Our Team

• Psy.D. Clinical Psychology, California School of Professional Psychology
• MA. Clinical Psychology, California School of Professional Psychology
• MA General Psychology, Pepperdine University
• BA Design, Psychology, and Afrikaans, Brigham Young University
• Licensed Psychologist in CA, IL, and UT since 2000.

Dr. Christopher Tolen is a licensed Clinical Psychologist. He started his mental health career in 1991 and eventually earned his Doctorate in psychology in 1999. Throughout his career, he has worked decades in the support of adolescents, young adults, and families. He has focused his profession with a commitment to evidence-based methods and practices.

Dr. Tolen is trained in and utilizes Brainspotting, Trauma-Focused CBT, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and Applied Behavioral Analysis. He has served as a therapist, program director, clinical director, supervising psychologist, an APA internship director, and an Executive Director. He has experience working in outpatient therapy, corrections, residential treatment, and wilderness therapy. He is the founder of two successful businesses including an outpatient therapy program and an aftercare transition program. As a clinical psychologist, he has provided psychological testing for over a thousand youth and young adults across the country and in multiple settings including schools, homes, therapeutic boarding schools, residential treatment centers, and wilderness therapy programs.

Dr. Tolen was born in Santa Fe, New Mexico and lived his childhood in both Sitka, Alaska and Santa Fe. He is the son of two public school teachers and was raised to appreciate and value culture, exploration, adventure, and family. His travels and aftercare therapy work have taken him to nearly every state in the union, to the UK, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and South Africa. He and his wife have been married since 1994, and are the proud parents of four children and a growing number of grandchildren. He and his wife have two sons with autism, one of whom completed wilderness therapy. In his free time, he enjoys sports, reading, movies, travel, spending time with his family, and singing barbershop.

• Utah State University, BS & MSW

Professional Experience

• Admissions Director at Daniels Academy since 2012
• Experience working with youth and family residential treatment since 1998
• Certified Family Life Coach

Sean currently lives in Midway, Utah, with his three children. Outside of work and raising his family, Sean spends his extra time working out, playing softball, and restoring cars with his children. He says,”restoring cars is one of my best ways to restore myself.”

Education

• M.A. Clinical Mental Health Counseling from George Fox University
• B.A. Psychology- Applied Social Psych from Brigham Young University

Experience

• Justin joins Daniels Academy with over 10 years of experience in Residential and Acute care for adolescents and adults with psychiatric and behavioral needs. He has worked within Hospital and Residential Treatment centers creating curriculum for students and engaged families in the therapeutic process. He is trained and experienced in using Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Trauma-Informed Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TI-CBT), Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT), and Narrative Therapy.

About Me

• Justin is passionate about helping boys in our community develop skills to manage the many changes and challenges they have experienced and continue to experience at this pivotal time of their life. He is passionate about neurodevelopment and educating clients and families concerning therapeutic skills and tools that will lead toward progress.
• Justin enjoys spending time with family and friends in the beautiful Utah outdoors. Justin specifically enjoys any activities involving water and is a Certified Swimming Coach, Lifeguard, and Swimming Instructor.

Marisa Davis currently nestles in Sandy, Ut with her daughter and dog, Bandi. She started her career working in residential treatment centers in 2005, holding various different positions including medical coordinating, residential staff, residential staff supervisor, business development and marketing, and admissions director. However, her most recent accomplishment was helping open a residential treatment center in 2018 for autistic students. This experience further deepened her desire to work within the autistic community, helping families find a safe and supportive environment for their autistic child while allowing them to learn and grow into happy and independent young adults. Marisa has a passion for working with families to help them find the right path to getting their child the help they need and has found her calling in her career as Admissions Director for Daniels Academy.

Originally from Washington State, Marisa has a passion for anything outdoors, live music, snowboarding, and is always looking for the next adventure to be had. When not working, you can find Marisa outside, living her best life with her really cool daughter and their favorite pup Bandi.

• ADN, Ameritech University
• BSN, Western Governors University (July ’23)

Kierra started her medical journey at the age of 16 graduating from Salt Lake Community College’s Dental Assisting program. After 8 years in the various areas of dental assisting including oral surgery, orthodontics, pediatric, and general family dentistry, Kierra decided to go to Nursing school. Since graduating from Nursing school Kierra has worked at the University of Utah working with patients who struggled with drug use, drug overdose, mental health, and other various health-related issues due to drug use and mental health issues. Before Daniels Academy, Kierra worked at Heber Valley Hospital in the operating room seeing a wide variety of surgeries including general, ortho, emergency, women’s health, children, and adolescents. Kierra plans to further her education by obtaining a Master’s Degree in Nursing.

Kierra enjoys working with the youth and learning about therapeutic processes. In her free time, she enjoys traveling to visit her family on the Oregon Coast, hiking, camping, kayaking, and exploring the great outdoors with her two children.

• University of Colorado, Boulder, BS, BA

Professional Experience

• Licensed to teach English, Social Studies, Speech, and Journalism
• 20 years teaching experience, specializing in writing and rhetorical analysis
• Led The Oakley School Speech and Debate team for five years

Craig’s interdisciplinary expertise allows him to connect the various aspects of the Daniels Academy Curriculum in a unique way. A husband, and a father to three teenage sons, Craig enjoys reading, hiking, and sports.

Education

• BA of History from Brigham Young University

Kevin has been a member of Daniels Academy for over four years with two years of previous therapeutic experience.  He has previous experience at Daniels Academy as a residential coach, shift lead, home manager, and residential director.  His favorite part of the job is helping our young men have meaningful and unique experiences while at Daniels Academy through evening programming, recreation outings, and international trips.  Kevin graduated with a degree in history and has broad experience in recreational activities and travel.  He enjoys lots of variety in his recreational pursuits and likes to help others develop their own interests.  Some of his favorite activities include skiing, rock climbing, trail running, oil painting, and playing with his border collie.

Education:

• BS in Business Finance – Brigham Young University
• MBA – University of Utah

Audrey’s professional experience includes working as a Retirement Specialist for Fidelity Investments and working as the Controller and Book Keeper for various companies.

In her free time, Audrey enjoys various outdoor recreational activities including skiing, mountain biking, golfing, hiking, and gardening. Her favorite past time is spending time enjoying life with her four children.

• BS Human Resource Management, Utah Valley University

Andrew has gained experience through prior human resource internships within the fields of hospitality and construction before working for Daniels Academy. He currently lives in Provo, Utah with his Spouse and enjoys spending his time away from work in the outdoors. He enjoys snowboarding, boating, golfing, and playing pickleball.

Crusan Epps joined the Daniels team in 2019.  She grew up in nearby Park City, Utah, and has lived in Heber City for the past 25 years.

Crusan has over 20 years of experience as an Office Manager and has a background of working with kids on the autism spectrum. She really enjoys being around the students and getting to know each of them. She loves to watch them succeed here and has a way of connecting with them.  She has been known to consider herself the “extra mom” to the students. Crusan is a single mother and a new grandparent, and she treasures all of the family time she can get! She loves the bagpipes and travels the country to attend Scottish festivals. She also has a love for cows and popcorn and enjoys hiking, gardening, and sewing. She likes to spend her free time playing with her dogs and binge-watching true crime tv.

Education

• M.A. Clinical Mental Health Counseling from George Fox University
• B.A. Psychology- Applied Social Psych from Brigham Young University

Experience

• Justin joins Daniels Academy with over 10 years of experience in Residential and Acute care for adolescents and adults with psychiatric and behavioral needs. He has worked within Hospital and Residential Treatment centers creating curriculum for students and engaged families in the therapeutic process. He is trained and experienced in using Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Trauma-Informed Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TI-CBT), Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT), and Narrative Therapy.

About Me

• Justin is passionate about helping boys in our community develop skills to manage the many changes and challenges they have experienced and continue to experience at this pivotal time of their life. He is passionate about neurodevelopment and educating clients and families concerning therapeutic skills and tools that will lead toward progress.
• Justin enjoys spending time with family and friends in the beautiful Utah outdoors. Justin specifically enjoys any activities involving water and is a Certified Swimming Coach, Lifeguard, and Swimming Instructor.

Sam’s greatest joy is his family.  He and his wife Lori share five children and nine grand children.  Sam enjoys spending time with them and doing any of a variety activities with them.  Sam enjoys almost anything outdoors including fishing, camping, back-backing and many water sport activities.  In recent years he has been involved with long distance open water swimming and when he has time, he enjoys training triathletes to swim efficiently.

Sam brings many years of experience to the Daniels team.  Sam started his path to becoming a therapist in a roundabout way.  Sam’s desire to assist others and his interest in science lead him to the field of exercise physiology where after receiving a bachelor’s degree he completed course work toward a masters degree.  Because of an injury he changed fields and received a second bachelor’s degree in an engineering field and worked in engineering in aerospace.  After working in aerospace, for a few years, he discovered his true passion was not in that field and found that passion was in the field of family therapy and working with adolescents.  Returning to graduate school Sam received a master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Brigham Young University.  Sam has also received intensive training in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT).

Sam started his career as a therapist in residential treatment with adolescents in 1990.  He worked in a variety of settings over the years including outpatient therapy, day treatment and acute inpatient treatment.  Sam was a clinical director in a residential program for several years however he prefers and is most passionate about working directly with the students and their families.  He has worked with a variety of individuals and families with a variety of challenges.  Sam finds the most enjoyment in working with adolescents on the Autism Spectrum and their families and is very excited about the opportunity to work with the students and families at Daniel’s Academy.

• EdD Counseling Psychology, Argosy University
• Psychology, Brigham Young University
• MA Psychology, Brigham Young University

Ann Ngatai is a Primary Therapist at Daniel’s Academy. She comes from Southern California by way of Hawaii. Ann has attended to her education while also living all over the U.S. Together with her husband, she has been active in raising her four children. Ann’s life has been exemplified by her personal goal of trying to be the best person she can be by helping others and doing what she can, in small ways, for her local community.  She has realized her professional goal of obtaining her doctorate in Counseling Psychology and becoming a licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor. Ann loves all things Japanese, as she lived in Japan as a missionary, studied the language in college, and was a Japanese tour guide for five years. She enjoys biking on the beautiful trails in Park City and Provo Canyon. She considers her area of strength to be building a relationship of trust with students so that together, they can identify areas that need improvement.  Ann is an expert at working with her students to develop skills toward independence and becoming successful at navigating this world in healthy and appropriate ways.

• BA Business Administration, Bob Jones University
• MA Licensure Counseling, Denver Seminary

Richard Casdorph is a primary therapist with Daniels Academy. He is relatively new to the whole “Utah experience.”  He has spent most of his life back east in the West Virginia area.   His accent and positive energy often give him away!  While living in West Virginia, he stayed busy in the business world running a military dealership, managing a horse ranch, and managing commercial properties.  Richard realized early in his adult life that he loved “journeying” with people.  So, about 15 years ago, he ventured to Colorado and began committing his time and effort to helping others “find their way.”  After obtaining more education, he started working at homeless shelters and halfway houses in the Denver region.  While living in California, he discovered that he enjoyed working with teens and their families through mental health issues, crises, and addiction. Richard is married with a “full life,” enjoying his children and grandchildren.  His passions in life are motorcycles, high country experiences (especially in the Rockies), and good food.  It should be known that Richard affirms himself to be a “gym rat.”  He strongly believes that to stay healthy, you must “live close to your heart and follow your natural design to your destiny.”

• M.S. Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Western Carolina University
• B.A. International Studies, University of Denver

Eric completed his practicum and internship at Job Corps in Brevard, North Carolina. His experience also includes working at a residential trade school for young people ages 16 to 24. In his position, he was focused on working with students to become employable and successful independent adults. Eric has lived in and visited multiple locations. He was born in Philadelphia and raised in the northwest suburbs of Chicago. He completed his undergraduate education in Denver and his graduate degree in Asheville, NC.

Eric’s passion for mental health came from personal and family struggles, and he feels like he is himself when he’s in touch with his own emotions and when he is helping others navigate theirs. His goal is to work with students and to continue to search for ways to rewrite their way of “doing and being” in order to be successful as they traverse the ever-changing challenges of life.

Eric loves being around people and has a passion for learning about every person he meets. He loves the mountains (the Rockies specifically), enjoys spending time in the outdoors skiing, hiking, and fishing, and is a big sports fan, especially the Eagles, the Cubs, and the 76ers! Eric lives in Heber City, along with his dog, Oakley, a husky mix who keeps him on his toes!

• M.S Social Work, Boise State University
• B.A. Social Work, Brigham Young University Idaho

Christy completed her bachelor-level practicum with the State of Idaho as a child welfare social worker and went on to work there for an additional two years. During this time, Christy developed a passion for working with and advocating for children and families. While finishing her Master’s in Social Work, Christy completed her practicum and was later hired on with Purple Sky Counseling, a trauma-focused private practice located in Heber City, Utah. She found fulfillment working with her teenage clients and their parents. Through these experiences, Christy learned about the importance of attachment and belonging. She currently utilizes elements from Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Parts Work, Eye-Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. She is committed to helping her clients recognize patterns in their lives, come to know themselves fully, and realize their potential.

Christy was born and raised in Texas and has a healthy appreciation for warm weather and delicious food. In her free time, she enjoys playing with her two-year-old son, chatting with friends, connecting with nature, and finding ways to express her creativity.

• Utah State University, BS & MSW

Professional Experience

• Admissions Director at Daniels Academy since 2012
• Experience working with youth and family residential treatment since 1998
• Certified Family Life Coach

Sean currently lives in Midway, Utah, with his three children. Outside of work and raising his family, Sean spends his extra time working out, playing softball, and restoring cars with his children. He says,”restoring cars is one of my best ways to restore myself.”

Marisa Davis currently nestles in Sandy, Ut with her daughter and dog, Bandi. She started her career working in residential treatment centers in 2005, holding various different positions including medical coordinating, residential staff, residential staff supervisor, business development and marketing, and admissions director. However, her most recent accomplishment was helping open a residential treatment center in 2018 for autistic students. This experience further deepened her desire to work within the autistic community, helping families find a safe and supportive environment for their autistic child while allowing them to learn and grow into happy and independent young adults. Marisa has a passion for working with families to help them find the right path to getting their child the help they need and has found her calling in her career as Admissions Director for Daniels Academy.

Originally from Washington State, Marisa has a passion for anything outdoors, live music, snowboarding, and is always looking for the next adventure to be had. When not working, you can find Marisa outside, living her best life with her really cool daughter and their favorite pup Bandi.

Education

• BA of History from Brigham Young University

Kevin has been a member of Daniels Academy for over four years with two years of previous therapeutic experience.  He has previous experience at Daniels Academy as a residential coach, shift lead, home manager, and residential director.  His favorite part of the job is helping our young men have meaningful and unique experiences while at Daniels Academy through evening programming, recreation outings, and international trips.  Kevin graduated with a degree in history and has broad experience in recreational activities and travel.  He enjoys lots of variety in his recreational pursuits and likes to help others develop their own interests.  Some of his favorite activities include skiing, rock climbing, trail running, oil painting, and playing with his border collie.

Nick has worked at Daniels Academy for over three years. He has worked at both homes during his time with Daniels, and he has strived to build healthy, professional rapport with the young men under his care while also providing them with the tools they need for future success. Nick has maintained positions as a residential coach, assistant shift lead, and shift lead, and he has worked closely with the therapists in providing quality care our young men. He has also participated in a number of trips with our young men, and he has helped to make these trips into meaningful experiences that our young men will remember and cherish for years to come.

Nick is currently working to complete his Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology with a Minor in Family Studies, with plans to go on to graduate school in Neuropsychology. Nick originally started his college career in Mechanical Engineering with plans to go into Biomedical Engineering. It wasn’t until Nick started working with Daniels that he realized that he wanted to make the shift to working with people and helping them work through the neurological and psychological difficulties they experience. In both of these majors, there is a common thread of wanting to provide a service or care that would directly benefit and improve the lives of others; this is a core quality of what Nick looks for and hopes to contribute in his work and career.

Nick enjoys everything from board games to mountain biking. He has a wide variety of interests in both indoor and outdoor settings, and he is very open to trying new things. Nick is also a tinkerer and a handyman, and he enjoys working with his hands to build, construct, and repair various things ranging from vehicles to computers, phones, and televisions. Nick has been married for over three years to his beautiful wife who is also going into Neuropsychology. He is the proud owner of a Bearded Dragon named Calcifer, and he has a love for all sorts of animals and reptiles.

• BA Psychology, Sonoma State University
• AA Psychology, Santa Rosa Junior College
• AA Sociology, Santa Rosa Junior College

Stephen has been a member of the Daniels Academy team since 2020, with experience as an Assistant Home Manager, Shift Lead, and Residential Staff. He strives to work in a compassionate, caring, and proactive mindset to help assist the young men under his care to achieve the tools for their success.

Born in South Lake Tahoe, California, his family moved to Heber City, Utah, when Stephen was ten. After completing high school in Heber, he moved to Santa Rosa, California, and attended Santa Rosa Junior College, earning an Associate of Arts in Sociology, and in Psychology. During this time, Stephen was recognized by the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. He then continued his education at Sonoma State University, earning his Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. During his time at SSU, he focused a lot of time on cognitive neuroscience and presented research on the role of bottom-up visual representations in emotional decision-making at various research conferences around the country. During his time there Stephen was recognized by the Psi Chi International Honor Society in Psychology.

Stephen’s current interests range from hiking, snowshoeing, and skiing, to card games and video games. He loves to learn new things and likes to tinker with off-road vehicles. His favorite pastime is to go for a ride on his motorcycle. Stephen loves all types of animals and considers himself lucky to have a Labrador named Loki, and a cat.

Zach has worked at Daniels Academy since February 2017. He has worked in both homes during his time at Daniels and has spent countless hours facilitating and nurturing a healthy and productive therapeutic environment within both residences. Throughout his tenure at both homes, he has worked in many different capacities. He’s worked as a residential floor coach, an assistant shift lead, a shift lead, an assistant senior shift lead, an assistant home manager, and now the home manager of the Heber Home.

Zach is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Software Engineering at Utah Valley University. He originally began his collegiate education in the behavioral sciences, and his experience and knowledge through his previous major prepared him well to face the responsibilities of his current position.

Zach enjoys everything from road biking to playing card games with the students. The greatest joy he finds is in raising his own children within his own family. He is married, and together they have three little children, Will, Reese, and Wren. They keep him and his wife very busy, and he has learned many skills to help him find success within his personal life through his tenure on the Daniels Academy team.

Ryan has been at Daniels Academy since May 2018. He has had the opportunity to work in each of our residences and across multiple shifts. In addition to being the current Assistant House Manager in the Heber Home, Ryan has held multiple positions over the years including Assistant Shift Lead, Shift Lead, and Mentor. More recently, he has also been charged with taking a role on the Admissions team by assisting with tours of the residences. Ryan is a valuable member of the Daniels Academy family and is instrumental in working closely with therapists and parents, keeping them well-informed on each student with whom he works. Ryan enjoys being able to make connections with our students. He finds it valuable to see when a student can turn a corner or find success on their path to growth.

• BS Criminal Justice, Everest College

Misty is DBT certified and has many years of experience working with a broad spectrum of adolescents, from acute residential treatment to the juvenile justice population. She truly loves helping people of all ages and has dedicated herself to providing guidance and the tools that our youth need to succeed. Misty is a firm believer in living by example. She strives to keep a positive attitude, lives a healthy lifestyle, and loves to stay active.

Misty’s number one pride and joy is her family! She is the proud mother of three sons, and together they enjoy being outdoors, camping, swimming, hiking, and fishing.

Nate has worked on the Residential team at Daniels Academy since January 2019. He loves getting active with the students on hikes and campouts. His favorite experience at Daniels was the international trip to Costa Rica with the students. Nate is a student at Utah Valley University pursuing a career in Urban Planning. Outside of work and school, he enjoys playing ultimate frisbee, tennis, and hiking.

• BS Recreational Therapy, University of Utah

Sierra’s name symbolizes her love of mountains, being outdoors, and overall being active. This feeds her passion for Recreational Therapy. She studied Recreational Therapy at the University of Utah and focused specifically on Neurodevelopmental Disorders. Sierra started at Daniels Academy as a Recreational Therapy Intern, worked as a residential staff, and now works as a Recreational Therapist. In her free time, she rock climbs, skis, mountain bikes, camps, hikes, mountain bikes, and much more.

• University of Colorado, Boulder, BS, BA

Professional Experience

• Licensed to teach English, Social Studies, Speech, and Journalism
• 20 years teaching experience, specializing in writing and rhetorical analysis
• Led The Oakley School Speech and Debate team for five years

Craig’s interdisciplinary expertise allows him to connect the various aspects of the Daniels Academy Curriculum in a unique way. A husband, and a father to three teenage sons, Craig enjoys reading, hiking, and sports.

• Brigham Young University of Idaho- BS in Special Education
• Western Governors University- MS in Curriculum and Instruction

Professional Experience

• Licensed to teach Special Education( K-12)

Michelle’s experience with a diverse population within the Special Education community makes her well suited for Daniels Academy. Originally from Idaho, Michelle moved to Utah with her husband in 2019 and has enjoyed all that this beautiful state has to offer. Michelle enjoys spending her free time being around family, playing the piano, reading a book, cycling, and exploring the outdoors.

• Graduate studies in Curriculum and Instruction, Seattle Pacific University
• EdD (ABD) Math/Science curriculum and Instruction, Temple University
• Med Education Leadership with emphasis on Teacher Leaders, Brigham Young University
• BA Mathematics Education, Minor in French, Brigham Young University

Kristen has taught Mathematics for 30 years in Utah, New Jersey and Washington state. Her experiences teaching Middle School, High School and College students have helped her realize that students can be successful in mathematics using their own strengths. She focuses her teaching on helping students fix their misconceptions as quickly as possible. Kristen moved back to Utah with her three children in 2020 and loves being back in the mountains. Kristen enjoys spending her free time with her children and granddaughter, playing the piano and organ, reading, riding bikes, and being outside in the cooler weather of fall and winter.

“Mr. McKay” is a graduate of Utah Valley University majoring in Integrated Studies with an Emphasis in Biology and Earth Science (Geology). He is currently in his Master’s Degree program with Western Governors University for Secondary Science with an Emphasis in Biology. He studied the volcanoes of Utah during his Senior thesis and throughout his undergraduate career and brings a passion for science with him into the classroom. When he is not in the classroom he is outside hiking, fishing, scuba diving, or setting up telescopes to observe the night sky.

• BS Speech Language Pathology and Audiology, Spanish, Brigham Young University
• MA Bilingual Communication Disorders, New Mexico State University
• ASHA Certificate of Clinical Competence 2003 – Present
• State Speech-Language Pathology License, Utah, Current
• Utah Level 3 Educator License

Experience as a Speech Language Pathologist includes: Neurological Rehabilitation (Acute care and Rehabilitation settings), Medical Inpatient Services, Medical Outpatient Services, Deaf and Hard of Hearing Programs, School-based Speech Language Pathology (Spanish/English Bilingual Language Specialist).

• Specific areas of focus include:
  • Social Cognitive Therapy
  • Social Pragmatics
  • Executive Functions
  • Interpersonal Neurobiology as it relates to Language and Social Pragmatic Disorders
  • Developmental Language Disorders
• Personal experience with neurodiversity motivates Betina to continue learning and growing in this specific field of practice.

Betina is married to a brilliant Engineer and is the Mother of four children and one dog. She finds joy in nature, physical activity (preferably outdoors), gardening, interpersonal connections, and learning new things.

• Pre-med and BA in French from Duke University
• Medical doctorate from Michigan State University College of Human Medicine
• MS in Occupational Therapy from University of Southern California with an emphasis in pediatrics and sensory integration.

Professional Experience

• Pediatric clinical rotations
• School-based settings
• Sensory integration clinics/private practices
• Hospital settings with complex medical conditions, and mental health clinic for children.

I am passionate about advocating for children and helping families learn to navigate and advocate within the educational system. I am committed to helping maximize functional independence for each student and creating an environment for each student to succeed in the educational setting and in the world.

• ADN, Ameritech University
• BSN, Western Governors University (July ’23)

Kierra started her medical journey at the age of 16 graduating from Salt Lake Community College’s Dental Assisting program. After 8 years in the various areas of dental assisting including oral surgery, orthodontics, pediatric, and general family dentistry, Kierra decided to go to Nursing school. Since graduating from Nursing school Kierra has worked at the University of Utah working with patients who struggled with drug use, drug overdose, mental health, and other various health-related issues due to drug use and mental health issues. Before Daniels Academy, Kierra worked at Heber Valley Hospital in the operating room seeing a wide variety of surgeries including general, ortho, emergency, women’s health, children, and adolescents. Kierra plans to further her education by obtaining a Master’s Degree in Nursing.

Kierra enjoys working with the youth and learning about therapeutic processes. In her free time, she enjoys traveling to visit her family on the Oregon Coast, hiking, camping, kayaking, and exploring the great outdoors with her two children.

Dr. Edward Kelly has 25 years of experience as a psychiatrist, specializing in evaluating and treating individuals across various age groups, including children, adolescents, college-age, adults, and geriatric patients. His expertise extends to substance abuse and detox, forensic evaluations, and treatment. Before entering psychiatric practice, he worked as a disability attorney, assisting individuals with psychiatric and medical disabilities. During his 4-year psychiatric residency program, Dr. Kelly received training in child and adolescent psychiatry through both inpatient and outpatient settings. Additionally, he spent two years part-time treating students at a university with a population of 10,000 adolescents and young adults. He has worked at private psychiatric hospitals, including providing care for children and adolescents. Dr. Kelly completed a forensic fellowship at the Child Study Center in Lakewood, WA, which included experience with children and adolescents.

In recent years, Dr. Kelly worked weekends for two years at a private psychiatric hospital in Washington State, primarily on the adolescent unit. He has also periodically worked with adolescents at various locum assignments, maintaining a strong interest in adolescent psychiatry. Dr. Kelly is an active member of the American Society for Adolescent Psychiatry and has been board certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology for almost 20 years in general psychiatry (including adolescents) and forensic psychiatry. He holds medical licenses in four states and has held a law license for over 40 years. Throughout his career, Dr. Kelly has never faced license or practice restrictions, nor has he been found liable for malpractice.

In addition to his professional background, Dr. Kelly values establishing rapport with his patients and takes a comprehensive approach to their care. He draws on his diverse education and work experiences, which range from being a paperboy, farm hand, and hospital orderly to working as an attorney, physician, and psychiatrist. Having lived in various regions across the United States, Dr. Kelly appreciates the cultural and regional differences that influence patients’ lives. He believes in fostering a collaborative team that includes other healthcare professionals and family members. Dr. Kelly aims to minimize the use of medications and focuses on those with the fewest adverse side effects within their class. He acknowledges the importance of medical, developmental, substance abuse, and non-psychiatric medications in a person’s mental health and has experience as a consult-liaison psychiatrist.

Dr. Kelly actively involves the adolescent’s home pediatric or psychiatric provider(s) in the treatment process, ensuring continuity of care and incorporating their medical history, ongoing medication regimen, diagnoses, and discharge planning. He also embraces a holistic and team-based approach to treatment, employing various non-pharmacologic modalities alongside medication. Dr. Kelly encourages patients to take substantial responsibility for their treatment and welcomes ongoing discussions with parents or guardians about their child’s progress.

Dr. Kelly has been happily married for 30 years and is the proud father of an adult son and daughter. He can empathize with the challenges of being a parent to adolescents due to his recent personal experiences.

Bio Coming Soon