A Unique Agency Serving an Unmet Need
What’s our mission?
Saving children and youth in crisis by building healthy relationships, promoting support and developing successful connections to families and communities.
What do we value?
Secret Harbor’s people, programs and advocacy provide resources and opportunities to improve the lives of children and families.
To meet these ends, staff strive to:
Develop Connections
Develop connections that create positive, lasting impact for children, families and communities.
Understand Effects
Understand the effects of trauma on children and families and respond with empathy to those experiences through caring interactions.
Provide Safety
Provide safe places necessary to develop trust, gain new skills and grow.
Build Relationships
Build healthy, respectful relationships that strengthen and improve wellbeing, offering hope, dignity and a sense of belonging.
Promote Creativity
Promote creativity by embracing flexibility and innovation, engaging each child and family holistically and seeing challenges as opportunities for solutions.
Recognize Teamwork
Recognize that teamwork is essential for each child and family to get exactly what they need to be independent and successful.
History
Over 75 Years of Service
Secret Harbor has a rich history. The agency was on the cutting edge of child welfare practices back in 1947 when the program opened – and Secret Harbor has made a point of remaining on the leading edge of best practices in child welfare today.
Early Days
Secret Harbor ran a single program – residential treatment for troubled boys – for more than 50 years. The isolated program on Cypress Island was successful at modifying the behaviors of boys. Eventually, the program sought more community connection and support as it viewed this as an important resource in the success of the youth, once they left the island program.
New Beginnings
In 1998, the agency started a foster care program to offer boys a place to go once their behaviors had improved. The foster care program quickly expanded to serve boys and girls ages 3-18.
Moving to the mainland
In 2005, the Board of Directors decided to sell the valuable island property, giving Secret Harbor the unique opportunity to remake itself in a way that reflects the ‘best practices’ in the field of child welfare.
Who are we?
With teams of caring adults and high quality, intensive services, Secret Harbor helps troubled youth cope with their trauma, regain some trust in adults – and surrounds them with supports that empower them and eventually help them rebuild their lives. Secret Harbor doesn’t give up on these kids- our small but dedicated staff boasts members who have been part of the team for over 27 years! We are administrative staff, case aid support, licensors, recruiters, specialized care managers, parent partners, therapists and more… working as a team with each and every youth in our care.
Our Team
Jenn Ryan MA, LMHC
President and CEO
Cori Peck
Vice President and Director of Foster Care Programs
Barbara Box
Accounting Manager
Gordon Keesler
Quality Assurance Manager
Brenda Raasch
Human Resources Manager
Frank Hasenbalg
Lillian Johnson Program Manager
Board of Directors
Jessica Poppe
Board Chair
Assistant Principal, Evergreen Elementary
Jere Lafollette
Board Vice Chair
Instructor, Skagit Valley College
Amy Tryon
Secretary
Workforce Optimization Supervisor
Cambia Health Solutions
Kati Ortiz
Program Office/Passport Coach at Skagit Valley College
Kaelen Grimes
Ashton de Cardenas
Orthopedic Surgery, Skagit Regional Health