Our Team - The Black Mountain Academy

Black Mountain Academy is a small boarding school for boys grades 9-12 that feels like home and is specifically designed to support the individualized needs of students with learning differences and social and executive function deficits. We teach our students transferable skills in the areas of emotional regulation, executive function, and daily living with a dynamic, comprehensive approach that enriches the learning experience.

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Leadership Team
Academic Team
Clinical Team
Residential Team
Medical Team
Operations Team
Support Dogs

Dave Rollins, MAT

Academic Director
Brandon Moffitt, LCMHC

Executive Director / Co-Founder
Becca Jefferies

Admissions Director
Ryan Bachrach, MSW, LCSW

Clinical Director
Jim Johnston, MA, LMFT

Associate Clinical Director
Karyn Kaminski, MSW, LCSW, LCAS

Program Director
Camille Edmonds

Operations Director
Matt Wood, LCSW-A

Therapist
Gabby Ritter, MS, MMT, MT-BC, TF-CBT, LMFT

Therapist
Dayna Guido, MSW, LCSW

Clinical Supervisor
Cortney Pauly, MS, SLP-CCC

Speech Language Pathologist
Maryanne Miller

Social Studies Teacher
Doug Goodfellow

Science Teacher
Chris Payne

Adjunct Mathematics Teacher
Cat Dismukes

Academic Support Coordinator
Todd B. Stevens

English Teacher
Jola Sacewicz

Mathematics Teacher
Charles Freeland

Ceramics/Art Teacher
Sunita Pillay

Social Studies Teacher
Juan Díaz Juárez

Spanish Teacher
Lucas Ferry

Assistant Program Director
Sarah Schlotterbeck

Wellness and Recreation Manager
Adam Hill

Program Manager
Jon Allen

Program Manager
Jessica McKinley

Lead Residential Coach
Freddy Collins

Lead Residential Coach
Isaac Gallman

Lead Residential Coach
Lenna Bucy

Life Skills Coordinator
Zack Paben

Senior Residential Coach
Dr. Gregory Narron

Psychiatrist
Michelle Young, RMA

Medical Manager
Kristina Williams

Assistant Operations Director
Robert Major

Logistics and Facilities Manager
Jack

Support Dog
Shiloh

Support Dog
Chloe

Support Dog
Onyx

Support Dog
Danae

Support Dog

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Dave Rollins, MAT

Academic Director

Dave originally hails from the Buckeye State (Ohio), but he has made his home with his wife and two daughters here in the beautiful mountains of North Carolina. Dave has over a decade of experience as an educator and is dedicated to providing transformative educational experiences to students with complex learning differences. Dave earned holds a BS in Natural Resources from The Ohio State University, A M.A.T in Education from Western Oregon University, and a post-graduate certification in Special Education from Concordia University. Prior to taking on the role of Academic Director at Black Mountain Academy, Dave worked as the the director of education for a local wilderness program. He has many years of experience also working as a special education case manager and classroom teacher. When Dave is not in the classroom working hands-on with our students, He enjoys spending time with his family, tending to his flock of chickens, or hiking and biking in the North Carolina backcountry.

Brandon Moffitt, LCMHC

Executive Director / Co-Founder

Brandon enjoys working directly with our Leadership Team to implement and fulfill the vision of Black Mountain Academy. The Leadership Team strives to be collaborative and to learn from one another as we meet the needs and achieve the goals of our students and families. As a person who loves to perpetually learn, Brandon works with our team to examine meaningful ways for Black Mountain Academy to continue to grow and evolve to best serve our students, families, and local community.
Brandon has over 15 years of experience as a therapist working with adolescents and their families in residential settings and wilderness therapy. During his tenure in wilderness, he developed and ran a very successful program providing treatment for boys with neurodevelopmental and learning differences.

Prior to becoming a therapist, Brandon spent time as a math and science teacher in the public schools and a guide on adventure trips for adolescents. He loves being a dad, trail running, camping, fly fishing, woodworking, cooking, and generally being outdoors.

Becca Jefferies

Admissions Director

Becca brings to Black Mountain Academy 17 years of experience working in therapeutic schools and programs. Throughout her career, Becca has dedicated herself to working with families and adolescents to promote healthy living, both emotionally and physically.

As a native of Western North Carolina, Becca enjoys all of the outdoor activities that our beautiful area has to offer, including hiking, paddle boarding, gardening, and spending time with her daughter.

Ryan Bachrach, MSW, LCSW

Clinical Director

Ryan was born in Chicago, Illinois, but is now happy to call Asheville home. He received a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from Wittenberg University, located in Springfield, Ohio. Ryan later earned his Master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Pennsylvania. While at the University of Pennsylvania, Ryan received specialized training in both Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy. Additionally, Ryan holds a certificate in Organizational Leadership in Social Work from the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Social Policy and Practice and the Wharton School of Business.

Prior to becoming a therapist, Ryan worked as a field instructor at a local wilderness therapy program for five years under the close guidance of Black Mountain Academy founder, Brandon Moffitt. Brandon states that, “Ryan brings a calm demeanor with him to his work, and it helps people feel comfortable around him– this is particularly helpful with our students at Black Mountain Academy who struggle to emotionally regulate. One of Ryan’s biggest skillsets is taking complicated tasks and situations and explaining them in ways that are simplified and less stressful. I have seen Ryan’s ability to problem solve and think creatively. More specifically for our students who struggle with social pragmatics, Ryan has a very effective way of explaining social skills and giving constructive feedback in honest and non-threatening ways.”

When not working with students, Ryan enjoys spending time hiking, camping, and backpacking. He has hiked to the top of Mt. Kosciuszko, which is the highest point in Australia. With a great appreciation for nature, Ryan has also visited over 20 National Parks and hopes to continue adding to that number in the years to come.

Jim Johnston, MA, LMFT

Associate Clinical Director

Jim brings over 15 years of experience providing clinical care to adolescents and their families in multiple settings including private practice, community-based interventions, therapeutic wilderness programs, and as a primary therapist at two boarding schools. Jim’s professional passion is to help clients develop a sense of resiliency, self-efficacy, and resourcefulness at school, home, and in the community. Jim brings experience, warmth, and commitment to our students as he joins the clinical team at Black Mountain Academy. He has extensive experience working with families and individual with autism. As a parent of a child with autism, Jim has a special interest in assisting individuals and families in navigating the challenges autism presents as well as capitalizing on the strengths our students inherently possess. In his free time, Jim enjoys time with his family, fly fishing, camping, and travel.

Karyn Kaminski, MSW, LCSW, LCAS

Program Director

Karyn was born and raised in Beavercreek, Ohio but has lived and worked around the country. Karyn joins us with over 16 years of experience in wilderness and residential therapy as well as educational consulting experience. She graduated from The University of Georgia with a Masters in Social Work and a certificate in Marriage and Family Counseling and currently holds dual licenses in clinical social work and as a clinical addiction specialist. She received her BS in Journalism at Northwestern University and still proudly calls herself a Wildcat.

When Karyn was asked about what drew her to Black Mountain Academy, she stated that during her experience as an educational consultant she could see that the staff members at Black Mountain believed in what they were doing and had passion that is critical for students to get the therapy they deserve. When asked about why Karyn joined this kind of work, she stated “I really believe in building up a person’s capacity and have faith that the boys are capable. I think one of my skills is learning what someone is interested in, and helping them pursue that task, while also helping them learn real-life skills.”

In her free team, Karyn can be found hiking, reading, spending time with her husband going on last-minute adventures, or enjoying a good play! Karyn is also a huge college football fan and enjoys rooting for the minor league baseball team, the Asheville Tourists.

Camille Edmonds

Operations Director

Camille brings ten years of experience in Operations at a local wilderness therapy program. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Public Affairs, a major in Environmental Management, a minor in Human Resources, and a certificate in Business Foundations. Before administration in therapeutic programs, Camille had multiple years of experience in other businesses as a Business Manager, Materials Manager, Quality Inspection, and Production Router. She was a Top Water Technician in the Adirondacks to help with habitat restoration. Camille is an avid outdoors person. She loves baking, knitting, and spending time with her dog.

Matt Wood, LCSW-A

Therapist

Matt is originally from Houston, Texas and spent 8 years in Portland, Oregon before calling North Carolina home. Matt completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Houston, where he double majored in Psychology and Anthropology. He also holds a master’s degree in Social Work from Portland State University. Matt is a Licensed Clinical Social Work Associate who is practiced in community mental health and crisis response. Matt has experience in hospital settings and specialized training in behavioral and physical health integration. He is passionate about working with youth-aged individuals with diverse neurological needs. Matt is a certified Youth Mental Health First Aid instructor and is well versed in speaking to families about how young people experience mental health symptoms.

Matt’s therapeutic approach is typically focused on assisting individuals with developing emotional intelligence and confidence in understanding their internal processes. He works to help people understand all the complex and dynamic emotions that influence behavior. His approach is strength-based, understanding that individuals are experts on themselves. Matt utilizes aspects of cognitive behavioral intervention with a focus on increasing mindful awareness. This includes providing tangible coping skills that assist in improving day-to-day functioning.

When he’s not counseling others, Matt enjoys exploring Asheville and the beautiful outdoors with his canine companion by his side. He’s also passionate about traveling and has backpacked all over Japan, South East Asia, and India.

Gabby Ritter, MS, MMT, MT-BC, TF-CBT, LMFT

Therapist

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapy Associate
Board Certified Music Therapist
Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavior Therapy Certified (TF-CBT)

Gabby was born and raised in Alabama. Before living in Western North Carolina, she spent time in the Baltimore/DC area. She completed her undergraduate degree in Music Therapy at the University of Alabama, her graduate degree in Music Therapy at Georgia College and State University, and her graduate degree in Marriage and Family Therapy/Counseling at Capella University. Gabby has worked for the last 16 years with children, adolescents, and adults on the autism spectrum, individuals with mental illness, substance use disorders, Alzheimer’s/dementia, and those with other learning and cognition disorders such as ADHD. She works from a strengths-based approach and firmly believes every person holds the potential to improve their lives if provided with the tools and support they need.

Gabby has presented her work within the special education setting at regional and national conferences. She spoke to the National Department of Special Education on behalf of the National Alliance of Specialized Instructional Support Personnel on the importance and need for individualized, interest-based, and creative learning supports for those with neurodivergent learning needs. She has published an article in a peer-reviewed journal on Music Therapy and the IEP Process within special education, based on her work from her master’s thesis.

Gabby enjoys hiking, running, and camping with her two hounds when not at work. She plays piano and guitar daily and enjoys teaching music to the young people in her life. Gabby also loves live music events and is an avid reader, known to be reading 2-3 books simultaneously.

Dayna Guido, MSW, LCSW

Clinical Supervisor

A lifelong passion for working with at-risk children, adolescents and families began in 1979 when Dayna graduated with a BA from Valparaiso University. She returned to school to earn her MSW from Jane Addams College of Social Work at the University of Illinois at Chicago in 1984. Dayna was fortunate to be in Chicago at the heart of the family systems movement, enabling her to work and be trained by many of the masters in the field.

Since entering the field over 35 years ago, Dayna has always maintained a clinical and programmatic relationship to at-risk youth and their families in an array of jobs and settings. Her positions have included individual and group residential care, individual, group and family therapist, clinical and administrative supervisor, trainer, and developer of clinical departments of therapists and interns.

Following her dreams to live in the mountains, she moved to Asheville, NC where she continued working with at-risk populations as a Clinical Director and Administrator for residential group homes and foster care. During this time she designed the program and opened a Runaway Shelter for Runaway and Homeless Youth.

After 15 years working for agencies, Dayna decided she could best use her skills as a clinician by going into full-time private practice, specializing in the at-risk population in out-of-home placements. This quickly led to contracts providing clinical supervision to various residential, foster care, and community mental health agencies in Western NC, providing individual and family therapy in an inpatient psychiatric hospital, psychiatric assessments in a local hospital ER,family therapy in a partial psychiatric hospital program, and more recently clinical supervision for wilderness therapy programs. Working with TEACCH in the late 1990’s, she added the specialty of Autism Spectrum Disorders to her practice.

Expanding on her vast experience of training professionals, in 1997 Dayna began teaching for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Social Work as a Clinical Instructor in the Mountain Area Distance Education MSW Program. Currently, she is teaching at Lenoir-Rhyne University, Center for Graduate Studies of Asheville in the Counseling Program and East Tennessee State University in the MSW Program in Asheville. She develops and provides training nationwide on a variety of clinical topics such as clinical supervision, ethics, autism spectrum disorders, therapy with adolescents, play therapy, and expressive arts. Recently she authored a book with her husband, The Parental Tool Box.

Dayna’s passion in her work draws from her love of life. This expresses itself in her organic gardening, hiking, bookmaking, and mixed media quilting.

Cortney Pauly, MS, SLP-CCC

Speech Language Pathologist

Cortney discovered her love of language and communication while living in Thailand where she worked as a sociolinguistic researcher for 5 years. Following her stint abroad, Cortney returned to the U.S. and earned a Master’s degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Western Carolina University. Cortney is licensed by the North Carolina Board of Examiners for Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists.

Here at Black Mountain Academy, Cortney works with students to improve their communication skills in several key areas, including improving speech fluency and social pragmatics. When asked why students at Black Mountain Academy benefit from speech therapy, Courtney states, “Communication is all about understanding what others mean and expressing your own ideas. If you have misunderstandings, don’t always get why others do/say things, or have trouble getting your message across, then speech therapy can help! Just like learning how to play a new video game, you may need instruction and practice to get better and master your skills. Depending on students’ needs, we set measurable and attainable goals, and work week by week to achieve those goals. We celebrate successes and find new ways to apply our learning to real life.”

When not working with students at Black Mountain Academy, Cortney enjoys hiking in the beautiful mountains of North Carolina with her dog Jiggy and spending time with family.

Maryanne Miller

Social Studies Teacher

Maryanne Miller hails from Brooklyn, New York (and yes…she is a Yankee’s fan!). With her she brings over 22 years of experience as an educator to her role at Black Mountain Academy. Maryanne attended the New School for Social Research in New York City and San Diego State University, where she earned a B.A. in philosophy and Religious Studies. Maryanne later earned her teaching degree from Chapman University. With a strong belief that all students are capable of learning and succeeding when provided with the right support and a team of individuals who care, Maryanne has immersed herself in the world of dyslexia. While living in the United Kingdom, Maryanne earned a certificate in dyslexia education from the Dyslexia Institute in London. When asked what she enjoys most about teaching at BMA, she states, “I enjoy the small classroom sizes! It allows me to get to know the student as a learner and as a whole person.”

Maryanne is a phenomenal cook and addition to teaching English Language Arts and Social Studies, Maryanne is also the advisor for the Baking Club at Black Mountain Academy. Outside of the classroom (and the kitchen), Maryanne enjoys reading, photography, and traveling with her husband and their rescue dog, Danea.

Doug Goodfellow

Science Teacher

Doug originally comes from South Florida, where he grew up playing in the Everglades. This helped instill his love of and curiosity about nature. He received his bachelor’s degree in Biology from the University of Central Florida. He then worked for many summer camps and educational camps around the country where he fell in love with teaching students the wonders of nature and learned to explore student curiosity. This led to teaching science at an alternative high school where he also started working on his M.A.T in Teaching with Western Carolina University, expecting to graduate in the summer of 2023. Through these diverse teaching situations, Doug has been learning how to best serve his students so that they not only learn and do science but also enjoy it.

Chris Payne

Adjunct Mathematics Teacher

Coming Soon

Cat Dismukes

Academic Support Coordinator

Cat hails from Pittsburg, Pennsylvania and holds a Bachelor’s in Strategic Communications with minors in Creative and Professional Writing. Prior to her current role as Academic Support Coordinator, Cat discovered the great outdoors by thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail. This adventure drove a commitment to living in and enjoying our natural surroundings. Cat then worked for two years as a wilderness therapy guide. She is now pursuing her Master’s in Social Work. When asked what she likes about her role at Black Mountain Academy, Cat states, “I like the opportunity to help students during the school day as I identify with not enjoying school. I like helping facilitate their growth and mindset.” When Cat is not at work, you can find her backpacking, mountain biking, rock climbing, and playing card games!

Todd B. Stevens

English Teacher

Todd holds a Master of Fine Arts in Writing from Rosemont College, where he received the Charles James O’Donnell Award for Creative Writing. He also has a Master of Arts in English from Villanova University. Todd brings previous teaching experience at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Before Black Mountain Academy, he worked as a wilderness field instructor at a local therapeutic program for adolescents and young adults. He won the 2023 Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare Council’s Ember Award, which honors his outstanding commitment to his clients. Todd shares that he comes so close out of the woods to us that you probably will catch a whiff of woodsmoke from his clothes.

Working as a Senior Field Instructor at SUWS of the Carolinas, he learned to leverage his outdoor experience as a coach for young men toward becoming the best version of themselves. As a former field staff in Wilderness Education, he is familiar with many of the challenges our students face. Before his wilderness work, he completed his Appalachian Trail thru-hike in 2021, setting a standard and goal to hold students towards.

As an English Instructor, he brings a love for poetry and all forms of creative writing. Creativity and passion characterize his writing and teaching process. He has been lucky to find publication opportunities for his writing in diverse places like the Mad Poets Review, Off the Coast, and Philadelphia Stories. In his work with students, he seeks to embody selflessness and service.

In his free time, he finds himself writing in a tent, in some woods somewhere; he has said, ‘When I come back into town, this is the place I want to be.’

Jola Sacewicz

Mathematics Teacher

Born in Olsztyn Poland, Jola received a Master of Science and Engineering degree in technical physics from Gdansk Polytechnic. She later earned a postgraduate degree in journalism and political science from Warsaw University. After moving to the United States she earned a Master of Arts in teaching Mathematics from Eastern Kentucky University. Jola brings a diverse background to her work at Black Mountain Academy, having been a political reporter working for a daily newspaper in Poland, a PR director for Michelin in Poland, and a high school teacher and a math adjunct instructor in technical and community colleges in the United States! She shares “I love to teach math to students who love or hate math. It is challenging in both cases and I like challenge!” One of the ways she accomplishes this is via storytelling: “I love to tell math stories and show students that math is the language of the multiverse. We can find math in a cauliflower, in a cruise control of our cars, in a profit of our company, in our saving account, in a cup of coffee, in a population of rats, and in a way we fall in love.”

When she is not at work, Jola enjoys playing tournament bridge, practicing Ashtanga yoga, reading books and magazines, following international politics, listening to music, and hiking with her wife Nan and Portuguese water dog, Puji. As a journalist and a recipient of the Freedom Forum scholarship, she interviewed Daniel Fried in the White House (an advisor to Bill Clinton) and witnessed and wrote about the collapse of communism in Eastern and Central Europe.

Charles Freeland

Ceramics/Art Teacher

Coming soon!

Sunita Pillay

Social Studies Teacher

Sunita Pillay was born in the great city of Chicago and raised in nearby Northwest Indiana. She attended Loyola University of Chicago, earning a B.A. in History with a minor in African-American Studies. Soon afterward, she attended Teachers College, Columbia University, earning a Master of Arts in the Teaching of English. Sunita has over two decades of experience teaching students of all ages from middle school through college. She also has several years of experience as an educational publishing editor specializing in standardized tests and textbooks.

For fun, Sunita enjoys revising her near-future dystopian novel, chronically attempting to understand quantum physics, cooking vegetarian meals, and hanging with her partner, Leif, his son, Skyler, and their two North Carolina hound dogs, Banzai and Duke Nukem.

Juan Díaz Juárez

Spanish Teacher

Juan has returned to Black Mountain Academy to teach Spanish. He previously taught Spanish to our students in 2019-2020. We are delighted to have him back. He holds a Bachelor’s in Economics from Instituto Politécnico Nacional in Mexico. Juan has taught Spanish to children and adults at local organizations and at the university level. He has worked and volunteered at multiple service organizations, both locally and in Mexico. Juan is also a talented guitarist and holds an Instrumentalist in Guitar from the National Institute of Fine Arts in Mexico.

Lucas Ferry

Assistant Program Director

Lucas is from the colonial town, Ligonier, Pennsylvania. He is currently pursuing a Masters Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling to become a therapist given his ongoing passion for working with youth.

Prior to becoming the Assistant Program Director, Lucas served as a Lead Residential Coach, Wellness Coordinator, and Program Manager at Black Mountain Academy. Before joining our team, Lucas was a master-level field instructor at a local therapeutic wilderness program. During his time in the field, Lucas honed his ability to balance the art of holding space for students as they learned to process and communicate their feelings while also holding appropriate boundaries.

At Black Mountain Academy, Lucas is well known for his ability to form relationships with our students through fun and impactful weekly programming as well as fun adventures like skiing or camping. When asked how he relates so easily to them, he states, “As a student, I struggled in school for many years. Classes were hard and socializing was even harder. Like many of our students, I needed some extra avenues in order to find my way. By the end of high school – especially by the end of college, I had achieved honors in my education but most importantly had led an active social life. The reason for this success is the fact that I pushed past my comfort zone and made healthy routines. I want to do the same with our BMA students.”

When not adventuring around the Asheville area with the students, Lucas enjoys spending time trail running throughout the beautiful backcountry, working out, reading a good book, or exploring new hobbies with friends – many of which he then shares with our students and staff.

Sarah Schlotterbeck

Wellness and Recreation Manager

Bio coming soon…

Adam Hill

Program Manager

Adam joins us originally from just a few hours west of Black Mountain in Tennessee. Adam graduated from the University of Tennessee with a Bachelor’s Degree in Therapeutic Recreation. Adam has spent over 10 years working directly with young men and women who have been struggling with engaging in the community.

When asked about why Adam made the decision to join the Black Mountain team he says “Having a conversation with Brandon prior to the school opening and hearing about the program that he would be opening, alongside our shared passion for helping others, led to through the doors. It has always been rewarding to share the excitement in learning with our students and I continue to learn every day from the young men at Black Mountain Academy.”

On the rare occasion that Adam isn’t on campus working with our guys on some executive functioning challenge they are facing, he can be found enjoying spending time with his 3 kids. Adam is also an avid runner, and created a 65 + Mile Race that is run locally every year by himself and a number of ultra-marathon runners! Adam has also thru-hiked the entire Appalachian Trail in his younger days!

Jon Allen

Program Manager

We are thrilled to welcome Jon Allen to the role of Program Manager. Jon brings to Black Mountain Academy multiple years of programming experience with children and adolescents. He has experience safely facilitating ropes course initiatives and other valuable team-building activities. Jon also enjoys sharing his passion for illustration and creativity with students through the creation of role-playing games and comic books.

Jon has trained and worked with many different teams across his career. He has his Master’s of Fine Art in Illustration from the Savannah College of Art and Design. Jon shared, “I am drawn to Black Mountain Academy because it’s an opportunity to be a part of a unique and important community, help further ignite creative thinking in that community, and fuel my own creativity.”

We are really excited to have Jon bring his talent, passion, and creativity to Black Mountain Academy.

Jessica McKinley

Lead Residential Coach

Jessica, who goes by J, recently moved to North Carolina where she began working at BMA in December of 2022. Though she’s lived in a collection of places, she claims Bellville, Ohio as her hometown where she spent most of her childhood years.

J. has a Bachelor of Arts in English, and a Masters in Conflict Management and Humanitarian Action from the University of Siena in Italy. In this program, she focused her attention on gender disparities and refugee movements around the world. Her practice and experience in helping people while they navigate through crises have helped her greatly in working with our students. Black Mountain Academy appealed to J. because she has always enjoyed working with teens. Previously, she worked as a residential advisor in a dormitory for international teens attending school in the US. She has also worked in foster care with the same age group. J is impassioned by seeing and helping young people work at building relationships, learn new skills, and communicate thoughts and feelings for healthy growth. She also loves that there is a high likelihood for goofiness to occur when hanging out with our students.

When not working, J. is usually playing volleyball, working on a painting, or scheming up an adventure to go on with her siblings. Fun fact: she has lived in five different countries in the past six years. Ask her which one is her favorite!

Freddy Collins

Lead Residential Coach

Although born in Torrance CA, Freddy was raised in Black Mountain, NC, and enjoys pointing out his childhood haunts to our students. Freddy is an NC Peer Support Specialist, and previous to working with our students he helped addicts and alcoholics with early recovery at a rehabilitation facility.

As a father of an autistic youth, Freddy was drawn to the work from his personal experience and the desire to work with teenagers. Freddy shares that he loves “helping our students to understand the different possibilities and life choices they can make and how those choices can impact their future.” Freddy is a passionate leader and advocate for our students, and loves helping students set and achieve their personal goals, as well as helping them be “a leader in their own lives.”

When Freddy is not at work he loves spending time with his fiance and their three sons and one daughter. Freddy loves playing almost every sport, can juggle, and has become involved in a local bowling league (and has brought more bowling to work as well). Freddy has even bowled a perfect game!

Isaac Gallman

Lead Residential Coach

Isaac is a rare native of the Asheville area and has worked and lived in the area throughout his life. After working in wilderness therapy, he says he was drawn to working at Black Mountain Academy because the “ focus on the autism spectrum and neurologically diverse was really appealing to me. I’ve worked with those clients before and I always found myself enjoying myself more within that population. The opportunity for young people with autism to be at a school like BMA that can give them the assistance and tools they need for success later in life is limited. I am very happy to be at BMA working with its clients and giving them some of those tools.” Isaac loves going on after-school outings and having fun with the students and connects with the students by playing board games and outdoor games.

When Isaac is not at work he enjoys hiking, camping, gardening, foraging, yard games, board games, puzzles with his partner, painting, video games, reading, and cooking. An avid outdoorsman, Isaac through hiked the Appalachian Trail in 2017 and the Pacific Crest Trail in 2022.

Lenna Bucy

Life Skills Coordinator

Lenna, our self proclaimed and student nicknamed grandmother, joins our team with 35 years of early childhood education. She graduated from Western Carolina University with a Masters degree in early childhood education and has taught at a number of public schools across North Carolina. Lenna also has spent ten years of her retirement working the front desk at our local YMCA.

When asked why she was drawn to Black Mountain Academy, Lenna said “being an educator for so long has taught me that I enjoy working with students who have unique educational experiences. I also had the opportunity to befriend one of BMA’s first students at the YMCA and the rest is history”.

In her spare time, Lenna enjoys working in her flower garden, taking care of their year-old granddaughter and weaving baskets. Lenna spends her evening with her husband, on the phone with her twin daughters, and watching after her two dogs and cats while feeding the neighborhood raccoon family nightly!

Zack Paben

Senior Residential Coach

Zackary Paben has been empowering adolescents and adults as a mental health and recovery professional for almost 30 years. He has worked in a range of settings including wilderness, residential, educational, and community-based programs. As the co-founder and CEO of the nonprofit More Heart Than Scars, he empowers people to affirm that they are more than their visible and invisible wounds and or diagnosis. More Heart Than Scars’ mission is a quest for faith, love, hope, and heart, achieved by overcoming obstacles together and encouraging others to live boldly. Working with Spartan Race, Zackary leads adaptive athletes towards opportunities that build teamwork, interdependence, and resilience for future growth in their lives. Spartan Race has become the perfect vehicle for More Heart Than Scars to provide team building for both corporations, and/or students on the Autism spectrum.

Zack is a Senior Residential Coach and enjoys providing direct care to the students in order to form trusting relationships that are often forged in the mud and echoed in ongoing adventures. He leads Obstacle Course Racing events and other wilderness experiences. As a former Outward Bound instructor, he continues to work to uphold those values and skills. He enjoys archery and watching their koi fish swim in circles in the backyard of his mountain farmhouse with his partner.

Dr. Gregory Narron

Psychiatrist

Dr. Narron believes that mental health is the key to true health. Though he began his medical training in general surgery, he ultimately decided upon psychiatry. Dr. Narron is trained in adult and child psychiatry. He finds that treating children and adults allows for a deeper developmental perspective about how symptoms present over a lifetime.

In his 20 year career in Asheville, Dr. Narron has been involved in systems of care in his community. He has served as medical director of a start-up adolescent hospital program, as a board member of a start-up private school, and as a psychiatric consultant to non-profit organizations. He is currently serving as the psychiatric consultant to several private boarding schools, therapeutic boarding schools, therapeutic residential communities and a wilderness therapy program for adolescents. He uses a systems approach whether providing individual care or organizational consultation.

About Dr. Narron:
-Medical degree, East Carolina University School of Medicine, (Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society).
-Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
-Residency Training
-General Surgery, Penn State University Hospital, (3 years)
-General Psychiatry, University of Virginia Health System (2 years)
-Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship, University of North Carolina Health Care (2 years)
-Diplomat of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology

Michelle Young, RMA

Medical Manager

Michelle brings over 25 years of medical experience to Black Mountain Academy. She has worked in direct patient care for many of those years with a focus on pediatric and adolescents. Along with years of experience, Michelle is a Registered Medical Assistant with many certificates under that umbrella that include everything from phlebotomy to early childhood development. Michelle homeschooled her son from kindergarten to 12th-grade graduation. Therefore, she has both the knowledge and humor to sift through a medical need vs. a break from school.

Michelle loves helping others and enjoys watching our students grow in their knowledge of how to take care of and advocate for themselves from a medical perspective. It brings a smile to her face to help ensure that students, staff, and parents have what they need on a daily basis.

When not at Black Mountain Academy Michelle enjoys being with her husband, son, and furry family members. She volunteers with several local programs and enjoys teaching others about health and well being as well as overcoming obstacles life may put in your way. A mountain girl born and raised, it doesn’t take but one conversation with her to pick up on her love for the beach and anything that sparkles.

Kristina Williams

Assistant Operations Director

Kristina is very excited to be a part of the Black Mountain Academy team as Assistant Operations Director. Prior to joining the team at Black Mountain Academy, she worked for 13 years supporting the operations of therapeutic programs. She has done everything from finance, to human resources, to assisting with accreditations.

In her spare time, Kristina can be found creating concoctions with essential oils, crafting, and enjoying the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains with her magnificent wife, dog & cat.

Robert Major

Logistics and Facilities Manager

Coming soon!

Jack

Support Dog

Jack, a treeing walker coonhound/rat terrier, loves hiking and proudly boasts a summit of MacRae Peak at Grandfather Mountain, a particularly impressive achievement considering the trail’s use of ladders and cables and Jack’s lack of opposable thumbs. When Jack is not scaling mountains, he likes to play with his stuffed Easter Bunny and eat at his favorite restaurants–the kind where food is just handed to you out of a magical window. Jack loves biology, particularly learning about prey animals, and considers it his personal responsibility to check students’ room standards to ensure beds are made and ready to be rolled in. Jack is a certified therapy dog, cares a great deal about the well-being of the BMA students, and if someone is sad, he can be counted on to provide hugs and lick away tears.

Shiloh

Support Dog

Shiloh is a beagle/redbone coonhound who secretly wishes she was a cat so that she could play with their toys and get away with sleeping all day. In fact, Shiloh once slept from 8 pm one night until 2 pm the following day! When Shiloh is awake and feeling “active,” she uses her highly sensitive beagle nose to sniff out any snacks that may have been left on the floor and, if she is lucky, she’ll find some in English class, where she enjoys a good bedtime story. Shiloh brings a calm presence to BMA and will happily and affectionately spend time with any student who is willing to do the same (or any student who is willing to share their pizza).

Chloe

Support Dog

Chloe, a bandana-wearing miniature Australian shepherd, loves human psychology and uses what she has learned to bring calm and comfort to BMA. In her leisure time, Chloe enjoys playing with “duck duck” or going on a good hike or trail run. Prior to becoming a Moffitt, Chloe was mother to two litters of puppies and continues to care for anyone who will let her, anyone who will scratch her back, and anyone who offers her love and attention.

Onyx

Support Dog

Onyx, a shepherd/retriever mix, will proudly tell you a story about the time he flushed a dove from the shrubs in Jim’s yard and caught it mid-flight. It was this feat (or his favorite duck toy) that ignited his passion for ornithology which, if ever offered as a BMA elective, he will be an
active participant in. Even without ornithology, Onyx loves BMA. Sometimes Onyx is so eager to come to “work,” he will follow Jim to his car, leash in mouth, to see if he can come too. Onyx loves the attention he gets from the students, the walks he is taken on, and seeing his BMA dog friends. On days when Onyx stays home, he also loves napping, chasing flying insects, and a good steak.

Danae

Support Dog

Danae is a boxer mix who loves loping after squirrels (though she never catches them) and “singing” to BMA students. Danae became a part of the Miller family after, having been abandoned at a gas station, she made her way to the Jacksonville Home and Patio Show in order to shop for her new home. She met the Millers, discussed landscaping, and they proceeded to begin their lives together. Danae hates celery, loves treats (she is very aware which BMA offices have the best stashes) and, while her favorite class is History, as an academic, she is proud of what she learned in Psychology and has applied Pavlovian principles to train her humans to let her outside whenever she rings a bell.

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Accreditations &
Associations

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Contact Us Today to Begin the Admission Process

Accreditations & Associations

Contact Us

Accreditations &
Associations