Adventure Wilderness Staff

Passionate, Caring Expert Staff

Your family’s team will include your child’s primary therapist, a family therapist, 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. 

Jeniveve Rollins, LCSW

Clinical Director

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

Shalene Pierce, MSW, LCSW

Primary Therapist

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

Justin Messinger, MA, LCMHCA, LCASA

Primary Therapist

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

Todd Green MSW, LCSW

Primary Therapist

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

Sarah Hutchison, MSW, LCSW

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

Amanda Mojave, LPC

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

Sarah McGahran, LCSWA

Primary Therapist

Sarah guides teens and helps facilitate lasting change in family systems.

Jana Eilermann, NCC, LCMHC

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

Travis Wireback, LCSW

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

Melissa Turner, LCSW

Family Therapist

Melissa helps guide Trails Carolina families throughout the therapeutic process.

Taisir El-Souessi, LCMHCS, LPC

 Family Therapist

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

Kaitlin Kertesz, MSW, LCSW, RYT

 Family Therapist

Kaitlin works closely with Trails Carolina families throughout the therapeutic process.

Mara Mueller, MSW, LCSW

Family Therapist

Mara works closely with Trails Carolina families throughout the therapeutic process.

Nicola Zollinger, LCMHCA

Transition Therapist

Nicola works closely with Trails Carolina students throughout the therapeutic process.

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.

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.

Jeremy Whitworth

Program Director

Jeremy leads and oversees all day to day operations.

Kyle Shepard

Experiential Education Director

Kyle leads experiential programming at Trails.

Thor Jones

Head of Instructor Development

Thor supervises and manages the field instructors and staff.

Brandon Berthrong

Field Communications Director

Brandon supervises field staff and helps support students.

Patricia Orr

Adolescent Program Manager

As a Program Manager, Patricia helps support and manage field staff.

Dylan Mayes

Adventure Program Facilitator

Dylan leads and guides students on adventure activities.

Rachel Bisker

Hiring Manager

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.

Elizabeth Chancellor

Academic Director

Elizabeth helps maintain our academic accreditation and supports our academic team.

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.

Betty Ervin

Office Manager, Parent Liaison

Betty is the “glue” involved in all aspects of 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 Manager

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