Eric is thrilled to be a part of the team at Dragonfly Transitions. Originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, he spent the last decade living in Western North Carolina and working primarily in the Wilderness Therapy field. He has held roles as varied as Master Field Instructor to Admissions Coordinator. In 2016, he left the mental health industry for an opportunity to work as General Manager for a boutique retro motel in Brevard, North Carolina. One of his highlights during his tenure was having the motel listed in USA Today’s Best Roadside Motels in America. (#1 in Southeast, #1 in North Carolina, #3 in America). Outside of work, you can find Eric reading, hiking, photographing birds, listening to music, baking, and spending time exploring the Pacific Northwest with his wife, Ashley. Eric is also a fully certified Search and Rescue member with Klamath County Sheriff’s Office SAR.

Sarah’s partnership with Dragonfly Transitions began in 2010 when she joined A Leap of Taste as a barista and chef. Sarah engaged in on-the-job training with Dragonfly Students to support them in developing work experience with coaching and feedback on work ethic. When a mentor position opened at the Homestead, she transitioned to working full time with students teaching animal husbandry and horticulture.

 

In 2017 Sarah moved back to her hometown in Georgia with her family to explore Management in the Wood Working Industry and cultivate her leadership and management skills. Sarah developed an internship program with the local high school to connect students with their areas of interest such as marketing research, web development, product photography, accounting, and IT. In addition, she engaged with local parolees to support skills to enable them to reenter the workforce. In 2020 Sarah was recognized by Woodworking Network as a part of the 2020 class of 40 under 40 for her innovative leadership, organizational management, continuous improvement mindset, and contributions to her community.

 

In 2020, She was invited to rejoin the Dragonfly team as the Homestead Program Coordinator and moved back to Oregon. Sarah has a lifelong passion for working with young adults who are struggling. Her background in General Psychology and practical experience working one on one with young adults were contributing factors in her promotion to Program Director of the Klamath Falls Campus.

 

“When I was a young adult, I was in a dark place, and I was fortunate to find a community that gave me the support and mentoring that I needed to successfully develop as an independent adult. Working at Dragonfly gives me the opportunity to pay it forward by investing in a community that offers our students support and connection to empower them to gain the skills they need.” ~ Sarah

Sean has over twenty years of experience in the teaching, mentoring, and guiding of staff, students, business operations, and government departments, both internationally and in the US. He has twelve years of experience instructing and facilitating wilderness therapy programs.

Sean has led mountaineering, backpacking and river expeditions in Alaska, Canada, Mexico, Papua New Guinea and South America. He brings to Dragonfly an extensive knowledge of natural history, years of instructor training experience, and some very top-notch teaching skills. Sean is a Wilderness First Responder (WFR) with 900 days in the field.

His emphasis has been on helping create self-awareness and confidence through education and support systems, while developing foundations through field manuals and hands-on staff and community development. His college course was centered on education, biology and general science.

When Sean is not in the wilderness, he enjoys spending time exploring Klamath Falls with his wife, Rachel, and their dog Buckeye.

River is a world traveler who is motivated by connection and passion, especially Passion for Adventure. River has a B.A. in film, and a B.S. in Business with over 5 years of experience in marketing and organizational operations. She journeyed into the world of unmanned aircrafts and spent two years flying drones. It took her on an adventure around the world where she flied drones in Australia, Philippines, Thailand, Mexico and more. She has worked at a kangaroo sanctuary in Australia and has worked on the Panama Canal as a guide for jungle hikes, kayaking trips, and safari tours, and was known for catching crocodiles with her bare hands. Rivers travels opened her eyes to the healing powers of stepping outside of your comfort zones, trying new things, and connecting with nature and now looks to bring that to the Dragonfly Community. During Rivers spare time she intentionally gets lost in the wilderness backpacking and camping.

Taylor moved from Ohio, the home of their childhood and alma mater, to work as a Dragonfly mentor. In college, they worked as a teacher’s assistant in the cinema department and as a resident advisor and peer mentor. Taylor organized events for various wellness, volunteer and cultural organizations while also residing at the university’s homestead. As a rising junior, they worked in Honolulu as a videographer and attended a study abroad program in Prague the following year, then spent the summer trekking through the Balkans, Alps, and UK. Currently as an Oregonian, Taylor’s days are filled with photographing hikes, rockhounding, and exploring the west coast through backpacking trips.

They became the Adventures and Wellness Coordinator of the Klamath and Homestead campus. The greatest joy of working at Dragonfly has been building individual relationships with students through recreational trips and activities. Taylor’s goal as a coordinator is to offer experiential opportunities for growth and a holistic approach to wellness.

 

Tyler was born in Tampa Florida, then raised in Klamath Falls Oregon. After high school he attend Corban University where he played collegiate golf for 3 years and received a bachelor’s degree in psychology.

Upon graduating he moved to Medford Oregon. Here he worked as a life coach at a shelter for homeless and at-risk teens ages 10-17. This shelter provided youth access to a home filled with love and compassion in a safe and supportive environment with family reunification as the primary goal. Most recently he worked as the Outside Services manager at a local golf course in Medford. Working with and serving others has always been a passion in Tyler’s life. So when the opportunity presented itself to work at Dragonfly, it was something he felt called to do. In his spare time you can find him hanging out with friends and family, golfing, walking his two rottweilers around town, and practicing his woodburning skills.

Brian is the Lead Mentor on Dragonfly’s Ashland Campus, helping to support both mentors and students daily. Brian grew up in Harrisonburg, Virginia. Following high school he moved to Salt Lake City, Utah for college. Although the move was intended to be academically focused, Brian quickly discovered a love for the mountains, rivers, and deserts of Utah. He began working at a wilderness therapy program and found a passion for working with people in a therapeutic environment. Brian returned to the University of Utah and completed a Bachelors of Social Work. In 2020 Brian relocated to Ashland, OR with his dog Swasey and is currently completing prerequisites for an accelerated nursing program.

Brian is a published photographer, a river guide, worked on a salmon fishing boat in Alaska, and has traveled to 4 continents. In his free time, when he isn’t studying, Brian enjoys backcountry snowboarding and skiing, river rafting, backpacking, and photography. Swasey enjoys these things as well and is usually by his side.

Kyle is a Klamath Falls native and has intersected with Dragonfly students over the last decade in his role as a Business Tutor at Klamath Community College. As well as an employee of a local tabletop game store that students frequented. Kyle has seen first-hand the impact that Dragonfly makes in the lives of young adults and joined the team to support Dragonfly’s mission to tackle the all-time high rates of depression, anxiety, and suicide by supporting the growth and wellbeing of students at Dragonfly. When he isn’t at work, Kyle is a full-time dad to his two daughters. They love to go on adventures and hikes around Klamath Falls.

Lia grew up in Seattle and moved to Southern California in 2014. Lia earned her Bachelor’s degree in Human Services with a focus in Addiction Studies from California State University- Fullerton. Lia has 5 years of experience working and volunteering with women who struggle with substance use and addiction and uses personal experience to provide a nonjudgmental and empathetic space for growth and healing. Lia is an alum of Dragonfly and felt that Dragonfly was the perfect space for her to give back what was given to her. Lia is passionate about helping students grow into their full potential and strength and believes that Dragonfly is truly transformative.

Outside of work, Lia enjoys music, being outdoors, CrossFit, reading, and discovering new foods.

Daniel, a life-long Oregon resident and OIT alumni, has brought his background in Applied Psychology to Dragonfly Transitions to live his purpose of helping others reach their full potential. He believes in a humanistic approach, using his skills from his experience working with the OIT Well-being Program to help students cultivate lasting life skills, confidence, and healthy habits.

When Daniel is not at Dragonfly assisting students, he enjoys learning a variety of interesting facts, reading, playing board games, training dogs, hiking, drawing, baking, and even piloting a boat. When he is not found diving into his latest interest, he is spending time with his amazing significant other Jenna, family, two cats named Zero and Sid, and dog, Ollie.

Sarah has spent the last two years working in healthcare as a caregiver and then a certified nursing assistant in a skilled nursing facility before discovering she wanted to expand into mental healthcare specifically. She now works with Dragonfly as a mentor to provide hands on support to our team and students. This includes and is not limited to running groups, working with mentees, and accurately supplying medications for our students. As a professional goal-oriented mentor Sarah hopes to continue to grow within and as part of the company. During Sarah’s downtime she greatly enjoys hiking and exploring the PNW, crocheting, and spending quality time with her family and friends. Sarah also enjoys attending local events and staying engaged as an active part of the community.

Brandy was born in Bend Oregon but raised in a rural area called Rocky Point, just outside Klamath Falls. She grew up as an only child and spent much of her early years exploring nature.  Brandy has taken many psychology courses at OIT, and plans to work towards her bachelor’s degree in that field.  She previously worked as a Certified Nursing Assistant but wanted to join Dragonfly to pursue her passion for helping others and bring awareness to the community about mental health.  Brandy has been able to take her life experiences and use it to help relate to students in the community. She has learned a lot from Dragonfly that she implements in her personal life. She enjoys being a part of this community and hopes to move into a leadership position in her future.  When Brandy is not at work she spends with her children, two dogs and partner. She loves listening to music, reading, and enjoys spending time outdoors, hiking, swimming, mushroom hunting, boating.

Brittney is originally from Ashland Oregon. Before she came to Dragonfly, she previously worked for a nonprofit that provides housing for local community members and working as a juvenile group worker while attending Oregon Institute of Technology to study applied Psychology. In Brittney’s free time, she enjoys hiking, sewing, and painting.

Rachel has been working in the education and mental health field for the past 8 years. She received her dual Bachelor’s degree in Education and Native Studies. Since then, she has worked for therapeutic programs, an educational farm, taught abroad, and has worked for the public school system. 

 

Rachel is deeply inspired by human connection. She thrives helping others and encouraging them to grow and show up authentically. She is excited for new adventures at Dragonfly. 

 

Rachel loves exploring new places and has lived in Oregon, northern and southern California, Colorado, and Spain. When not working you can find Rachel doing aerial arts, traveling, or taking in a spectacular film. 

Phoenix is a mentor on the Ashland Campus. Phoenix grew up in Joseph, Oregon, and is suited for small-town life. After graduating high school, Phoenix decided to attend Southern Oregon University to obtain a degree in theatre. He is still in the process with this, but in his free time enjoys advocating for others, getting involved with the community, and practicing anything in the arts including photography, theatre, or music to name a few. Phoenix has traveled to almost every state, worked with Oregon and federal politicians to better foster care, and wants to make a difference in the world no matter how small.

For Alissa, home is Mount Shasta, CA, a place where she loves to spend her time with friends and family. While living there, she gained many years of experience working with animals as an Animal Care Technician for a local animal shelter. She also spent much of her time as a volunteer foster parent for countless litters of kittens over the span of 7 years. The connections and therapeutic relationships that can be created and sustained with animals is an area of passion that she aspires to pursue further.

Alissa recently moved to Ashland, OR in September of 2021 to continue her education in Psychology and Sustainability. She is attending Southern Oregon University as a transfer student upon graduating from College of the Siskiyous with her AA-T, AA, and LAS in Social science. In her free time, Alissa can be found hiking, backpacking, camping, fishing, or exploring the woods with her dogs!

Karen has lived in Klamath Falls for 12 years. She is a fun, hard working, energetic mom of 3.  Before Dragonfly, Karen worked at the local hospital as a security officer in the emergency room for 8 years. In this role she was able to interact with with a diverse group of individuals struggling with mental health and addiction issues. Karen receives praise from her co-workers, family and friends for her empathetic style and enjoys talking with students and helping them process their day.

In her spare time you can find Karen fishing, hiking, swimming and doing any other activity that her kids want to do.

Cat comes to Dragonfly with many years of experience working with at risk youth. She was raised in the small agricultural town of Watsonville, CA. Before she moved with her family to Oregon in 1982, she fostered at risk adolescents in her home. She continued to work with and foster at risk adolescents when she moved to Southern Oregon. She re-established the Jackson county foster parent association with a little help from some very committed and passionate foster parents and DHS caseworkers.

The commitment to helping adolescents led her to a job that started her working with youth in a treatment setting in Ashland Oregon where the goal for the adolescents was treatment, education, work experience and independent living skills. She continues to use this past experience with the young adults as a Mentor at the Dragonfly Transitions Ashland campus. She loves to camp, listen to music, is an avid reader and loves to drive to parts unknown.