NATWC Board of Directors
The NATWC Board of Directors is comprised of industry professionals that work in cooperation with one another to provide opportunity for the training of front-line wilderness staff. These Board Members volunteer their time, talents and professional abilities to maintain the direction of this non-profit organization and endeavor to meet the needs of the membership.
Presently NATWC does not employ an Executive Director as the Board of Directors is the driving force behind the organization. The Board meets regularly to address the needs of the membership and respond to issues within the industry that may impact NATWC.
NATWC is proud to introduce these Board Members to you:
Steve Cockerham, Chairman of the Board
Steve Cockerham was elected to the position of Chairman in January of 2010. In addition to his responsibilities as editor for the NATWC Publication: Journal for Therapeutic Wilderness Camping Steve will be leading NATWC.
The NATWC Journal is a scholarly publication highlighting research, theoretical, information, and opinion articles related to wilderness therapy. Steve was instrumental in producing the NATWC National Wilderness Counselor Certification program and has regularly assisted with the NATWC annual conference since his admittance to the Board.
Steve is a tenured faculty member at East Tennessee State University and is a professor and teaches in the Human Development and Learning Department where he instructs counselors in courses such as Educational Psychology, Counseling Theory and Practice, and Internship. Steve also serves on the Board of the Southern Association for Human Services and edits their newsletter. Steve is also a member of the National Association of Human Services, the National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs, and the Association of Experiential Education.
Steve has worked for many years with young people and their families who were struggling with life transitions. After graduating from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, he worked as a psychologist in a psychiatric facility, a psychology instructor in community colleges, and as director of several counseling programs, including wilderness programs. Steve is an avid environmentalist and his hobbies include hiking, backpacking, and gardening. Steve lives on an old farm in the Cherokee forest of Tennessee and loves to pick wild apples, berries, and morels with his family. Steve also enjoys while bird watching and listening to bluegrass.
Linda Tatsapaugh, Vice Chair 
Linda’s education includes MS in Child and Youth Care Administration from Nova SE University and a BA in Religion from Davidson College. Linda has served as Talisman Programs director since 2001. Previously, she worked at Stone Mountain School from 1991 to 2001. She is an instructor-trainer in First Aid, CPR, life guarding, and crisis management, and is a tree climbing facilitator. She thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail in 1990 and has served on the board of the National Association of Therapeutic Wilderness Camps since 1999.
Micah Wheat, Treasurer 
Micah Wheat has been in the field of Wilderness Therapy and employed with Aspen Education Group since 2002. Micah worked with at-risk adolescents at SUWS of the Carolinas, Adirondack Leadership Expedition before his present assignment at the Stone Mountain School in Black Mountain, NC as their Field Supervisor. Prior to his employment with Aspen, Micah was employed with two other non-profit organizations in Western NC and was an Adventure Staff for Camp Rockmont in Swannanoa, NC for four years.
Micah holds a Master Level Certification through the NATWC and is a Non-Violent Crisis Intervention Associate Instructor. Micah is presently pursuing a degree in Therapeutic Uses of the Wilderness with a minor in Wilderness Leadership from Prescott College. Micah is also a National Outdoor Leadership School graduate of a Spring Semester in the Rockies.
Sandy Schmiedeknecht, Secretary 
Sandy Schmiedeknecht brings to NATWC a depth that is not only grounded in professional expertise but amazing life experiences. She has harnessed her sense of care for others into a focus for serving young people and families who are in the throws of angst, strife and emotional crisis. After a full career in nursing, Sandy was instrumental in the development of a therapeutic program and then serving as their Admissions Director, Marketing and Alumni Services. After a lengthy service, she designed, developed and implemented several unique aftercare service models which many therapeutic programs use today.
Sandy has been active in creating alumni services promoting connections for graduates and fundraising for those who are in need of financial support for aftercare. She extends beyond her professional contributions through her generous spirit of volunteerism as demonstrated by Sandy’s leadership with service organizations such as Rotary and numerous local community programs. Sandy is active in NATSAP, National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs serving on the Alumni, Public Policy and National Conference Committees. Her commitment to God reveals in her selflessness, passion for life and well being of others. Sandy is currently studying to complete her Masters Degree in Human Services.
Angie Senic Shockley 
Angie Senic Shockley has worked with at-risk children for most of her career. At Elkins Mountain School, a placement for adjudicated youth in West Virginia she served as English/Language Arts Teacher and Principal. During her time at EMS, she implemented several programs which gave the students opportunities to work with the local parks and recreation department and also provided them with options for repaying community service debts. It was during this experience that she realized the positive impact of having at-risk students working with their environments.
Angie left Elkins Mountain School to accept a position as Principal and later Executive Director of Alldredge Academy, a private wilderness program also located in WV. As principal, she gained NCACASI Accreditation for the academic phase of Alldredge Academy and in the process, learned a great deal about outdoor programming and how therapeutics and academics can work hand-in-hand to give students tremendous opportunities to grow personally and academically.
After many successful years at Alldredge, Angie accepted a position with Eckerd Youth Alternatives as Director of the Private Academies. Presently her responsibilities include admissions and marketing for the EYA Private Academies. She continues to work on program development within Eckerd, always looking for new opportunities for the company to grow in regard to outdoor treatment.
Angie is an individual affiliate and a member of the Board of Directors of the National Association of Therapeutic Wilderness Camping (NATWC) and Chair for the NATWC National Conference and is very active on all levels of the organization. She also holds a board seat on the National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs (NATSAP) and serves on several committees with an emphasis on the effort to make our political leaders more aware of the positive outcomes associated with outdoor treatment.
Angie is very committed to continuing the development and improvement of outdoor treatment program models within the industry.
Jason Brode 
Since the spring of 1999 Jason Brode has been the Director of Wilderness Services at the Diakon Wilderness Center in Boiling Springs, Pennsylvania. As their Director Jason oversees the day to day operations of the wilderness based adventure services at Diakon, which was formerly TresslerCare Wilderness Center. Jason also directs Diakon’s 31 Day Wilderness Challenge Program which is unique to their area. This WCP has a 50 foot climbing tower with high and low ropes challenge courses.
Prior to his employment with Diakon Jason gained two years director experience in developing and overseeing a weekend alternative treatment program for adjudicated delinquent and dependent male and female youths ages 13-18 and five years management experience in a year round treatment facility for adjudicated delinquent and dependent male youths ages 12-18 in PA. During this time Jason developed and implemented programming based on the Balanced Approach Restorative Justice principles of community protection, accountability, and competency development; interfaced with referral sources and actively communicated with other community based programs to link program treatment with other services; and was responsible for recruiting, training and new program development.
Jason is a cum laude graduate of Frostburg State University with a B.S. in Political Science.
Holly Hunter 
Holly D. Hunter is owner of SafePassage Adolescent Services ®. SafePassage focuses on the transport of at-risk adolescents to short term and long term therapeutic schools, programs and facilities. Hunter has been transporting at-risk teens for more than a decade and holds a 100% success rate in delivering the students in her care to the therapeutic institution selected by their parents and guardians. Hunter has been Director and Owner of SafePassage since 2007 and throughout her career has personally assisted more than seven hundred families.
SafePassage is a division of Atlanta, GA based Hunter Investigations LLC, which specializes in the recovery of missing persons. Hunter Investigations is a full service investigative and security consulting agency that provides services for attorneys, government agencies, insurance firms and individuals across the country. Hunter Investigations is fully bonded and insured. Hunter holds the State of GA professional license number PDC002236.
Terry Collins, MSW, LGSW 
Terry Collins is the Director of Operations at Academy Programs in Fairmont, West Virginia. Terry oversees the day to day operation of two residential programs serving 46 children and 49 direct care and management staff. Terry is responsible for direct supervision of Program Directors, plant management, maintenance and safety. Terry oversees the implementation of the Re-Ed programming and maintenance of day to day treatment milieu and is responsible for the development and implementation of a Program Development Plan based on the principles and Practices of Project Re-Ed. Terry is also working with the staff to develop and integrate outdoor experiential and adventure based education.
Prior to his employment with Academy Programs Terry was employed by Presley Ridge Institute in Clarksburg, WV as the State Training Coordinator for West Virginia, Virginia and Texas; Presley Ridge at White Oak in Parkersburg, WV and Presley Ridge at Laurel Park, Clarksburg, WV.
Terry received his Masters of Social Work from West Virginia University in Morgantown, WV and completed his undergraduate work in Criminal Justice and Psychology at Glenville State College, Glenville, WV.
Lorri Hanna 
Lorri Hanna is the Co-Founder, President and Executive Director of Soltreks, a therapeutic wilderness program located in Two Harbors, MN. Although Lorri is intricately engaged in the day to day operations of Soltreks, she is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist working directly with the adolescents and young adults who attend the program as well as their families. As an owner-directed program, Lorri is involved in many facets of the program including admissions and marketing, creating curricula, staff training, treatment planning, and parent workshop facilitation. She currently supervises university outdoor and therapeutic recreation interns at Soltreks.
Lorri is a member of the National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs and has served on the NATSAP Ethics Committee. Lorri has been an integral member of NATSAP; has been featured as a presenter at the NATSAP conferences, at the Wilderness Therapy Symposium, and at the Texas Experiential Ropes Course Association.
Prior to Soltreks, Lorri instructed with the Voyageur Outward Bound School in Ely, MN, Southern Illinois University’s Wilderness Education Association course and consulted with numerous programs and schools regarding therapeutic interventions for struggling adolescents, young adults and their families.
Lorri is an avid runner and participates annually in half-marathons. Her passions include sailing, photography and art, dancing, and maintaining relationships with close friends and family. Lorri lives with her husband and two huskies in Duluth, Minnesota’s Park Point on Superior Bay, which is a small community built on the largest freshwater sandbar in the world.
Honorary Board Members
Archie Buie, Chris Burns, Mark Hobbins, Reginal Jackson, Larry Olson, Bob Provencher, Ross Whitney, George Young and Shep Young