Residential
New Haven has a highly trained, well educated residential staff. As in all areas of our program, both the quality and size of our team is the key to our success creating a safe and therapeutic haven. In the dorms, the staff to student ratio is 1:4, and at night there are always two awake staff members in each of the houses. Our residential staff members participate in the students' interventions and attend treatment trainings alongside our therapists. Their training prepares them for intensive therapeutic processing with our girls during times of struggle. Every member of our daytime staff serves as a Values Coach, mentoring one or more girls through their process of growth at New Haven.
Kris Kilpatrick
Residential-Program Director
Kris graduated from Utah Valley University with a bachelor's degree in psychology and has been with New Haven since May of 2000. Kris spends the majority of his time at New Haven doing what he loves most – working with and training the front-line staff and interacting with the girls. He specializes in passive physical and non-physical crisis management and working with girls who display oppositional behavior, personality disorders, and depression. Kris oversees the Residential Department and facilitates New Haven's weekly management meeting. He led the implementation of New Haven's emergency preparedness program and has presented on the topic on several occasions at national conferences.
Kris and his wife Katie, have a daughter and two sons. They have worked as foster parents and have a combined 20 years experience of working with teenage girls. In his spare time, Kris likes to be outdoors with his family and two dogs. He likes to fish, camp, and cook new things (he cooks a mean fried turkey!). Kris is an avid sports fan and loves to talk sports, (particularly college football and basketball) with anyone who will engage.
Allyson Smith
Teresa House Lead
Allyson was raised in the Bay Area of California in a family with four brothers. She received a bachelor's degree from Brigham Young University the summer of 2007 in marriage, family, and human development and minored in nutrition. Allyson started working as an HCA at New Haven in January 2007 and became a supervisor in the summer of 2008. She loves working with the girls at New Haven and spending time with them to build their self-esteem and work through the issues they face.
Outside of working at New Haven Allyson enjoys hiking, doing triathlons, teaching swimming lessons, rock climbing, and doing yoga.
Rhett Gagon
Sacagawea House Lead
Rhett Gagon was born and raised in Sandy, Utah. He is the second oldest of eight siblings and has always enjoyed spending time with family and the relationships he shares with them. He received his Bachelors degree in Spanish from Brigham Young University in the summer of 2008, and looks forward to eventually seeking a Masters degree.
Rhett started out at New Haven in the summer of 2008 as a Health Care Assistant (residential staff member), after he had been referred by a former supervisor at the Eleanor Roosevelt house. He had only planned on working through that summer, but after sharing experiences with the girls and seeing the changes that can take place it had a significant impact on him. Rhett and his wife Erika met while working as staff at the Rosa Parks house. They enjoyed sharing experiences there for two years before he came to the Sacagawea house.
In his free time Rhett enjoys sports, hiking, waterskiing, playing the piano, and hanging out with his bulldog, Duke.
Julie Smith
Parks House Lead
Julie was born in Georgia, then moved to Maryland during her elementary school years. She has nine brothers and one sister. A friend referred Julie to New Haven, and Julie has now been with us three years. She loves joking with the girls and taking them on off-campus activities. Julie has a bachelor's degree in Psychology, minoring in Women's Studies. Julie grew up playing Lacrosse on the east coast and now spends her free time coaching women's Lacrosse for BYU. She also likes country dancing and spending time outdoors.
Kristen Buck
Roosevelt House Lead
Kristen VanOrman Buck was born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Canada. She is the oldest of six children. Kristen received her Associates Degree from Snow College, and was pursuing her degree in Pediatric Nursing when she decided to put those plans on hold to become a mother. She has four children, three boys and a step-daughter who is 14. Kristen has been at New Haven since 2007 where she started as an HCA and became a Supervisor shortly after that. She loves the opportunity that she has at New Haven to work with the girls and their families, and to see the wonderful changes that bring families closer together. She enjoys her role as "mother" of the house, and always wants the girls to feel safe and loved. Kristen enjoys doing creative things with the girls and taking them into the outdoors. Outside of New Haven Kristen practices interior design, loves to travel, rock climb, refinish old furniture, golf, and camp. She is always open to trying new things.
