State Licensed Alternative Program Girls Preparatory School

The Staff at Timberridge

Main Entrance To Timberridge

The staff at Timber Ridge Prep
are experienced, qualified,
and dedicated to working
with you and your daughter.

Executive Director - Marcia Pearson

As Executive Director, Marcia Pearson, B.S., brings a background of both professional and personal experience with teenagers to Timber Ridge. As the mother of four children ages 17 to 27, the world of teenagers is well known to her. She has as true love of children of all ages, which is evident in the decision-making process at Timber Ridge. Marcia earned her Bachelor’s degree in Special Education from Brigham Young University, with an emphasis in Learning Disabilities. She has worked with at-risk youth for ten years in both academic and administrative settings. Marcia has served for the last eight years as the elected Idaho State Representative for Special Purpose Schools on the Northwest Advisory Accreditation Committee which oversees all secondary education in the state of Idaho. Marcia enjoys the performing arts, movies, reading, traveling and spending all the time she can with her family, including her new grandson.

Family Therapist - Ruth Rahimi

Ruth Rahimi M.A., A.B.D, serves as Family Therapist. Along with being a Gestalt Therapist since the mid-seventies, her specialty is developmental psychology and personality disorders. She maintained an out-patient and hospital practice for years in partnership with a psychiatrist. She was a pioneer both in National Public Radio with her weekly talk-show "Psychology and Consciousness” and in Equine-facilitated Psychotherapy with her day program for girls and women with eating disorders at her farm in San Juan Capistrano, California. Ruth taught psychology on the graduate level for eleven years and has been the Clinical Director for a Family Service Agency. In her free time, Ruth enjoys publishing poetry, writing children's novels, cooking, family, and riding Icelandic horses.

Family Therapist - Christopher Franklin

Christopher Franklin, M.S., is a Family Therapist who believes in helping teenagers and their families as a whole system. He earned his undergraduate degree in Marriage, Family, and Human Development at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. Christopher went on to receive a Master of Science degree at Seattle Pacific University, one of only two schools in Washington accredited by the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. He will also soon be licensed as a professional counselor in the state of Idaho. He has experience working in both community mental health and private practice settings for at-risk children and especially youth. He has worked to facilitate anger-management groups for children and to collaborate with other professionals and government officials in providing treatment for his clients. Christopher and his wife are the parents of two children, ages 4 and 8 months. He spends much of his spare time cultivating bonsai trees, hiking, camping, traveling with family, and creating board games.

Gloria Savage, B.A. is our Director of Academics as well as our Math and Spanish teacher. Gloria graduated summa cum laude from the University of Idaho, where she was awarded the Alumni of Excellence Award, and named an Inspiring Graduate. She has a B.S. degree in Secondary Education and a B.A. degree in Spanish, and holds a Standard Mathematics Endorsement in the State of Idaho. She has spent many years tutoring students in mathematics. She has lived and studied in Paraguay and Mexico and speaks Spanish fluently. She has an enthusiasm for both the Spanish language and Latin cultures. Gloria has four children ages 9 through 18. She has been actively involved in both Girl and Cub/Boy Scouting. Her hobbies include quilting and swimming. She was thrilled to complete her goal of swimming the Sandpoint 2.5 mile "Long Bridge Swim" in August 2003.

Science Teacher - Ashley Becker

Ashley Becker, B.A., serves as our Science Teacher. Ashley has eight years of teaching experience in both private and public settings, including three years working with at-risk youth. Her range and teaching experience within the sciences is broad, including Biology, Life Science, Earth Science, Anatomy and Physiology, Chemistry, Physical Science, Environment Science, Zoology, Health, and Horticulture. During her career she has established a science club and annual science fairs. Ashley received her B.A. degree in Biology, majoring in Broadfield Science with an emphasis in Environmental Science from the University of Montana. Ashley spent a summer working in research laboratory at the University Of Minnesota-Duluth School of Medicine where she learned the techniques and methodologies of scientists. Today, she has her students emulate these procedures in their own school experiments. Ashley likes to garden, watercolor, and spend time with her husband and young son.

English/Social Studies Teacher - Kristin Miller

Kristin Miller, B.S. is our English and Social Studies teacher. She has worked in a variety of educational settings and with a variety of students, ranging from Kindergarten to 12th grade. Kristin graduated with honors from the University of Idaho with a degree in Elementary Education and is currently working toward earning her degree in Secondary Education with an emphasis in Social Science. She enjoys spending time with her husband and two-year old daughter, and enjoys any activity that allows her to be outdoors, including hiking, fishing, camping, and gardening.

Recreational Coordinator - Cindy Benson

Cindy Benson, M.S. is our Recreational Coordinator and DBT Therapy Coordinator. She brings with her twenty plus years of experience working with youth in a wide range of settings. This experience includes the coordination of after school programs in five different school districts spread over a three county area in Washington State. These programs provided many opportunities for the students in areas of service learning projects, career explorations activities, sports, recreation, creative arts, and entertainment. Cindy earned her Master’s degree in Education at Old Dominion University. She enjoys time with her family and friends, is a quilter, loves to read and to spend time working in her gardens.

Virginia Short, our Director of Admissions, brings a wealth of both personal and professional experience to Timber Ridge Prep. Virginia attended the University of Idaho and Kinman Business University. Virginia's training and skills are broad-based and include working with parents and children in crisis. Virginia worked at a wilderness-based program and a long term boarding school in admissions for ten years and assisted with the start-up of each of those programs. Virginia has many interests including fishing, gardening, traveling and Karate, having previously won an East Coast Grand National Karate Championship.

Each of our staff, working directly with your daughter, or behind the scenes, brings a plethora of experience and unique abilities to promote the success of each student in our care. We strive to employ only the best for the benefit of your daughter.