2024 Alliance Legislator of the Year

Senator Barbara Kirkmeyer is a 4th-generation Coloradan who has lived in Southern Weld County for over 35 years. Kirkmeyer has two daughters and six grandsons. Kirkmeyer received a Bachelor of Science in Education from the University of Colorado – Boulder in 1980 and received her teaching certificate from the State of Colorado that same year. Prior to her time in office, Kirkmeyer co-owned and operated a dairy farm and was a small business owner for over 15 years.

Kirkmeyer started her service to her community in 1992 after organizing her neighbors to fight the placement of four regional solid waste facilities in her community. From there, she ran for the Weld County Commission, serving from 1993 until 2001, when she was chosen to serve in the administration of Governor Bill Owens as the Acting Executive Director of the Department of Local Affairs (DOLA). After leaving her position with DOLA, Kirkmeyer again ran to become a Weld County Commissioner, being elected in 2008 and serving until she was elected to the State Senate in 2020. During her time as a Weld County Commissioner, Senator Kirkmeyer received numerous awards and accolades such as Commissioner of the Year (1993 & 2019) from Colorado Counties, Inc., and being named one of the “40 Top Women in Energy” (2015) by the Denver Business Journal.

Parent and LEND Trainee

Jessie Paige is dedicated to creating a more inclusive world for individuals with I/DD, driven by her deepest passions—motherhood and art.

Paige has been an active artist for over 30 years, exploring the human condition through landscape, family, and home. She earned her BFA in Photography at The Savannah College of Art & Design and an MFA in Studio Arts/Photography from the San Francisco Art Institute. Since 2010, she has been a faculty member in the School of Art & Art History at the University of Denver. As a mother of two autistic daughters, her artistic and teaching practices integrate visual language, communication, and neurodiversity.

At DU, Paige developed and led a community engagement project highlighting the power of visual language—illustrating that communication and connection transcend spoken and written words. Her work underscores that, despite differing experiences and contexts, we are all connected through our shared humanity.

Currently, Jessie is a LEND Family Trainee with JFK Partners, a division of Developmental Pediatrics at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. She serves on the JFK Partners Advisory Board and the Advisory Committee for the research project Bringing Sleep Education for Children with Autism into Communities: A Dissemination and Implementation Project. Paige’s LEND research project, What Is Autism: From the Lived Experience, focuses on developing a training program for school communities to address the widespread lack of autism awareness among educators and families. This gap in understanding perpetuates systemic ableism, isolation, shame, and significant mental health challenges. Her project aims to raise awareness through lived experiences, fostering inclusive, accessible, and anti-ableist school communities.

2024 Case Manager of the Year

For the past 35 years, Linda has been dedicated to supporting individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities being heard and working towards greater independence in Colorado.  She has had the privilege of connecting with a diverse range of people and their families, encouraging them to pursue their dreams.  After nearly 28 years at Envision as Case Management Director and CM Quality Assurance, Linda transitioned to a CMA Program Manager position with Weld County CMA on 3/1/2024 when all Weld County Case Management came together under Weld County DHS through Case Management Redesign.  Her position with Weld County is to support and manage Supervisors, Case Managers, and support staff providing services to individuals enrolled in Children’s Medicaid Waiver programs and Adult IDD Medicaid Waiver programs, as well as working to support all CMA functions. 

Prior to Envision, Linda spent three years as a case manager at Eastern Colorado Services and three years managing a group home in Denver.   Before moving to Colorado, she had a variety of careers, including spending a season helping individuals with disabilities to experience outdoor adventures, including camping, hiking, caving, ropes course, and canoeing, which had great impact on Linda.

2024 Direct Support Professional of the Year

Mamadou Ouattara stands out in a field of compassionate and experienced professionals. Having just passed his 15-year employment anniversary with DDRC, he is known widely for his advocacy, reliability, and positivity. His success as a Direct Support Professional in his role as a Lead Counselor in DDRC’s residential services is evident in his patience, his ability to develop relationships based on individuals’ values and needs, his understanding of a variety of nuanced communication from an array of people, and his consistent willingness to prioritize the needs of the people he supports. There is no question that Mamadou is one of the hardest working professionals at DDRC. And it’s not just that his dedication is above and beyond, it’s how he shows up for the people we support and for his co-workers. He willingly gives of himself for the betterment of the people he supports, for his colleagues, for the organization, and ultimately for our communities. Mamadou truly deserved Alliance’s 2024 Direct Support Professional of the Year Award in recognition of his consistent, valuable contributions to the lives of people with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.

2024 Advocate of the Year 

Kris Housel serves on the Board of Directors of The Arc of Northeast Colorado and also serves on the Board of Directors of The Arc of Colorado. Kris embodies the value of self-advocacy in all that he does to support people with IDD in his community, across the state and our great nation. His entire life has been a demonstration in the valuable contributions that people with IDD can make in our shared community. Kris is a graduate of Greeley West High School and has been employed full-time for over 40 years, exemplifying the value of people with IDD in the workplace. Kris’s civic advocacy began with his participation in the City of Greeley’s Commission on Disabilities, as a 5th generation resident, he provided great insights into the journey of his rural community and the valuable role people with disabilities can and must play. After his work with the Commission, he became a board member with The Arc of Weld County, now The Arc of Northeast Colorado, over a decade ago, serving as President for 8 years. In 2023, Kris joined The Arc of US National Council of Self-Advocates and he is the Past President for The Arc of Northeast Colorado and is supporting other self-advocate board members in their roles including Executive Officers. Kris’s goal is to one day be an Executive Officer for The Arc of US and continue his advocacy for the rural voice of his community. He demonstrates personal leadership and growth, shares his stories of successes and opportunities for growth to remove barriers of fear and possible self-doubt from other self-advocates in their own abilities.  Kris understands that one has to be present to make an impact, so he is always willing to attend meetings, provide testimony, or other needs to further the IDD cause and it is in those moments that he is quick on his feet to share lived experiences and be a problem solver for his community.