Stephanie Gorman, LCSW^Aspen Community School Clinician
Stephanie was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois but she fell in love with the Roaring Fork Valley at a very young age when she grew up traveling here with family. She attended the University of Chicago Crown School of Social Work, Policy and Practice and graduated with a Master's Degree in Social Work in 2019. Since then, she has worked with children, adolescents and adults in various settings including schools, outpatient mental health clinics and nonprofit agencies. Stephanie is passionate about increasing access to mental health services for populations who may have limited access to these resources. Her approach to therapy is trauma-informed, holistic, and strengths-based. Her areas of focus are anxiety, depression, complex/chronic trauma, LGBTQ+ and grief/loss. Stephanie connects with her clients with compassion and curiosity, and she is honored to be a part of each and every client's journey as they engage in therapy to create a life that aligns with their unique values. Outside of work, Stephanie enjoys skiing, hiking, reading, and spending time with her partner, son, and toy Australian shepherd.
Click here to learn more about Stephanie.
Cathy S., LCSW^Crisis Clinical Supervisor
Cathy is from small town Missouri, and graduated from the University of Missouri with a Masters in Social Work. Her undergraduate degree is in Gender Studies from Union Institute & University. She moved to rural Eagle County in 2019. Prior to Aspen Hope Center, Cathy worked as a crisis clinician for Your Hope Center in Eagle County. She worked in community mental health as an outpatient manager and crisis team supervisor in the metro area. She also has experience working with severe mental illness in a state hospital and with victims and survivors of violence in a rural domestic and sexual violence center. In her free time, Cathy is a devoted furbaby mama to her dog and cat, enjoys hiking the hills around her home, and loves a good book with a cup of tea.
Erin Mitchell, RN^Chief Executive Officer/Board Vice President
With 14 years of experience in high-risk and demanding work environments -- including ski patrolling and running an emergency room -- Erin is a healthcare professional and a leader who thrives in the world of anything-can-happen. She possesses a unique set of executive competencies, and is a team player who is happiest when she can empower staff with the confidence and skills to serve our communities' physical and mental health needs. Through it all, she maintains a lighthearted nature and exudes positivity.
Recognizing that our agency represents just one niche of the big picture, Erin welcomes all opportunities to collaborate with other providers to ensure access to resources for those in need and to tailor services to appropriately address the unique aspects of our valley. Erin is thrilled to have joined Aspen Hope Center in carrying out its mission, and she holds a special place in her heart for the agency's work in our valley's schools where the focus is on prevention and early intervention.
When Erin is not helping others, she enjoys her greatest passions of traveling the world by ski and bike.
Shanda Grey^Chief Operations Officer/Assistant Board Treasurer
A Colorado native, Shanda grew up on the Front Range and the Western Slope, and attended Rifle High School and Mesa State College. A Jill of all trades and self-acclaimed autodidact, Shanda wears many hats professionally and personally. Over the last two decades, she has gained vast experience in finance, business development, business management, human resources, philanthropy and more. Utilizing her sharp and diverse skill set, Shanda takes great pride in her work and in delivering the best of the best. Since 2021, Shanda has been putting to use her myriad of skills in various roles at Aspen Hope Center. In her "spare" time, alongside her husband, Shanda co-owns and operates a fast-paced vehicle-upfitting company, overseeing the business and even helping to build vehicles.
Shanda enjoys spending time outdoors and exploring the mountains. One of her favorite pastimes is archery -- which seems quite fitting, since it lends itself metaphorically to Shanda's life with her focused attempts to direct projects toward their respective goals. A mom to four, there's nothing more important to Shanda than the wellbeing of her family. From coaching U10 soccer to volunteering for school and youth events, she is always thrilled to be an integral part of her kiddos' lives. And, no matter the setting, Shanda continually seeks out ways in which she can serve the community.
Lily Larkin, LCSW^Chief Clinical Officer
Lily Larkin, LCSW, is the Chief Clinical Officer of Aspen Hope Center, providing clinical leadership across mental health care, crisis services, school-based mental health, and community education and outreach. A Spanish-bilingual Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Lily has practiced in Colorado since 2009 and has worked across outpatient mental health, child protection, crisis intervention, school-based mental health, and women’s health, with a focus on maternal mental health.
Lily began her work with Aspen Hope Center in 2011 as the organization’s first school-based clinician. Since then, her work has grown from direct clinical care to developing programs, supporting clinicians, building community partnerships, and strengthening systems of care across the region. She is particularly interested in the places where mental health intersects with schools, crisis response, first responder communities, and other critical community systems.
Lily believes strong mental health care requires both excellent clinical practice and strong community partnerships. Her work is focused on expanding access to high-quality care, supporting the people who provide it, and building practical solutions that help communities respond to mental health needs earlier and more effectively.
Angie Vinnola^Controller
Angie attended Metro State College in Denver, Colorado. With 22 years in finance, office management and sales, she specializes in and appreciates diversity in her job. She works well under pressure and is very committed to completing projects in a timely manner. Angie thoroughly enjoys working with nonprofit organizations.
Angie and her husband Chris are Colorado natives, and live in Rifle. They have two sons and one daughter. They enjoy supporting their children’s dreams of sports, dance and school projects. Their oldest son is joining the Navy after graduation and they are proud and excited for this opportunity for him to serve our country and travel. They love camping, hunting, fishing and taking their jeep off-road, especially in Moab.
Kiley Walters^Administrative Operations Coordinator/Board Secretary
Kiley's love for nonprofit work started in college where she studied nonprofit management and Spanish at Indiana University in Bloomington. After college, she returned home to Milwaukee, Wisconsin to work for Ronald McDonald House Charities Eastern Wisconsin (RMHC). In 2020, she decided to fulfill her lifelong dream of living near the mountains and moved to Denver. There, she worked in volunteer management roles for Goodwill of Colorado and RMHC Denver. After a few years in Denver, Kiley moved to Rifle for her partner's job placement and she spent a year pursuing other work interests including retail, dog grooming and starting a pet care business. Kiley is excited to get back into the nonprofit field with Aspen Hope Center. When she is not working, you can find her outside: running, hiking, skiing or walking her German Shepherd, Theo.
MJ Horn, LAC, LCSW^Development and Outreach Coordinator
MJ is from Athens, Georgia and graduated from the University of Georgia with a Bachelor of Arts in criminal justice. In 2021, MJ moved to the Roaring Fork Valley to begin her Master of Social Work at the University of Denver’s Glenwood Springs program, and began working in the substance use field at a community mental health center. MJ’s experiences underscored the critical importance of prevention, inspiring her to transition into a role where she can have a proactive impact on young lives. As a strengths-based therapist, MJ aims to create a safe and nurturing environment where clients can express themselves freely, promoting emotional well-being and resilience through tailored therapeutic interventions. Having previously served as a school-based clinician, she is thrilled to now be supporting Aspen Hope Center in the role of development and outreach coordinator.
Shannon Gerber^Human Resources Manager
Shannon has worked in nonprofit administration for the past 17 years, most recently with Hope Pregnancy Care Center in St George, Utah. Graduating from the University of Arizona in 1997, with an Interdisciplinary Studies degree in Spanish, Art History, and Chemistry, Shannon went on to certify as a high school chemistry teacher. With a temporary move to New York in 2001, she put teaching on hold and became program coordinator for Everybody Wins, a nonprofit literacy program in New York City schools. It was there that nonprofit work captured her heart and she’s been involved in supporting the efforts of grassroots organizations ever since. Shannon appreciates the meaningful and impactful work of Aspen Hope Center and counts it a privilege to be part of the team. When not working, you’ll find Shannon outside spending time with her husband and two kids exploring the mountains and rivers around our beautiful valley.
Skylar Severson, MBA, LCSW^Quality Assurance and Risk Manager
Skylar earned her Master of Social Work from the University of Denver and it was during graduate school that a course in suicidology sparked her lasting interest in suicide prevention and crisis intervention. Skylar’s passion for crisis work continued through her experience supporting individuals with severe and persistent mental illness in Denver and serving on the triage team for the Denver District Attorney’s Family Violence Unit. She later joined Aspen Hope Center as a mobile crisis clinician, advancing into crisis program leadership before transitioning into her current role as Quality Assurance and Risk Manager. In 2026 Skylar earned her Master of Business Administration from the SMU Cox School of Business, further strengthening her expertise in strategy and organizational operations such as quality, compliance, risk management, and continuous improvement.
Stevie Jarrell^Clinical Systems & Data Architect
After graduating from University of Colorado, Stevie began her career with Aspen Hope Center as an intern. She started by answering suicidal phone calls but quickly began filling in to help with finances, client intakes, fundraiser websites, technology support and much more. She went on to change the Hope Center at its electronic core by building out the program for nonprofit development, organizing thousands of donors and creating a system that has lasted long after her moving on to other aspects of the agency. Stevie has overseen expansions to different counties and has served as a key point person for the agency, always working around the clock to ensure the Hope Center's technology is up and running for the 24/7 staff.
Stevie's biggest achievement was found when she adapted a platform to the ever-changing needs of crisis by making information searchable and configurable, and providing the community with statistics that demonstrate the importance of this work in the mountain valleys. To help achieve these challenging tasks, Stevie attended the University of Denver to study software engineering, never leaving the Hope Center.
Having a personal interest in suicide after her stepdad passed away, Stevie has devoted nearly a decade to trying to make life a little easier for the crisis clinicians who work so hard to support others in our community. As the Hope Center continues to grow, Stevie's biggest dream is to further customize programs to fill the gaps that desperately need to be filled.
Bridget Derkash, LPC, LAC, Certified ADHD Clinical Services Provider^School Services Director
Bridget earned a Master of Arts degree in International Disaster Psychology from the University of Denver in 2013 and a BA in Sociology from the University of Colorado at Boulder in 2008. Bridget has therapeutic experience working with youth and families in the school settings at Aurora Central High School, Place Bridge Academy, Carbondale Community School and Glenwood Springs Elementary School. In addition to her work in schools, Bridget has worked with families and children at The Kempe Center for the Treatment and Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect as an Instructor of Pediatrics, Program Manager and SafeCare Home Visitor, Coach, Trainer. Locally, Bridget has provided mental health services as the Lead Forensic Interviewer and Outreach Coordinator at River Bridge Regional Center and as the Clinical Supervisor of the Youth Recovery Center. Her therapeutic approach has a holistic framework and cognitive behavioral foundation. Bridget has published articles on Adverse Childhood Experiences, implementation of home-visiting programs and maritime piracy. Bridget grew up in Glenwood Springs and has three children. Her favorite things to do are travel, ski, mountain bike and spend time with her family.
Rachel Matheson, LCSW^School Services Training & Operations Manager
Rachel grew up in Glenwood Springs and is happy to be back in the Roaring Fork Valley. She holds an Associate of Arts from Colorado Mountain College, a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Fort Lewis College, and a Master of Social Work from Colorado State University, and is a licensed LCSW.
Rachel has therapeutic experience working with youth and families in school settings, including Heath Middle School in Greeley, Basalt Middle School, and Basalt High School. She draws on approaches like motivational interviewing, CBT, narrative therapy, and somatic therapy, with a focus on each person's strengths and unique experience.
Rachel believes humans heal through community, and she works to foster self-efficacy, growth, and compassion in the people she supports. In her role as School Services Training & Operations Manager, she hopes to help clinicians and schools feel prepared to meet the mental health needs of their students and local community.
Rachel loves being part of the Aspen Hope Center school-based team and believes deeply in the work they do and the amazing staff she gets to work alongside.
Outside of work, she loves hiking with her dogs, time on the river, snowboarding, spending time with friends and family, and rock climbing.
Avy Harris, LCSW^School Program Supervisor/Roaring Fork High School Clinician
Born and raised in the foothills of Colorado, Avy received her BA from the University of Colorado at Boulder in 2008. After graduating she followed her wanderlust and her passion for working with youth around the world. She taught in South Korea, worked with refugees in Uganda, supported reforestation projects in Ethiopia, and eventually fell in love with experiential education. Avy spent a decade facilitating and directing international Gap Year programs, working with youth in India, East Africa, Latin America, and here in the American Southwest.
Recognizing the need for more mental health services for youth, Avy pursued her Masters of Social Work and graduated from Portland State University in 2020. Most recently she worked as a school social worker in Portland, Oregon. Her trauma-informed and culturally considerate practice is rooted in a client-centered and strengths-based approach. She draws from solution-focused, somatic, cognitive-behavioral and narrative techniques, and believes wholeheartedly in every client’s ability to find resiliency and healing.
Avy is thrilled to be returning to her Colorado roots with the Aspen Hope Center, and when she is not working she can probably be found out exploring the trails with her adventure pup.
Gabby Touchette, LCSW, LAC^School Program Supervisor/Yampah Mountain High School Clinician & PRN Crisis Clinician
Gabby is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and a Licensed Addictions Counselor who has been working in community mental health for over 5 years. She attended the Brown School of Social Work at Washington University in St. Louis and graduated with a master’s degree in social work in 2017. Additionally, she has a bachelor’s degree in neuroscience and psychology from Indiana University. Gabby is passionate about improving the criminal and juvenile justice systems and has experience treating both adults and adolescents with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders. Her approach to therapy is holistic, strengths-based and person-centered and she is trained in a variety of treatment modalities including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Motivational Interviewing and EMDR. She is most inspired by seeing her clients’ resilience and capacity for growth.
Nancy VanDeMark^Advisory Board Member
Nancy has been working in the behavioral health field in Colorado for over 30 years as a clinician, researcher, administrator, consultant and advocate. She is passionate about improving access to high quality mental health and substance use services across the state. She is currently the managing partner of Innovela Consulting Group, providing consultation on behavioral health system design and service delivery. During her free time, she enjoys racing sailboats and camping in the Colorado mountains.
Paul Hassel, LPC^School Program Supervisor/Two Rivers Community School Clinician
Paul earned his BA in Social Science at Colorado State University in 1992, and a Professional Teaching License from the teacher education school at the University of Northern Colorado 2 years later. After teaching in the classroom, instructing for Outward Bound, and a stint building cabinets, Paul returned to graduate school in 2004 to earn a MA in Counseling Psychology at Prescott College, concentrating in Adventure-Based Counseling.
Paul became a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and Certified Addiction Specialist (CAS) while serving as a Primary Therapist at the Youth Recovery Center, an inpatient adolescent treatment facility housed within Valley View Hospital in Glenwood Springs. He went on to join the Roaring Fork Schools as a Prevention Specialist at Basalt Middle School, followed by work as a clinician in community mental health at Mind Springs Health. Paul’s counseling practice is grounded in CBT, TF-CBT, DBT, and Motivational Interviewing. Outdoor adventure, wilderness experience, and plenty of good food continue to sustain Paul’s personal, professional, and family life.