Kevin Knutson – Administrative Director
Kevin comes to us with a diversified background of professional experience that includes leadership, management, counseling, finance, education, training, presenting, and human resources. After earning his degree in Human Resources, Kevin started his career as an active duty Personnel Officer in the US Army. He then went into the banking industry where he was a Branch Manager for a national bank. He then went back to school and earned his master’s degree in Educational Psychology with an emphasis in counseling psychology. Kevin started his career as a counselor working as a therapist and then manager of an agency working with victims and perpetrators of sexual abuse and domestic violence. He then spent over 10 years in a school district working as a mental health counselor and family preservation director. While here he also worked as a field therapist for a youth wilderness program. He then moved to the residential treatment center, Aspen Ranch, where he started as the Program Director and then was promoted to be the Executive Director. In addition to these full time positions, Kevin has a private counseling practice and also teaches as a faculty member for the University of Phoenix in their Master’s level counseling program.
Over the years Kevin developed partnerships with Brandon and Chad. Together, they developed a groundbreaking equine parenting and therapeutic model. They have trained and presented on this model at various places throughout the country. When Aspen Ranch was closed by its parent corporation the three of them continued their partnership and developed a more refined and therapeutically rich program—Equine Journeys.
In his spare time, Kevin enjoys spending time with his family—camping; riding horses; reading; riding his dirt bike and four wheelers; traveling; geocaching; and playing various card, board, and athletic games.
Brandon Burr, LCSW, ECP-P – Clinical and Program Director
Brandon received his Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work from Boise State University in 1994 and his Master’s Degree in Social Work from Brigham Young University in 1996. His first graduate internship was in adolescent day treatment and wilderness therapy. His second was in treatment of sexual and physical abuse, both offenders and victims.
After graduate school, Brandon continued his work in the area of sexual and physical abuse treatment. He became the agency Clinical Director and supervised outpatient and correctional facility treatment programs in central and southern Utah for four years.
Working in correctional settings led to employment with the Utah Department of Corrections where he designed and developed a residential substance abuse treatment program utilizing the Therapeutic Community Model at the Central Utah Correctional Facility. Over the seven years he was the Program Director, the program grew from 64 beds to over 300 in spite of much skepticism about the effectiveness of treatment for offenders. This program has proven to be highly successful in the treatment of substance abuse disorders and continues to operate.
After leaving corrections, Brandon went back to the wilderness. He worked as a wilderness therapist, remaining in the field with his students several days and nights each week, with a program near the Four Corners area for the year prior to accepting a position as the Clinical Director at Aspen Ranch. He served as the clinical director there for five years and until he, with two colleagues, developed Equine Journeys.
Brandon lives on the family farm in Salina, Utah with his wife, two children, and six horses.
Chad Lyman, ECP-P, Director of Ranch Operations
Chad brings over 25 years experience with horses to Equine Journeys. He was raised on a large cattle ranch in Southern Utah, where he started riding at a very young age. By the age of 13 he made his start in the horse training business by training young untamed colts for local ranchers. Learning various training techniques from local trainers helped Chad build a solid foundation and develop a burning desire to acquire as much knowledge about horses as possible.
Chad attended Texas State Horse Shoeing School and also studied Horsemanship and Reining while attending Southern Utah University. He has also studied with trainer John Lyons of Colorado to address communication skills with problem horses. To add to this vast knowledge, Chad attended specialized training at Colorado State University in Equine Reproduction. Most recently, Chad has been the Equine Manager and Trainer for a large ranch in southern Utah where he was responsible for 80 horses.
Chad has also been involved with youth in Scouting and other organized groups. These experiences have included trail rides, camp-outs and assisting in the setting and achievement of individual goals. Chad believes his greatest teacher through out all of his training has been the horse.
