Contact
Whetstone Boys Ranch
6850 CR 2660
Mountain View, MO 65548
Office Phone: (417) 934-1112
Office Fax: (417) 934-1114
Jeremy Thompson
Executive Director
jthompson@whetstoneboysranch.com
Jeremy is a Cofounder and the Executive Director of Whetstone Boys Ranch. Jeremy has been pursuing the vision of Whetstone Boys Ranch since 2001. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management and is finishing his Master’s in Christian Counseling. Jeremy has over 15 years of diverse experience working with teens. He has worked as a Direct Care Staff at several Residential Treatment Centers. Most recently he has worked as a Deputy Juvenile Officer. He has served as a Court Appointed Special Advocate. In addition he has volunteered and served as a Young Life Leader, Youth Group Leader, Camp Counselor and served homeless teens and young adults with the Dry Bones ministry. Jeremy is a certified trainer of Therapeutic Crisis Intervention.
Jeremy is originally from Michigan. He currently resides with his wife of 4 years, Cari and their black lab named Scout in West Plains, Missouri. Jeremy and Cari frequently pursue adventures in the outdoors like canoeing, fishing, and hiking. They also enjoy traveling, gardening, beekeeping and raising cows and chickens.
Brandon Maxwell
Site Director
bmaxwell@whetstoneboysranch.com
Brandon is a co-founder of Whetstone Boys Ranch and currently serves as Whetstone’s Director of Development. He graduated from Montana State University with a Bachelor’s in Construction Engineering Technology. He officially joined the Whetstone team in 2002 and has been working with at-risk youth since then. Along with managing Whetstone’s office downtown, he is the Program Director for WBR’s mentoring program that serves a number of boys in the West Plains community.
Brandon and his wife Laura have been married for six years and have a son named William (3) and a daughter named Evalyn Claire (4 months). They currently serve as Whetstone’s house parents, and enjoy many of the outdoor activities that the Ozark Region has to offer, from canoeing to golf.
Axel Liimatta
Education Director
Axel has been teaching high school English since 1997. During that time, he has taught everything from remedial freshman English to Advanced Placement Senior English for Gifted and Talented students. For the last 4 years, he has also been teaching and coaching Debate teams that have placed in both state and international competitions. In addition to this, he has enjoyed coaching basketball and golf at various points over the years. He has Master’s Degree in Secondary Education, and he is a National Board Certified Teacher of English.
His brief stint at the United States Military Academy at West Point convinced him that while the military was not the right career path for him, a life of service was. Since that point, he has decided to follow the Lord’s lead, wherever that may take him. That meant serving as a Big Brother and Civitan president while at Harding University (1993-1997). After marrying Christine Creasy of Jackson, TN, it meant moving to Little Rock and working for Central Arkansas Christian, as well as volunteering with at risk boys at River City Ministries (1997-2000). While working for Henry Clay High School in Lexington KY (2000-2010), he devoted himself raising three kids – Emma June (9), Libby Anne (5) and Caleb Fred (4) – as well as trying to be the best husband, teacher and disciple of Christ that he could be.
In the summer of 2010, Axel moved his family to West Plains, where he had the honor to serve as Zizzer Speech/Debate Coach and Teacher for one year, before joining Whetstone full-time in the spring of 2011. Originally from Pontiac, MI, Axel is a Detroit Tigers fan who enjoys dumpster-diving, record-collecting, hiking and golfing. Recently, inspired by his wife, he has also taken to chicken farming.
Nathan Dahlstrom
Founder/Board Member
ndahlstrom@whetstoneboysranch.com
Nathan is a Founder and Board Member for Whetstone Boys Ranch. The vision for Whetstone first came to Nathan while working with his church youth group in 1997 in West Yellowstone, Montana. He holds a Bachelor’s in Religious Education (2001) and a Master’s in Nonprofit Management (2006). He is also a Licensed Child-Care Administrator. Nathan has extensive experience in childcare, group home management, adoption services, mentally-handicapped services, juvenile justice and at-risk youth.
Nathan and his family are from Lubbock,TX. They love the outdoors, from salt-water fishing to cattle ranching. Nathan appreciates the Christ-centered culture, outdoors emphasis and ranch atmosphere that will be the basis for Whetstone.