John (he/him/his) was born and raised in Vermont, spending his childhood and high school years in the small town of Cabot. He attended Saint Michael’s College in Colchester, VT where he studied psychology and gained an appreciation for outdoor experiences while volunteering on the Long Trail and attending trips with the school’s Wilderness Program. 

After graduating, John taught and coached at a high school in Massachusetts before going on to pursue his master’s degree in research psychology at Brandeis University. Following that, John joined True North as a field guide and found the return to direct clinical work refreshing, rewarding, and challenging. John went on to work for several other mental health agencies in VT and MA in direct service roles with children, youth, and families before returning to the research field. 

Most recently, John has been involved in research at the White River Junction VA Medical Center and National Center for PTSD and is completing his master’s degree in clinical psychology at Saint Michael’s College. He is pursuing clinical training at the White River VA working with Veterans to address PTSD, moral injury, and substance use problems. Ultimately, John would like to combine his background in psychological research, clinical work, and complementary and alternative medicine approaches to mental health, potentially working to make wilderness therapy more accessible to Veterans.

John lives in central Vermont with his wife, son, and their dog. He enjoys hiking, camping, and canoeing, and has been excitedly learning how to do all of these things with a toddler.