AdvocacyDenver salutes the many talents and large hearts that come together to guide and develop our organization.
Mitch McKinney
President
Mitch is a graduate of Metropolitan College who uses a wheelchair and technology to communicate with others. He is a volunteer advocate and is active in the independent living movement.
Daniel Rosenberg
Vice President
Daniel is an attorney in Denver with a background in both civil and criminal law. His passion for protecting the interests of persons with disabilities comes from his parents Doctors Cordelia and Steve Rosenberg.
Shauna Casement
Past President
Dr. Shauna Casement is a clinical psychologist who has worked for over twenty-five years providing psychological treatment for adults and children who have intellectual or developmental disabilities. She has served for five years on a local Human Rights Committee and for over twenty years as a Director for the AdvocacyDenver Board.
Dr. Peggy Henninger
Secretary
Dr. Peggy Henninger is a clinical psychologist who works with children and youth who have experienced trauma, neglect, PTSD, bullying, depression, anxiety, and family issues. Peggy’s passion has always been working with those that cannot or don’t know how to take care of themselves. Having her own special needs child and working in a school district as a Special Ed teacher for over 20 years, gave her the tools and experience necessary to work with special needs children and their families, helping them learn to have a more fulfilling lives.
Peggi O’Keefe
Treasurer
Peggi is a well-respected, long time consultant on policy development in many areas of interest. She holds a degree in law from Denver University, and has one daughter, Adelaide and other family in Colorado.
Kent Olsen
Kent is an attorney and serves as AdvocacyDenver’s representative for Arc of Colorado. He is a founding member and also serves on the board for The Fund for People with Disabilities.
Donald Johnson is a parent of a child with a disability and active in Denver Public Schools special education reform.
Raiko Johnson is a parent of a child with a disability and active in Denver Public Schools special education reform.
Don Morales is a retired businessman and the father of an adult son with developmental disabilities. He has been a member of the board since 1968.
Khoa Nguyen arrived in the United States by boat with other Vietnam War refugees and lived for a time at Camp Pendleton, California. Once in Colorado, he followed the career path of his mother, formerly a social worker in Saigon whom he had often visited at work. After completing postgraduate work at the Family Therapy Training Center, Nguyen became a psychotherapist, did pro bono child custody evaluations, then embarked on a 23-year career with the Denver Public Schools as a youth activity specialist, school social worker, educational specialist/broker of student services, assistant principal and, since 1995, elementary school principal. A member of numerous boards and Denver’s Asian-Pacic American Commission, he received the Lift Every Voice Community Service Award in 2001 and was named one of Denver’s 150 “Unsung Heroes” in 2008.
Dr. Henrietta “Hetty” Pazos, PsyD is a licensed clinical and school psychologist who specializes in testing for ADHD, Autism, Dyslexia, Developmental Disabilities, and Gifted Identification. She also provides individual and group therapy for children, adolescents and adults. She has practiced in Denver, CO since 1999.
Dr. Pazos is bi-cultural and bi-lingual in English and Spanish. In addition to her work in private practice, she is the Director of the Latinx Psychology Specialty at the University of Denver, Graduate School of Professional Psychology (GSPP) and is the Director of their Latinx Psychology Specialty. She lives with her partner of 19 years, Jay Knight and her two children, Gabriel y Samuel Pazos-Knight.
Dr. Pazos received her Doctorate at the University of Denver and completed her internship and post-doc at Jackson Memorial Medical Center in Miami, Florida, with a focus on Behavioral Medicine and Child and Adolescent psychology. She later obtained a certificate in School Psychology and worked in Denver Public Schools for 14 years providing administration over bilingual mental health assessment and intervention services to children and families and more recently in Cherry Creek School District.
Ricky Garcia is a self-advocate and recipient of AdvocacyDenver’s 2019 Advocacy award. Ricky was born and raised in Denver and has enjoyed their job at Sustainability Recycling. They are passionate about helping other people get what they want and need. Ricky hopes to help create positive change for people with disabilities as a board member. Ricky loves music, movies, and playing (and creating!) board games in their free time.