Faculty & Staff

The faculty and staff of Island View adolescent residential treatment center are clinicians with a long history of working in various adolescent treatment settings including: group homes, diagnostic clinics, day-treatment centers, outpatient practice, residential treatment centers and psychiatric hospitals. They provide help for troubled teens with what they considered the most effective components of successful programs throughout the United States into a unique program. Their day-to-day commitment and involvement assures programmatic continuity, integrity, and success. Faculty and Staff >>

Administration

David Melear, M.Ed., Executive Director
David Melear, M.Ed. is Executive Director of Island View Residential Treatment Center. David is a leader in the field of therapeutic education and programming with experience extending back 20 years. Most recent to joining Island View, David was the Executive Director of Wellspring Academy of California, a specialized boarding school serving adolescents and adults who are overweight or obese. During his tenure at Wellspring, David developed a college-aged adventure program and upon his departure was privileged to have a building named in his honor. Prior to his service to Wellspring, David worked for a Fortune 500 company where he participated as an executive in training at several hospitals and programs. During a span of 14 years at a hospital in Kentucky, David’s work consisted of general programming for all ages and specific programming for the treatment of drugs and alcohol and behavioral disorders. David obtained his formal education at Western Kentucky University where he completed a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in Exceptional Child Education, Learning and Behavior Disorders.

Kirk Simon, M.D., Psychiatrist, Medical Director
Dr. Simon is Triple-Board Certified in Pediatrics, Adult Psychiatry, and Child/Adolescent Psychiatry. He completed his undergraduate degree at Creighton University, Omaha and then attended the Medical College of Wisconsin and then the University of Utah. He has written several publications on topics such as Eating Disorders, Somatization Disorders and Dealing with Difficult Diagnoses in Patients and Families. Kirk is an instructor in the General Pediatric Division of the University of Utah, Lector of Pediatric noontime lectures on Ped/Psych. topics each year, Course Director for Child Psychiatry Consultation and Liaison for Child Psychiatry Fellows and Triple Board Residence, Instructor for pediatric residences in their Adolescent Rotation and Instructor for Nuerology Fellow in a Consultation and Liaison Elective Rotation. Dr. Simon was also honored with a Nominee for Physician of the Year in 2003.

Jason Drake,
Jason completed his undergraduate education earning a Bachelor Degree in Social Work with a minor in Psychology at Weber State University in Ogden, Utah. He graduated Summa Cum Laude and served as President of the Social Work Honors Society, Phi Alpha, at Weber State University. Jason earned his Master Degree in Social Work from Barry University located in Miami Shores, Florida. He is licensed as a Clinical Social Worker (L.C.S.W.). Jason has worked with adolescents and their families since 1999 in various treatment settings including residential group homes where he worked as the Assistant Program Director, in-home family therapy in Miami/Dade and Broward Counties facilitating Functional Family Therapy, Community Mental Health providing treatment for those with major mental illness and substance abuse issues, a Substance Abuse Day-treatment program for adolescence, working with adults in a Methadone Clinic as well as working part time as a Crisis Worker for one of the local hospitals. Jason created and led the Substance Abuse Aftercare program in his last place of employment and also created and led other groups and programming. Jason has a strong background in substance abuse treatment as he has worked in both adolescent and adult treatment programs. Prior to being promoted to Clinical Director at Island View, Jason had worked as the Clinical Program Manager and Assistant Clinical and Program Director for nearly two years. Jason has been married since 1999 and has two sons with whom he likes to spend his free time. He enjoys his relationships with his wife and other family members. He also spends free time reading books related to his field of study and employment.

Judi Jacques, M. Ed., Program Director
Judi began her career at Island View in 1998 as a classroom teacher in history after spending several years in public education. She enjoyed two years in the classroom before moving into the position of Academic Director, where she seized the opportunity to develop a dynamic academic program that maximized the wide variety of resources available at an RTC to promote student success. Recently she welcomed the chance to expand her experiences with adolescents into a new dimension by taking on her current role as Program Director. She is passionate about using the multidisciplinary approach to foster student growth. Her commitment to excellence is the compass that guides her efforts to provide the highest quality of milieu programming for Island View residents. Outside of her time at Island View, Judi enjoys reading, practicing yoga, travelling, and participating in outdoor adventures with her husband and her dogs.

Laura Burt, Admissions Director Laura has been with Island View since 1996. She says Island View is like a second family to her. She grew up in small town Idaho and moved to Utah to continue her education. Laura has great compassion for the families she works with and truly understands, as she is a mom herself of two beautiful teens. In her spare time, she loves reading, traveling, running, and spending time with her family.

Jen Capellen, Academic Director
Jen began her career with Island View back in 1999, and worked as milieu staff and a classroom teacher before becoming the Academic Director. She is from Wyoming where she studied and obtained Bachelor’s Degrees in Sociology and Secondary Education. Jen is licensed in social studies and continues to be passionate about re-igniting students’ interest and involvement in learning. Jen views the role of education as a paramount in the therapeutic process for student success. Her experience with students over the past 15 years has shown her that when students feel good about learning, their self-esteem and self-image improve in leaps and bounds. She looks forward to continuing the trend of excellence in the education department. She also hopes to continue to push students beyond the content of their classroom learning to improve their overall well-being for their academic futures. When she is not traveling to far off destinations you can find her outdoors. Jen enjoys sports, loves to read, and can’t stay away from thrift stores and yard sales.