Chief Clinical Officer

Rae Thomas, MA, LPC

Rae began her journey in the Eating Disorder world when she joined an Eating Disorder awareness group at her alma mater, the University of Nebraska - Lincoln. She continued to be heavily involved in eating disorder awareness and prevention while she completed her undergraduate degree in psychology. Rae went on to study counseling psychology and earned her Masters in 2018. During her time in graduate school, Rae served as the Graduate Assistant for a sexual assault and relationship violence prevention program on campus. Through this role and her involvement in the students’ Women’s Center, Rae’s passion for providing tools and resources to help others heal continued to grow. Shortly after returning to Colorado, Rae joined forces with Erin Benner and Brogan Rossi to build Feelings Found. Feelings Found bridges a gap in the mental health field by designing innovative tools that support recovery by adding tangibility to abstract clinical ideas. Rae serves as Chief Clinical Officer, where she takes her love of academic research and clinical expertise to inform the creation and application of each tool. Outside of Feelings Found, Rae is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Colorado specializing in Eating Disorders, Weight Stigma, and Sexual Trauma. She utilizes Acceptance Commitment Therapy, Feminist Theory, and experiential techniques to help her clients heal their relationships with food, body, and themselves. Rae’s unique use of sarcasm, honesty, and bold creativity provides an individualized experience that encourages personal growth. Rae has an intense passion for learning and innovation. She is grateful she gets to do both each day in her work. Beyond work, Rae lives out her Colorado local dream by camping, hiking, kayaking, and drinking craft beer. She likes the end her evenings with a cup of tea, her latest crochet project and the latest season of Ru Pauls Drag Race on the tv.

Chief Collaboration Officer

Brogan Rossi, MS, RYT

​​Brogans journey to the Feelings Found team is a windy one, filled with many surprises and turns,  but she is so grateful for the destination. Brogan started learning about eating disorders at a very young age as her mom, Dr. Tamara Pryor, was a leader in the field. It was this upbringing, entrenched in education, prevention and advocacy, that lead her to get her Masters Degree iin Healthcare administration and leadership at the University of Denver. She was fortunate enough to work at the VA hospital, and at The Children’s Hospitsl studying the neurological impact of eating disorders, and even to speak at multiple conferences across the country on the topic. It was this connection that led her to Rae and Erin, when her mom set them up to meet knowing they would hit it off almost 6 years ago. Since then, Brogan has shifted roles away from the hospital setting and now works as a realtor in the Denver, Metro area. She has 3 small kids, which have ignited her passion for understanding mental health both as a mother and at a young age in children.  She is a firm believer that our world can be a better place if we start helping our children both understand and process their emotions in a safe and loving environment. Brogan is also a registered yoga teacher and loves to weave in her understanding of mental and emotional wellness into her practice. Outside of Feelings Foind, you will find her in the throws of flipping or redesigning a house with her husband Levi, spending  time outside in Colorado or mostly chasing her toddlers around the house and embracing the beautiful chaos of motherhood.

Clinical Advisor

Dr. Tamara Pryor, PhD, FAED, Senior Fellow and Director of Clinical Research, EDCare

Dr. Tamara Pryor has been privileged to work in the field of eating disorders for over 40 years. She spent 16 years as an Associate Professor and Director of the Eating Disorder Program at the University of Kansas - School of Medicine, four years as Co-director of the PATH Eating Disorders Clinic, and three years at Wichita Psychiatric Consultants as the Director of eating disorder services before coming to Eating Disorder Care of Denver. Dr. Pryor conducts research and has published articles examining personality disorders, substance use disorders, multi-impulsive behavior, sexual functioning, and most recently fMRI studies examining brain activity in the eating disordered individual. She has presented both nationally and internationally, and she recently co-authored 4 chapters on Eating Disorders and Substance Abuse. Dr. Pryor is a member of the Eating Disorder Research Society, a Fellow of the Academy of Eating Disorders and served on the Board of Directors of the National Eating Disorders Association. She has a MSW from Wayne State University, a MA in Rehabilitation Counseling, as well as a Masters and PhD in Psychology from Southern Illinois University. She completed a one year Post-Doctoral Fellowship in child psychiatry and a second Post-Doctoral fellowship in eating disorders at the University of Kansas - School of Medicine's Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine.

Strategic Marketing Advisor

Kim Travis, Chief Operating Officer, EDCare 

Kim Travis, is a seasoned professional with over 30 years of healthcare and behavioral health experience in marketing, business development and operations. Kim is the Chief Operating Officer at EDCare, where she has been for over six years. In her time there, she has been instrumental in building brand awareness and EDCare’s presence in Colorado, Nebraska, and Kansas. 

Before EDCare, Kim spent several years implementing, growing, and managing marketing programs in healthcare businesses specific to infusion therapy, dialysis treatment, and radiology. She enjoys collaborating and building rapport with staff, patients, and other key stakeholders to resolve issues successfully and ensure the delivery of services focused on quality and excellence. In addition to her extensive marketing knowledge, she is well-versed in public relations, referral development, social media/digital marketing, strategic development, and business efficiencies and operations– in complex and diverse organizations.

Kim holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Organizational Leadership from Colorado State University and, as a Colorado native, enjoys the outdoors and visiting the beautiful Rocky Mountains in her free time.

Social Emotional Learning Advisor

Bethany Friedlander, President & CEO, NewBridge Cleveland

Bethany Friedlander became President and CEO in July of 2017. She had served as Acting Executive Director for four months, after more than two years serving as Chief Operating Officer. She brings extensive experience in both the private and the public sector to the position and has a demonstrated record of exceeding revenue goals, driving expansion, and developing and managing high performing teams.

Prior to joining NewBridge Bethany served as Chief Operating Officer of VIP Restoration where she was responsible for the development and implementation of yearly goals and budgets, the professional development of staff, and the creation of systems, policies and practices that were implemented across divisions for revenue and profit growth.Prior to VIP Restoration, Bethany worked in the St. Clair Superior neighborhood, both as COO of Graystone Properties, and as Director of Real Estate for St. Clair Superior Development Corporation. In both positions Bethany created and fostered public-private partnerships, worked with both City and County agencies to obtain funding, and worked closely with neighborhood stakeholders to build consensus.

Bethany also has experience with grant writing, and program development including in the Workforce Development area. She has experience with curriculum development, program recruitment, and program evaluation and reporting. With a Bachelor’s degree in Art History from Case Western Reserve University and a secondary teaching certificate in history from Cleveland State University Bethany is committed to art education and understands how it relates to and enhances the learning in other areas. With Master’s work in educational statistics she understands how program measurement and evaluation is critical to an organization’s mission and success.

Lean Six Sigma Black Belt Certification 2016

Board Member LifeAct 2015

Executive Committee 2016 & Chairman of Strategic Planning Committee 2016

Treatment Partnerships Advisor

Shannon Braasch, MA, Director of Business Development & Alumni Services, Reasons 

Shannon Braasch engages with professionals nationwide to connect them with resources and treatment options for their clients and leads the development and coordination efforts for Reasons’ Alumni Program. She brings 17 years of combined experience in healthcare and eating disorders and has a Master’s degree in counseling. Shannon has coordinated Alumni Service programs for treatment centers and has built a professional network of colleagues across the country. She feels that her values align with Reasons person-centered approach, which are a guide as she is actively living her passion to build authentic and meaningful relationships, provide education, and develop resources to support lasting recovery. Some of Shannon’s favorite ways to practice self-care include spending time with friends and family, singing karaoke, floating on the lake in a kayak, and volunteering.

Organizational Advisor

Shelly Simpson, LICSW, Clinical Director, Ellenhorn

Shelly Simpson is a clinical social worker currently working in Los Angeles as the Clinical Director and Director of AMBIT for Ellenhorn, LLC. Prior to moving to Los Angeles, Shelly worked in Ellenhorn’s Boston location where she rebuilt their AMBIT track, a system of care developed for both clients and their treaters that engages mentalization of self and others, decreases anxiety and builds strong, well-connected teams. Shelly is passionate about helping teams build secure relationships by engaging their curiosity, learning to mentalize one another and providing honest feedback. 

Shelly’s clinical interests include working with young adults and adults who experience relational difficulties and dysregulation due to attachment trauma or complex trauma. She has presented and written on topics related to attachment, epistemic trust and curiosity. Shelly has both a bachelors and masters degree in social work and was thoroughly trained in Psychodynamic Theory during her postgraduate fellowship at The Council on Recovery in Houston, Texas. Fun and play are also of interest to Shelly, who brings a tinge of silliness everywhere she goes. 

Shelly lives in Los Angeles with her husband, dog and cat- a family of all redheads. She enjoys staying active, lounging on the beach and is always on the hunt for a new, fun restaurant.