My work at Ironwood blends my passions for family connectivity, working with adolescents and interacting with and relating to animals. I especially enjoy working with youth of all ages, and I naturally develop a rapport with teens that easily gains their respect and trust. Often teens view me as a father-figure, a role that comes naturally to me, as I’m the father of three teen-aged boys.

I have a strong work ethic and I instill that in the teens not only by example, but by working alongside them. They begin to have an appreciation for hard work and the rewarding accomplishments that come with it. At the end of the day they feel good with a job well done, which, for some teens, is a feeling they’ve never had. This helps our teens develop a real sense of purpose, it develops confidence and it motivates them to pursue their own interests in a more passionate way.

My strength as a behavioral specialist lies in my ability to balance setting firm boundaries with maintaining a compassionate approach to correcting negative behavior. I intuitively have a sense of how I can help residents examine their nonverbal communication skills and how others receive that communication. By making teens more aware of how they are conducting their physical person, we are able to develop more positive ways of communication that are authentic and sincere.

It’s rewarding for me to receive a phone call at work from past graduates who fill us in on all the achievements in their life. Their stories about how their relationships have been restored, how they’ve developed future plans and have achieved successes they never thought possible are impressive! Contributing to their road to success is a great feeling.

Chris is married to Kellie Plessner, who is Ironwood’s farm house manager. For five years Chris managed Ironwood’s Belgian and Arabia horses. He is an experienced horseman, having worked more than 30 years training foals, breaking yearlings and working with track horses. He has extensive training in Equine Assisted Therapy. He worked roping and running cattle in the Carmel Valley, California region. In his spare time he enjoys the outdoors, hiking, boating and skiing.