PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Scott Smith, MSW, has worked in the field of behavioral health and human services for over a decade. He attended Fort Lewis College where he obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology and later attended the University of Denver where he received his Master’s in Social Work. He began his social work career in k-12 education by implementing trauma informed strategies, restorative practices and substance use prevention frameworks both in the US and abroad. He has served on numerous boards and committees at the local and state levels and previously served as the President of the Southwest Colorado chapter of NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness). Scott worked as a case manager, and later as a program manager at La Plata Youth Services from 2013 to 2018. Scott later served as the Executive Director of the Alliance for Suicide Prevention of Larimer County from 2019 to 2023. During his tenure there, Larimer County was the only county in Colorado to consistently reduce the suicide rate, year over year. Scott is a life-long advocate for social justice and when he isn’t working you can find him skiing or hiking with his wife and dog (Jenn & Winnie), soaking in the hot springs, gardening, and cooking food for family and friends.

VICE PRESIDENT OF STRATEGIC OPERATIONS

Jeff brings 20 years of advocacy and non-profit experience to Our Own Lives. Jeff has worked in many different roles founding, forming, leading and managing disability related non-profits. In advocacy roles, Jeff is an accomplished public speaker on representation, disability rights, Disabled history and the history of disability advocacy and guardianship reform. Jeff is nationally known for his work engaging as a disabled advocate with the field of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), calling for mainstream ABA services to affirm disabled identities, include the client in decision making about their services, and embrace assent and consent are non-negotiables. Jeff joined the board of Community Connections in 2012, and in 2015, left the board to take paid employment at Community Connections. During his time at Community Connections, Jeff drove numerous changes and improvements to provide services more focused on the person’s wishes and ensuring the person’s rights and prerogatives were respected. He developed an advocacy and leadership training program, worked with people in services to develop the Client Leadership Council, reworked agency trainings to focus on person centered practices and understanding the disabled experience, and increase representation and leadership by disabled people at all levels of the organization. With the transition of Community Connections’ Adult Services into Our Own Lives, Jeff is thrilled to be a part of an amazing team of advocates and staff working to build a truly empowering and affirming model of services from the ground up. When not working, Jeff is busy skiing and camping with his family and tinkering with his various old “toys” of cars, trucks, snowmobiles, jetskis and campers.

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

Gary is a professional accountant with over 40 years of experience ranging from basic bookkeeping all the way through the CFO functions. The bulk of his experience was in the Oil and Gas Industry which led to a desire to work for a company that does good in the community and for everyone it touches. Although not a native of the Durango area, Gary considers it “home” as in the last 27 years living here he has raised four children and three grandchildren. Originally Gary was a Fine Arts major who changed over to Accounting when future life needs indicated an existence above “starving artist” would be necessary. Gary is a 100% people person with a robust sense of humor who believes that at the end of the day, we are all in this together so why can’t we just get along. His hobbies include playing guitar, doing something artsy using pencil, pen and ink or pastels and getting around town using Durango’s river trail.