Residential Staff
Jennifer Ceynar
Jennifer was born at Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana. When Jennifer was a few months old her family moved to Texas, where she was raised amongst a huge family. In 2004 she married her husband, Tim, and together they raised six amazing children. In 2015 Jennifer and her family took a big family vacation to Montana and fell in love. In 2017 Jennifer was able to transfer with her current management job to Kalispell, Montana, and moved her family to the small town of Eureka to live. Shortly after arriving in Eureka, she heard of Chrysalis and toured the campus, met some of the amazing staff, and heard of all the life changing work that was done here. She knew she had found her calling. Finally in May of 2018, Jennifer started working at Chrysalis as a part time Youth Mentor and quickly moved up to Supervisor, and is currently the Cottage Residential Manager. Jennifer loves to share her passion for crafts and cooking with the girls and has an even bigger passion for helping our students have a comfortable and loving experience with their stay at Chrysalis.
Family is a top priority to Jennifer, and her mission is to make the house feel like a home as much as possible for students. When not at work, Jennifer can be found making something crafty, spending time with her family, or curled up with an enjoyable book.
Jennifer Ceynar
Cottage Manager
Bob Coffman
Bob has over 30 years of culinary experience, and has been the head chef at Chrysalis for more than six years. He graduated from Western Culinary School in Portland in 1998. He has worked in the restaurant business, but has found his years at Chrysalis to be one of his best employment experiences. He is thankful for the platform to connect and serve the Chrysalis families through delicious, healthy meals. He especially values the connection of food, family, and service.
Bob is the proud father of two daughters, and he is a passionate cyclist. You can often find him biking to work year-round.
Bob Coffman
Head Chef
Niki Gaither
Niki was raised in the mountains of Northern California but has called Montana home for the last 25 years. She lives in one of the most unique parts of NW Montana, the West Kootenai, where people choose to live because of it being off the beaten path and one with nature.
Niki has been working in the therapeutic industry for over a decade. She has served as a Case Manager, Youth Mentor and most recently Residential Manager of Lake House. Niki began working for Chrysalis as Food Services Director many years ago and returned when the opportunity to work directly with youth arose. She has always had a love for people, especially youth and loves building connections with families while they grow and heal.
Niki, her husband Robert and their two daughters, Legend and Kyoti enjoy living the simple life on their little farm. They have cows, steers, horses, donkeys, mules, pigs and five dogs including her beloved teacup yorkie, Molly. She enjoys going off-grid into the Bob Marshall Wilderness and is always on the lookout for the perfect boulder.
Niki Gaither
Lake House Residential Manager
Kyle Lefler
Kyle was born and raised in the mountains of Western Maryland. Her parents taught her to love the natural world and she spent her childhood exploring by foot, bike and canoe. An avid reader & writer her whole life, Kyle received a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Mary Washington in VA, studying English with a concentration in Poetry. Following graduation, she began her journey in direct care, working with unhoused women and children in the Metro DC area.
Kyle moved to Montana in 2014 to pursue her childhood dream of working at summer camp year-round, serving as the Retreat Host, Program Director, and eventually, Associate Director at Flathead Lutheran Bible Camp in Lakeside. At FLBC, Kyle grew in her love for hospitality, outdoor education, creative program management and leadership of young people. Along the way, Kyle hosted several Mother Daughter retreats for Chrysalis (at FLBC!), and her curiosity for and interest in therapeutic care grew.
Kyle moved on from FLBC in 2020, and began her journey at Chrysalis, serving on the adventure team. She is passionate about getting students outside and empowering them to be their truest selves through challenging and fulfilling experiences on trail. She loves learning from and alongside Chrysalis students and her fellow staff.
Away from work, Kyle takes full advantage of the landscape of NW Montana, spending her days biking, hiking, running, skiing and swimming.
Kyle Lefler
Program Director
Jenny Waycaster
Jenny was born and raised in a small farm town in the heart of Virginia and moved to Eureka, Montana in 2015.
She has worked in the mental health field for over 2 years. After obtaining her Associates in Business Management, she worked in the Business field for over a decade in various roles including Office Management, Interim Social Worker, Office Administration as well as Admissions Director at a former boarding school. Most recently, before coming to Chrysalis, she was an Administrative Assistant for a Psychiatrist. Her passion has always been to work with and help people.
Jenny has 5 children, Ethan, Dylan, Macey, Levi and Ryan. They love outdoor adventures, including kayaking, camping, hunting, fishing/ice fishing and skiing/boarding. The kids also do track, soccer, football, and baseball. Jenny enjoys cooking and baking and loves to entertain friends and family with great food, games, and conversation.
Jenny Waycaster
Admissions Counselor
Erin Murray
Erin is originally from the east coast and earned her bachelor’s degree from Flagler College in St. Augustine, Florida where she studied environmental science and psychology. Erin completed a National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) semester, where she learned to appreciate the healing powers of the outdoors and recognized the therapeutic value of being physically active while submersed in the wilderness. Erin first came to Montana in 2013 where she worked with AmeriCorps for two years leading adolescents and young adults in conservation work across the gorgeous vast state. Since 2015, Erin has worked with adolescents throughout their therapeutic journey. She has been a lead field staff in wilderness therapy, direct care in therapeutic boarding schools, and assistant director for transition homes. Currently, Erin is working towards her master’s in counseling and is Admissions Counselor.
Erin enjoys spending time with her family and bringing her dogs on as many expeditions as possible. She loves to be adventurous in nature whether that is hiking, snowboarding, paddle boarding, camping, or just exploring this beautiful country!