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About the Academy

leadership Team

Adam McLain, Psy.D.
Chief Exective Officer

With approximately 15 years of experience in mental health, Adam has a range of experiece with Therapeutic Boarding Schools, Community Health and Private Practice. Prior to accepting the position of Executive Director of Northwest Academy, Adam spent 5 years as the Clinical Director at a therapeutic boarding school in Tennessee where he sharpened his clinical and administrative skills and had many successes with struggling adolescents and their families. Adam completed his Bachelor of Arts at Olivet Nazarene University and his Psychology Doctorate at the Adler School of Professional Psychology.

When not in his office, Adam, who is a fomer college football player, can often be found challenging a group of boys to a game of flag football. He believes that time spent building relationships with students is one of the key elements in successful work with adolescents. .

Adam comes from a family of six boys, and grew up in the state of New York. As a father of two, Adam understands the love a parent has for their child, and cares deeply about the outcomes of the adolescents entrusted in his care.

Bruce Wilson
Director of Staff Training and Development

Bruce has over 25 years of experience in the therapeutic boarding school industry where he has served in multiple direct care and leadership capacities. Bruce holds a Bachelor of Arts from Western Kentucky University and also studied art at Otis/Parsons. Bruce left northern Idaho in 2001, moving to New Hampshire to open another therapeutic boarding school, and then returning with his family to northern Idaho in 2007.

Bruce comes to Northwest Academy from Kentucky and grew up in Louisville. Having spent much of his life around horses, Bruce has often commented that, "everything I know about working with adolescents I learned from working with horses and art." Whether it's the patience he developed, or the ability to follow his own intuition, anyone who has spent time around Bruce will confirm that he has a rate gift for understanding people.

Brandi Elliott
Director of Admissions and Business Development

Brandi has over 17 years experience working with at-risk adolescents, their families and the programs who aim to help them. She spent ten years at a therapeutic boarding school in various direct care positions, including seven years as the Director. Brandi has supported numerous therapeutic programs including wilderness, young adult and chemical dependency programs with risk management, admissions & marketing, crisis intervention, parent education, staff training, program development and leadership coaching.

Brandi serves students and families as the Admissions and Business Development Director for Northwest Academy. A certified coach, her ability to confidently guide parent during times of crisis makes her a valuable asset to the school. Brandi's "on the ground" experience and powerful insight allows her to address important issues from an objective and yet understanding perspective. Brandi's colleagues have often commented that "Brandi knows how to find the value in everybody she meets."

Brandi holds a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology, where she explored and integrated her interests in the nature vs. nurture debate. When not working, Brandi can often be found skiing, boating or engulfed in someone's biography, affirming her belief that everyone has a story worth telling.

Tai Komanec
Director of Human Resources and Risk Management

Tai has been with Northwest Academy since 1996. Through her years of experience she has developed a solid understanding of the many factors involved in providing quality healthcare on our campus. Tai collaborates with regional, state and national agencies to ensure that we are following the most current healthcare standards. Her other responsibilities include recruiting and staff training.

Tai holds an Associate's Degree from NAU/Arizona Western College. She lives in Clark Fork, Idaho with her husband and daughter. In her spare time Tai enjoys the outdoors, NASCAR, and reading.

Jolene Hubbard
Chief Financial Officer

Jolene has spent the past five years as the Chief Financial Officer of Northwest Academy and holds a license as a Certified Public Accountant in the state of Idaho. Although much of her work is "behind the scene," it is Jolene's diligence that keeps daily operations running smoothly and makes many of the trips and activities possible. Prior to joining our team Jolene had a Certified Public Accounting Practice, Hubbard & Associates in Bonners Ferry, Idaho from 2004-2007. Her additional experience includes serving four years as the Accounting Manager for a manufacturing company in Wyoming before returning with her husband to his hometown of Bonners Ferry, Idaho.

Jolene is originally from Mt. Gilead, Ohio and graduated from Brigham Young University. She loves children and is the mother of two boys ages 15 and 7. Her hobbies include: vacationing with her family, reading classic books, running, hiking, horseback riding, and baking. Her specialty is gourmet cupcakes filled with chocolate ganache, coconut, or Boston Cream.

James R. Pannell
Academic Director

Jim began his academic career concentrating on special needs youth, and developing programs for their success. He has held leadership positions in various public and private schools in Utah, Vermont, and Idaho. He has enjoyed working with the professional staff and leadership team at Northwest Academy since 2006. His years of experience working with families and teens continue to bring vision to Northwest Academy's integrated personal growth and academic curriculum.

He received his B.S. in Special Education from Utah State University and his Masters in Education Leadership from the University of Idaho.

Jim's passion for both sports and academics are represented at Northwest Academy. He believes the discipline which team sports can teach is intertwined with successful academics. He has coached basketball, both girls and boys, most of his academic career. Jim's outdoor interests are scuba diving, fishing, hiking, boating, and flying his Cessna 182 over the beautiful mountains and valleys over North Idaho.

Devorah McIntosh
Director of Post Secondary Planning

Devorah holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Master of Arts in Counseling, and a Master's of Education in Educational Leadership.

After holding the position of Academic Director for five years, Devorah has narrowed her focus to dedicate herself to our students post secondary planning needs. As the full time Director of Post Secondary Planning, she is able to walk through the entire college preparation planning process with students, beginning with interest inventories and SAT/ACT prep courses and ending with college acceptance letters. In our unique atmosphere which specializes in older adolescents, she passionately believes academic success plays a significant part in students' sense of self-worth and accomplishment, allowing students to move toward contributing in a meaningful way to the world in which they will live as young adults. Nothing excites her more than seeing the students be successful here at the Academy, with a solid plan to continue their education. Prior to Northwest, Devorah worked both as a school counselor and assistant principal in the public high school for 15 years.

In her free time, Devorah enjoys spending time with her children and grandchildren, running, or being curled up with a good book.

Dan Tadlock, LMSW
Director of Family Services

Dan brings the experience of working with a variety of mental health facilities, where he developed competencies treating all levels of acuity from Anxiety to Post Traumatic Stress Disorders. Prior to Northwest Academy, Dan spent three years working as a wilderness therapist for adolescents and has a passion for helping students and their families effectively transfer momentum from wilderness to therapeutic boarding school. In fact, Dan's passion for effective collaboration between wilderness and therapeutic boarding schools has gained him recognition as a presenter at the annual Wilderness Therapy Symposium at Naropa University. Dan is also an active board member of the National Association of Therapeutic Boarding Schools and Programs (NATSAP), an organization which is committed to implementing and upholding appropriate standards for the mental health care of adolescents and young adults. Dan completed his Bachelor of Arts at Brigham Young University and his Master's of Social Work at through Eastern Washington State University.

Dan enjoys working with teenagers and values their spirit and enthusiasm. Dan has been helping teenagers tackle life's challenges through many different roles including: therapist, mentor, ropes course instructor, wilderness guide, directing international charity projects, and coaching high school soccer. Dan is a gifted musician and can often be found building relationships with students by jamming out on the guitar with them.

During his free time you can find Dan out hiking with his boys, helping a friend finish a project, or playing volleyball or basketball.

Dusty Cash
Program Manager

Dusty has been with Northwest Academy since 2007 and his roles have included team leader and currently program manager. Dusty's experience prior to his tenure at Northwest includes two years as a chief wilderness instructor and two years as a team leader in a residential treatment facility. Dusty holds a Bachelor of Arts from Concordia and is currently working toward his Master's degree in Industrial and Organizational Psychology.

As an avid outdoorsman, fly fisherman, and former college soccer player, Dusty believes strongly in incorporating experiential activities such as climbing, hiking, fishing, and other team building activities to facilitate transformative growth in adolescents and their families. Dusty can often be found snowboarding with groups of students on Schweitzer Mountain or facilitating students and families as they climb the Alpine Tower.

Dusty grew up in Moscow, Idaho and currently lives in Sandpoint with his wife and chocolate lab named Dante.

 

 

 

 

 

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