Co-Director

Call me Rex. I have been providing services for adults in the developmental disabilities community in Oregon since 2004. I started out working as a personal support worker and quickly gained a reputation for being willing to work with adults with challenging behavior. The part-time and flexible nature of the job was perfect while I earned my degree in social work from Concordia University in Portland.

I eventually added Behavior Consultant to my many roles, gaining my qualifications through internships and volunteer opportunities in juvenile sex offender facilities and social services agencies.

I bring to my work, skills as an active listener, non-judgmental advocate, and purveyor of fun. I love being outdoors and enjoy the beauties of the natural world around us.

I served many years as a Boy Scout leader where I learned the value of acquiring skills through experience and a sense of adventure.

In 2015, my dear friend, Drew Stinson and I joined together to build ARISE Mentors, LLP so that we can share our passion for advancing the quality of life for people with developmental disabilities with others.

We love teaching our employees how to get results and be stellar support professionals. We strive to instill in them the same craving to provide quality assistance to those we serve. The work can be both challenging and rewarding, and those two things naturally go together. It can’t be rewarding without being challenging and because it is challenging, the  rewards are greater.

To do this work requires more than just being a nice person with a desire to serve. There are naturally ethics, boundaries, and the inevitable paperwork. We teach all of these things so that our workers can provide the best possible support to our customers.

Prior to and concurrent with my work as a social worker, I am also a software engineer. I have worked for almost 40 years in the high tech industry, helping people with such things as energy conservation, medical diagnostics, and business applications.

My interests include singing. I’m a basso profundo.

I also love writing, learning, and the movies. I love classic movies, classic television, classic literature, and classical music.

I do not currently provide direct support for the company’s clients, but please contact me to discuss how our company can assist you or your customers.