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Leadership Team, Blue Ridge
Clayton, GA
- Dan McDougal, Partner, Program Director
- Diana Gordick, Ph.D., Co-Clinical Director, Primary Therapist
- Jeff Scott, M.S., L.P.C., Co-Clinical Director, Primary Therapist
- Shelley Tom, M.S., N.C.C. L.P.C., Therapist
- Amanda Lilla, EMT, Administrative Director, Medical Coordinator
- Tyson Farmer, B.S., Co-Field Director
- Andy Dunn, B.S., Co-Field Director
- Dana Karkotsky, B.S., Parent Coordinator
- Casey Fitzgerald, M.S., Parent Coordinator
Dan McDougal
Partner, Program Director
| Phone: | 706.212.2037 |
|---|---|
| Fax: | 706.212.0354 |
| Cell: | 706.490.1427 |
| Email: | danm@snwp.com |
Dan brings in over 11 years of experience with program development and work with adolescence in a therapeutic setting. Dan started by working with the prestigious Gordonstoun School in Scotland teaching adolescence sailing, backpacking, windsurfing and climbing. He then went on to work as a senior wilderness instructor at Aspen Achievement Academy in Loa, Utah. He was hired by Second Nature Utah to assist in the development of the field program at its inception in 1998. He has worked as a Senior Mentor and Field Director with Second Nature Utah. In 2002 he developed and co-founded Second Nature Blue Ridge. Prior to his work with the Gordonstoun School, Aspen and Second Nature, Dan volunteered in Middle Tennessee Public Schools working with troubled youth. He also has extensive experience as an instructor in Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico and Utah. Dan is a native of Nashville, TN.
Diana Gordick, Ph.D.
Co-Clinical Director, Primary Therapist
| Phone: | 706.212.2037 |
|---|---|
| Fax: | 706.212.0354 |
| Cell: | 706.982.1038 |
| Email: | dianag@snwp.com |
Dr. Gordick is a licensed psychologist experienced in working with children, adolescents, adults, and families. She has worked in various aspects of the mental health field since 1993 and completed her doctorate in 2002. She received her B.A. in Psychology from Michigan State University, her M.S. in Community Counseling with a focus in family systems from Georgia State University, and a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology in Georgia State University. Diana enjoys working with teens struggling with self-concept, anxiety, depression, low-self esteem, peer difficulties, trauma, ADHD, learning difficulties, avoidance/withdrawal, oppositional behavior, and substance abuse. Diana has specialized training in understanding and working with attention-deficit disorder as well as psychological assessment. In addition to working with teens and parents, she provides psycho-educational evaluations for Second Nature Blue Ridge. Diana enjoys hiking, camping, and renovating her 1928 home.
Jeff Scott, M.S., L.P.C.
Co-Clinical Director, Primary Therapist
| Phone: | 706.212.2037 |
|---|---|
| Fax: | 706.212.0354 |
| Cell: | 828.301.0511 |
| Email: | jeffs@snwp.com |
Responsibilities include Clinical Director, Treatment Team Coordination, and Primary Therapist. Jeff has been a clinician since 1994 and has been primarily involved in wilderness therapy since 2000. He is licensed as a professional counselor in Georgia and North Carolina. Jeff has specialized training and experience in adolescent development, addictions, identity disorders, sexual abuse, and is also a master practitioner of Neuro Linguistic Programming. In addition to wilderness therapy, Jeff has worked with at risk youth in a wide variety of treatment modalities, including residential treatment centers, outpatient therapy and special needs boarding schools. Jeff has worked at SUWS of the Carolinas as well as the Aspen Achievement Academy. He has also worked at Charter Provo Canyon School and the Heritage School.
Shelley Tom, MS, NCC, LPC
Therapist
| Cell: | 828.582.4653 |
|---|---|
| Phone: | 706.212.2037 |
| Fax: | 706.212.0354 |
| Email: | shelleyt@snwp.com |
Shelley enjoys and has experience in working with parents and children during the two most difficult junctures in the development of their relationship: infancy/toddler and adolescence. Early on in her career, Shelley worked with children and adolescents but felt the limitations of working within an outpatient setting and shifted her focus to working with parents to help support attachment, attunement and containment to increase overall parenting satisfaction and connection in the early phases of parenting. Shelley has also worked for a non-profit focused on using a family systems approach where she treated mothers and families struggling with depression, anxiety, trauma, bereavement, bi-polar, psychosis, parenting issues, attachment issues and other emotional concerns. Shelley co-founded a successful early parenting program in Asheville, is the committee director to the Parent Education Program at Evergreen Community Charter School, is a founding member of the Perinatal Emotional Health Network of WNC, has participated in related research as well as helped develop a screening tool used locally for detecting and referring parents struggling with their early parenting role. While at the non-profit, Shelley also started mother-daughter early-adolescent groups that explore and encourage respect, mutuality and communication. By removing the barriers to success, Shelley believes that the wilderness environment provides the structure for significant change for the child and the family. Shelley utilizes experiential learning, cognitive-behavioral therapy and choice theory.
Shelley is passionate about supporting both parents and children in finding success in their relationships and their lives. Shelley’s inspiration is parenting her two boys, Jude and Haizen, and understands the struggles, rewards and opportunities for growth that parenting offers. She lives in Asheville, NC with her husband and children and enjoys spending time with her family, being outdoors, hiking, yoga, exercising, snowboarding, camping, backpacking, traveling, and listening to music. Shelley has her B.S. in Psychology from Arizona State University and her M.S. in Community Counseling from Western Carolina University.
Amanda Lilla, EMT
Administrative Director/Medical Coordinator
| Phone: | 706.212.2037 |
|---|---|
| Fax: | 706.212.0354 |
| Cell: | 706.244.1078 |
| Email: | amanda@snwp.com |
Amanda has worked with Second Nature Blue Ridge since its inception in 2002. Amanda holds the position as the Administrative Director for the program as well as the Medical Coordinator. She has extensive experience in the medical field as well as management with employment prior to Second Nature. Licensed as a Wilderness EMT, she works closely with the Medical Director to oversee the ongoing medical treatment of students while they are enrolled in the program, develops and leads medical training for the program and it’s staff, and loves the opportunity to see students in the field when ever possible.
Additional responsibilities include overseeing the daily operations of the administrative office working closely with the clinical team and families enrolled in the program to ensure that each families needs are met on the administrative level during and after their enrollment in the program.rent Coordinator include initiating preliminary calls with parents and continuing on going contact with families of students currently enrolled in our program.
Tyson Farmer, B.S.
Co-Field Director
| Phone: | 706.212.2037 |
|---|---|
| Fax: | 706.212.0354 |
| Email: | tyson@snwp.com |
Tyson has enjoyed the outdoors since growing up near the Appalachian Mountains in Eastern Pennsylvania. Tyson would spend his time participating in outdoor activities such as hiking, backpacking, rafting, bird watching and bouldering. To pursue his love of the wilderness, Tyson studied wildlife biology at Purdue University.
After graduating with a B.S. in Wildlife Biology in 1999 Tyson wanted to educate others about nature and worked as an outdoor educator over the next two years at South Mountain YMCA in Pennsylvania and the Tybee Island 4-H center in Georgia. Through his experiences Tyson realized what the wilderness had to offer people and wanted to be able to facilitate that relationship.
Tyson became a backcountry instructor at Alternative Youth Adventures in Loa, Utah in 2001. AYA focused on the rehabilitation of adjudicated youth from the state of Utah. Tyson became a Field Specialist for the program.
Tyson decided to return to the mountains and rivers of the East Coast and started working at Second Nature Blue Ridge as a field instructor shortly after it opened in December 2002. Tyson became a senior field instructor at Second Nature Blue Ridge and then moved into a management position as one of the Field Directors in 2004. The Field Director position involves staff supervision, field development and overseeing field operations. Interest and hobbies of Tyson include kayaking, snowboarding and enjoying anything Philly from the Eagles to the famous cheese steaks.
Andy Dunn, B.S.
Co-Field Director
| Phone: | 706.212.2037 |
|---|---|
| Fax: | 706.212.0354 |
| Email: | andyd@snwp.com |
Andy received his B.S. in Outdoor Education from the University of New Hampshire in 1998. He spent his last year at UNH teaching several college courses including Management of Challenge Courses, Wilderness EMT, and Mapping and Orienteering.
He went on to lead adventure trips for adolescents at various programs in New England, while continuing to facilitate challenge course programs for various populations. Andy then worked as a field guide for an adventure therapy program in Maine and a residential therapy program in Hawaii for adjudicated youth, using sailing voyages and service work throughout the Hawaiian islands as a therapeutic medium. Andy arrived at Second Nature, Utah in the Spring of 2000, where he worked with families in transition, served as a senior instructor and instructor trainer. He arrived at Second Nature Blue Ridge in 2003 to become one of the field directors, maintaining a love for telemark skiing and playing that bluegrass music.
Dana Karkotsky, B.S.
Parent Coordinator
| Phone: | 706.212.2037 |
|---|---|
| Fax: | 706.212.0354 |
| Email: | danak@snwp.com |
Dana has always had a love for the outdoors and helping those in need. From childhood and on in to adulthood, she has had many opportunities to travel and see amazing things. In 2005, Dana hiked the entire Appalachian Trail (2100 miles), which extends from Georgia to Maine through the Appalachian Mountains. This is what really opened her eyes to the amazing strength and clarity that can be gained from the wilderness.
Dana graduated from Kennesaw State University in Kennesaw, GA with a BS in Psychology in 2002. After college, she worked for two years as a clinical assistant at Ridgeview Institute on the Child/Adolescent Program. After working at Ridgeview Institute, Dana came to Second Nature Blue Ridge as a field instructor and worked for two years out in the wilderness with the students and then one year as a transporter. Dana knows a great deal about the Second Nature Blue Ridge program both in the field and in the office.
Responsibilities of the Parent Coordinator include initiating preliminary calls with parents and continuing on going contact with families currently/previously enrolled in our program.
Casey Fitzgerald, M.S.
Parent Coordinator
| Phone: | 706.212.2037 |
|---|---|
| Fax: | 706.212.0354 |
| Email: | caseyf@snwp.com |
Originally from Seattle, Washington, Casey has relocated to many different states throughout the years before eventually landing in the mountains of Northeast Georgia where she enjoys various outdoor activities such as kayaking, running, and more recently triathlons.
Casey graduated from The College of William in Mary in Virginia in 2003 with a degree in Anthropology, and is currently working on completing a Master’s of Science in Educational Research at Georgia State University in Atlanta. Starting out in the outdoors working with students with ADD and ADHD in North Carolina, she facilitated many activities from whitewater rafting and rock climbing to caving and backpacking. Casey began her work with Second Nature in January, 2004 working as a field instructor for several years before moving into an administrative role within in the company. As Parent Coordinator her responsibilities include initiating preliminary calls with parents and continuing on going contact with families currently/previously enrolled in our program.
