Mountain Valley Child & Family Services, Inc. CEO and leadership

Dan started working in a Quincy, California group home with Foster Children in 1985 when he was 18 years old. He enjoyed the work immensely and bonded quickly with the children. He knew he was meant to do this kind of work. He transferred to Sacramento City College, majored in Psychology and went on to California State University at Sacramento where he received his BA and MA degrees. In 1989, he began working at MVCFS as a weekend Supervisor. In 1991, Dan began an employee training program for the group home staff and provided training sessions during the week. He continued to supervise the weekend shift and attend graduate school at night. Dan became the Program Director at the Nevada City Ranch in 1992 and Sr. Program Director in 2000. In 2015, he became the Chief Executive Officer.

Richard Milhous is one of five family founders of Milhous Children’s Services (MCS) in Nevada City, California, which opened in 1968 as Milhous Boys Ranch. He was Chief Executive Officer of the organization for over 47 years and now serves as Chief Financial Officer for Mountain Valley Child and Family Services, providing ongoing support and consultation to the Board of Directors and staff.

Richard has filled many roles at Mountain Valley including counselor, training coordinator, cook, rancher, 4-H leader and the ranch’s first schoolteacher. He has overseen program development, construction, maintenance and animal care, milked dairy cows, raised livestock and operated heavy equipment, all in service of helping troubled children learn to reintegrate with their families and communities.

Richard was born in Lindsay, CA in 1941. In 1951, his family moved to a 600-acre ranch in North San Juan in Nevada County at age 10. In 1959, Richard graduated from Nevada Union High School, in Grass Valley, CA. He obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Public Administration from St. Mary’s College in Lafayette, CA.

Richard holds several pilots’ licenses and takes aerobatic training to further his flying skills. He also rides Harley Davidson motorcycles, goes ballroom and western dancing and has trained horses and dogs to be working animals on the ranch.