Adventure Wilderness Staff

Passionate, Caring Expert Staff

Your family’s team will include your child’s primary therapist, a Family Coach, a medical coordinator, a certified teacher, an equine specialist and many more. Together, this team of experts will work to understand your child’s behavior in various contexts – family, peers, school, recreation, and alone. Combined, these diverse perspectives allow our team to customize your child’s treatment plan so they can experience success throughout their life.

Graham Shannonhouse

Executive Director, Founder

Graham Shannonhouse has been actively involved in wilderness therapy for more than twenty years. Graduating from the University of North Carolina in 1991, she spent the following decade working with a leading wilderness therapy program in central Idaho, serving as a hands-on Field Instructor, Field Supervisor, and finally Wilderness Program Manager. She returned to her Carolina home in 2002 to serve as Executive Director of a therapeutic wilderness program, where she remained until she resigned in 2008 to form Trails Carolina.

Clinical Team

Our highly skilled clinical team creates individualized treatment plans for each child and family. As a parent, you can expect to be working with therapists who will help your child gain personal insight, provide treatment, and produce a thorough assessment of your child. Combined, our clinical team has many decades of experience working with teens and their families. 

Jeremy Whitworth

Co-Executive Director

Jeremy leads and oversees all day to day programming and operations.

Jeniveve Rollins, LCSW

Clinical Director

Jeniveve leads the clinical team and helps support staff with the therapeutic process.

Travis Wireback, LCSW

Travis works closely with Trails Carolina students throughout their therapeutic journey.

Amanda Mojave, LPC

Amanda leads and works with our younger girls group, students ages 10-14.

Jana Eilermann, NCC, LCMHC

Jana works closely with students and families throughout the therapeutic process.

Julia Ruff, NCC, LCMHCA

 Primary Therapist

Julia helps provide therapeutic support to students’ throughout their time at Trails.

Shalene Pierce, MSW, LCSW

Primary Therapist

Shalene has been with Trails since its inception and leads girls groups ages 14 – 17.

Todd Green MSW, LCSW

Primary Therapist

Todd uses his depth of experience to lead groups for boys ages 14 – 17.

Justin Messinger, MA, LCMHC, LCASA

Primary Therapist

 Justin works directly with families and help supports students in their journey to healing.

Sarah Hutchison, MSW, LCSW

 Sarah is a Primary Therapist who works closely with families and students at Trails Carolina.

Erin Cantalini, MA, LPC

 Family Coach

Erin helps guide families throughout their therapeutic journey.

Sarah James, MA, LCMHC, LCAS

Primary Therapist

Sarah believes that authenticity, emotional immediacy, honesty, and assertive communication are foundations

Melissa Turner, LCSW

Family Coach

Melissa helps guide Trails Carolina families throughout the therapeutic process.

Cass McCormick, LMFTA

Family Coach

Cass McCormick is an Associate Marriage and Family Coach (LMFTA)

Taisir El-Souessi, LCMHCS, LPC

 Family Coach

Taisir supports and guides families over the course of their child’s journey.

Francie Blair

Clinical Assistant

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Admission Team

Our admissions team understands that the decision to send your child to a wilderness therapy program is a difficult one. We’re here to help you to understand the value of our program and if it is the right fit for your child. You will be met with professionalism and compassion as our team works to meet your family’s individual needs.

Julia Andrick

Julia has helped countless families make the decision to go to Trails.

Dottie Lank

Dottie works with families to help them make the transition to Trails.

Candace Bynum

Candace helps referral families successfully transition to Trails.

Brooke Stewart

Brooke helps provide support and logistical details to families as they head towards graduation.

Wilderness Team

Expert wilderness and adventure camp staff for student success and safety Above all else, our wilderness team is there to ensure your child’s safety. Dedicated field instructors provide direct, individual care to students as they explore the beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains, as Field Staff work alongside our Clinical Team and Medical Coordinator to ensure the physical and mental wellbeing of your child are tended to.

Kyle Shepard

Experiential Education Director

Kyle leads experiential programming at Trails.

Thor Jones

Adolescent Field Director

Thor supervises and manages the field instructors and staff.

Brandon Berthrong

Youth Field Director

Brandon leads field staff and helps support students.

David Lackey

Adventure Program Facilitator

Rachel Bisker

Hiring Manager

Luke Johnson

Youth Field Manager

Luke is the Youth Field Manager at Trails Carolina.

Residential Team

The Residential Team provides quality programming in the classroom and beyond. Our dedicated teachers work hard to design an engaging curriculum, and accreditations ensure that credits earned by your child will transfer to most other schools. Beyond the classroom, our equine specialist facilitates students’ connection with our herd of horses, helping them connect with their emotions and better understand non-verbal communication.

Steve O’Neil

Ecology Specialist

Steve helps our students understand the misunderstood through experiential learning.

Lindsey Elliott

Health and Wellness Director

Lindsey manages our health and wellness programming, Trails to Wellness.

Dr. Tony Fisher, MD

Consulting Physician

Tony completes all physicals and tends to basic medical needs.

Anne Westall

Equine Specialist

Anne oversees the horse programming for Trails.

Debi Whitmire

HR Director

Debi oversees human resources and risk management.

Ben Holtzclaw

Facilities Director

Ben manages all facilities at Trails Carolina and keeps our campus beautiful.

Serena Sackett

Logistics Director

Serena manages the day-to-day logistics at Trails Carolina.

Animal Team

Maggie

Primary Therapist Jana Eilermann’s Pup

Chuck

Primary Therapist Amanda Mojave’s pup