his use progressed through high school. After high school, he enrolled in community college in 2007, then transferred to Auburn University. Due to drug abuse, he was put on academic suspension and forced to move home. Will quickly found himself in the middle of an opiate us disorder.   After a failed attempt in treatment and trying to do it on his own in the rooms of AA, he finally found a solution through the 12 steps at The Reprieve. After completing a year at The Reprieve he went to work at a sober living in South Carolina, before returning to The Reprieve to work as a program specialist.

Ross Pape

12 Step Immersion Coordinator

Ross Pape has over six years of experience in the field of recovery. He has worked at the Reprieve for four years, and is currently a Program Coordinator working in the First Phase of our program. Ross graduated from Auburn University with a business degree, is a Nationally Certified Recovery Coach, and is Trauma- Informed: Level 1. He has a passion for helping people and continues to expand his knowledge and understanding for those affected by addiction.

Bo Mullins

Community Representative

Bo is a native of Birmingham, Alabama. Bo’s addiction took hold of him before he graduated high school and he had trouble continuing his education. Bo failed out of college and struggled to maintain long-term employment. Bo first entered recovery in 2012 after attending a detox facility. He started a cycle of sober living houses and periods of abstinence for stretches of time, followed by relapses. This cycle lasted until 2015 when he arrived at The Reprieve as a resident. Since that time, Bo has graduated college and started a family with his wife and dogs. Bo brings his past experiences of what to do wrong and right in recovery into the community-living portion of our program.

Hans Shellhamer

Community Living Specialist

Hans is a native of Auburn, AL. He started college at Auburn University in 98’. While he was a student Hans’s growing addiction interfered with academic studies causing him to drop out of school and enter the workforce.  After a few years of continued addiction Hans found himself having lost another job, and facing losing his family. Realizing something had to change Hans reached out for help and checked into Bradford Warrior. There Hans began his journey of recovery and became involved in 12-step fellowship and an active lifestyle. In 09’ Hans got back into school at Auburn and began an internship at the newly founded Reprieve as the “Activities Guy” which quickly turned into a career. He finished up his degree from Auburn in 14’ and became the Recreation Specialist for The Reprieve.

Mark Zippin

Program Specialist

Mark is a native of Palm Beach, Florida. Mark is a graduate of Florida State University and has a bachelor’s degree in business. He began experimenting with drugs and alcohol as a teenager developing a more continuous habit throughout college. Mark began to rely upon prescription pills to navigate and deal with the stressors of life after graduating college. His reliance on drugs and alcohol quickly began to cause unmanageability in his career and relationships. After attempting to get help through a sober living and trying to control his addiction on his own, Mark found himself in a bottom he never thought was possible. He then committed to the Reprieve and turned his life over to the care of God and the 12 step process. Mark graduated the Reprieve and stayed in contact to later come on board to our core staff as a Program Specialist. He is instrumental in guiding residents through the 12 step process in our 1st phase of the program known as 12 step immersion. Mark brings an unmatched energy to our program in all that he does with teaching guys the disciplines of recovery and learning to find happiness and excitement in the process.

Reese Ryan

Recreation Specialist

Reese is a native of Lexington Kentucky. He has always had an admiration of Exercise and Athletics as a kid. Reese was awarded a Division 1 football scholarship to Western Kentucky University. In College Reese began experimenting with Drugs and alcohol eventually finding himself addicted to prescription pills and later progressing to Heroine. Reese admitted to the Reprieve after years of trying to control his addiction with little hope. Reese graduated from the Reprieve and felt a calling to become apart of our Core staff to help guide residents to the same spiritual awakening that he received while walking through the reprieves 12 step process. Reese utilizes his extensive knowledge and skills in health and fitness to merge the importance of healthy living and exercise to the spiritual process the 12 steps. Reese bring a positive energy and outlook in everything he does here at The Reprieve and is a fundamental member in everything we do.

George Eich

RA Manager

George is a native of Birmingham Alabama, George found himself in the grips of the Opioid Epidemic after being prescribed prescription narcotic medication as an early adult. His disease progressed over the next few years and eventually led him to being admitted into multiple treatment centers. After a few failed attempts George found himself going to Bradford health services and making the jump to be a part of The Reprieves long term program in 2017. After Graduating George felt a calling to to become apart of the reprieve staff and use his skills and knowledge of our program to help manage our support staff and be of service to the residents here at the Reprieve. George brings a positive attitude in everything he does here and continues to be a direct representation of experience, strength and hope!

Wyatt Winters

Program Specialist

Wyatt is a local here of Opelika, Alabama. Wyatt began using drugs and alcohol as early teenager and quickly began to spiral out of control. In his early 20s Wyatt dropped out of college to move away thinking distance and change of environment would help to stop using drugs and alcohol. With little luck or success Wyatt returned to home and entered into Alcoholics Anonymous in 2018 where he began to works the 12 steps. After recovering from addiction Wyatt returned to Auburn University and finished his degree in 2019. After graduating Wyatt felt a calling to be of Service to men still suffering from the same addiction that almost took his life. Wyatt was hired on at the Reprieve to be a program specialist in our Life Skills portion of our program. Wyatt uses his experience strength, and skills to guide residents though the 12 steps and teach valuable Life skills and disciplines that all men should practice in their daily lives. Wyatt is instrumental in helping our residents get back what they lost to their addiction and navigating them to returning to employment and furthering their education.

Wesley Logan

Program Coordinator

Wesley is a native of Atlanta, Georgia where he attended The Lovett School.  Wesley began experimenting with drugs and alcohol at the age of fourteen, and recognizes that even at an early age he did not use like everyone else.  Growing up, Wesley was extremely active in sports which would become an integral part of his life moving forward, eventually earning various opportunities to compete beyond the high school level.  Upon graduating high school, Wesley chose to attend the University of Mississippi where his addiction continued to progress.  After and up and down academic career, Wesley then moved back to Atlanta where he would pursue a career in commercial real estate development.  The next ten years of Wesley’s life would be a continuous series of ups and down, full of binges and benders as his life became increasingly unmanageable. After the birth of his son in 2018 and multiple failed stints in shorter term programs, Wesley’s alcoholism put him into a hopeless state and led him to seek long term care. Wesley arrived to The Reprieve in the spring of 2019 and began to work the 12 step process upon admittance. Wesley felt a calling here in Opelika to continue to be apart of the Reprieve and help guide Men through the same process that saved his life and returned his true self to his family and son. Wesley is the current Program Coordinator of the Life skills portion of our program and is using his experience strength and knowledge to helping Residents find their purpose and prepare for their new future in Recovery.

Phil Welzyn

Medical Clerk

Hiram Henegar, LPC

Program Specialist, Counselor

Before obtaining a master’s in counseling from the University of Montevallo and the title as a Licensed Professional Counselor, my life’s journey consisted of hopelessness and despair due to my alcohol and drug addictions. From my experiences, I share hope, determination, discipline and applicable recovery strategies to aid my clients and their families in identifying ways they can accept responsibility toward change. As a result of living and applying a 12-step recovery program, I have obtained and continue to maintain my greatest accomplishments. I am happily married to a supportive, highly educated wife, have two lovely daughters who are a constant in my life, my 18 years of recovery and my recovery family. Through therapy, I hope my clients and their family will discover their unique approach toward a life of success and happiness.