Scott Davis
Executive Director
Since 1986, Scott has had extensive experience in working with residential treatment. Scott has worked for Charter Medical Corporation and at CPC Olympus View Hospital, has served as the Senior Coordinator for Community Residential Treatment Centers in the Northwest Division of Community Psychiatric Centers, and spent five years at New Haven Residential Treatment Center. In 2001, Scott co-founded Certified Educational, Recreational, Therapeutic Schools and Programs (CERTS) with Kent Tasso, a partner in both Kolob Canyon Residential Treatment Center, Moonridge Academy, and La Europa Academy. Scott is deeply committed to changing the lives of young people and improving industry standards of therapeutic care.

Kent Tasso
Director
Kent received his B.A. from Brigham Young University in 1991. Kent began his career teaching high school students in northern Utah. In 1999, Kent left teaching to serve as the Development Director for the private schools of A Gifted Education in San Jose, California. Here he more fully was exposed to the concept of treating every child as a “gifted child” and offering a broadly diversified enrichment program. He moved back to Utah in 2001 and co-founded CERTS while launching Kolob Canyon Residential Treatment Center initially, and then later Moonridge Academy and La Europa Academy. Kent has a deep love for people and for foreign languages (fluent in Japanese and French) and has lived in various parts of the world.

Amy Jeppesen
Clinical Director, LCSW
Amy graduated from Brigham Young University with a Masters in Social Work. She is currently licensed as an L.C.S.W. Amy has extensive experience working with adolescent girls in a treatment center setting. She has specialized in working with students that struggle with relational issues, eating disorders, personality disorder traits as well as students who have extensive trauma, sexual or physical. Amy believes in getting at the core of the issue and creating lasting change. She has been trained in DBT as well as family systems therapy. She has presented on the process of change for the National Association of Therapeutic Schools. She recently won the award for outstanding volunteer efforts in helping to create standards of care from the National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Alliances. Amy developed a process of communication for families that allows them to get passed barriers and open the lines of communication rebuilding trust and allowing for communication to take place at a deeper level. She has spent the last two years researching bi-polar among teens as well as adapting therapy for students with non-verbal learning disorders. She has a passion for training therapists and has been supervising new therapists for the past three years. Amy believes that there is hope for change in every student no matter how difficult and is known for her ability to get outside the therapy box and her never give up attitude.

Nora Urbanelli
Program Director, LCSW
Nora graduated from Brigham Young University with Masters degree in Social work. She is currently licensed as an L.C.S.W. Nora has been working with adolescent girls and families for the past four years. She has a strong background in working with and treating adolescents and adults who struggle with addiction issues. Nora is also trained in DBT. She has spent time during her career studying the effects of sexual trauma on adolescent girls and has developed a group for students who sexually act. She presented this curriculum at a national conference for therapeutic schools along with new tools she had developed to aid students in overcoming the trauma. Nora has also been instrumental in training staff to process in effective ways with students and has created many trainings specifically to help staff develop healthy relationships, communication styles and model them to students as well as connect to students in a way that allows for mentoring to work. She has also studied and implemented ways to help students and families access the core issues that create barriers to change. Nora is an expert in family therapy and very clinically based in family systems theory. She is known for her ability to balance relationship issues with reconstructing family boundaries allow for even the toughest family systems to reconnect.

Kori Mayeski
Education Director, M.A. Educational Leadership
Kori earned her undergraduate degree in Secondary Social Studies Education from the University of Maryland, College Park. After teaching in both Middle School and High School, Kori continued her education at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. She earned a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership/Administration. At both the University of Tennessee and Georgia Tech, Kori worked with freshman students in their transition to college. She taught an introductory Psychology course helping students adjust to their new environment. Most recently, Kori has served as an Assistant Education Director for an all-girl residential treatment center for almost 4 years. Kori coordinates with the teachers to provide an individualized, college-preparatory curriculum designed to both challenge and support the young women who attend La Europa Academy.

Brittany Lane Belinski, B.A.
Fine Arts and Language Teacher
Brittany is from Birmingham, Alabama and received a BA in Theatre and Media Arts Education, with a minor in Spanish from Brigham Young University. Enjoys music, dance, literature, out-door activities, art, fashion, and of course theatre and film. Having been given the opportunity to perform, work, design, and create in several venues of theatre and film, she has come to know that the fine arts are not only an explorative adventure where one can learn, grow, have fun, work hard, and gain skill; but also an outlet for security, expression, understanding, and self-love and respect. She hopes to be able to teach and share with the girls at La Europa Academy these same known ideals, thereby allowing them to develop a love and deep appreciation for the arts and ultimately for themselves.

Johanna Beeman
Clinician, Art Therapist
Johanna became an art therapist because of her passion for art and because of art's influence on her own growth. She earned a masters degree in Art Therapy from Lesley University in Cambridge, MA. Most of her work there and post graduation has been primarily centered around adolescents in a variety of settings. Johanna has effectively used art to cope with mental illness, trauma, violence, self-esteem issues, and used it as a means for developing life skills and resolving difficult emotions. Her undergraduate degree is a bachelor of Fine Art with a concentration in printmaking from Colorado State University. Johanna has worked in a variety of mediums including drawing, painting, printmaking, papermaking, photography, and pottery. She has also been a graphic designer and has found ways to incorporate the computer into art therapy while teaching practical skills.

Trisha L. Bandeka-Bennett, BSN RN
Nurse
Trisha graduated from Westminster College with a bachelor’s degree in Nursing, and has since worked on the surgical unit at Primary Children’s Medical Center and with Valley Mental Health. She is passionate about psychiatric nursing and loves working at La Europa Academy, the perfect combination of pediatrics and psychiatry.  Trisha has worked in the psychiatric residential setting for several years, a significant amount of time being spent in crisis intervention, where she continues to work part-time.  Experience also includes dual diagnosis (drug and alcohol history and mental illness), forensic psychiatry, the mental health court system, and working in the operating room.  In her spare time, Trisha enjoys playing tennis, listening to jazz, and playing the piano and flute.

Eric Whittaker
History and Geography Teacher
Eric received his Bachelors Degree in Secondary Education and his teaching license from the University of Utah in spring of 2006.  A lifelong Utah resident with a love of its land, people, and history, led Eric to pursue a History Teaching major and Geography Teaching minor.  Eric was drawn into the teaching profession due to his own “non-challenging” educational experience as well as a lifelong love of learning.  By becoming a teacher, Eric hopes to excite his students about the contributions of past generations, and help them prepare for the challenges their generation will face in the future.  While he is not preparing and correcting lessons, Eric enjoys playing music, being outdoors, and spending time with his wife and 2 daughters.

Melissa D. Negrete
Office Manager
Melissa comes to La Europa Academy with management experience within the Medical field.  She has worked in many industries including being a cosmetologist.  Melissa enjoys working with people and performing duties in Business Administration.  She has been married for 12 years and has 3 children.  Melissa enjoys being outdoors, sporting events, going to movies with her family, traveling, motivating others, and being of service.  She is excited to be a part of the La Europa Academy Team.

Jason Calder, L.M.F.T.
Therapist
Jason graduated from Indiana State University with a Masters Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy. Jason is currently licensed as an L.M.F.T. and has spent the past four years providing psychotherapy for adults and adolescents in Indiana and Salt Lake City . Specializing in Family Therapy, Jason utilizes the principles of Systems Theory to help families remove some of the interpersonal obstacles that tend to impede healthy family functioning. His areas of research include adolescent substance abuse treatment, adolescent mood disorders, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.