Brandon holds a Master’s Degree in Social Work from Metropolitan State University of Denver and serves as a school-based clinician at Basalt Middle School. He's called the Roaring Fork Valley home for seven years. Originally from Kansas City, Missouri, he moved to Longmont, Colorado at the age of nine. Prior to joining the Hope Center, Brandon spent a decade working in environmental education, youth leadership, and conservation. In addition to his MSW, he holds degrees in Outdoor Education from Colorado Mountain College in Steamboat Springs and Sociology and Community Leadership at the University of Colorado. He has dedicated his career to supporting youth and adults as they connect to the natural world, to their communities, and to themselves.

Transitioning to the field of social work has allowed Brandon to have deeper relationships with students and their families. He finds great importance in working with clients to address many of the same issues that were revealed over his years as an educator. At Basalt Middle School, Brandon will offer bilingual (English/Spanish) individual and group therapy for students, as well as education on various mental health topics. Brandon will encourage students to grow confidently into their unique identities with grace and self-compassion.

While not at school, Brandon can be found listening to community radio, foraging for wild foods and crafting (occasionally delicious) meals, and having as much fun as possible with friends and family.

Caitlin is originally from northern Utah but fell in love with western Colorado the moment she first arrived in the mountains. She found her way home to the Roaring Fork Valley in 2021 where she quickly became involved in the community as a dancer and as an intern at a therapeutic ranch in Carbondale. Caitlin earned her Master’s Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling with a focus in Dance/Movement Therapy from Lesley University. She believes our bodies and movements have a lot to tell us and she’s looking forward to helping folks fortify the relationships between their mind, body, feelings, art, and spirit. Caitlin will work with her students to uncover the knowledge, wisdom and stories their minds and bodies have to share about their past, present and future.

Cate grew up in northern Wisconsin and attended St. Olaf College in Minnesota, where she received her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology with concentrations in Education and Race and Ethnic Studies. During college, she spent summers working with Summer Advantage in the Roaring Fork Valley and fell in love with the community. After college, she worked with middle school ELL students through AmeriCorps, with adolescents doing adventure therapy, and with young adults in residential substance use treatment programs.

Cate returned to the valley and completed her Master’s in Social Work through the University of Denver’s Western Colorado program. She feels passionate about building relationships, empowering youth and families, and supporting holistic wellness for all. In her work with students, she utilizes DBT, CBT, ACT, IFS, Motivational Interviewing, Narrative Therapy, and Solutions-Focused Therapy. When she's not at work, she enjoys spending time with friends, reading, and recreating outside with her dog, Percy.

Clarissa holds a Master's Degree in Social Work from the University of Kentucky. Originally from New York City, she grew up amidst the bustle of the city, but always felt drawn toward a quieter, smaller community. She has called Colorado home for the last twelve years, with the past seven spent in the Roaring Fork Valley. Clarissa earned her undergraduate degree in Environmental Studies and Studio Art from Oberlin College, after which she spent several years guiding outdoor education programs, working as a nanny, and honing her craft as a landscape painter.

Her transition to social work evolved naturally as she reflected on the insights gained through her work as an educator, caregiver, and artist navigating an ever-changing world. With extensive experience working with youth of all ages, Clarissa is passionate about providing a safe, nurturing, and nonjudgmental space where students can explore their thoughts and emotions, build confidence, and discover what it means to sit with uncomfortable feelings. Clarissa believes in people's innate ability to heal; she feels honored to walk alongside her students as they seek clarity, practical solutions, or simply a safe space to be heard and witnessed. 

Mina is a Licensed Social Worker and has worked in a school setting for the last 3 years. She attended the Western Colorado’s class of 2025 Graduate School of Social Work program at University of Denver. Furthermore, she has a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and English from the University of Notre Dame. Mina is dedicated to improving the lives of adolescents through suicide and depression prevention strategies and has experience treating neurodivergent teens with co-occurring mental health disorders and suicidality. Her methodology is strengths-based and client-centered with professional training in ACT, CAMS, and Motivational Interviewing. She is passionate to see her students grow through resilience and empowerment. Outside of work, Mina enjoys skiing, hiking, camping and playing tennis and softball.  

Heather was born and raised in Nebraska but has called Aspen home for the past eight years. She began her journey in social work by recognizing a need for more supports for youth and families in the school system. She received her PreK-12 School Social Worker Certificate from Colorado State University in 2020. From this experience, she knew that social work was her calling and began her Master’s degree. She graduated the University of Denver with her Master’s degree in Social Work with a focus on clinical practice.

Heather has a passion and focus for working with youth and families. She enjoys providing individual and family therapy for youth and their caregivers and helping them navigate the stressors in their lives. Heather’s approach is trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and applied through a biopsychosocial lens. Her training includes CBT, TF-CBT, CAMS, and she is trained in integrated behavioral health. Working as a clinical social worker in a community mental health center also helped her understand the need for wraparound care and community support for families. This experience ignited her desire to also look at systems level influences on families and the best ways in which to support the families in our community. 

In Heather’s free time she enjoys hiking, biking, cooking, and spending time with her husband. 

Jodi is a Clinical Social Work Candidate in the state of Colorado. A native to Colorado, she spent 10 years living in Crested Butte before moving to the Roaring Fork Valley with her family. Jodi received her Master of Social Work from the University of Denver and her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a minor in Criminal Justice. She is the co-founder and board president of Crested Butte State of Mind, a suicide-prevention nonprofit based in Crested Butte. Jodi is passionate about breaking down barriers for accessing mental healthcare and working to reduce the suicide rate in Colorado mountain communities. She brings years of experience as a caseworker in child protection with a wide array of experience in child and family mental health services, sexual abuse case management, adoption services and the licensing and management of foster homes in the state of Colorado.