Contact us Monday through Friday 8:00am CST to 4:00pm CST at 715-327-4402

Brian Duebner

Brian Duebner

Photography Instructor

Your Favorite PassageWay Elements

Nature | Recreation | Relationships

“I feel being outside and allowing the kids to feel a sense of exploration really helps their minds from feeling trapped and controlled. Fishing is by far my favorite activity to participate in. But not just any fishing, ice fishing. There is just something about watching a tip-up flag go up and running towards the hole. The mystery of what is on the end of the line keeps me entertained all winter.”

PROFILE

“Hope to me is the expectation or desire of wanting something to happen or be. For families and children, it is envisioning where they would like their relationship to be now and in the future. I enjoy getting to work with the kids, and their families, on their path towards hope and healing.”

DETAILS

  • Specialty: Outdoor Recreation
  • Education: BS; Social Science
  • With Northwest Passage since 2016
 

Ryan Dunnigan

Ryan Dunnigan

Teacher

Favorite PassageWay Elements

Nature | Recreation | Relaxation | Nutrition | Exercise | Relationships | Service | Spirit

Coming Soon…

            

QUOTE

Coming Soon…

DETAILS

  • Education:
  • With Northwest Passage since 2018
 

Tom Dykstra

Tom Dykstra

Youth Development Specialist & Transport Driver

Favorite PassageWay Elements

Nature |Relationships| Recreation

“I like building relationships through outdoor activities as well as teaching the boys about community service. I’ve led many fishing, camping, and hiking activities through the years. I love to teach the boys fishing techniques and see them succeed and get excited about fishing and the outdoors.”

    

PROFILE

“I try to help the boys look into the future to see that there is more to life than the immediate problems. I try to have them imagine in a few years that they will have a job, a family and have lots of new experiences in life.”

DETAILS

  • Specialty: Outdoor activities
  • With Northwest Passage since 1992

Corky Edseth

Corky Edseth

Overnight Care Staff

Favorite PassageWay Elements

Nature | Recreation | Relaxation | Nutrition | Exercise | Relationships | Service | Spirit

Coming Soon…

            

QUOTE

“I want the best for these kids. I hope when they leave NWP, they move forward and follow the dreams they have. Reach for it and achieve it!”

DETAILS

  • Education: High School Graduate; WITC – Computers – 1991
  • With Northwest Passage since 2015
 

Brian Erickson

Brian Erickson

Overnight Care Staff

Favorite PassageWay Elements

Nature | Recreation | Relaxation | Nutrition | Exercise | Relationships | Service | Spirit

Coming Soon…

            

QUOTE

Coming Soon…

DETAILS

  • Education:
  • With Northwest Passage since 2015
 

Isaiah Erickson

Isaiah Erickson

PassageWay Instructor

Favorite PassageWay Elements

Nature | Recreation | Relaxation | Nutrition | Exercise | Relationships | Service | Spirit

Coming Soon…

            

QUOTE

Coming Soon…

DETAILS

  • Education:
  • With Northwest Passage since 2020
 

Lexis Exendine

Lexis Exendine

Overnight Care Staff

Favorite PassageWay Elements

Nature | Recreation | Relaxation | Nutrition | Exercise | Relationships | Service | Spirit

“I am a natural caregiver and a decent role model. I like structure.”

            

QUOTE

“Hope means not being in a position of helplessness.”

DETAILS

  • Education: Webster High School
  • With Northwest Passage since 2022
 

Andy Fox

Andy Fox

Overnight Care Staff

Favorite PassageWay Elements

Nature | Recreation | Relaxation | Nutrition | Exercise | Relationships | Service | Spirit

Coming Soon…

            

QUOTE

Coming Soon…

DETAILS

  • Education:
  • With Northwest Passage since 2016
 

Tate Garcia

Tate Garcia

Evening Supervisor

Favorite PassageWay Elements

Nature | Relationships | Service

“I believe these three PassageWay elements, intertwined with the rest are cornerstones of growth.”

   

QUOTE

“To me, hope is the prospect of a positive future. An outlook of gradual progression.”

DETAILS

  • Education: WITC, Production Cabinet Making & Construction Essentials, 2018
  • With Northwest Passage since 2021
 

Jennifer Gwiazda, MSN, PMHNP-BC

Jennifer Gwiazda, MSN, PMHNP-BC

Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner

Favorite PassageWay Elements

Nature | Relaxation | Relationships

“Really all of the elements are important in my everyday life. The PassageWay Elements are a huge part of what drew me to NWP because I believe these elements to be important parts of living a well-balanced, healthy life. I believe that relationships, specifically stable, healthy relationships are the basis for good mental and physical health. I credit the love and support of those around me as a major contributing factor to my current success. I am also a firm believer that everyone enters each others lives with a purpose even if we don’t always know that purpose right away. Nutrition is another element that is important to me. I believe that a diet based on eating plant-based, whole foods allows me to feel both physically and mentally well. I think our bodies and brains react to what we put in them so it is of great importance to put good in to get good out. I do have a bit of a sweet tooth, but as is true with all of life, it’s about progress and not perfection. I also do yoga almost every day and credit my yoga practice with helping me through the stress of completing graduate school during the start of a pandemic. Yoga to me is a form of exercise as well as relaxation and recreation and the time I spend on my mat often gives me time to reflect and give thanks to God for the ability both physically and mentally maintain my yoga practice.”

    

QUOTE

“Hope is knowing that the current situation is not the only situation. Hope is knowing that there is something better on the other side of the challenge and that you have the strength and ability to get to that other side, but sometimes need help with the tools to get there. Hope is the realization that people around you want you to succeed in life because success is not finite. Meaning, I don’t lose my success in life when those around me gain it, too. When we all succeed in living a full life, society itself succeeds and flourishes.”

DETAILS

  • Education: Chippewa Valley Technical College, ADN, 2010; UW-Eau Claire, BSN, 2015; Husson University, MSN, 2021
  • Specialties: I think I have a great sense of humor, even if my family disagrees.
  • With Northwest Passage since 2021
 

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