EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Gil’s career in Wilderness Therapy brings together his passions for working with young people and connecting with the healing power of the outdoors. Gil is the co-founder of Legacy Treatment Center and Juniper Canyon Treatment Center for Women and has been with the programs since they started. However, prior to Legacy and Juniper Canyon, his personal “legacy” in the field of Wilderness Therapy is impressive.
After leaving home for several years, He moved back to his hometown of Loa, Utah in 1995 to work for Aspen Achievement Academy. He loved being able to once again live among the beloved mountains and deserts he wandered during his formative years. Aspen Achievement Academy, with Gil as the Executive Director since 1996, became the most influential Wilderness Therapy program in the country. Gil served on the committee appointed by the Utah State Office of Licensing in 1997 to review and update the licensure standards for Outdoor Youth Programs. In 2000, he assembled and led the team that conceptualized and founded Passages To Recovery, the pioneer in Wilderness Therapy substance abuse treatment for young adults. Gil heavily influenced the development of comprehensive best practices for managing risk in the outdoors for the Aspen Education Group outdoor programs.
Gil was also a founding member of the Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare Industry Council (OBHIC) in 1996 and has served as its president and Research Committee Chair. He helped found the Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare Research Cooperative and supported it in becoming the leader in outcomes research. Gil served on the board of the National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs (NATSAP) from 2002 to 2011 and has served as Ethics Committee Chair and board liaison to the Research Committee for NATSAP. Gil was recognized by NATSAP in 2009 as the recipient of the National Leadership Award.
Gil and his wife Flora are the parents of five children and have become grandparents in recent decades. The Hallows family spends its free time outdoors in all seasons hiking, camping, skiing, exploring, bonding, and enjoying the calming beauty of nature.
