Staff Biographies
Tracy Schrunk, LCSW – Program Director
Tracy Schrunk comes to FRA with extensive experience working in therapeutic programs for adolescents. She brings over 14 years of clinical experience working with difficult-to-treat clients in a variety of settings in Utah and Idaho.
She began her career as a houseparent, managing a team of 16 adolescent boys in UT before obtaining her graduate degree in Social Work. She then continued her career as a clinical social worker in residential treatment centers in Utah for seven years. Tracy then moved to Sandpoint, Idaho, where she was the clinical director for a wilderness program. After that, she moved to Texas and has been at Fulshear Ranch Academy since its inception in December 2004.
Tracy brings a strong commitment to clinical excellence and program integrity with a passion specifically for women's issues. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology with honors from the University of Iowa, where she was also a scholarship volleyball player. She also holds a Master's Degree in Social Work from Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio, Texas.
Hunter Kennedy, MA, LPC – Assistant Program Director
Hunter is a Licensed Professional Counselor who brings a wide variety of experience to complement the Fulshear team. Hunter has a BS in psychology from Purdue University. He obtained a Master’s Degree in Counseling specializing in marriage and family therapy from Sam Houston State University and is currently working to complete his dissertation in Clinical Leadership for a Doctorate in Psychology.
Hunter’s clinical experience includes being the director of behavioral services for a 208-bed inpatient facility for individuals with dual diagnoses, counseling battered and sexually abused women at the Montgomery County Women’s Center, as well as performing in-depth work with adolescents as a clinical therapist at Cypress Creek Hospital. He also performed marriage and family therapy and led parenting and divorce recovery workshops.
Most recently, Hunter ran a chronic pain management program, where he worked to promote improved physical and emotional health using cognitive behavioral therapy to treat body, mind, and spirit. Hunter has authored a book on choice, experience, and perception as it pertains to developing the higher self and finding one’s own personal identity. He was published in The Journal of Awareness for a research study he conducted working with teenage girls to modify their acceptance and participation in “risky behaviors”. Hunter has been highly involved in non-profit organizations that serve the needs of children.
The father of two daughters, Hunter also coaches girls’ club volleyball.
Don Cooper, MA, NCC – Clinical Director
Don is a therapist who enjoys meeting clients where they are while facilitating personal growth and empowering ways of co-determining their worlds. For Don, a therapist has empathy and respect for the depth experience of the counselee and sees her as someone who already contains all the knowledge that she needs, but must work with a more experienced person to remember or rediscover who she is. Don is a National Certified Counselor and is currently awaiting Board approval as a licensed professional counselor in Texas.
Don has been a therapeutic person his entire life and brings eight years of extensive clinical experience with difficult-to-treat adolescents and their families to FRA. Don holds a BA in Psychology and Human Services with honors from Davis and Elkins College in West Virginia and a Master's Degree in Community Mental Health Counseling from Marshall University in West Virginia. He was working on his PhD in clinical psychology at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, PA when the sudden illness on his infant daughter challenged him to reanimate the ways he gives of himself to others.
Following are honors and awards that Don has achieved:
- Certified by the Human Participant Protections Education for Research Teams, 2007
- Outstanding Mentor Award (to Davis and Elkins College Student), 2006
- Certificate of Achievement (International Students Organization), 2001
- Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award (Nobility of Character), 2000
- All American Scholar Award, 2000
- Who’s Who In America’s Colleges Award, 1999
- Academic Achievement Award in Psychology, 1999
- Presidential Award for Academic Excellence, 1995
As a poet, Don has been recognized with the following awards:
- Outstanding Achievement Award in Poetry (International Society of Poets), 2007
- Editor’s Choice Award in Poetry (International Society of Poets), 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006
- Nominated Poet Laureate (International Society of Poets), 2005
Linda Moore, LCDC – Assistant Clinical Director
Linda comes to FRA with over 20 years' experience in the mental health and addictions field. She is a Texas Licensed Chemical Dependency counselor and an Anger Management Therapist. She has also functioned as a Life Coach and Spiritual Counselor. Linda has been employed in both in-patient and out-patient hospital and free-standing settings dealing with addictions and dual diagnosis issues. She believes that life is an incredible journey and is excited to have the opportunity to work with the young women at FRA. She says that she feels honored to walk with them individually and collectively as they travel this part of their journey to reaching their full potential.
Torresy Smith – Program Manager
Torresy Smith is the Program Manager at FRA. Born in Peoria, Illinois, he attended Eastern Washington University, where he played football on a team that won the Big Sky Championship in 1992. In 1997, he coached at Eastern Washington and his team won the Big Sky Championship again. He also coached at Montana State University and Stony Brook University in Long Island, New York, where his team won the Conference Championship in 2002.
From 2001 to 2002, Torresy was a Unit Coordinator for the Behavioral Unit at Youth Farm, a facility for boys ages 12 to 18 in Peoria. He worked at Lake Grove School, a residential treatment facility for boys and girls ages 12 to 19, and served as a Crisis Intervention Supervisor in Long Island from 2002 to 2004. Torresy was also the Phase One Coordinator and a Mentor for FRA. Torresy was Employee of the Month for September 2006.
Diedre Kindsfather – Equine Services Coordinator
Diedre Kindsfather has been involved in her passions—scholarship, nature, and horses—all of her life. She attained a BA in English and Psychology at Trinity University, San Antonio, and her MA in English and Creative Writing at University of Missouri, Columbia. She began work on her PhD at University of Houston, taking a leave of absence for a full-time English position at University of Utah. She found her other passion, nature in the form of mountains, in Utah, and eventually took a tenure track position at Salt Lake Community College. There she balanced teaching English and Humanities with backcountry skiing, mountain biking, rock climbing, and backpacking.
In 2002, she added her third passion to the mix when she adopted a wild mustang from the BLM, and has been managing horse facilities and training horses and riders ever since, picking off where she left off in her youth training and caring for Arabian show horses. She now has four horses in her family, all previously abused or neglected, now reliable pack, trail, show, and therapy horses.
In order to combine her beliefs in the healing power of horses and wilderness with her passion for learning, Diedre has worked as a wilderness counselor, has volunteered at a horse therapy program in which she gentled wild mustangs to work as EAP (Equine Assisted Psychotherapy) horses, and is EAGALA certified in EAP. She has also practiced EAL (Equine Assisted Learning) with her college students and other adult groups. Now back in Houston, Diedre is honored to be working at Fulshear, where her passions are combined in powerful ways. Diedre was Employee of the Month for February 2007.
Lorraine Howard, LMSW, LCDC – Primary Therapist
Lorraine Howard relocated to Texas from New Jersey in June 2008. She completed her Bachelor's and Master's Degrees in Social Work at Rutgers University and plans to continue with her PhD in 2009. A Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) in New Jersey and Texas and a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor (LCDC) in Texas (all pending application), Lorraine has more than seven years' experience working with at-risk populations (adolescents and adults) and in the substance abuse field. She also has over five years of supervisory experience and has been a trainer in various areas, including assessment, substance abuse, and effective case management.
Lorraine's training subjects have included domestic violence, intensive substance abuse training, anger management, cognitive skills (problem solving), self-management and recovery training (SMART training—an abstinance-based self-help program for individuals having problems with alcohol and drugs), and motivational interviewing (MI—an introduction to brief intervention strategies that serve to decrease resistance to change). She also trained at the Albert Ellis Institute in New York for a primary certificate practica in rational emotive behavioral therapy (REBT).
Lorraine's clinical experience has been primarily in cognitive-behavioral therapy, rational emotive behavioral therapy, and motivational enhancement. She believes that every human being has the potential to make positive changes in their life; they may just need some help in the process. She also believes that "You can lead a horse to water, and though you might not be able to make him drink, you can try to make him thirsty!" This is her motivation to continue with the work she has chosen.
Lorraine is also the proud mother of two beautiful daughters.
Amber King, LPC-I – Therapist
Originally from Orange, TX, Amber King currently resides in Richmond, TX with her five-year-old son. She graduated from Lamar University a Master’s of Science Degree in Community/Counseling Psychology. Amber has experience teaching college students study and life skills to prepare them for college life and to become productive and successful college students. She has worked in a Juvenile Detention Center with both male and female adolescents and has also worked in the campus clinic as a counseling student. She is currently an LPC intern working at both FRA and Sweetwater Counseling in Sugarland.
Amber takes an eclectic approach to counseling due to the diversity of the human race. Each person is unique and therefore, treatment should be molded to the uniqueness of the individual. Amber enjoys helping others to realize their potential and assisting them in their self-growth process. By providing a supportive, stable, and therapeutic relationship to all of her clients, she hopes to help them achieve their potential in the most efficient way possible. Therapy is a process in which the client and counselor learn and grow together. Growth in her clients as well as in herself as a woman, individual, mother, and counselor are very important to Amber.
Joshua Reese – Phase One Coordinator
Joshua Reese graduated from the University of Georgia with a BA in Psychology. Shortly after graduation, he discovered wilderness education and therapy within a program for at-risk youth in the Appalachian Mountains of Northeast Georgia. He spent six years there, beginning his tenure as Youth Counselor and supervisor, moving into the position of Group Treatment Coordinator, and completing his tenure after spending two years as Assistant Program Director.
Joshua explored other educational opportunities before accepting the position of Phase One Coordinator at FRA.
In his spare time, he enjoys most outdoor activities, including hiking, camping, and sports. He enjoys spending time with friends and family, which will hopefully include the addition of a pet dog in the near future.
Stass'Ey WIlson – Phase Two Coordinator
Stass’Ey is a native Houstonian. She holds a BA in Psychology from the University of Houston Central-Campus and is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. Stass’Ey came to FRA in December 2007 with fifteen years of experience working with seniors and disabled citizens. In addition to her work at FRA, Stass'Ey has been a dedicated volunteer for non-profit organizations for over ten years.
Stass’Ey and her husband currently reside in Richmond with their teenage daughter, who keeps them on their toes. They are active churchgoers. Stass’Ey spends her free time assisting her husband with their photography company, cooking, and baking—and also devotes time to mentoring young women.
Kimberly Sawyer – Phase Three Coordinator
Kimberly was born and raised in Texas, attending school at University of Houston. She is majoring in Psychology and has future plans of obtaining a PsyD. Before joining FRA, Kimberly worked at the Swalm Foundation, processing grants for underserved communities. She enjoys reading, watching movies, bicycling and cooking and playing with her two daughters. Kimberly enjoys working at Fulshear Ranch Academy because she feels that if she can touch one person’s life and better their life in the smallest way that it was worth all the time in the world. Kimberly was Employee of the Month for December 2006, August 2007, February 2008, and March 2008.
Peggy Fishbeck – Ranch Coordinator
Ranch Coordinator Peggy Fishbeck lives in Fairchilds with her husband of 21 years, Skeeter. They have a 15-year-old daughter, Hilary, who is into everything. Peggy has been active in the First Baptist Church of Needville, Fairchilds Creek 4-H, Fairchilds City Council, Fairchilds Volunteer Fire Department, and the Needville PTA. She has also been a youth leader for the Fort Bend County and Needville Youth Fairs. Peggy was Employee of the Month for October 2007.
Rosalind Taylor – Transportation Specialist
Rosalind Taylor is the Transportation Specialist at FRA. She is responsible for all of the transportation needs, including driving the young ladies to and from their internships and doctor appointments throughout the week. Rosalind has been happily married for 30 years. She and her husband have three children and three grandchildren. Professionally, she brings with her over 20 years of experience in social service work.
Prior to moving to Houston, Rosalind was employed at Threshold – DCFS in Chicago, Illinois, where her experience with youth transferred into the Chicago public school system, Chicago court system, and counseling. Rosalind was Employee of the Month for March 2007 and September 2007. She was also the Employee of the Year for 2007.
Sandra Watts – Mentor
Sandra Watts is currently a mentor at FRA, and is also an intervention counselor for Cy Fair ISD in Houston. She holds a BA in Sociology with a Minor in Child and Family Development, from Texas Southern University in Houston. Sandra also organized and manages the nonprofit organization, Essential Things, which provides assistance to children from low income families by purchasing school supplies and clothing. She has an eleven-year-old son and enjoys reading and watching mysteries. Sandra was Employee of the Month for January 2007.
Mary Gamino – Mentor
Mary came to FRA in March of 2007 and is currently a Phase One Mentor. Mary is happily married to Ignacio Gamino and the two have five children and eight grandchildren. Mary and her husband are residents of Needville and live within five minutes of the ranch. Mary’s hobbies include sewing, gardening, catching a beautiful sunset, and spending time with her family.
Andria King – Mentor
Andria King is a native Houstonian but identifies with her family’s rich Louisiana roots. This can be seen through her love for cooking Cajun and Creole dishes. She is currently attending Houston Baptist University where she is pursuing dual BA degrees in Public Policy and Christianity.
She has a passion for assisting young women obtain holistic wellness. She has volunteered for non-profit organizations targeting youth and teens, she has opened her home to young teenaged girls hosting bible studies and life issues support groups, she has been very active in the children, youth, and college ministries at her church. In these ministries, Andria helped to spearhead an Apartment Ministry that mentored youth and focused on abstinence from drugs, sex, and alcohol.
In addition to Andria’s passion for helping young women, she brings a broad range of life experience. She has worked as a community activist/organizer for the nation's largest community organization of low- and moderate-income families, working together for social justice and stronger communities. She was employed as a staff writer and columnist for an African-American newspaper that sought to bring public awareness to social, economic, and political issues facing the African-American community. She has also been an editor for an online magazine that sought to connect college students and professionals in mentor/mentee relationships over a broad range of fields.
Andria is a veteran of the US Army, where she served in Operations Enduring and Iraqi Freedom supporting the military’s missions through tracking, distributing, and maintaining records of cargo moving between the United States, Kuwait, Iraq, and Afghanistan.
Michelle Montgomery – Mentor
Michelle Montgomery is a Certified Nurse's Aide and Medical Assistant, and has worked in the medical field since 2003. Her future goals include becoming a Licensed Vocational Nurse and a Registered Nurse. She enjoys working closely with people and loves to stay busy.
Married for two years, Michelle has three beautiful children—two daughters and a son. She is passionate about her family, her pets, and her work. She credits her parents with helping her to become the person she is today.
Sarah Primes-Hall – Mentor
Sarah Primes came to FRA in May of 2007 with a background working with special-needs children. A former preschool teacher specializing in work with autistic children and children with Downs Syndrome, Sarah is currently furthering her education in the field of Sociology and plans to have a career in service work.
She recently moved to Brenham from Austin, where she was an Interior Designer. She has an Associate's Degree in Interior Design and owned her own business, Plucked from Earth Designs. Sarah stays busy with school, FRA, and being with her son Noah; in her free time, she enjoys writing, painting, live music, and kickboxing.
Sarah is excited about connecting with the young ladies through their journey at Fulshear Ranch Academy and is thankful for the chance to do so. Sarah was Employee of the Month for June 2008.
Julie Mims – Mentor
Julie Mims was born and raised in Needville, Texas. In 2003, she enlisted in the US Air Force and was stationed at Davis-Monthan AFB in Tucson, Arizona. She was an avionics technician on the A-10 Warthog. From September 2005 to January 2006, Julie served in Operation Enduring Freedom at Bagram AFB, Afghanistan. In April 2007, she ended her enlistment with the Air Force and moved back home to Needville.
Currently, Julie is pursuing a Bachelor's Degree in Health Studies from Texas Woman's University. Her future plans include attaining a Master's Degree in Occupational Therapy and working in geriatrics.
Julie's hobbies are playing sports, watching movies, and dancing. Her main priorities in life are her family, her education, and living every day to its fullest.
Tammy Rollins – Mentor
Raised in Maine, Tammy obtained a BA in Psychology from St. Joseph’s College of Maine in 2007. Shortly after graduation, she moved to Texas and is currently pursuing an MA in Professional Counseling from Arqosy University. She has over five years of healthcare experience, some of which was in a group home focusing on homelessness. In addition, she has highly involved in her college community as a choir member, cross-country runner, and peer educator.
Kim Maly – Mentor/Night Staff
Kim Maly came to FRA in March of 2007. She is currently employed as a Mentor/Night Staff. Kim’s prior experience includes 11 years in the health care field, with three of those years in mental health, and teaching Montessori Pre-K for four years. Kim is attending college and working on her Associate's Degree in Psychology. Kim was Employee of the Month for June 2007.
Tracie MacIntyre – Mentor/Night Staff
Tracie MacIntyre was born and raised in Texas. She is originally from Central Texas and moved to the Houston area in 1997. Tracie has been married for 18 years and is a proud mother of two teenage daughters. As a "Mentor/Night Staff ", Tracie's responsibilities include: monitoring students sleep patterns, monitoring student behavior in the mornings, giving out morning medication, and being available for each student. Tracie was Employee of the Month for November 2006.
Aretta Robinson – Mentor/Night Staff
Aretta Robinson is a native Houstonian who joined the FRA team after two years of retirement from her own successful, state-registered, in-home daycare facility. Aretta's other experience includes two years with Baylor College of Medicine and eight years with MHMRAC Mental Health Mental Retardation of Harris County. Aretta was Employee of the Month for May 2008.
Veronica Gamino – Mentor/Night Staff
Veronica Gamino came to FRA in June of 2007 and is currently employed as a mentor/night staff. She has a certificate in Phlebotomy, and has decided to head in a different direction and is now working on her Associate's Degree in Criminal Justice. Veronica is a single mother of three beautiful children. She enjoys spending time with her family and friends, arts and crafts, listening to music, baking, and of course shopping. Veronica was Employee of the Month for April 2008.
Antwinette Rivers – Overnight Staff
Antwinette Rivers is a native of Needville, TX. She has ten years of experience working in the mental health and mental retardation fields. She has worked with the Richmond State School as an MHMR Specialist I and Texana MHMR Center as a Residential Trainer. She is also a Certified Medication Aide and Phlebotomy Technician.
Antwinette is the mother of a two-year-old son, Chance. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family, shopping with her sisters, going to movies, and dining out.
Justine Sykora – Medical Aide
Texas native Justine Sykora is the Medical Aide at FRA. Justine received her Certified Nurse Aide Certificate from Houston Community College and her Certified Medication Aide Certificate from Texas School in Katy. She also works with the S.P.J.S.T. Rest Homes in Katy, Texas. Justine's future goals include pursuing a career in nursing.
Justine says, "I love the outdoors. Hunting, fishing and horseback riding are my enjoyments in life, along with my animals. I am engaged, and have two nieces and two nephews. I enjoy living life to the fullest."
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