Your Staff

Discovery Ranch combines the two things that Matt feels passionately about – horses and working with youth. Whether he is stacking hay or riding a horse, Matt always seems to have his students with him. Having grown up on a family ranch, Matt is able to blend his therapeutic knowledge and skill with the daily tasks of ranch work in such a way that the students develop therapeutic insight without realizing it is happening. With a Masters degree in Social Work and nearly 25 years experience working with teens and their families, Matt brings a real-life perspective to some very clinically complicated family situations. The only things he enjoys more than horses and working with youth are his wife and his four wonderful children.

Craig has over thirty-five years assisting families and students to reach their highest potential and has spent his entire career working with adolescents. Craig doesn’t simply talk about memories, traditions, and experiences, he lives it. Whether he is attending a college football game with his wife and family or pacing the sidelines of one of his grandkids soccer games, Craig truly has a zest for life.Craig loves how an experiential therapeutic campus provides opportunities to create treatment traditions and insightful memories for the students who reside at Discovery Ranch.Craig has a BS in Sociology, a Masters in Social Work and is an LCSW. He loves the Ranch and the opportunity to teach skills and participate in experiences with all the students.

Dorothy began her professional career as an educator, working at a local high school as a special education and history teacher for 24 years. While still teaching, Dorothy began her transition to the behavioral health field in 2002, earning her Masters of Art in Educational Counseling, with an additional emphasis on mental health issues, while working on her Clinical Mental Health Counselor License. After earning her license, Dorothy continued to teach but began to work as a therapist at an adolescent residential facility, eventually becoming the Assistant Clinical Director. This work quickly became a life fulfilling experience. Dorothy cherished her time with youth, enjoying their unique personalities, optimism, and energy for life. She was grateful for the opportunity to guide, teach and help them to grow and begin to experience their potential. Eventually having retired from teaching and having practiced for 15 years as a therapist, Dorothy transitioned to working with adults, with a focus on substance abuse issues. She quickly became Program Director while working in this capacity. She is truly excited to now be working at Discovery Ranch and to return to work with youth. Dorothy remains dedicated to helping others see their own strength and ability, their power to overcome the most difficult of life’s challenges, and is a genuine, heartfelt, and fierce advocate for personal growth. Dorothy’s main areas of focus include anger management, assertive communication, family dynamics and codependency, academic issues, and trauma work. She also has extensive training in EMDR.

It is obvious when you walk into Ray’s office…there are bears everywhere. There are pictures of bears, carvings of bears and bear figurines on his desk. When asked why, he says bears have always been dear to him ever since he was a kid. His nickname growing up was “Bear”.It was his roots in Missouri, being raised on a large farm with horses and cattle that drew Ray to Discovery Ranch. With over thirty years experience working with youth and their families, Ray is able to bring a seasoned approach to the therapeutic issues facing the students and their parents.Starting out in Education, Ray went on to get his Masters Degree in Psychology and has become a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor. Over the years Ray has been the clinical director at two different organizations so he brings to the students a wealth of knowledge, understanding and clinical expertise.Ray and his wife own six horses they love to ride and train when not involved in their children and grandchildren’s numerous activities.

The students at Discovery Ranch don’t really care that Wendy has a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology; a Masters Degree in School Psychology, a Doctorate Degree in Counseling Psychology and over 30 years of work experience. They just know that her infectious smile, caring attitude, and no-nonsense demeanor is a perfect blend as they struggle through some clinically complicated family concerns. Having the topic of her dissertation on the effectiveness of experiential therapy, Discovery Ranch was the perfect fit. “Outdoors & Active” has been her motto over the years as she has been involved in summer camps, winter camps and ski school. She has also had the opportunity to be involved in the compassionate service of “Dance Therapy” with preschool-aged children.“Every experience these boys have is an opportunity for therapeutic insight.”

The fact that Discovery Ranch has horses and each student is assigned a newborn calf when they are enrolled in the program is something very familiar to Jeanette. You see, she was raised on a dairy farm herself, so combining the therapeutic experience of over twenty-five years with a ranch experiential setting was like coming home for her.She has an abundance of therapeutic experience assisting students and families to navigate the rough waters of depression, anxiety, trauma, and addiction, Jeanette exemplifies the notion of “Taking the time it takes” to learn and develop competency in what you are doing. This sense of patience and understanding is the key to providing safe, effective therapy and interventions.Jeanette enjoys doing activities with the students that she works with from growing a garden to cooking, building, and working with wood. Jeanette is skilled in wood carving. She has each boy carve or wood burn a walking stick that represents his therapeutic journey from their past, present and future. The boys enjoy these activities and the process allows for therapeutic conversations that would otherwise never happen.

With over 35 years of experience supporting individuals with intellectual disabilities and related conditions and over 25 years of experience as a behavior specialist, William Perry Garso is more than qualified to fit right into the Discovery Ranch family. He has been happily married for over 40 years. He and his wife have raised 3 wonderful children to adulthood and they now continue as foster parents for children and young adults with intellectual and mental health issues. With numerous awards in competitive swimming, music, and martial arts, Perry is particularly excited to share his interests with our boys here at Discovery Ranch. But don’t let his enthusiasm for Harley Davidson motorcycles and his military background fool you. Perry has a firm but warm and supportive personality. His encouraging style of interaction will draw you in from the get-go and you can immediately see the passion he has for working with adolescents and helping families. We are thrilled to have Perry as part of the Discovery Ranch team!

With over 29 years as a family therapist and family life educator, Tim is passionate about his work with youth. As a father of 4 adult children and one lone-adolescent, he loves helping youth see their potential and work to realize healthy family goals. Whether he is fishing, biking, flying, camping, climbing or skydiving, it’s always with family. He believes that hands-on experiential learning is at the heart of real change.He is an approved supervisor for the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists and certified presenter for the Arbinger Foundation.Tim has a BS in Family Sciences, Minors in Psychology, Sociology and Hebrew/Near Eastern Studies, a Masters in Family Life Education, Masters in Marriage, Family and Child Therapy, and a Ph.D. in Philosophical and Theoretical Psychology. He is also a Licensed Substance Abuse Counselor. He has worked in a variety of settings and populations which include 15 years as a wilderness therapist.

Throughout the past 10 years, Jon has seen his beliefs about change borne out in a myriad of settings. Jon has worked in Residential, Intensive-Outpatient, Outpatient and Correctional settings with female, male, adult and adolescent populations. He believes each person requires a unique approach, that change is possible, and the power to change comes from within one’s self. At times help is needed to create the clarity necessary for change to take place. And that is where Jon comes in. He is currently an LCMHC, P.O.S.T Certified Special Functions Officer, and while serving as a Licensed Clinician with the Utah Department of Corrections he was trained and certified as a Crisis Intervention Team Officer. Often addictions and behavioral problems create barriers that can seem insurmountable to people trapped in a self-destructive cycle but Jon has witnessed first hand the change that can occur from within.

Jonathan earned his BS in Social Work and a Masters in Clinical Social Work. Most of his career has been spent helping adolescents and their families achieve peace and unity based on shared values.Prior to the Ranch Jonathan has worked as an employment/education counselor for teens, foster care case manager, and a program manager of a specialized teenage foster child program.Jonathan finds joy working with teens and parents who are in crisis and desire change but need additional assistance to reach their goals. Because everyone is different, his therapeutic approach is based on the unique needs of each family. Always looking for a new challenge, Jonathan uses a strengths-based approach to empower others, while addressing the underlying issues necessary to facilitate healing and growth. He loves the rain and being outdoors with his wife and three active children.

Chris is originally from Southern California and graduated from Pepperdine University in the beautiful city of Malibu with his Master’s in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy. Shortly thereafter he transplanted to Utah hoping to build a career helping youth and their families. He brings to us many years of working with families of kids with autism, depression, ADHD, and anxiety.He is also Ropes Course Certified. One of his group highlights is creating and implementing a cross country group where we participated in 5Ks and 10Ks winning many racing awards across the State of Utah. He also took a year teaching as an adjunct professor at Utah Valley University in the Family Behavioral Health Division teaching Interpersonal Communications, Family System, and Dynamics and Family Finance.Chris joined the Discovery Ranch team with over 15 years of experience working with adolescents. He is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and has worked in numerous different settings.Chris enjoys being outdoors, jogging and hiking through the Utah Mountains or biking some of its scenic trails. Chris also enjoys being with family and friends, horseback riding and taking care of his three beautiful tortoises respectively named Spartacus, Andromeda, and Perseus.

Megan has three main passions in her life: animals, helping people, and her family. Two of those passions are encompassed with her job here at the ranch. She was originally going to become an elementary teacher but when she found out she could work with youth doing experiential activities versus math and science she was all in! She graduated from the University of Utah with a bachelor's degree in recreation therapy. She joined Discovery Ranch in 2009. She absolutely loves her job and the youth here. Megan believes that every person is a good person, it’s the choices we make that define us.

Tessa was raised in Orem, Utah with 4 brothers. From them, she learned to never back down from a challenge and to continually push herself. She earned a degree in Recreational Therapy from Brigham Young University. She worked as an intern at a residential treatment center for teenage girls. She has grown to love the youth population because of the change and transformation that they choose to make in their lives. She loves Discovery Ranch and the lessons that she learns from the youth every day.

Shuri is a recreational therapist at the Ranch. She has worked in residential treatment for over 15 years and can’t imagine herself doing anything else. She is originally from Florida and her heart aches for the ocean and sunshine, although she does love all the beauty and adventure that come with living in the mountains. She is the mother of two daughters and enjoys spending her free time going to her family cabin in southern Utah and creating new memories. She is passionate about hiking, traveling, and learning new things. Working at the Ranch allows her the opportunity to learn something new and meaningful every day and that adds tremendous value to her life.