About
MitchDeArmon • About LeadershipWorks • About our Mentors • About
our Staff
Testimonials
In addition to Mitch DeArmon, LeadershipWorks is pleased to be working with the following qualified mentors:
Gene Calhoun
Calhoun has more than 20 years of experience in working with adolescents
in both academic and agency programs. He currently works for Abraxis
Transition Program supervising juveniles on probation and assisting
them in their academic success and job searches while providing positive
role modeling. He has served as a Challenge Day leader facilitating
workshops in schools. Calhoun worked for 12 years at Sonoma State
University’s Academic Talent Search team, recruiting low income students
into the program and then preparing them for college readiness, financial
aid and academic success through an annual conference and his caseloads
for grades 6 to 12. Previous to that, he worked as the project coordinator
at Sonoma County People for Economic Opportunity providing recreational
activities, employment counseling and academic support for over 100
program participants ages 12 to 17 in Santa Rosa’s South Park
neighborhood. He has worked as a liaison and youth advocate
in matters concerning school and law enforcement. He has also worked
for Circuit Rider Productions as a supervisor and a counselor at
Clear Water Ranch Children’ Group home. He has his degree in Drama
and Sociology from the University of California, Santa Cruz and is
currently pursuing a master’s degree in counseling.
Alan Hill
A strong proponent of men helping young men, Alan has served as the facilitator
and a board member of the Young Men’s Ultimate Weekend for the
past four years. He initiated and developed a YMUW for the Sacramento
Area and has joined with Mitch in facilitating LeadershipWorks ceremonial
Buffalo Camp for young men. Alan brings his Native American background
to the work he does with young men, evoking the power of ceremony to
transform and inspire them. He has worked with men and participated
in men’s groups for the past 20 years. He is also a leadership
trainer. A radiology technologist for the last 18 years, Alan also is
pursuing his counseling degree. He is the father of two grown children.
Gary Ledson
Ledson has ten years in education as a teacher, coach, tutor, and program
developer. His Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and graduate degree
in Vocational Rehabilitation Counseling and coursework in Waldorf Spatial
Dynamics provides a basis for his effectiveness with youth. He has taught
at risk teenagers and developmentally disabled students basic reading,
math, and writing , and life skills. He has assessed and provided feedback
supporting teenagers in transition from high school to adulthood. In
addition he has served as a consultant to schools developing programs
related to his educational background. As the executive director to
Waldorf Camphill Village Estate he managed the farm and gardening programs.
The father of four children, three of which are boys, Ledson is effective
in building community. He is an active leader in men’s groups
in Sonoma County.
Corey McKinley
Corey currently serves as the president of the Young Men’s Ultimate
Weekend (a coming of age program developed with Mitch DeArmon for young
men). The YMUW partners with LeadershipWorks in providing mentoring programs
for young men. He has served as the program director and on the board of
the YMUW for the past three years. Corey has a strong commitment to youth
as is evidenced by his volunteer commitment to the YMUW and his weekly mentoring
at the Men Mentoring Men program. He also runs his own successful business
called ConfiDents.
Edgar Morales
Morales has worked with kids for the last 12 years as a coach and a teacher.
Currently, he is the varsity soccer coach at Petaluma High School and is
also employed by the Sonoma County Probation Department as an interpreter.
Previously, he worked in Marin and Oakland teaching middle school students
math, science, and Spanish. His background also includes an education in
political science and law. Fluent in both Spanish and English, Morales is
extremely professional with a strong and enthusiastic work ethic that he
brings to his work with young people. He is the father of four boys.
Corey Pyhtila
Corey Pyhtila serves as the Sacramento Area Program Manager for LeadershipWorks.
He also is a committed mentor who leads the Men of Honor program for
teen boys in Sacramento with Alan Hill. Additionally, Corey is responsible
for designing and coordinating the amazing obstacle courses for the
INITIATION!, weekends and serves as the Event Medic at the event and
is a vital member of the production and management team for the event.
Corey’s background demonstrates a high level of excellence in
all he pursues. He has more than 15 years in the emergency services
arena where he has worked as a firefighter, paramedic, emergency medial
dispatcher as well as a fire safety technician/pipe fitter and boiler
maker. He has served as a member of a number of Search and Rescue Teams,
including the Urban Search and Rescue for the Oklahoma City Bombing
in 1992 and the 911 Tragedy. He received the Florida State Meritorious
Service Award for Bravery for the 1998 Florida Wildfires. His training
comes from the California State University, Cal Maritime Academy, the
State of Washington Fire Training Academy and the US Coast Guard Advanced
Marine Firefighting. Corey also has a strong spiritual foundation based
in native ceremony.