Mr. Rick Nickles, Founder and CEO of The New Alpha Wellness Center

Rick Nickles is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of The New Alpha Wellness Center. His vision is rooted in the belief that recovery is not simply about overcoming addiction—it is about restoring lives, rebuilding families, and creating opportunities for lasting transformation. Under his leadership, New Alpha has been established as a long-term residential recovery program dedicated to providing a safe, structured, and supportive environment where individuals can address substance use disorders and co-occurring mental health challenges.

Mr. Nickles is passionate about creating a culture of accountability, compassion, and hope. He believes that every individual deserves the opportunity to rebuild their life with dignity and purpose, and he is committed to developing community partnerships that strengthen recovery and promote long-term success. His leadership continues to guide New Alpha toward becoming a trusted resource for individuals, families, healthcare providers, and community organizations throughout South Carolina.

Dr. E. Robert Thomas serves as Chief Operating Officer of The New Alpha Wellness Center, bringing more than three decades of leadership in pastoral ministry, higher education, organizational administration, and community service. Throughout his career, he has been dedicated to helping individuals and families navigate life's most challenging moments through compassionate leadership, education, counseling, and spiritual care.

As COO, Dr. Thomas is responsible for strengthening the organization's operations, developing strategic partnerships, expanding community outreach, and advancing New Alpha's mission of restoring lives through excellence, accountability, and compassionate service. His passion for servant leadership and organizational development helps position New Alpha as a trusted partner in long-term recovery and whole-person restoration.

  Brittney Smith serves as Chief Compliance Officer of The New Alpha Wellness Center, bringing more than a decade of experience in state government administration, human resources, regulatory compliance, and organizational governance. Throughout her career, she has demonstrated a strong commitment to operational integrity, confidentiality, policy excellence, and accountability while managing complex programs within highly regulated environments.

As Chief Compliance Officer, Brittney provides strategic oversight of the organization’s compliance, risk-management, and policy initiatives, helping ensure that organizational practices reflect the highest standards of integrity and accountability, as well as overseeing client intake and entitlement education. Drawing on her extensive experience in employee benefits, retirement, insurance, leave administration, and government operations, she brings a disciplined and solutions-oriented approach to leadership while advancing New Alpha’s mission of excellence, responsible service, and transformative community impact.