Meet Bo, a dedicated voice for Asheville.

Roberto “Bo” Hess is a hands on leader. As a skilled clinical social worker and addiction specialist, Bo uses his expertise to address pressing social needs:
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  • Bo is a co-founder of The Cellphone Project, an organization that connects unhoused people with communication resources,

  • Bo volunteers with ABCCM's Costello House, which provides housing and life skills to men experiencing homelessness and addiction,

  • Bo is a crisis response advocate for Our Voice,

  • ​Bo is a consultant for various law enforcement training programs in North Carolina,

  • ...just to name a few of the ways Bo is in service to our community!​​



​Hess has earned degrees from Western Carolina University, including a Bachelor and Master of Social Work, and a Master of Public Health with a focus on Leadership in Practice at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
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Bo has worked in diverse clinical settings, ranging from hospital-based behavioral health to private practice. Starting his career at the VA health system working with men returning from Iraq and Afghanistan wars, Bo has a strong background in trauma-informed care, threat assessment/ management, and clinical supervision. Bo's expertise in personality disorders, forensic interviewing, addiction, and sociopathy is widely recognized, with leadership roles at eating disorder clinics, and WNC's largest teaching psychiatric hospital.

Working as an adjunct professor at Western Carolina University has reinforced his commitment to educating the next generation of clinicians and social work professionals.

​Bo has been recognized with several awards, including the Master of Social Work Excellence in Service Award and the Award for Outstanding Community Engagement from Western Carolina University.

Bo’s passion for people extends into the community, where he serves on various boards for non-profits and volunteers with organizations like Meals on Wheels/Council on Aging, Asheville Humane Society, ABCCM, Next Step Recovery, Blue Ridge Pride, and Our Voice. He is a dedicated community advocate, serving on the board of the Cell Phone Project, and previously acting as one of the founding board members for Arms Around Autism Spectrum Disorder. 

Bo's vision to bring his compassion, expertise, and leadership to a broader platform has led him to pursue a seat on Asheville's City Council.

His values are rooted in a commitment to public health, community well-being, and informed, empathetic governance.

Bo’s first term as a member of Asheville City Council begins December 2024.