Allison Hinkle
Allison (she/her) comes to Deschutes Wilderness Therapy with a wealth of experience in case management, program design, and recruitment. She has worked locally in the Central Oregon community for the past five years, supporting different non-profit organizations. During this time, Allison gained a strong understanding of community needs and built connections to create accessible resources…
Read MoreLori Vallelunga, PhD
Dr. Lori Vallelunga is a licensed clinical psychologist with more than a quarter-century of clinical and program administration experience. She comes to Deschutes Wilderness Therapy with an adventurous spirit and a passion to help others become their best selves. As Clinical Director of the Adolescent Program, Dr. Vallelunga’s skills in team building, staff communication, and support as…
Read MoreMatt Potako
Matt hails from the woody western suburbs of Philadelphia, PA where he always preferred to play outside. He developed an early love for the ocean, growing up sailing, surfing and kiteboarding. While studying Hydrogeology and Music Technology at Penn State, Matt fell in love with the mountains and land-based activities such as hiking, skiing and mountain biking.…
Read MoreDr. Ryan Patterson
Ryan Paterson attended the University of Vermont School of Medicine and completed his Emergency Medicine Residency and Fellowship in Wilderness/Altitude/Expedition Medicine at Denver Health Medical Center/the University of Colorado, USA. He also holds advanced certifications in Tropical Medicine from the London School of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (DTM&H) and in Mountain Medicine (DiMM). He is…
Read MoreAndrew Scott MA
Andrew stepped into the Executive Director role at Deschutes Wilderness Therapy in the Spring of 2015. He started working in the wilderness therapy field around 2012, taking on responsibilities such as leading an inner-city outdoor youth program, working with wilderness immersion students in the field, supporting the admissions process, and other administrative and organizational needs.…
Read MoreSteve Sawyer, LCSW CSAC
New Vision Wilderness, Deschutes Wilderness Therapy, First Light Wilderness Chief Clinical Consultant/Co-Founder Brainspotting International Senior Trainer Heartmath Interventions & Resilient Heart Programs Co-Author Wellbriety Mending Broken Hearts Trainer Steve is a dual-licensed psychotherapist filled with passion and knowledge surrounding the intervention and change process. His experience comes from two decades of intervention with tough-to-reach client…
Read MoreOlivia Akana
Olivia came to Deschutes Wilderness Therapy with experience in the facilities and real estate management space. She worked for large biotechnology companies in Boston, MA, and was responsible for new site acquisition, design, build, startup, and operation. In those roles, she developed a deep understanding of administrative and operational leadership to ensure growth and stability…
Read MoreRachel Grimm BS
Rachel graduated from UW Milwaukee with a degree in Community Education and a focus on therapeutic work. During college, she was also a full time athlete on the diving team. For the past five years, Rachel has worked with many children with disabilities as a line therapist for kids with autism and also as a…
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