​​Gina has worked on behalf of her son Josh, and other individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities for over 30 years. Prior to founding FRIENDS, she worked as an interpreter for deaf and hard of hearing children in  Adams 12, and in the special education and employment programs with Boulder Valley Schools. She continues to work tirelessly for FRIENDS’ participants, ensuring they have person centered supports, opportunities, and choice and control over their lives.

Elizabeth A. Anderson is an attorney who focuses primarily on special needs estate planning, elder law, and asset protection planning. She is a partner of The Law Network, P.C., a trusts, estates and business planning law firm in the Centennial/Greenwood Village area. When Elizabeth is not volunteering, she spends time with her husband, Don, and their two little boys. Her family loves adventure, and you will often find them hiking, skiing, or travelling.

Vice President of the Board, has a degree in Habilitative Services from Clarion University in Pennsylvania, and 40 plus years of experience in the field of developmental disabilities.  She currently works as a Program Director at Dungarvin, a Service Agency that supports adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities live as independently as possible in a variety of residential settings. Previously, in the 25 years at Rocky Mountain Human Services/Denver Options, she worked as a Case Manager for Adults, Team Leader, liaison with Denver Public Schools and Denver Department of Human Services, Outreach Coordinator to families of school-age children, and Quality Assurance. In past years she has also worked in the field, in both Pennsylvania and California, in direct care and manager positions, as a Behavior Specialist and with dually diagnosed individuals attending educational transition programs.

Mark is a Colorado native with twenty-five years of public sector finance experience. He has been the Chief Operating Officer for the Office of the Child’s Representative since 2015.  He has ten years of experience with the State of Nevada, including serving as the Chief Financial Officer for the Department of Public Safety. He also has over nine years of local government finance experience with cities and school districts. Mark earned his Bachelors Degree in Business Administration from the University of Colorado, Denver.

​Melinda is a native of Colorado and graduated from the University of Colorado.  She started her career in 1989 as an auditor with Ernst & Young LLP.  After 3½ years as an auditor, she transferred to the tax department where she specialized in tax compliance for not-for-profit organizations, large corporations with multistate tax filings, and partnerships.  After 15 years with Ernst & Young, Melinda joined Marrs, Sevier and Company LLC.  Marrs, Sevier is a local CPA firm located in Lakewood, Colorado.  Melinda has been with Marrs, Sevier and Company for 15 years. She is a member of the Colorado Society of CPA’s and the AICPA.  In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family enjoying the Colorado outdoors, camping, hiking, fishing, and snowshoeing are some of her favorite interests outside the office.

Kristine is a Colorado native and a CU Boulder alum. Her degree is in Business Management with an emphasis in Human Recourses. Currently, she is an Account Manager at Axe Roofing here in Broomfield. Previously, she worked her way up the ladder at Unser Karting & Events ending her 9-year tenure as the Director of HR. Her hobbies include traveling with her fiance, Kyle, spending time with friends and family, anything outdoors and with their rescue pup, Miles.

​Heather Kijanka is a Human Resources professional with over two decades of supporting organizations whom serve both children and adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD). Heather has a Bachelor’s in Arts in Psychology from the University of Maryland Baltimore County and holds a certification as a Professional in Human Resources through HR Certification Institute.  Heather also specializes in Quality Assurance for organizations serving the IDD population by supporting with compliance and developing/implementing action plans for best practices. Heather enjoys the outdoors and can be found in the mountains skiing, biking, hiking and backpacking.

Has been happily married for 34 years and has 1 lovely daughter. Nina became interested in the IDD community going back to when her and her husband tried to adopt a baby boy in 1992. They discovered he had special needs the medical community couldn’t handle in the small CA mountain town where they lived. They placed him in foster care in LA so he could receive the medical care needed. In 2015 after moving to Colorado and joining Discovery Church she became involved with their buddy program for the IDD so parents can have respite care for their soul for 1 hour. Through this program Nina started helping to plan parties for the adult IDD population, which is where she found out there is a difficulty receiving/finding affordable housing. Nina decided she could make a difference and started HOPE – Housing Opportunities 4 Peoples Enrichment to advocate for affordable housing. Over 14 years she has been involved with Habitat for Humanity and after moving to CO joined Flatirons Habitat Family Services Committee in 2018. During the early part of her adult life she volunteered for her daughters’ school and gymnastics program fundraisers. She has also run larger events like a Christmas gift program for up to 500 families at Interfaith Community Services in Escondido, CA from 2006 to 2011, along with helping to raise $400k for the Interfaith yearly fundraiser. In addition, Nina has been facilitating a bible study for 5 years at Discovery plus the afore mentioned items. Recently, joined BHOC – Broomfield Housing Opportunity Coalition as a member who gives perspective for the IDD.