Our Executive Leadership

  • Meet Sara, a female presenting person with dark brown hair. Sara is wearing a dark blue shirt with a black cardigan overtop.

    Meet Sara - Co-Owner, Clinical Director and CEO

    Since opening Conifer Counseling’s doors in 2012, I have increased the number of clinicians providing mental health services to our mountain community. It’s my passion to do my best to meet the community’s behavioral health needs and in that vein, have:

    Expanded funding sources to include Medicaid and most commercial insurances;

    Developed comprehensive community partnerships;

    Hired numerous mental health therapists and student intern volunteers;

    Implemented care navigation, prevention,

    and medication management interventions;

    expanded services into Park County;

    founded All Access Wellness, a non-profit.

    I am currently:

    Clinically directing our staff and programs;

    Diversifying interventions;

    Increasing access;

    sitting as a board member of All Access Wellness.

  • Meet Tara, a female presenting person with medium long light brown hair. Tara is wearing a purple shirt with criss cross sleeves, and a silver cross necklace.

    Meet Tara - Co-Owner and COO

    After spending twenty years working and managing within the Colorado child welfare system, I returned to school in 2016 to obtain my Master of Arts in Counseling. It was apparent small communities lack resources and I wanted to make more of a direct impact on families by providing effective services in our mountain communities. I am a Colorado native and have lived the majority of my life in small Colorado communities and know that life here is different from the “big city”.

    While exploring the most recent and effective interventions, I learned about Neurofeedback, Brainspotting, Internal Family Systems, and the Gottman Method Couples Therapy, which I further pursued and enjoy utilizing with my clients.

    I am also passionate about keeping families safe and together. In this vein, I manage Conifer Counseling parenting and family programs, specifically our community based Love and Logic program (in collaboration with the Boys and Girls Clubs of the High Rockies since 2017). I am a mother and step-mother to four children, elementary aged to young adult! This, in addition to my experience in the child welfare system, makes me an expert and ally in the field of parenting.

    I have been a part of Conifer Counseling since 2017. Working in partnership with Sara Peterson, and due to the inherent need to provide services to our community as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Conifer Counseling expanded to accommodate this need. After becoming licensed in January 2021, I began clinically supervising some of our new staff. My role also expanded to incorporate an administrative aspect, such that I now also manage the daily office operations, contracts, community relations, revenue capture, and our Neurofeedback program.

  • Meet Gail, a female presenting person with short grey hair. Gail is wearing a royal blue shirt with a black cardigan overtop.

    Meet Gail - HR & Executive Support

    My experiences as a business owner as well as an advocate and program manager at a local non-profit agency have given me insight into the importance of having accessible mental health services in our community. I am pleased to assist the staff, as an administrator, in providing compassionate, quality care at Conifer Counseling and Therapy Services.

    My husband and I both grew up in the Denver metro area and have been members of the Conifer community since 1992 when we moved here to raise our family. We enjoy spending time with our daughters and their families which include our 3 grandchildren. I also love hiking, camping, playing in our kayaks and creating pottery in my home studio.

    I thoroughly enjoy working, volunteering and playing in the community in which I live!