Boulder Crest Foundation expands to Wyoming

The Boulder Crest Foundation announced it has received a donated 207-acre ranch in Boulder, Wyoming, from Navy veteran Albert “Al” Ellis and his family. The property will become the future site of Boulder Crest Wyoming.

Ellis grew up in San Jose, California, and began working at a young age in the state’s agricultural communities. At 17, he joined the U.S. Navy, where he served for three years as an electronics technician. After leaving the service, he worked at Lockheed Martin on the Polaris missile program before pursuing a series of entrepreneurial ventures tied to his interest in the ocean.

For approximately two decades, Ellis worked as a commercial fisherman and diver, harvesting abalone and sea urchins. He later built several family businesses with his wife, Sondra, including seafood operations, restaurants, and a 40-acre avocado farm in Santa Barbara, California.

After selling their California businesses, the couple relocated to Wyoming. Ellis developed an interest in backcountry photography, leading to extended wilderness expeditions supported by Ccara llamas. He is now regarded as an expert in the breed. Ellis said his decision to donate the property reflects a belief that land should serve a broader purpose, a value he said aligns with the mission of the Boulder Crest Foundation.

Located near the Wind River Range, the 207-acre ranch represents an expansion for the Foundation, which also operates campuses in Virginia, Arizona, and Texas. The Wyoming site will host programs for combat veterans, first responders, and their families, including Warrior PATHH (Progressive and Alternative Training for Helping Heroes), Family Rest and Reconnection stays, and Couples programs.

“We are humbled and profoundly grateful to Al Ellis and his family for this extraordinary gift,” said Ken Falke, Founder and Chairman of Boulder Crest Foundation. “As a fellow Navy veteran, Al understands the sacrifice involved in service and the toll it can take long after the uniform comes off. He wanted this land to be a place of refuge and renewal for his brothers and sisters in arms. This 207-acre ranch is a legacy gift that ensures our nation’s heroes will have a home for hope and transformation in the Mountain West for generations to come.”

Foundation leaders said the Wyoming campus will help extend services to rural Wyoming and surrounding states at a time when demand for non-clinical approaches to trauma and cumulative stress continues to increase. The land donation allows the organization to move forward without the costs typically associated with acquiring property, directing resources instead toward program development.

“Al Ellis’ vision acts as a true force multiplier for our mission,” said Josh Goldberg, CEO of Boulder Crest Foundation. “By entrusting us with this land, he is enabling us to save lives and foster Posttraumatic Growth at scale. We take the responsibility of stewarding this gift very seriously. Boulder Crest Wyoming will stand as a testament to his generosity—not just as a new location, but as a place where those who have carried the weight of service can rediscover meaning, purpose, and a future filled with possibility.”

Planning to adapt the property for programming will begin immediately. Initial programs are expected to launch in 2026, with the campus projected to become fully operational in 2027.

The Boulder Crest Foundation is a nonprofit organization focused on the development of Posttraumatic Growth-based training programs addressing challenges such as PTSD, anxiety, depression, and suicidality. Its peer-delivered, non-pharmacological programs—including Warrior PATHH and Struggle Well—serve military members, veterans, and first responders.

The Foundation also provides professional training for mental health clinicians and other helping professionals through its PTG Certification and PTG Qualification programs.

Founded in Bluemont, Virginia, in 2013, Boulder Crest Foundation has served more than 180,000 individuals. The organization’s work centers on reframing responses to trauma by emphasizing Posttraumatic Growth rather than clinical diagnosis alone.