{"id":1084,"date":"2024-12-01T19:25:18","date_gmt":"2024-12-01T19:25:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kidsoverprofits.org\/staging\/?p=1084"},"modified":"2025-01-06T02:44:29","modified_gmt":"2025-01-06T02:44:29","slug":"john-doe-mdy-v-trails-academy-et-al","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kidsoverprofits.org\/staging\/john-doe-mdy-v-trails-academy-et-al\/","title":{"rendered":"John Doe MDY v. Trails Academy, et al."},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\n
\n

<\/span>Plaintiffs: <\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

John Doe MDY<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n

<\/span>Defendants: <\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Trails Carolina, Family Help & Wellness, et al.
<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n

<\/span>Location: <\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Western District of North Carolina<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n

<\/span>Date filed: <\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

10\/11\/2024
<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n

<\/span>Documents:<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Click here to read the original complaints. <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Click here for summaries of recent motions.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/span>John Doe v. Trails Complaint Summary & Defendant information<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Western District of North Carolina, Asheville Division<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/span>Complete List of Defendants:<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n

Trails Academy, LLC <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trails Carolina, LLC<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trails Momentum, LLC <\/p>\n\n\n\n

WTC Holdco, LLC<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unnamed Entitites 1-10<\/p>\n\n\n\n

WTCSL, LLC<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Family Help & Wellness (Wilderness Training & Consulting, LLC)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

An organization of for-profit businesses operates as Family Help & Wellness (FH&W): Wilderness Training & Consulting, LLC; WTC Holdco, LLC; and WTCSL, LLC<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/span>Members of WTCSL, LLC: <\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
FHW\/THP Blocker, Inc 
<\/strong>a private equity firm in Texas<\/td>		Wayne Laird<\/a><\/strong><\/td>Opal Creek Capital, LLC
<\/strong>Tim Dupell<\/a>
founder and ex-CEO of Family Help & Wellness<\/td><\/tr>
PGO, LLC 
<\/strong>Sue Crowell
<\/a>executive director SUWS Adolescent Program & SUWS of Idaho, VP of Outdoor Therapy Programs Aspen Education Group, Senior VP Aspen Education Group, founder Skyterra Wellness Retreat<\/td>		<\/td>JLC Family, LLC
<\/strong>Johnny Deblock<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>
Members of WTC HOLDCO<\/strong>, LLC<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n

<\/span>Graham Shannonhouse <\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

founder & executive director Trails Carolina, program director SUWS of Idaho, Kathryn Huffman\u2019s sister, more<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n

<\/span>Kathryn Huffman <\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

f\/k\/a Kathryn Shannonhouse, founding partner Asheville Academy, director of admissions Asheville Academy, Graham Shannonhouse\u2019s sister, more<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n

<\/span>Cat Jennings <\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

founder Lake House Academy, founder Talisman Camps, founder Camp Elliott [Stone Mountain School], founder New Leaf Academy North Carolina, founder & executive director Asheville Academy for Girls, more<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n

<\/span>Dilly Bean, LLC <\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Bryan Tomes
<\/strong>cofounder & director of business development Equinox, academic director New Leaf Academy NC, academic director Lake House Academy, cofounder &head Glen Willow Academy, academic director & operations director Asheville Academy for Girls and Solstice East, more<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n

<\/span>John Gordon <\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

senior VP of operations Family Health & Wellness, chief marketing & business development officer CRC Health Group, more <\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/span>Mary S Pierce<\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
\n

<\/span>Rebecca Gebb <\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

team manager Asheville Academy, more<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n

<\/span>SEJC Holdings <\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Kyle Gillett
<\/a><\/strong>cofounder Solstice, assistant clinical director Telos RTC, cofounder Solstice East, cofounder\/executive director Equinox RTC<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n

<\/span>FNS Group, LLC <\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Dan Stuart
<\/a><\/strong>founder\/executive director Solstice, director of therapy services Island View<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n

<\/span>Ikaika Holdings, LLC <\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Keoni Anderson
<\/a><\/strong>cofounder Solstice, CD counselor Island View<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n

<\/span>Randi Nelson <\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

admissions director Viewpoint center, worked at Aspen Institute, twin sister Brandi worked at Island View\/Elevations, more<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n

<\/span>Jen Wilde Consulting PLLC <\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Jennifer Wilde
<\/a><\/strong>co-executive clinical director Elevations RTC, clinical director Island View RTC, counselor Second Nature Uintas, clinical director Willow Creek School, executive clinical director Viewpoint Center<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n

<\/span>Laura Burt <\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

director of business development Elevations RTC, ViewPoint Center, The Approach, Discover Seven Stars<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n

<\/span>Mahalo Nui, LLC <\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Judith Jacques<\/strong>
<\/a>co-executive director Elevations RTC\/Island View RTC<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n

<\/span>Scott Hess <\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

clinical director WinGate Wilderness, clinical director Aspen Ranch, executive director Ascent Wilderness, helped found Fulshear Ranch, worked at Outback Therapeutic Expeditions, more<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n

<\/span>Shayne Gallagher <\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

founder\/executive director WinGate Wilderness, program director Anasazi Foundation, field instructor Second Nature Uintas, helped found Outback Therapeutic Expeditions, married to Sheri Gallagher, more<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n

<\/span>Sheri Gallagher <\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

founder\/director of operations WinGate, Special Projects at Outback Therapeutic Expeditions, married to Shayne Gallagher, more<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n

<\/span>Hayden Dupell <\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

chief financial officer Family Help & Wellness, more<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/span>Jesse Long<\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
\n

<\/span>Kirsten Morgan <\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

finance director Family Help & Wellness<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n

<\/span>Matt Roy <\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

accounting manager Family Help & Wellness<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n

<\/span>Steven Stradley <\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

CEO Family Help & Wellness, more<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n

<\/span>Jon Worbets <\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

cofounder\/clinical director blueFire Wilderness, program manager SUWS of Idaho, clinical director Summit Preparatory School, more<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n

<\/span>Kathy Rex<\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

executive director SUWS Idaho, founder blueFire Wilderness, more<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n

<\/span>Reid Treadaway  <\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

cofounder\/ admissions director BlueFire Wilderness, admissions director Rocky Mountain Academy, admissions director SUWS of the Carolinas, admissions director Ascent Wilderness, regional director of admissions CEDU North Idaho, admissions specialist InnerChange [New Haven, Sunrise RTC, Fulshear Ranch Academy], admissions director Boulder Creek Academy, more<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n

<\/span>Simpson Holdings<\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

R. Jeffrey Simpson
<\/a><\/strong>cofounder Uinta Academy, cofounder Waypoint Academy, married to Becky Simpson<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Becky Simpson<\/strong>
<\/a>cofounder Uinta Academy, staff trainer Utah Youth Village, family teacher Boys Town, married to Jeff Simpson<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n

<\/span>White Mountain Consulting LLC <\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Josh White<\/strong>
<\/a>cofounder\/operating partner Red Mountain Colorado, program director Copper Canyon Academy, clinical director WinGate Wilderness, executive director Red Mountain Sedona, married to Maureen White<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

[Profiles for many of these individuals from the Troubled Teens subreddit wiki are included at the end.]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/span>Causes of Action<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Count I: Negligence\/Gross Negligence (Against All Defendants)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Count II: Negligent Infliction of Emotional Distress (Against All Defendants)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Count III: Labor Trafficking (Against All Defendants)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

John was forced to clean Trails\u2019 facilities, including dorms and bathrooms. He was also forced to cook meals and perform landscaping work. Being forced to hike with an 80-lb pack and create fires with bow-drills are also considered \u201cforced labor\u201d because Trails financially benefited from that labor (they did not have to pay for transportation between campsites or fire-starting gear).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Count IV: Violations of NC UDTPA, N.C.G.S. \u00a7 75-1.1 <\/strong>et seq.<\/em><\/strong>(deceptive commercial practices, unfair methods of competition in commerce) (Against Defendant Trails)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Count V: Violation of Oregon Unlawful Trade Practices Act, Or. Rev. Stat. 646.608, <\/strong>et seq.<\/em><\/strong> (deceptive marketing) (against Defendants FHW and WTC)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

John Doe was enrolled at Trails Momentum<\/strong> for 93 days (March-June 2021)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

John was over 18 years old the entire time he was at Trails. Prior to enrolling, he was told that he could leave the program whenever he wanted to and participation was completely voluntary. Once he was in the program, he was told that he could not leave and he would likely die or be arrested if he tried to escape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

John was controlled, neglected, sexually\/emotionally abused and subjected to forced labor at Trails Momentum. He was watched by staff when he showered and used the bathroom. He was touched inappropriately during a strip search.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Defendants did not screen their staff properly to prevent abuse of children and young adults in their care. Some of Trails\u2019 staff had a history of sexual misconduct before they were hired. Most staff members were untrained and unqualified to provide mental health support and used unproven, abusive methods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Defendants did not provide \u201cadequate medical care, food, clothing, and shelter\u201d for children and young adults in their care. John was forced to hike in freezing conditions wearing clothing and boots that were wet and frozen. He was not allowed to eat hot food or heat up his frozen boots unless he made a fire himself using a bow-drill. John was forced to drink from a creek because he was not given clean drinking water. The only food John was given consisted of dried beans, dried rice, and dried lentils.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Defendants did not report abuse and neglect to authorities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Defendants lied about providing extensive therapy \u2013 therapy was only available for about 3 hours per week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Defendants had policies that violated North Carolina and Oregon laws and prevented proper legal oversight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Defendants \u201cknew or should have known about the abuse and neglect\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was the responsibility of defendants to keep clients safe from abuse and neglect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cJohn has suffered severe and life-long injuries as a result of Defendants misconduct while in their custody and care.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

John is asking for a jury trial<\/strong> using expert witnesses<\/strong>. He is seeking at least $75,000<\/strong> as compensation for what happened to him, plus the cost of his legal fees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/span>John\u2019s lawyers:<\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Joel R. Rhine, Ruth A. Sheehan, and John Bruno of Rhine Law Firm<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kimberly A Dougherty and Martha Carol of Justice Law Collaborative<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/span>Noteworthy excerpts:<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n

81. FHW, owner and parent of Trails, touts about their wilderness programs: \u201cWhile the experience is overseen by professionals \u2013 that is to say, no real danger can come to the children \u2013 there is a degree of perceived risk and a sense of very real accomplishment.\u201d<\/em> <\/strong>p. 13<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\n

83. Defendants, including Trails, claimed to provide treatment for children and young adults who suffer with behavioral and mental health struggles. Its website is replete with statistics claiming the program is more than 90% effective at treating depression and other mental health diagnoses, <\/em>p. 13<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\n

89. Upon information and belief, Defendants knew or should have known:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. Defendants were unable to provide, and did not provide, the services promised in their marketing materials to children and young adults, including Plaintiff;<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Defendants put residents, including the Plaintiff, in settings where staff and peers have the opportunity to neglect, physically and sexually abuse and force labor upon him and other residents given the secluded and unsupervised settings;<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Defendants subject its residents, including Plaintiff, to dangerous outdoors conditions, extremely inclement weather, malnutrition and settings that were life threatening;<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Defendants condition residents, including Plaintiff, to adhere to the practice of strict obedience of its employees, and encourages an environment of \u201cbreaking down\u201d its residents, creating an environment of fear and silence, which creates an environment that fails to protect them from neglect, abuse and forced labor;<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Defendants promote the ideas of strict compliance, of not \u201crocking the boat,\u201d and of specifically shaming victims to not tell others what happened and blaming victims for events that occurred, all of which help facilitate a culture that keeps young victims, including Plaintiff, silent and compliant and fosters an environment for neglect, physical and sexual abuse and forced labor;<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  6. Defendants essentially trap children and young adults, including Plaintiff, in their programs, providing no way out, even for those like Plaintiff who were over 18, <\/em>pp. 14-15<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
    \n

    101. Defendants\u2019 employee, Francis van de Beuken misled Plaintiff\u2019s parents, and in reliance on his multiple misrepresentations, and those in the marketing materials described herein, they chose to purchase Defendants\u2019 services for their son, Plaintiff.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    102. Under the guise of going to receive mental health services with experienced staff, as well as the Defendants\u2019 representations that he would have opportunity to research, apply and enroll in the college of his choice, John agreed to enroll in Defendants\u2019 program.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    103. Unbeknownst to John or his parents, Defendants and several other facilities are within the \u201cTroubled Teen Industry,\u201d a term coined by survivors of such facilities based upon the manipulative and misleading characterization of these children and young adults by Defendants and other programs in the industry. The term refers to entities that market themselves as an easy solution to fix family dynamics and \u201ctroubled teens,\u201d but have a dark history of abuse, negligence, and even death, <\/em>pp. 16-17<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

    \n

    113. During the single phone call John was allowed to have with his parents, John\u2019s therapist limited what could be discussed and the length of the call. If he attempted to raise concerns about his well-being or about abuses and neglect by the program, his therapist would mute the call to prevent that information from getting to his parents, <\/em>p. 18<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

    \n

    125. If John was able, he would place his boots by the fire made by others to then awake the following morning to frozen boots, as staff would put out everyone\u2019s fire each night causing them to refreeze, <\/em>pp. 19-20.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

    \n

    131. Despite the Defendants\u2019 assurances their therapeutic program would help John overcome his depression, they did no such thing, and instead made his mental health worse.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    132. John was provided no appropriate mental health treatment at Trails. John was not evaluated to determine if he should continue taking the medication he had been prescribed before Trails or if he should go off of those medications or be prescribed different medications.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    133. While at Trails, John was not taking medication he had taken up to that point for depression. Defendants did not attempt to provide consultation of a medical professional regarding John\u2019s medication despite knowing that he had previously been prescribed medication for treatment of his mental health, <\/em>p. 20.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

    \n

    136. Defendants\u2019 staff often encouraged students to criticize each other and prevented them from complaining about their mental health, medical concerns, or other neglect they were<\/em> experiencing.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    137. Defendants\u2019 staff focused particularly on coercing young people in the program to blame themselves for health conditions and events outside of their control and to feel shame fortheir health and experiences. Staff would manipulate students into compliance by telling them they deserved the abuse, neglect, and mental health symptomatology they experienced, <\/em>p. 21.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

    \n

    142. Defendants\u2019 employees and agents routinely threatened and manipulated John and his peers by telling them the story of Alec Lansing.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    143. Alec Lansing was a 17-year-old boy who attended Trails in 2014 and attempting to escape from the abusive program died in the wilderness, <\/em>p. 21<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

    \n

    151. Trails represented that they would help prepare John and other students for success in school, work, and young adulthood. They represented that they would assist in planning for higher education or a student\u2019s future after Trails.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    152. At the time John was enrolled in Trails, he was navigating the decision of where to go for his undergraduate education.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    153. Defendants put immense pressure on John to choose a university which had a Family Help & Wellness \/ Wilderness Training & Consulting affiliated transitional program in order to gain further business for Defendants<\/em>, p. 22<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

    \n

    166. John tried to continue going to school but, due to continuing mental breakdowns, John ended up needing to drop a number of classes because he was not able to manage his daily affairs on account of his mental health. John dropped out of school.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    167. During this time, John was so traumatized that he was unable to process or understand his experiences at Trails. At that time, John did not understand that the steep decline in his mental health was an injury resulting from Defendants\u2019 misconduct.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    168. As John was not able to manage his own affairs, his family arranged for him to take a year off of school and provided him with housing. John was prevented from filing his claims due to mental disability, \u201cinsanity,\u201d and \u201cincompetence.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    169. It was not until recently that John was reasonably able to identify and understand and discover that what he experienced was abuse and neglect which caused him significant injury.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    170. Since John\u2019s experiences at Trails, he has suffered from panic attacks that impact his ability to live his life day-to-day, accompanied by physical symptoms such as rapid heartbeat and shortness of breath.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    171. John still suffers with nightmares, flashbacks, and intrusive thoughts about being trapped at Trails, <\/em>p. 24<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

    \n

    185. As a direct and proximate result of the Defendants\u2019 negligent acts, Plaintiff has been catastrophically injured and sustained permanent and severe emotional distress.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    186. As a result of the Plaintiff\u2019s injuries caused by the Defendants, Plaintiff has been admitted to a psychiatric hospital for suicidal ideation, forced to drop out of college for a year to address his mental health, and is now a year behind his peers in college. John continues to be haunted by the abuse he faced at the hand of the Defendants.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    187. As the direct result of the foregoing negligent infliction of emotional distress, and the immoral, unethical and unscrupulous manner that Defendants conduct its business, Plaintiff<\/em> was substantially injured, and they hereby seek relief in excess of $75,000.00, exclusive of interest and costs, <\/em>p. 28.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

    <\/span>Profiles of the Defendants from the Troubled Teens Wiki <\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    (information may not be current): <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Tim Dupell<\/strong> is the Founder, former CEO, and Chairman of the Board of Family Help & Wellness. He previously worked as the Executive Vice President and CFO of the confirmedly abusive Aspen Education Group from 1999 until 2004. After this, he worked in the elder-care industry at a company called Sunwest Management Services. Sunwest Management Services filed for bankruptcy in 2008, the same year that FH&W was created, after the SEC filed a lawsuit against the company and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission likened the company to a Ponzi scheme. The lawsuit was eventually settled for $5.5 million. The current CEO of Family Help & Wellness, Steve Stradley, also previously worked at Sunwest. In 2019, Dupell pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree criminal mischief, driving under the influence, possession of cocaine and reckless driving. According to court records, he damaged property belonging to the city of Salem and another person and drove under the influence of a controlled substance. He was put on probation and the driving charge was dismissed after he completed a diversion program. A complete list of his charges can be viewed here. As part of his sentencing, he was required to complete a 2-month rehabilitation program at the Hazleden Betty Ford Center, which he completed on 6\/14\/2019. Source.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Wayne Laird<\/strong> is the Co-Founder and former Chief Financial Officer of Family Help & Wellness. He is also the brother-in-law of Tim Duppell. Prior to joining FH&W, Wayne worked in the Accounting and Finance field for 15 years. He served as an audit Manager for a CPA firm and as Finance Director for a Water Provider. Source.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Steve Stradley<\/strong> is the current CEO of Family Help & Wellness, and has been since 2017. Prior to this, he worked in the elder-care industry at a company called Sunwest Management Services along with Tim Duppell. Sunwest Management Services filed for bankruptcy in 2008, the same year that FH&W was created, after the SEC filed a lawsuit against the company and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission likened the company to a Ponzi scheme. The lawsuit was eventually settled for $5.5 million. Source.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Hayden Dupell<\/strong> is the current CFO of Family Help & Wellness. He is the son of FH&W\u2019s founder, Tim Dupell. He began working at FH&W in May 2019 after completing a Master\u2019s degree in Business Administration from Indiana University. He appears to have also had a brief career in modeling with a company called DF Productions around 2015. Source.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    John Gordon<\/strong> is the Senior Vice President Operations & Marketing at Family Help & Wellness. He has been with FH&W since 2013. He previously worked as the Chief Marketing & Business Development Officer of CRC Health Group, the company which owned Aspen Education Group. Source.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Catherine \u201cCat\u201d Jennings<\/strong> is the Founder and Executive Director of Asheville Academy for Girls. She began her career in 1981 when she founded Aspen Education Group\u2019s Talisman Camps. In 1991, she founded Camp Elliott, which later became Aspen Education Group\u2019s reportedly abusive Stone Mountain School. She worked as the Executive Director of Stone Mountain School until 2005, when she founded Aspen\u2019s New Leaf Academy of North Carolina. She worked at New Leaf Academy as the Executive Director until 2009. She then founded Lake House Academy in 2009 and worked as the Executive Director there until 2011. She founded Asheville Academy for Girls in 2012, and has worked as the Executive Director ever since. Source.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Rebecca Gebb<\/strong> is the current Program Director of Asheville Academy for Girls. She has worked at AAG since January of 2013. Her prior employment is unknown, but her staff bio states, in part, \u201cShe comes with experience in previous therapeutic boarding school settings, therapeutic summer camps, pediatric outpatient clinics, a children\u2019s advocacy center, and early childhood education.\u201d Source.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Kathryn Huffman<\/strong> is the current Director of Admissions and a Founding Partner of Asheville Academy for Girls. According to LinkedIn, she has held this role since January, 2012. Prior to that, she was the Outreach Coordinator for Cumberland Heights, an alcohol and drug rehab center in Tennessee. Source.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Kathy Rex <\/strong>is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of BlueFire Wilderness. She began her career in the TTI as the Executive Director of the confirmedly abusive SUWS of Idaho, which was an Aspen Education Group program, from 1994 until 2013 when she left to create BlueFire. Two teenagers died while attending SUWS of Idaho, one in 1985 and one in 2006. Source.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Reid Treadaway<\/strong> is the Co-Founder and Director of Admissions of BlueFire Wilderness. He began his career at Rocky Mountain Academy, a confirmedly abusive CEDU program, as a front-line staff and later as the Admissions Director from 1996 until 2000. He then left to become the Admissions Director of SUWS of the Carolinas until 2003. In 2003 he returned to Idaho to work as the Director of Admissions for the Ascent Wilderness program. Within a year, he became the Regional Director of Admissions for all four CEDU programs in North Idaho. In 2010, he became an Admissions Specialist with InnerChange, working with the Internet team for placements for New Haven RTC, Sunrise RTC and Fulshear Ranch Academy. In 2012, he became the Director of Admissions for the reportedly abusive Boulder Creek Academy, another CEDU program. Source.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    John Worbets<\/strong> is the Co-Founder and Clinical Director of BlueFire Wilderness. Prior to co-founding BlueFire, he worked as the Program Manager and a Therapist at the confirmedly abusive SUWS of Idaho, which was an Aspen Education Group program, from 2006 until 2007. He later worked as the Clinical Director of the reportedly abusive Summit Preparatory School from 2009 until 2014, when he joined BlueFire. He was also the Founder, Executive Director and Clinical Director of Youth Odyssey\/Wilderness Odyssey from 2001 until 2010. Source.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Judi Jacques<\/strong> is the current Co-Executive Director of Elevations RTC. She previously worked at Island View RTC for nearly 20 years, filling various roles such as the Academic Director and the Assistant Executive Director. Source.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Jennifer Wilde <\/strong>is the current Co-Executive Clinical Director of Elevations RTC. She began working at Island View RTC in 1999, before leaving to work at Second Nature Wilderness. She has also worked as the Clinical Director at Willow Creek School. She returned to Island View in 2012 as the Clinical Director. Source.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Graham Shannonhouse<\/strong> is the Founder and Executive Director of Trails Carolina. She previously worked at SUWS of Idaho in in 1993, which was a confirmedly abusive Aspen Education Group wilderness program where a teenager lost their lfe. She eventually became the Program Director of SUWS in 1999. She left in 2008 in order to create Trails Carolina. Source<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Josh White<\/strong> is the Co-Founder and Operating Partner of Red Mountain Colorado. He began his career in the Troubled Teen Industry as the Clinical Director\/Program Director of the confirmedly abusive Copper Canyon Academy (previously owned by Aspen Education Group but now rebranded under Family Help & Wellness) from May 2007 until April 2012. It should be noted that he left CCA shortly after an internal investigation revealved that a staff member at the program had been repeatedly sexually abusing a 16-year-old resident. He then briefly worked at a consulting firm called White Mountain Consulting, LLC from April-December 2012, where he \u201cprovided business development consulting\u201d to two unnamed behavioral health\/rehabilitation centers. After this, he worked as the Clinical Director of the reportedly abusive WinGate Wilderness, another Family Help & Wellness program, from January 2013 until September 2014. He then worked as the Executive Director of Red Mountain Sedona from October 2014 until he co-founded Red Mountain Colorado in 2019. He is married to RMC\u2019s other Co-Founder, Maureen White. Source.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    R. Jeffrey Simpson<\/strong> is one of the Founders of Uinta Academy. He is married to Becky Simpson. He later went on to help co-found Waypoint Academy with Jared Balmer and Mike Bulloch of the confirmedly abusive Aspen Education Group. Source.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Becky Simpson<\/strong> is one of the Founders of Uinta Academy. She is married to R. Jeffrey Simpson. She also previously worked at Utah Youth Village and was responsible for staff training and evaluation there. Source.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Parker Keoni Anderson (\u201cKeoni Anderson\u201d)<\/strong> is one of the Founders of Solstice. He previously worked at the confirmedly abusive Island View RTC for many years as a CD Counsellor. He worked as the Executive Director of Solstice until June 2021. He is currently retired. Source.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Dan Stuart<\/strong> is one of the Founders of Solstice. He also worked at Solstice as a Therapist, Executive Director, and Clinical Director. He previously worked at the confirmedly abusive Island View RTC for many years as the Director of Therapy Services. He stopped working at Solstice around 2016, reportedly due to sexual harassment allegations made against him by another staff member at Solstice. Source.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Kyle Gillett <\/strong>is one of the Founders of Solstice. He previously worked as a Therapist and the Assistant Clinical Director of Telos RTC. He left Solstice West in 2012 to help create Solstice East in North Carolina. In 2017, he created another treatment center in North Carolina called Equinox RTC, which is essentially Solstice but for teenage boys. Source.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Randi Nelson<\/strong> is the current Admissions Director of Viewpoint Center. She has worked at the program since it was called the Aspen Institute, before it was purchased by FH&W and the name was changed to Viewpoint. Her twin sister, Brandi, worked next door at Island View\/Elevations RTC. Source.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Bryan Tomes <\/strong>worked as the Director of Business Development and a Founding Partner of Equinox RTC. He began his career as the Academic Director of New Leaf Academy of North Carolina, a reportedly abusive Aspen Education Group program from 2006 until its closure in 2010. He then worked as the Academic Director of Lake House Academy from 2010 until 2011. After this, he helped create and worked as the head of school of Glen Willow Academy, the precursor to the Asheville Academy for Girls. Around this same time, he also worked as the Academic Director and Operations Director of both the Asheville Academy for Girls and Solstice East. He left in 2016 to work at Equinox. Source.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Scott Hess<\/strong> worked as a Therapist at WinGate Wilderness. He previously worked as the program\u2019s Clinical Director. Prior to joining WinGate, he worked as the Clinical Director of Aspen Ranch, a confirmedly abusive (and now-closed) Aspen Education Group program until 2000. He then went on to work as the Clinical Director and later the Executive Director of Ascent Wilderness which was a confirmedly abusive CEDU program. CEDU was an organization created as a direct spin-off of the infamous Synanon cult. He left CEDU in 2004 to help found Fulshear Ranch in Texas, before leaving to work at Outback Therapeutic Expeditions, which is a reportedly-abusive wilderness program owned by Aspen Education Group. Source.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Shayne Gallagher<\/strong> was one of the Founders and the former Executive Director of WinGate Wilderness. In 1990, he began working at the Anasazi Foundation as a Field Manager and Program Director until 1999. Then, he worked as a Field Instructor at Second Nature Uintas until 2000. In 2001, he helped found Outback Therapeutic Expeditions, which is a reportedly-abusive wilderness program owned by Aspen Education Group. He is married to Sheri Gallagher. He and his wife are popular speakers at NATSAP conferences. He is also known to be closely affiliated with Dan Stuart, Keoni Anderson, and Kyle Gillett, who are the creators of Solstice RTC, another Family Help & Wellness program. He ceased working at WinGate in May 2022, and now currently works as a Consultant in private practice, as a Facilitator at the Arbinger Institute, and as the Founder of Your Symbols. Source.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Sheri Gallagher<\/strong> was one of the Founders and the Director of Operations of WinGate Wilderness. She is married to Shayne Gallagher. Like her husband, she also formerly worked at Outback Therapeutic Expeditions from 2003 until 2007. She and her husband are popular speakers at NATSAP conferences. Source.<\/a><\/p>\n

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