Steps Recovery Center (St.George) Residential Rehab

Dr. Mark Keep has been in healthcare for 36 years. He was an advanced life support medic in central California for 5 years in the early 1980’s prior to attending medical school at Albany Medical College in Albany, NY. He completed Internal Medicine Residency and Heart Failure/Cardiac Transplant Fellowship at he University of Utah followed by Cardiology Fellowship at the University of Arizona. He worked as a general and interventional cardiologist in Utah for 18 years. In 2008 his 7-year-old daughter Alissa died in a motor vehicle accident. Dr. Keep had to overcome grief induced medical issues as well as alcohol use while struggling to recover from the pain of his daughter’s death. Volunteer work as well as research, writing, and speaking on the medical ramifications of grief and loss, including adverse coping mechanisms such as substance abuse, were part of his recovery. He has spoken locally, nationally and soon internationally on the subject. It also led to working with alcoholics and addicts and becoming an Addiction Medicine specialist. He is board certified in Cardiology, a member of the American Society of Addiction Medicine and board eligible in Addiction Medicine. Sharing his experience, strength, and hope as well as training, medical knowledge, and research are part of his desire to “pay it forward” and help others to also recover from grief, loss, trauma and addiction.

After struggling with heroin and opiate addiction and spending time in the Utah State Prison for 2 1/2 years, Tyler has been sober 8 years. He is now pursuing his Masters, and has received a degree in Psychology and is also a licensed substance use disorder counselor in the State of Utah. Tyler donates his time at the RISE program at the Utah County Jail, is a member of the Utah County Sheriffs Office, & he is on the board of directors at the Utah Harm Reduction Coalition. Tyler has worked at Steps Recovery Centers for 6 years and started on the admissions team years ago. He has presented at the Fall Substance Abuse Conference and told his story across the country and on several podcasts here locally. He works with several local organizations including Adult Parole and Probation and the Utah Department of Corrections to reduce recidivism to jails and prisons and increase awareness around the opiate crisis. Tyler has 5 kids and a wonderful wife, and spends his spare time with them. They enjoy lots of sports and living in Utah close to the mountains.

Desmond Lomax comes to Steps Recovery Center with 20 years of experience in management, programming, and treatment. He recently retired as the Director of Community Programming for the Department of Corrections. His efforts in that position were recognized by the State of Utah and The Utah Fall Substance Abuse Conference when he was awarded the 2019 Patrick J. Fleming Award for contributions to the Substance Abuse community. Desmond has a background as a Clinical Director, Therapist, and Law Enforcement Officer for the past 20 years. He has been an adjunct professor for the University of Utah teaching classes in Forensic Social Work for the Master of Social Work program. He loves to present on multiple substance abuse topics and has done so throughout the country. He is a Master Facilitator for the Arbinger Institute and trains organization across the United States on having and maintaining an Outward Mindset. He has a Masters Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and a Bachelors in Political Science and Sociology. He is a BYU Football Alumni who played on the 1996 BYU Football team that was ranked 5th in the country. Most importantly, he is a Husband to his lovely wife for the past 23 years and the father of 4 amazing children. He is humbled to have this opportunity to work for such amazing people.