Western North Carolina Staff

Rachel Roux and Christi Hayes

Co-Program Directors

Rachel Roux first joined our team as a volunteer in September 2024, quickly becoming a steady and trusted presence during crisis response calls. Her natural leadership and care for people led her to step into the role of Program Manager in February 2025, now serving as Co-Director of our volunteer crisis response team. She brings calm, warmth, and deep encouragement to both the people we serve and the volunteers she trains. Rachel is gifted at making others feel capable and supported—even in the hardest moments—and she leads with the same heart she showed on her very first shift.

Christi Hayes first joined TIP as a volunteer and quickly stepped into leadership as Program Director. After a short time away to focus on personal commitments, she returned to serve as Co-Director—bringing with her even deeper perspective, wisdom, and renewed passion for the work. With more than thirty years of nonprofit leadership, legal expertise, and hands-on crisis support, Christi is a steady and trusted presence within our organization. A graduate of Davidson College and UNC School of Law, she spent much of her career in Miami as an attorney, educator, and advocate before returning to her home state of North Carolina. She now lives in Asheville with her two adult children, Macy and Eli, and her two rescue pups, Shaggy and Phoebe. Christi is known for her fierce compassion and her unwavering belief that no one should have to walk through crisis alone.

Together, Christi and Rachel bring a rare blend of steadiness, heart, and leadership — and our organization is deeply lucky to have them guiding our team.