 Michael
Alger, Executive Director
Michael grew up the oldest of five children in a service-oriented family in Northern California. Active in community, church and school, he has been an advocate of youth since his own days as a teen when his passion for working with and helping youth began.
Michael served a two-year humanitarian mission for his church on the island of Puerto Rico. Fluent in the Spanish language, he had the opportunity to serve the people of Puerto Rico; helping them to improve their personal lives, strengthen their families, and to better understand the importance of a relationship with their Creator. There, he further learned the value of hard work, faith, and service towards others.
Michael
worked with troubled teens at a successful program in southern Utah. Over the years
he watched students graduate from many youth programs, only to struggle when they returned home placed back in their “comfortable” environment.
It was observing the frustration of relapse to old behaviors, and many honest conversations with young people about to ‘graduate’ their program and fearful of returning to their homes and their old challenges that brought about the creation of this new and innovative program. Michael wanted to give students the option of starting over in a new environment, away from home in a student housing atmosphere. After years of thoughts on program development,
he created At The Crossroads to help these youth transition as young adults into society and with the proper values and tools to be successful in life.
Michael has learned the personal benefit and power of dedicating
his life to the service of others and has brought that strength and dedication to At The Crossroads. Michael loves
working with youth and is fully dedicated to the success of each student. “I love working with teens and young adults.
I have seen first-hand the destruction caused by drugs, alcohol, and unhealthy habits to individuals, their family, and friends. It is incredible to watch someone want to change and gain the courage to become a better person.
I am here to assist these young adults in that transition.
I have the greatest jobs in the world.”
Norman E. Thibault, PhD, LMFT, Clinical Director
Norman E.
Thibault (pronounced T-bo), PhD, LMFT graduated with his BS
in Family and Human Development (FHD) in 1994. He went
directly into his Master's program in FHD and Marriage and
Family Therapy and graduated in 1998. He completed his PhD
in psychology in 2006. Norm owns a private practice in St.
George, The Family Life Therapy Center. He has worked with
literally hundreds of adolescents and young adults in
different treatment programs for thirteen years and
appreciates the opportunity to have an influence on the
lives of young people. He also serves as the President of
the Utah Association for Marriage and Family Therapy and
Lead Faculty/Clinical Director for the St. George Learning
Center of the University of Phoenix Utah Campus. He is
married to the former Megan Anderson of Las Vegas, and they
have three children.
 Brian Virgin, Program Director
Brian Virgin joins the team from Charlotte, North Carolina. He is joined in southern Utah by his wife Shannon
and daughter Payton.
Brian has spent almost his entire adulthood in the service of youth. Brian served a two-year humanitarian mission for his church in upstate New York. He served as a volunteer with the Spanish Action Coalition teaching Hispanic youth to speak English.
Brian has always felt a responsibility to serve others. He worked for a youth residential treatment center before moving to Charlotte. While in Charlotte he worked for the Mecklenburg County Department of Social Services as a certified bilingual eligibility specialist and interpreter.
“I feel very lucky to be able to work with this “one of a kind” program. At The Crossroads engages its students at the most pivotal time in their lives. The program structure mixed with real world experience helps students in making a “real life” transition into an independent and healthy adulthood.”
Thane Palmer, Clinical Therapist
Thane has a B.S.
degree in Family Science from Brigham Young
University and a M.S. degree from Utah State
University in Family and Human Development with an
emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy. Thane is a
licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in the State
of Utah and also a Clinical Member of the American
Association of Marriage and Family Therapy. Thane
has been working with adolescents and young adults
for over 12 years and has broad experience in
working with addiction issues, family and
relationship problems, and other mental health
issues. Thane is married and has 8 children. Thane
is active in the community as a volunteer coach and
Boy Scout Leader. Thane also actively plays sports,
mostly rugby and basketball, and loves the outdoors.
 Chet
Woodbury, Night Manager
Chet
grew up in Hurricane, Utah where he grew up in an
active and athletic family. After graduating high
school he served a two year humanitarian mission for
his church in Panama. While there, Chet gained a
strong work ethic, communication skills, and service
towards others. All of these skills he implements
with his work in the Crossroads program. Chet is
recently married to his wife Erin. Chet has been
coaching high school football and is involved in
many different activities. Working with adolescence
in this capacity has been a great experience for
him. Chet brings much motivation to our students to
succeed in everything they do. In his free time Chet
enjoys hunting and likes to spend time in the
mountains and nature, playing sports and spending
time with his family. Chet’s work responsibilities
include student shopping, gym and fitness, nightly
classes, monitoring work and service with students.
“All
Crossroads students have a lot to look forward to.
Their lives are at an exciting stage where most of
the major decisions are being made. It’s exciting to
be an influence for the good.”
 Natalie
Goodman, Administrative Assistant
Natalie was born in Oregon and moved to St. George,
UT with her family 12 years ago. She was raised in a
very strong household where her father was a
minister. Due to that upbringing, Natalie gained a
true respect for hard work and service towards
others. Natalie enjoys the Southern Utah area and
has fallen in love with her work with the Crossroads
program. Natalie has been with the At the Crossroads
program since 2007. Natalie works with the
Crossroads administrative staff with program
planning, clerical work, student accounts, and more.
“I think Crossroads is a great opportunity to give
young adults a bright, stable, and healthy future. I
really love my job; I get to combine what I do best
with what I like to do, helping other people. The
students are great to work with as well as my
co-workers”
Dawson
Hinton, Cooking and Nutrition Instructor
Dawson grew up in Southern Utah and
loves the area. Dawson graduated from Dixie State
College, where he also met his wife, Stephanie.
Dawson has worked with youth in different capacities
for over nine years. He currently works as a cook
at a youth crisis center in the St. George area.
Dawson has been cooking now for about four and a
half years. He likes to take lots of things and
turn them into something different, which hopefully
turns out to be delicious at the same time. Dawson
loves sharing his love for cooking with the students
of At the Crossroads. They are always excited when
cooking class time rolls around, and they are
enthusiastic to make something new. Although he has
gotten them to try some things that they may not
have tried on their own, they usually finish class
with a better appreciation for different kinds of
food.
Brook Price, Night Manager
Brook grew up in sunny Southern California. After
graduating high school Brook served in the Marine
Corps for five years as a Helicopter Crew chief.
During his Marine Corps tour Brook volunteered as a
“Young Marines” Instructor for three years, helping
to get kids off the street and involved in the
community. If you asked Brook, he would tell you
that his most enjoyable time during his Marine Corps
career was working with the youth. After serving his
country, Brook moved to Cedar City to attend
Southern Utah University where he is finishing up
his degree in Outdoor Recreation.
Brook has ten years of experience working for a
variety of different treatment programs and loves to
share his passion for Mother Nature and the unique
lessons only she can teach. In his free time Brook
enjoys running, hiking, caving, bouldering, scuba
diving, and spending time with his three nieces.
Some of Brook’s work responsibilities include:
implementing fun and challenging outdoor activities,
organizing unique service opportunities, and
teaching health & fitness.
“I have worked at many highly reputable treatment
programs all around the nation and time and time
again I have seen first hand why they are not
successful… the spiritual component is non-existent.
At the Crossroads is the only treatment
program that makes spiritual awareness an essential
part of their program… which is one of the key
reasons why At the Crossroads gets results.”
 Jesse
Dellams, Home Improvement Manager
Jesse
was born in Springville Utah. Growing up he
participated in many sports, traveling to the beach,
and often would help his father, who is a Builder.
Jesse then graduated from UVSC in 2003, with a
Bachelor in Business Management and Information
Systems.
Jesse
has lived in St. George for 4 years with his wife
Rindy and two daughters Addie and Mia. Since moving
to Southern Utah, he has done framing, tiling,
concrete, and his specialty finish carpentry. He has
also been the general contractor on several homes.
Jesse
is currently the chief estimator for a commercial
construction company; (JMI) they construct;
warehouses, retail space, office space, restaurants,
and movie theatres. Working in the construction
field from a young age, he has learned many skills
from his father and other tradesmen. Jesse works
with the Crossroads students on home improvement
projects that have included; painting, tile work,
flooring, finish work and more.
“These
skills will follow the Crossroads students the rest
of their life and be extremely beneficial.”
 Jace
Vernon, Student Financial Advisor
Jace Vernon is President of Lucid Capital Inc, a
financial firm that invests money in high risk high
return investments, including FOREX, Rough Diamonds,
Stocks, Hard Money and Real estate. He spends
most of his time dealing with investors and reading
financial books. Prior to his current position, he
owned a successful mortgage company for three
years.
Raised in Coalville, Utah, Jace now lives with his
wife Anne and two wonderful children Aliyah and
Xander in Saint George Utah. Jace has recently
begun teaching seminars and classes on the power of
investing, which he plans on expanding into the
broader market of teaching. His ultimate goal is to
help millions of people become financially
independent so that they, in return, can spend their
time helping others.
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