Meet Our Team of Therapists & Specialists

Brent-Esplin-oasis-ascent

Brent Esplin, LMFT

Executive Director

My name is Brent Esplin and I am excited to welcome you to OASIS Ascent. We have gathered a team of world-class specialists who are passionate about serving teens and their families. As you have the opportunity to interact with our team, you will feel their commitment to providing families a place of refuge and healing along with an abundance of hope for a brighter future.

Provo Campus Team

Leadership Team

Brent Esplin, LMFT

Brent Esplin, LMFT

Executive Director
Brian Kay, LCSW

Brian Kay, LCSW

Associate Executive Director/Clinical Director
Haylee Mathews

Haylee Mathews

Admissions Director
Haydn Selk

Haydn Selk

Admission Coordinator
Wendy Hodges

Wendy Hodges

Admission Coordinator
Rosanna Weeks

Rosanna Weeks

Academic Director
Makynsey Boyer MSN,BSN,RN

Makynsey Boyer MSN,BSN,RN

Director of Nursing

Brent Esplin, LMFT

Executive Director

Brent has spent his career of almost 20 years working with teens and their families in a variety of different settings including long and short-term residential treatment, acute care, and home based services. He has served in various leadership capacities over the years including clinical director, utilization review director, admissions/business development director, and executive director. Brent relates comfortably and professionally with families and teens alike. He finds great joy in guiding families out of crisis situations and into peaceful solutions. Brent’s experience working within the field of mental health in admissions allows him to have a breadth of knowledge when assessing the needs of clients in acute situations, as well as less critical circumstances. He played an integral part in creating an operational psychiatric facility and most recently helped start a short-term residential treatment program. Brent is passionate about providing more families with quality mental health treatment by accessing their insurance benefits. Brent is an active member of his community and finds the most joy spending time with his family. His wife, Julie, and their three young adult/teenagers enjoy all sports along with hiking, camping and other outdoor activities. Julie is a competitive marathon runner and Brent rides his bike along side her to keep up.

Brian Kay, LCSW

Associate Executive Director/Clinical Director

Haylee Mathews

Admissions Director

Haydn Selk

Admission Coordinator

Wendy Hodges

Admission Coordinator

Rosanna Weeks

Academic Director

Rosanna has 35 years of experience in education. She began her career as an English and theater teacher, completed her master’s degree in educational leadership at BYU, then served as a school principal at the middle school and high school levels in both public traditional and charter schools. “I chose a career in education so that I might help young people see and meet their potential. That continues to be my goal each day,” she says. Rosanna is the mother of four children, and grandmother to three. She is a longtime performer in Utah county in both live theater and film productions, as a solo singer, and a member of the Tabernacle Choir. She enjoys hiking, biking, pickleball, golf, and all things outdoors, along with traveling long distances to be with her children and grandchildren.

Makynsey Boyer MSN,BSN,RN

Director of Nursing

Clinical Team

Brian Kay, LCSW

Brian Kay, LCSW

Associate Executive Director/Clinical Director
Spencer Cook, LCSW

Spencer Cook, LCSW

Therapist
Craig Rollo, LMFT

Craig Rollo, LMFT

Therapist
Cristell Marcial, LCSW

Cristell Marcial, LCSW

Therapist

Brian Kay, LCSW

Associate Executive Director/Clinical Director

Spencer Cook, LCSW

Therapist

Craig Rollo, LMFT

Therapist

Cristell Marcial, LCSW

Therapist

Cristell joined Oasis after graduating from Utah Valley University with her bachelor's and master's degrees in social work. Prior to that, her love of children and desire to serve others landed her at the Children’s Justice Center where she worked in advocacy with children, adolescents, and their families. With her caring and compassionate demeanor, Cristell assisted these families in navigating the many emotions and family logistics surrounding clinically complicated traumatic experiences. Being proficient in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Motivational Interviewing (MI), and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), allows Cristell to meet the very specific needs of each family she serves. Originally from Mexico, Cristell grew up in Provo, Utah.

Medical Team

Makynsey Boyer MSN,BSN,RN

Makynsey Boyer MSN,BSN,RN

Director of Nursing
Dr. Amy Parry

Dr. Amy Parry

DNP Mental Health Specialist
Dr. Bill Bunn, DO

Dr. Bill Bunn, DO

Psychiatrist

Makynsey Boyer MSN,BSN,RN

Director of Nursing

Dr. Amy Parry

DNP Mental Health Specialist

Dr. Bill Bunn, DO

Psychiatrist

Dr. Bill Bunn earned a B.A. in English literature and an M.A in rhetoric from Brigham Young University. Prior to medical school he was a full-time college English instructor and was honored as a Mayhew Teaching Award Finalist at Brigham Young University and has multiple publications in the area of doctor-patient communications and medical education. He attended medical school at Des Moines University with clinical training at Ohio University. His psychiatry training was at the University of Utah, where he received outstanding junior and senior resident awards and the Arnold P. Gold Foundation for Humanism and Excellence in Teaching.Dr. Bunn currently works as a psychiatrist for the BYU student Health Center, maintains a private practice, and is on staff at UVRMC. In addition to this, he is an Adjunct clinical instructor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Utah, School of Medicine. He and his wife Dana have two active boys. He enjoys the outdoors, plays guitar, scuba diving, building furniture, and spending time with his family.

Millcreek Campus Team

Leadership Team

Brent Esplin, LMFT

Brent Esplin, LMFT

Executive Director
Eric Ricks, BBA, MHR

Eric Ricks, BBA, MHR

Associate Executive Director
Allison Michelle Jenkins, LCSW

Allison Michelle Jenkins, LCSW

Clinical Director
Brian McDonald

Brian McDonald

Admissions Director
Robert Owen

Robert Owen

Residential Director
Rosanna Weeks

Rosanna Weeks

Academic Director
Michelle Pattison, RN, BSN

Michelle Pattison, RN, BSN

Director of Nursing
Madison Prince

Madison Prince

Admissions Coordinator
Davey Cox

Davey Cox

Academic Advisor

Brent Esplin, LMFT

Executive Director

Brent has spent his career of almost 20 years working with teens and their families in a variety of different settings including long and short-term residential treatment, acute care, and home based services. He has served in various leadership capacities over the years including clinical director, utilization review director, admissions/business development director, and executive director. Brent relates comfortably and professionally with families and teens alike. He finds great joy in guiding families out of crisis situations and into peaceful solutions. Brent’s experience working within the field of mental health in admissions allows him to have a breadth of knowledge when assessing the needs of clients in acute situations, as well as less critical circumstances. He played an integral part in creating an operational psychiatric facility and most recently helped start a short-term residential treatment program. Brent is passionate about providing more families with quality mental health treatment by accessing their insurance benefits. Brent is an active member of his community and finds the most joy spending time with his family. His wife, Julie, and their three young adult/teenagers enjoy all sports along with hiking, camping and other outdoor activities. Julie is a competitive marathon runner and Brent rides his bike along side her to keep up.

Eric Ricks, BBA, MHR

Associate Executive Director

Eric has returned to Behavioral Health after spending the last decade on wall-street managing the Securities Lending Department at Goldman Sachs. Eric has lived in Manhattan, Tokyo, and Bengaluru; but is a Utah native and feels there is no better place to raise a family. He has an associate’s degree in business management, a bachelor’s degree in business administration and finance from BYU, and a master’s degree in human resources from USU. Eric loves combining his education and experience in his current role as Human Resource Director. Eric considers his wife and four children his best friends. He loves spending time with his family, camping, hiking or “just hanging out” and playing video games with his kids. Eric has a passion for learning new things and a drive for perfection in everything he does.

Allison Michelle Jenkins, LCSW

Clinical Director

Allison brings diverse clinical experience from outpatient therapy, day treatment, residential care, psychiatric inpatient, and volunteer work at the Refugee Center. Through these intensive exposures to complex patients, she found her passion of working with adolescents in residential settings, like OASIS. As our DBT guru, Allison strives to empower teens with DBT skills and family systems therapy work so that they can progress & thrive despite various challenges in their lives. Born and raised in Utah, Allison graduated from the University of Utah with her MSW in 2008. Growing up, her parents were both advocates of helping those in need which led her to dedicate her career to helping adolescents and their families in the healing process from trauma, attachment struggles, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, neurodiverse diagnoses, and more. Allison believes in the importance of taking in the entire family system picture to ensure sustainable and effective change. Suicide prevention is another important factor integrated into her therapy model. She is EMDR and DBT certified, and works to supervise rising clinicians as well. Allison remains close to her family residing in Draper, Utah where she enjoys riding her bike.

Brian McDonald

Admissions Director

Robert Owen

Residential Director

Robert Owen is a seasoned mental health professional with a profound personal understanding of the transformative power of therapeutic intervention. After navigating his own challenging journey as an adolescent, he embarked on a professional path in the mental health field in 2010. Taking a hiatus in 2011 to focus on personal growth, he gained invaluable insights into his own struggles and the path to sustained wellness.Returning to the mental health field in 2013, Robert embraced the role of a Field Guide at an Adventure Wilderness Therapy Program. Through hands-on work with adolescents, he honed his skills in building therapeutic relationships, fostering personal growth, and facilitating transformative experiences. Over the years, he progressed from middle management to senior management, assuming various roles such as wilderness guide, direct care staff member, and Operations Manager.Currently serving as the Residential Director for OASIS Ascent, Robert combines his extensive experience and compassionate approach to create a safe and nurturing environment for healing, growth, and resilience. His empathetic and non-judgmental approach to treatment stems from his personal struggles and more than a decade of professional experience. Robert intertwines evidence-based practices with his own firsthand experiences to connect with individuals under his care, instilling hope and empowering them to make positive changes in their lives.

Rosanna Weeks

Academic Director

Rosanna has 35 years of experience in education. She began her career as an English and theater teacher, completed her master’s degree in educational leadership at BYU, then served as a school principal at the middle school and high school levels in both public traditional and charter schools. “I chose a career in education so that I might help young people see and meet their potential. That continues to be my goal each day,” she says. Rosanna is the mother of four children, and grandmother to three. She is a longtime performer in Utah county in both live theater and film productions, as a solo singer, and a member of the Tabernacle Choir. She enjoys hiking, biking, pickleball, golf, and all things outdoors, along with traveling long distances to be with her children and grandchildren.

Michelle Pattison, RN, BSN

Director of Nursing

Michelle has a passion for her role in the field of nursing. She has many years of clinical and management experience working with people and their families to provide individualized care. Michelle also brings valuable life experience which allows her to make a positive difference in the lives of our students and their families. She models compassion, resilience, and believes it is never too late to make changes in our approach to life. She loves to learn new things and teach them to others.Michelle received her training as a Combat Medic and Licensed Practical Nurse in the US Army as a member of the National Guard. She received her Associates and Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing at Nightingale College of Nursing.Michelle loves her family and friends and enjoys spending time with them. Michelle also loves animals and believes that they have a calming effect on people. She is proud to be a part of the Oasis Ascent team.

Madison Prince

Admissions Coordinator

Davey Cox

Academic Advisor

Clinical Team

Allison Michelle Jenkins, LCSW

Allison Michelle Jenkins, LCSW

Clinical Director
Yanni Gallagher, AMFT

Yanni Gallagher, AMFT

Therapist
Christoffer Loderup, MSW, CSWi

Christoffer Loderup, MSW, CSWi

Therapist

Allison Michelle Jenkins, LCSW

Clinical Director

Allison brings diverse clinical experience from outpatient therapy, day treatment, residential care, psychiatric inpatient, and volunteer work at the Refugee Center. Through these intensive exposures to complex patients, she found her passion of working with adolescents in residential settings, like OASIS. As our DBT guru, Allison strives to empower teens with DBT skills and family systems therapy work so that they can progress & thrive despite various challenges in their lives. Born and raised in Utah, Allison graduated from the University of Utah with her MSW in 2008. Growing up, her parents were both advocates of helping those in need which led her to dedicate her career to helping adolescents and their families in the healing process from trauma, attachment struggles, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, neurodiverse diagnoses, and more. Allison believes in the importance of taking in the entire family system picture to ensure sustainable and effective change. Suicide prevention is another important factor integrated into her therapy model. She is EMDR and DBT certified, and works to supervise rising clinicians as well. Allison remains close to her family residing in Draper, Utah where she enjoys riding her bike.

Yanni Gallagher, AMFT

Therapist

Yanni comes to Oasis Ascent with 6 years of experience working in the adolescent treatment program and services industry. He has worked in therapeutic boarding school, wilderness, and short-term residential settings in multiple roles to include milieu staff, transporter, research coordinator, quality assurance, and now as a therapist. Yanni has a Master’s Degree in Marriage and Family therapy with an emphasis in child and adolescent therapy. Through the relational approach, Yanni helps adolescents feel they can entrust him with their deepest concerns and gain confidence in their therapeutic journey. Yanni's therapeutic approach is heavily influenced by Narrative Family Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy, and Principles as taught by Arbinger Institute. Yanni loves spending time with his wife, his 1 ½ year old son, and dog. Yanni has a love for the outdoors, sports, and video games. He strives to have a life aimed towards equanimity, learning, and humility.

Christoffer Loderup, MSW, CSWi

Therapist

Medical Team

Michelle Pattison, RN, BSN

Michelle Pattison, RN, BSN

Director of Nursing
Dr. Amy Parry

Dr. Amy Parry

DNP Mental Health Specialist
Dr. Bill Bunn, DO

Dr. Bill Bunn, DO

Psychiatrist

Michelle Pattison, RN, BSN

Director of Nursing

Michelle has a passion for her role in the field of nursing. She has many years of clinical and management experience working with people and their families to provide individualized care. Michelle also brings valuable life experience which allows her to make a positive difference in the lives of our students and their families. She models compassion, resilience, and believes it is never too late to make changes in our approach to life. She loves to learn new things and teach them to others.Michelle received her training as a Combat Medic and Licensed Practical Nurse in the US Army as a member of the National Guard. She received her Associates and Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing at Nightingale College of Nursing.Michelle loves her family and friends and enjoys spending time with them. Michelle also loves animals and believes that they have a calming effect on people. She is proud to be a part of the Oasis Ascent team.

Dr. Amy Parry

DNP Mental Health Specialist

Dr. Bill Bunn, DO

Psychiatrist

Dr. Bill Bunn earned a B.A. in English literature and an M.A in rhetoric from Brigham Young University. Prior to medical school he was a full-time college English instructor and was honored as a Mayhew Teaching Award Finalist at Brigham Young University and has multiple publications in the area of doctor-patient communications and medical education. He attended medical school at Des Moines University with clinical training at Ohio University. His psychiatry training was at the University of Utah, where he received outstanding junior and senior resident awards and the Arnold P. Gold Foundation for Humanism and Excellence in Teaching.Dr. Bunn currently works as a psychiatrist for the BYU student Health Center, maintains a private practice, and is on staff at UVRMC. In addition to this, he is an Adjunct clinical instructor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Utah, School of Medicine. He and his wife Dana have two active boys. He enjoys the outdoors, plays guitar, scuba diving, building furniture, and spending time with his family.

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