This is a  staff list for Pine Ridge Academy in Draper, UT

(a.k.a. Aspen Education Group--Confirmedly Abusive and Associated with the CEDU Cult Model, Youth Care, Inc.)

(we are working to acquire the complete records for ALL years)

 

We advise current and/or former staff to report any abuses you may have witnessed while working at Pine Ridge Academy.  For information on your rights and how to take action, visit www.heal-online.org/blowthewhistle.htm.  If you were fired or forced to resign because you opposed any illegal and/or unethical practices at Pine Ridge Academy, you have the right to take action. 

 

If you were harmed (family or survivor) by Pine Ridge Academy, please contact info@heal-online.org if you remember the long-term employees and from which years.  This will help!   Also, if you recognize any of these staff as having worked at another program, please send in any information about their past or present employment at other facilities and/or cults.

 

Please don’t place your loved one in Pine Ridge Academy and rescue them if they are there now. 

 

Name

Unit/Position

Additional Information
Sahara Castillo Teacher's Asst. Castillo is a student at Brigham Young University.
Jeremy Chatterton Teacher Chatterton started at Youth Care in 2008.  Youthcare/YouthCare/Youth Care and Pine Ridge Academy are the same program.
Melisa Doyle Teacher  
Drew Fosse Academic Director  
Chris Herman Teacher's Asst. Herman is a student at Brigham Young University.  Herman no longer appears to work for this program.
Aaron Kammerman Teacher Kammerman has been with Youth Care since 1999.
Eric Peterson Academic Director Peterson has been with Youth Care since 2005.  Peterson no longer appears to work for this program.
Mike Rogers Teacher Rogers has been with Youth Care since 2002.  He is a graduate of Brigham Young University (BYU).
Jessica Shurtleff Teacher's Asst. Shurtleff (related to Attorney General of Utah Mark Shurtleff) has been with Youth Care since 2006.
Jodi Winter HR Manager Winter has been with Youth Care since 2002.  Winter is a BYU graduate.
Denice Dunker Admissions Director Dunker has been with Youth Care since 2007.
Kristi Peterson Admissions Peterson has been with Youth Care since 2005.
Pam Vandenaker Communications Review  
Mandy Rasmuson Communications Review Rasmuson has been with Youth Care since 2001.  Helps manipulate the insurance and medicaid system.  Rasmuson no longer appears to work for this program.
Rex Albertson Counselor Albertson came to Youth Care in 2004.  He worked at an unnamed residential program for three years prior to that.*
John Clapp Counselor Clapp has worked in numerous unnamed programs. 
Lillette Day Counselor Day no longer appears to work for this program.
Lindsey Forbes Therapist Lindsey is the Recreational Therapist for Pine Ridge Academy.  She began working for Youth Care in 2004. 
Kathy Galloway Social Worker Kathy Galloway has been a member of the Youth Care team for almost nineteen years. (2009)
Drew Hirsch Therapist Hirsch formerly worked for Provo Canyon School and Aspen Ranch.
Diane Jackson Counselor Diane joined the Youth Care team as a Therapist at Summit House in March, 2006.  Jackson no longer appears to work for this program.
Machiel Klerk Counselor Machiel joined Youth Care in 2008.
Nikki Lindquist Therapist Lindquist has been involved in behavior modification programs since 1991.*
JohnPaul Parraga Clinical Director JohnPaul joined Youth Care in 2008.  Graduate of BYU.
Romy Shafkind Social Worker

She has worked as a school counselor, as a therapist at the University of Utah, Jewish Family Services and Project Reality, and was a program director for the YWCA‘s teen pregnancy prevention and healthy relationships programs.   Romy has been with Youth Care since 2004. Shafkind no longer appears to work for this program.

Kelly Shaheen Social Worker Shaheen started at Youth Care in 2008.  She has worked in behavior modification for 15 years. (2009).
Diane Starks Social Worker  
Melissa Snyder Social Worker Snyder has been with Pine Ridge Academy & Youth Care since 2005.  She used to be an educational consultant or ed-con.  Snyder no longer appears to work for this program.
Nicole Waters Therapist Like many of her co-workers, Waters is a student/graduate of University of Phoenix.  University of Phoenix is reportedly a scam and not a legitimate educational institution.
Stacey Astin Operations Director Stacey has been with Youth Care since 2002.
Dayna Baxtin Program Director Formerly worked for Turn-About Ranch.
Brent Curtis Finance Director Brent has been with Youth Care since January 2005.  Curtis no longer appears to work for this program.
Tanya May Youth Care Program Director May has worked for Youth Care since 2004.
Trina Packard Executive Director

She was the Director of Education for Olympus View Hospital for five years, and Youth Care Inc. for one and a half years.  She was the Executive Director of the NorthStar Program in Oregon, and returned back to Youth Care in 2005 as the Executive Director.  Packard has been with Aspen Education Group since 1999.

Lisa Wisham Pine Ridge Academy Program Director Wisham has been with Pine Ridge Academy since 2001.  Wisham no longer appears to work for this program.
Cheronne Anderson Psychiatrist She has been with Youth Care since 2005.  She is originally from Detroit, MI.
Destiny Avery Nurse Avery formerly worked for Aspen Ranch
Jordan Jacobsen EMT He started Youth Care in December of 2005 as a Residential Coach. 
Peggy Jacobsen Nurse Peggy is the Nursing Director at Youth Care and Pine Ridge Academy.
Richard Mickelsen Medical Director/Psychiatrist Dr. Mickelsen joined the Youth Care team in August 2004.  He has worked at other unnamed residential programs.*
Bonnie Higgins Accounting Higgins no longer appears to work for this program.
Ted May Facilities Manager Ted started with Youth Care in December 2002.
Mindy Exon Residential Exon started with Youth Care in 2006.
Charlie Falatea Residential Charlie’s experience includes being a mental health associate at Copper Hills Youth Center, a mentor at Benchmark Hospital, and a supervisor at Youth Health Associates.  Falatea came to Youth Care in 2005.
Tufuga Gagifo Residential Gagifo has been with Youth Care since 2007.
Aaron Lopez Residential Lopez has been with Youth Care since 2004 and previously worked for other wilderness programs and a program in Chicago, IL. (late 1990s)*
Quintina Pittman Residential Pittman joined Youth Care in 2002 and is a student at BYU. (2009)
Rob Rieske Residential Rieske no longer appears to work for this program.
NO OTHER NAMES NO OTHER TITLES There is no additional information on staff at this location at this time.*
*(Pine Ridge Academy, like many other programs in this industry, keeps a "tight lid" on any specific information regarding their staff, qualifications, and practices.  Please contact us with the names of any staff of which you have firsthand knowledge or experience.  Thank you for your help.)
Death: Brendan Blum (2007)
Pine Ridge Academy is an Aspen Education Group program.  Thomas J. Croke, Educational Consultant, has denounced Aspen Education Group for putting profits over the safety and care of children in Aspen programs.
HEAL has reviewed multiple Aspen Education Group contracts that appear to be illusory, unconscionable, void/voidable, and arguably illegal.  We are in the process of reviewing the enrollment materials for Pine Ridge Academy.  In the meantime, please see the reviews for Adirondack Leadership Expeditions, Aspen Achievement Academy, Aspen Ranch, Aspen Institute of Behavioral Assessment, and New Leaf Academy.  It is our suggestion that families avoid doing business with Aspen Education Group and/or their individual programs.

 

 Last Updated: October 13th, 2010

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