CERTS Executive Team
Kent Tasso
Founder of the CERTS Schools and Programs
CERTS was founded by Kent Tasso in 2001. Kent, who has spent the past 18 years working with youth, is passionate about finding new and better ways to reach kids that are at risk. His formal educational training is in languages (he graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in Japanese and a minor in French). His actual on-the-job training, however, has mostly been in the field of education, where he has both taught high school and been an administrator. His experience with teenagers in the classroom sparked his desire to find better ways to help at risk youth realize their true potential. To do that Kent founded Kolob Canyon Residential Treatment Center in 2002, Moonridge Academy in 2004, bought Mountain Springs Preparatory Academy in 2004, and started La Europa Academy in 2005.
Kent and his wife Stephanie have six children--five boys and one girl--and live in the beautiful mountains of Utah. The entire family loves to ski and snowboard (even the 3 year old!) and each year they eagerly await the first snowfall. There is also very little that Kent would rather do than travel, as that combines two of his great loves--people and languages. He is fluent in three languages, can get by in two more, and is always working on a few others.
Kent is incredibly proud of the CERTS team. He has a real belief that people are the greatest asset in any organization and does his best to "hire great people and get out of their way!" Here are just a few of the 190 people that help create the CERTS magic:
Craig Rodabough
CERTS Executive Director
Craig has been around the youth treatment industry almost since its infancy. He has played a key role both as a leader and as a trainer, presenting at numerous conferences on a wide range of issues--most notably as an acknowledged expert in adoption and adoption related issues. Bright, articulate, and always willing to play the contrarian, he is a thought leader that has helped shape youth treatment and the CERTS schools and programs in significant ways.
Craig holds a Master of Science degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Brigham Young University with a minor in statistics. He was elected to the Board of Directors for the National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs (NATSAP). He currently chairs the Member Services committee. He has also served as a Board Member for the Utah Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. Craig has worked as a Clinical Director, an Admissions Director and as the Regional Director of Business Development in different residential treatment centers.
Married for 26 years, Craig has three children. He has participated in his local school community councils and was appointed to a school district building task force. Craig enjoys hiking, reading and playing cards with his family.
Tawny Davis
Executive Director of Kolob Canyon Residential Treatment Center and Moonridge Academy
Tawny is a fabulous role model for the girls at Kolob and at Moonridge. A licensed Clinical Social Worker with over a decade of experience, Tawny mixes compassion and kindness with excellent boundaries and insight. Always smiling, she brings energy and an excitement for life that is infectious with the girls and staff.
Originally from Seattle, WA, Tawny completed her Bachelors degree at Brigham Young University and her Master's degree at University of Utah in Social Work. She has worked as a therapist, a Program Director and a Residential Director for a large treatment program. Tawny's interests and expertise include adolescent treatment, family work, groups, substance abuse recovery, and program management. She's excited to be working with the girls and families of Kolob and Moonridge.
Courtney Merrill
Executive Director of La Europa Academy
Courtney exudes tremendous love and warmth, one of many reasons why she is loved as the Director of La Europa Academy. Goal oriented, action-focused, and yet a great listener, Courtney has also led a number of key initiatives and much positive change during her five plus years at La Europa Academy.
She earned her undergraduate degree in Psychology from Purdue University in Indiana, and then later added her Masters degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Brigham Young University. Courtney has a strong background in working with individuals with eating disorders and their families as well as adolescents with addiction and behavior issues. Her clinical background is in family systems theory and she feels strongly that most problems and most solutions occur in the context of relationships. Courtney loves being a part of the process as adolescents and their families change their hearts as a result of individuals taking responsibility for their choices and for their relationships. She has presented to numerous groups of all ages on the issues of body image, eating disorders, and self-esteem and has developed therapeutic groups to address those issues.
In her free time, Courtney enjoys skiing, hiking, traveling (especially to visit her 7 nephews and 1 niece), knitting, and has recently become a triathlete!
Jon Larsen
Head of Schools at Mountain Springs Preparatory Academy
Jon deserves much of the credit for the unique and powerful clinical model used at Mountain Springs. His core beliefs about how and why people change, the need for flexibility, and the value of individuality have shaped the whole approach of designing a unique program for each incoming student. He is widely respected as an intelligent and thoughtful clinician and has helped many students make significant and positive change in their lives.
Jon received his Master of Science Degree from Auburn University in Marriage and Family Therapy. Prior to coming to Mountain Springs Academy, he worked as a therapist and clinical director at two different residential treatment centers (one large coed facility and one smaller girls-only facility). Jon has worked for a number of years in residential treatment as a therapist with more than two of those years acting as a clinical director. In these capacities, Jon has had experience training and supervising therapists, interfacing with parents and other treatment professionals, and developing programs for adolescents. Jon is an AAMFT approved supervisor and a systemic therapist operating largely from a psychodynamic approach.
Sheila Tart-Zelvin
CERTS Marketing Director
Sheila began working in the therapeutic arena 17 years ago when she discovered a way of making a real difference in the world. In Texas at that time, many families were searching for help for their troubled teens not knowing what to do or where to place them. Seeing the need, Sheila created one of the first parent support groups anywhere in the country to assist them. Everyone who knows her will tell you that she hasn't slowed down since! She brings integrity, professionalism and dedication to her work. Sheila is very excited about sharing the unique CERTS programs with professionals and parents.
Sheila received her Bachelor of Science degree in Business and Marketing from Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas. She belongs to the American Marketing Association and continues to stay involved with learning new approaches to business development. She has expertise in strategic planning and relishes putting those systems in place. She has a long history of representing therapeutic programs including wilderness, long term residential, recovery and transition programs for teens and young adults. Sheila loves working directly with families, and for many years, facilitated parent support groups around the country. She was doing relationship marketing years before it became the thing to do!
Sheila has two daughters and a silky terrier (who thinks she’s a child too) that she loves to spend time with. She is an avid reader, does spinning several times a week, hikes, kayaks and loves to do art projects.
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