Staff
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Shawn Farrell, MEd. - Executive Director
In April of 2008, I was offered the opportunity to assume the Executive Director position at SUWS of the Carolinas. Since its creation in 2000, SUWS of the Carolinas has established itself as a strong leader in the Outdoor Behavioral Health industry, with a reputation for producing excellent work with families and students. My transition back to SUWS of the Carolinas has allowed me to continue developing and implementing innovative programming for both parents and students.
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Leah Madamba - Program Manager/Therapist
Leah is a Certified Counselor with the National Board of Certified Counselors, has a Masters of Science Degree in Community Counseling, and is applying for licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor here in the state of North Carolina. She completed her degree with the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in 2000. Her clinical specialization is in providing therapy in a wilderness setting for families who have adolescents in crisis. Leah worked as a therapist with the Aspen Achievement Academy in Utah from 2000 until 2002 and transferred to the SUWS of the Carolinas program. After completing her undergraduate degree in psychology at Vanderbilt University, she began her career in outdoor behavioral healthcare working with at-risk teens at the Hurricane Island Outward Bound School in Florida. In her free time, she and her husband enjoy hiking.
Jesse Quam, MSW, LCSW - Clinical Director
Jesse Quam is the Clinical Director for SUWS of the Carolinas. Before earning his Masters of Clinical Social Work from Boston College (May, 2005), Jesse worked for Aspen Achievement Academy, a therapeutic wilderness program in Utah. There, he worked as a Field Staff, Reunion Coordinator (facilitating the three day reunion with families for students graduating form the program), and Field Director. After a year hiatus, Jesse returned to wilderness therapy to work as a senior field staff at Passages to Recovery, a spirtually based 12-step recovery program in Southern Utah. While in graduate school, Jesse worked at The Walker Home and School, a residential home and school serving emotionally disturbed children and their families as a residential counselor and individual therapist. He also provided group and individual therapy to homeless veterans with substance abuse issues at the Brockton Veteran's Administration. Jesse is particularly interested in family systems, attachment theory and spirituality. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his wife, reading, hiking, grilling out, and fruitlessly hoping that the Minnesota Vikings will win the Super Bowl.