Meet the team!
Our team
FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
April Nicole Weaver, LPCA, NCC
I founded the Upstate Therapist Collective because I found myself searching for meaningful connection. Working in the mental health field can be incredibly rewarding, but it can also be isolating and emotionally demanding. As a self-identified introvert and a transplant to Greenville, SC, I found that building meaningful relationships outside of the workplace didn’t always come easily.
I quickly realized I wasn’t the only therapist who felt this way, and I began planning social events specifically for mental health professionals in the Upstate. From there, USTC began to grow into a space where colleagues could step outside of their professional roles, connect with one another, and simply enjoy being in community together.
DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT & EVENTS
Giovanni Mercado, LPC
Hey there! Thanks for being interested in USTC. I’m Gio, I enjoy just about everything a person can be interested in, from nascar to philosophy and everything between. My main focus at USTC is to help create a warm and supportive community that mutually benefits everyone. Hope to see you at a Trivia night!!!
DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS AND OPERATIONS
JD EVANS, M.Ed., NCC, LPCA
Jadarius “JD” Evans, M.Ed., NCC, LPCA, is a clinical mental health counselor, advocate, and researcher practicing as a school-based therapist in South Carolina. His clinical work is integrative, drawing from person-centered and cognitive-behavioral approaches, DBT-informed skills, and play-based and expressive interventions. JD serves as the Mental Health Program Coordinator for Count Me In To Do The Right Thing and works in community outreach with The NOLA Network. His professional service includes roles with the South Carolina Counseling Association, the NBCC Legislative Ambassador program, the American Counseling Association Public Policy and Legislation Committee, and the Black Mental Health Symposium Advisory Board. His research interests include Photovoice and community engagement. JD served as Principal Investigator for the NBCC PARC study, An Exploration of Black Male Teens’ Perspectives of Suicide Risk in Their Communities via Photovoice: Implications for Counselors. Building upon this work, he created Capturing Counseling Priorities in collaboration with the ACA Government Affairs team.