Get to Know Our Great Staff
Ed Callahan, Ph.D., Executive Director
, Dr. Ed Callahan received his PhD in Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) from Brigham Young University, where he also completed his Masters in MFT and BS in Psychology. As a relationship specialist, Ed conducted a successful private practice with families in Denver, Colorado for over nine years. During that experience, Ed came to realize the limitations of outpatient therapy for many of the adolescents with whom he was working, and was struck by the overwhelming pressures facing youth today. He became interested in working with adolescents in specialized programs in order to help those students that could not be helped in an outpatient setting. Ed felt that intervening at such a critical developmental point as adolescence, he could have a profound positive impact on the rest of their lives.
In 2005, Ed left his practice in Denver and began working as a therapist at Second Nature Wilderness Program for adolescents in Duchesne, Utah. He found the wilderness experience extremely impactful in his personal and professional life and in the lives of the youth he served. Ed became increasingly interested in creating an aftercare program for these students, where they could build on and extend the skills and insights they gained in the intensive wilderness setting. Ed took a position as the Executive Director of a Therapeutic Boarding School for adolescents in Springville, Utah, where he gained invaluable insight and experience into residential therapeutic programs. This experience prepared him to join his current partners in creating Daniels Academy, a unique and innovative therapeutic boarding school for adolescent boys.
Ed is the Executive Director and one of the Founding Partners/Owners of Daniels Academy. Therapeutically, Ed has extensive experience in working with couples, families, and adolescents in outpatient wilderness and residential treatment. He specializes in trauma, grief and loss, addiction issues (including technology addiction) and divorce adjustment. Ed enjoys recreational and physical activities such as running, weight training, Yoga, skiing, fly-fishing, wake surfing and wake boarding. Ed is married, has two sons, and currently resides in Pleasant Grove, Utah.
Brian Murdock, LPC, Clinical Director
, Brian Murdock received an Associate of Science from Utah Valley University, A Bachelor’s of Science in Psychology at Weber State University and a Master’s in Mental Health Counseling from the University of Phoenix. Brian has worked with adolescents since May of 1992 and has a fondness for helping them find their way in today’s turbulent world.
He started as a psychiatric technician at McKay-Dee hospital’s behavioral health facility where he worked for 8 ½ years before leaving to take a job as a therapist at the Oakley School, where he worked for six years. While working at Oakley he became well versed in working with post adoption issues. This interest grew out of working with adopted kids and realizing these children are over represented in treatment programs. After 6 years at the Oakley school, Brian decided to take a position at a clinical boarding school in Springville, Utah, where he served as a therapist before moving on to becoming the Clinical Director and one of the Founding Partner/Owners of Daniels Academy. After spending 16 plus years working with adolescents Brian is even more passionate about the opportunity to help students increase the quality of their relationships and achieving fulfillment in life by accepting its joy and sorrow.
Brian enjoys sports, music, good food and being a father and husband. He is married to Stephanie with 3 children and currently resides in Taylorsville Utah.
Clayton Justensen, CFI, Admissions Director, Clayton holds a Degree in Aviation in Applied Science from Utah Valley State College and is an FAA Certified Flight Instructor (Airplane Single-Engine Land and Airplane Multi-Engine Land). In addition, Clayton has significant experience in cross-country flight, night flying, instrument simulation and turbine flight. Clayton has accrued nearly 1,300 flight hours, flying for Top Flight, Alpine Air, Utah Valley State College and giving private flight lessons. Clayton has been with Top Flight ever since it’s conception in March of 2003 and has been acting as the Executive director since 2004.
