Howard Simkins, M.Ed.
Academic Director
Howard was born and raised in the Las Vegas, Nevada area. Attended the University of Nevada Las Vegas where he earned his undergraduate degree in Criminal Justice and Master of Education in Special Education. He then started working in an elementary school as a special education teacher in a resource classroom for the Clark County School District in Las Vegas. His career changed when out of curiosity, while visiting in-laws in Salt Lake City, he responded to an ad for a special education teacher at Primary Children’s Hospital. In a matter of only two months, he was offered the position, quit his teaching job in Las Vegas, and moved with his wife and their two boys to Salt Lake City, where he began working as a special education teacher at Wasatch Canyons, Primary Children’s Behavioral Health Program in their residential and day treatment programs. He worked there for 18 years before moving to Youth Care.
Howard and his wife, Gloria have been married for 37 years. They have two adult sons, Kyle, who studied culinary arts and works at Emigration Brewery, and David, who currently works in security while he contemplates returning to school. Nothing is more important to me than my family.
His hobbies and interests (my self-care/therapy), include working on his yard, gardening, and tending to his flock of chickens that provide his family with fresh eggs. They also have two dogs, two cats and a baker’s dozen of chickens. As a family they enjoy four-wheeling, exploring, fishing, and relaxing at their family cabin in the Uinta Mountains.
