Welcome to Ascent Programs

When a teen’s life gets off track due to significant emotional distress or dysfunctional behaviors, it is not uncommon for their life and their family’s life to unravel. My passion is to bring families the healing experiences they need to reconnect as a family and help their child put their life back together. Using nature and outdoors as our setting, we help struggling teens reconnect with their families. We also help them find happiness, and develop the maturity to handle the challenges ahead of them. Growing up in Las Vegas, Nevada, I spent much time in the outdoors of Southern Utah. Whether hiking in Zion or rock climbing in Veyo, the outdoors was a place of peace and growth. Hence as a Mental Health Professional, I believe that the best environment for healing individuals and relationships is in the outdoors. I am a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and have worked with teens in various capacities. I began working with adolescents as a field guide at RedCliff Ascent in 2000. Subsequently, I’ve held numerous positions at ThreePeaks. These include Senior Field Instructor, Field Support Manager, Assistant Medical Coordinator, Primary Therapist, Research Director. And I am currently the Executive Director for ThreePeaks Ascent. As a clinician, I bring a wealth of experience. This experience includes Experiential Therapies, Narrative Family Therapy, Adlerian Therapy, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. I have also worked with adolescents and families in many different settings over the years, including residential treatment, community mental health, and foster care.My educational experience includes an MA in Mental Health Counseling and a PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision. My research focus is on Nature-Based Short-Term Residential Treatment, nature, adolescent development, and counseling ethics. I am actively involved in the counseling and psychology profession and hold regional and national leadership positions. I publish and present on Nature-Based Short-Term Residential Treatment and the use of the outdoor. This is done around the world at the national and international conference level. When not working, I enjoy spending time with my wife (who was also a field staff at ThreePeaks Ascent) and four children. Living just outside of Zion National Park, I enjoy spending time in nature with the family. I also like history and art, and enjoy visiting fine and contemporary art museums when I travel.

At a very young age, Clinton realized that he could have an impact on others’ lives through service and being involved. He is happiest when he is making a difference in other’s lives. Clinton is married and has five children. He loves spending time with them doing just about anything. They are his life. Clinton uses the same principles that they teach at the Ranch at home with his kids. It works. Clinton started in this industry in 2000 and has worked in Wilderness, Therapeutic Boarding and Residential. Residential is where his heart is. He started out his career in admissions and helped start the ranch as the Executive Director in 2005. He loves his work and feels blessed to have found something that he loves to do and gets paid to do it. Discovery Ranch has been a passion for him in that he helps create experiences for others the way his parents did for him when he was young.

Shawn is the Executive Director of Oxbow Academy. Shawn earned a Bachelors degree in Psychology from Brigham Young University. He began his career in residential therapy in 1992 and since that time has served as program director to three facilities, two of which specialize in treating teen boys with sexual issues. A native of Utah, he spent two years living in South America before settling down to become a family man. He and his wife are the parents of three children. He loves coaching little league football, playing the guitar and working with wood. Shawn’s passion for life and personal excellence drive his determination to help his boys at Oxbow discover the same.

MacKenzie's journey in the mental health field began in her hometown of St. George, UT where she was born and raised. During her college years, she gained experience as a direct care staff at a residential treatment center for adolescent girls and gradually transitioned to various management roles. MacKenzie's background is primarily in residential management which included being a Program Director for 5 years in the breathtaking Montana mountains.In 2021, MacKenzie embarked on a new endeavor as Executive Director, overseeing a therapeutic boarding school for adolescent teens in North Carolina. Drawing upon her extensive experience working with adolescents, she fostered a positive culture, enhanced student programming, and prioritized staff training. In this role, MacKenzie thrives on daily involvement in the therapeutic process with students and their families. She finds immense joy in witnessing the small, yet pivotal, changes that occur on a daily basis. MacKenzie's leadership style is characterized by empathy, allowing both her team and the students feel safe, valued, and understood.When she is not working closely with the students, MacKenzie indulges her passion for international travel. Additionally, she cherishes the great outdoors and can often be found hiking or exploring the nearby rivers.

Brent has spent his career of almost 20 years working with teens and their families in a variety of different settings including long and short-term residential treatment, acute care, and home based services. He has served in various leadership capacities over the years including clinical director, utilization review director, admissions/business development director, and executive director. Brent relates comfortably and professionally with families and teens alike. He finds great joy in guiding families out of crisis situations and into peaceful solutions. Brent’s experience working within the field of mental health in admissions allows him to have a breadth of knowledge when assessing the needs of clients in acute situations, as well as less critical circumstances. He played an integral part in creating an operational psychiatric facility and most recently helped start a short-term residential treatment program. Brent is passionate about providing more families with quality mental health treatment by accessing their insurance benefits. Brent is an active member of his community and finds the most joy spending time with his family. His wife, Julie, and their three young adult/teenagers enjoy all sports along with hiking, camping and other outdoor activities. Julie is a competitive marathon runner and Brent rides his bike along side her to keep up.