As CEO of Rite of Passage, Ski James Broman has guided the organization’s evolution from a single group home into a national leader in youth services, serving more than 7,000 youth and families each year. Under his leadership, ROP has developed its service continuum and strengthened its commitment to best practices by partnering with universities, research institutions, and industry experts. Mr. Broman has championed the development of evidence-based treatment, rigorous education initiatives, innovative community-based programs, and positive youth development offerings. His vision positions ROP as a dynamic, learning organization dedicated to continuous improvement and meaningful outcomes for youth and families. Holding dual master’s degrees in Family & Children’s Counseling and Business Administration, Mr. Broman brings both clinical expertise and strategic leadership to his role. A long-standing youth advocate, he is dedicated to advancing best practices and youth-centered programming for systems-involved youth, setting a national standard for quality services across the field.

Rite of Passage Chief Administrative Officer Lawrence Howell has devoted more than 30 years to the organization’s ethical growth and advancement, galvanizing its efforts as a mission-driven organization dedicated to improving lives by rigorously upholding both the quality and effectiveness of its programs. A certified U.S. Department of Justice PREA auditor, Mr. Howell continuously monitors all ROP operations at a comprehensive level, enacting progressive quality improvement and securing thorough, multi-level compliance. Through his work, he has fortified Rite of Passage as a leader in delinquency prevention and youth rehabilitation on a national stage. Appointed by Governor Brian Sandoval to serve on the Nevada Coalition to Prevent the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children, a current member of the Nevada Association of Juvenile Justice Administrators, and a volunteer member of multiple local Nevada planning and community boards, Lawrence Howell strongly advocates for at-risk and vulnerable youth.

Owing largely to CJ Bower’s 20-year tenure as Chief Financial Officer at Rite of Passage, the agency has greatly expanded its youth care continuum. Ms. Bower has finance experience in the banking, hospital and manufacturing sector and, together with her sound fiscal and accountability practices, has afforded ROP the opportunity to serve youth in 40 active programs on campuses across 15 states. With her industry-leading financial experience, she has also personally developed our innovative employee benefit plans and programs, strengthening our team and guarding our financial safety. Holding a Master’s in Business Administration and currently serving as a member of both the Arizona Business Partnership and the Passageway Scholarship Foundation, she continues to define the financial mechanics of youth care.

Our National Director of Education has assured curricular and instructional excellence in all Rite of Passage schools for more than a decade. Holding an Ed.D. in Instructional Leadership and a master’s degree in Educational Leadership, she continues to develop creative alternative programs and rigorous educational paradigms that challenge and empower our teachers to foster critical thinking, emotional resilience skills, and applied academic knowledge in our students. She personally observes instruction to develop groundbreaking lesson plans and high-caliber classroom best practices tailored to the unique gifts and diverse needs of our youth. Her strengths-based implementation and staff development methodologies ensure teachers adapt their pedagogy in tandem with cutting-edge, evidence-based disciplinary trends and initiatives; her development of holistic, effective special education services also allows ROP to serve and advocate for a wide spectrum of at-risk youth.