This is a  staff list for WinGate Wilderness Therapy in Kanab, UT

(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 WinGate Wilderness Therapy.  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 WinGate Wilderness Therapy, you have the right to take action. 

 

If you were harmed (family or survivor) by WinGate Wilderness Therapy, please contact [email protected] 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.

 

HEAL is currently investigating WinGate Wilderness Therapy.

 

Name	Unit/Position	Additional Information
Shayne Gallagher	Executive Director	Gallagher is not a licensed professional in Utah.  Source: https://secure.utah.gov/llv/search/index.html
Scott Hess	Clinical Director	Scott D. Hess (may be a different person) is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in Utah and has been since November, 1999.  Source: https://secure.utah.gov/llv/search/index.html
John Cohen	Therapist	John Stuart Cohen (may be a different person) is a licensed professional counselor in Utah and has been since July, 2007.  Source: https://secure.utah.gov/llv/search/index.html
Tracy Schrunk	Therapist	Schrunk reportedly no longer works for WinGate and has moved to Outback Therapeutic Expeditions.  Tracy Rae Schrunk is a licensed clinical social worker and has been since March, 2002.  Source: https://secure.utah.gov/llv/search/index.html
Rachael Schneider	Therapist	Schneider is a licensed certified social worker in Utah and has been since June, 2010.  Schneider earned her degree at Portland State University in 2009.  Source: https://secure.utah.gov/llv/search/index.html
Derrick Cook	Therapist	Cook formerly owned the notoriously bad "Turning Point at Granita Park" program in Utah.  Turning Point at Granita Park was sued for multiple abuses including multiple counts of sexual abuse of a female minor.  Additional complaints include: (1) CHILDHOOD SEXUAL ABUSE (2) SEXUAL BATTERY; (3) SEXUAL ASSAULT; (4) NEGLIGENCE-HIRING, RETENTION, AND SUPERVISION; (s) SEXUAL HARASSMENT; (6) BREACH OF FIDUCIARY DUTY; (7) FAILURE TO PROTECT CHILD; (8) INTENTIONAL INFLICTION OF EMOTIONAL DISTRESS His bio through WinGate claims he was a director of a residential program.  They fail to provide Derrick's last name or the program for which he worked.  This is a concern.  Derrick William Cook (may be a different person) is a licensed professional counselor and has been since October, 2004.  He earned his degree at the University of Phoenix.  Source: https://secure.utah.gov/llv/search/index.html "The Justice Department announced today that the University of Phoenix has agreed to pay the United States $67.5 million to resolve allegations that its student recruitment policies violated the False Claims Act.  This case began as a whistleblower action filed in the Eastern District of California under the False Claims Act, which permits private citizens to bring lawsuits for fraud on behalf of the United States and to share in any recovery. Whistleblowers Mary Hendow and Julie Behn, two former University of Phoenix employees, alleged that the university accepted federal student financial aid while in violation of statutory and regulatory provisions prohibiting post-secondary schools from paying admissions counselors certain forms of incentive-based compensation tied to the number of students recruited. Though the United States did not intervene in this action, the Government provided support and assistance to the whistleblowers at many stages of the case, including filing friend-of-the-court briefs when the case was on appeal to the Ninth Circuit. The two whistleblowers will receive $19 million from the settlement." The University of Phoenix does not have the specialized accreditation necessary for degrees in psychology.  (Source: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/Search.aspx)   It is accredited for teaching and nursing degrees.
Brad Matheson	Admissions	Matheson holds no professional licenses in Utah.  Source: https://secure.utah.gov/llv/search/index.html
Eric Fawson	Primary Wilderness Ther.	Formerly worked for confirmedly abusive Provo Canyon School and Silverado Boys Ranch.    Source: strugglingteens.com/artman/publish/WinGateWildernessBN_110622.shtml  Fawson is reportedly under investigation for negligence in his failure to protect children from abuse at Silverado Boys Ranch.  Families are currently pursuing criminal and civil actions against Silverado and Fawson in Utah.  Families have also reported that they alerted WinGate of the issues with Fawson and they claimed they were not aware of his history, but, have taken no steps to remove Fawson from their staff.  Eric C. Fawsom (may be a different person) is a licensed clinical social worker in Utah and has been since August, 2007.  Fawson earned his degree from Brigham Young University.  Source: https://secure.utah.gov/llv/search/index.html
Greg Hitchcock	Partner/Outreach Director	Reportedly discontinued here in February, 2019 when he founded Hitchcock Educational Advocates & Services LLC.  Formerly with Abundant Life Academy.
*(WinGate Wilderness Therapy, 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.)
This program does not provide program details (student/parent handbooks) nor enrollment materials online or to the general public for review.

 

 Last Updated: March 28th, 2020

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