Commission for People with Disabilities

Alicia D. Cooper is a U.S. Army Veteran, public servant, and nationally respected advocate for disability justice, equity, and systems accountability. She has served three consecutive years as Chair of the Denver Commission for People with Disabilities, guiding the Commission through strategic growth, policy engagement, and strengthened cross-sector collaboration.

With over two decades of leadership experience spanning federal service, entrepreneurship, and community governance, Alicia brings deep expertise in accessibility, civil rights compliance, process improvement, and inclusive policy design. Her work has been recognized through state and municipal honors, including a Colorado State Flag and Proclamation acknowledging her advocacy and impact.

As Chair, Alicia has prioritized transparency, intersectionality, and lived-experience leadership, ensuring that disability remains central to conversations on housing, justice, education, and public access. She continues to serve with integrity, courage, and a commitment to building systems that work for everyone.

Elena is a seasoned leader with a heart for service. She is a proud first-generation Latina, and her career has been in education or nonprofits. Elena holds considerable leadership experience in the field of education, having served as a classroom teacher, assistant principal, and senior education director for a foundation. As a public school educator, she understands the power behind knowledge, which is why she has continued her own education. Elena has a Bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies with an emphasis on Elementary Education and a Master’s degree in Administration and Supervision. Aside from formal degrees, she is also an alumna of the Circle of Latina Leadership, EMERGE Colorado, CLLARO Latino Civic Leadership training, and most recently the Latino Leadership Institute. Elena has served on various nonprofit boards for organizations in the Denver Metro area. When Elena is not working or volunteering, she enjoys spending time with her family.

Tim Dodd has spent his career in the public sector, including as the director of performance management for a state; chief performance officer and performance manager for two cities; and as a deputy city manager. He is also an adjunct instructor at the Johns Hopkins University, teaching classes on data and performance analytics for public sector professionals. Tim earned a B.A. in History and Political Science from American University; an M.A. in History from Providence College; and a Doctorate in Law and Policy from Northeastern. Over the past many years, Tim has served on several nonprofit and public sector boards and commissions, including as an elected member of the Select Board in his hometown of Westborough, MA, and currently serves as the president of a Toastmasters club and on the board of a nonprofit, Tree Line Pass. He is a homeowner in the Westwood neighborhood in Denver and in his free time, he enjoys taking his dogs (Melvin and Monty) to the many open spaces in and around Denver for hikes and walks; traveling (67 countries so far!); yoga; rock climbing; skiing and will try pretty much anything once!

Elisa Aucancela is an experienced bilingual (Spanish-English) professional with expertise in education and advocacy. Her work has focused on diverse populations, leadership, parent involvement, and play-based assessments. Her expertise lies in social-emotional and developmental evaluations, differentiated instruction, and running a grassroots nonprofit lead by immigrants. She has held roles in academic and nonprofit settings, including serving as the Co-Executive Director of El Grupo Vida, a nonprofit organization supporting immigrants with disabilities. Her educational background includes a Master's in Special Education: Early Childhood Special Education, Clinical Psychology, and Ph.D. studies in Infant and Early Childhood Development. She is an active participant on advisory boards, such as the Colorado Infant Mental Health Association, STAR institute, and Bresnahan-Halstead Center at UNC.

Mario Dino is a Denver native currently studying economics at the University of Redlands in California. As an adaptive golfer and dedicated disability advocate, he is committed to promoting accessibility and inclusion in sports, education, and public policy. Mario strives to advance initiatives that improve transportation and opportunities for people with disabilities.

Michelle Dumay is the mother of a terminally ill child born with a rare brain abnormality. Among other medical conditions (cerebral palsy, blindness, and quadriplegia), her daughter suffers from four types of seizures. Her experience as a caregiver and medical advocate has allowed her to serve on patient advisory councils for two children’s hospital (Los Angeles and Phoenix) and one insurer (Mercy Care). Along with advocacy, learning has been a huge part of her journey. After relocating to Denver four years ago, she has learned of the difficulties of other Denver IDD community members in the areas of housing and civic life and has raised her voice for them by representing their views and serving on the IDDEAS Advisory Council and the Community Advisory Council of RMHS.

Joshua Hursa moved to Colorado in May of 2009. He was born in California and raised in New Jersey. Josh is a graduate of the Academy for Law and Public Safety, a vocational high school in NJ. Josh was a legislative aide at the Colorado House of Representatives for four years, from 2010-2014. While living in Aurora, he served on the citizens budget and water committees. In addition, he served for nine years on a Selective Service System Local Board. Following the election of Mayor Johnston, Josh volunteered for the mayor's transition committee on mental health. Josh is a diagnosed and medicated schizophrenic. He is passionate about mental health issues. Josh has served as a notary public for 15 years. He lives in Capitol Hill with two cats.

Tina Johnson currently works for Denver Housing Authority as the Local Resident Council & Resident Council Board Program Administrator. She works with resident leadership ensuring residents have a voice in their communities. Tina was a Service Coordinator for 10 years before being promoted to her current position and has been in the Human Service field for almost 30 years. Tina is originally from Massachusetts and has been in Colorado since 2007. She enjoys spending time with her adult son and family, photography, and just being out in nature. 

Katelyn Kendrick (they/them) is a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst with over 10 years of experience in Applied Behavior Analysis and Special Education in the Denver-Metro area. They specialize in neurodiversity-affirming, trauma-informed practices and hold a B.A. in US History from UC Riverside (2015) and an M.Ed. in Behavior Analysis from the University of Cincinnati (2017). Katelyn has over 15 years of advocacy experience, beginning with California’s Prop 8 marriage equality movement. They actively engage in DEI initiatives with organizations like the Association for Contextual Behavior Science, The Colorado Association of Applied Behavior Analysis, and Mindful Behavior. Katelyn also contributes to Denver’s theater scene, including Phamaly Theatre Company, Vintage Theatre, Give 5 Productions, and The Aurora Fox. As an autistic, mentally ill, pansexual, and non-binary femme, Katelyn is dedicated to promoting inclusion, representation, and affirming practices in both their professional and personal life.

Kyle Lephart began serving on the commission in the fall of 2024. He grew up in Wisconsin, then lived in New Mexico for many years, before arriving in Denver in 2023. His connection to people with disabilities originally came through his love for animals. Kyle started a career in service dog care in 2008 and is now the Executive Director of Canine Partners of the Rockies. This professional experience has helped him gain an understanding of some of the common challenges that individuals with disabilities face when seeking greater independence and support. Kyle is passionate about giving back to the community. He is a member of a local Rotary Club, is involved with other commissions and foundations, and often volunteers with other nonprofits in the community. He looks forward to bringing his experience and passion to this commission and advocating for people with disabilities.

Ty Smith is a peer advocate, specializing in the mental health system, quality of life measures, and trauma informed care. He created and implemented Youth Voice, a cross-disability coalition that focused on creating youth subject matter experts and providing training for effective policy and advocacy activities. Ty has over 17 years as a state and federal public health policymaker and 10 years as a peer provider in the Colorado behavioral health system and has his Bachelor of Science in Administering Nonprofits for Youth. He has chaired and sits on numerous councils and committees. Ty works at Atlantis Community Inc., one of Colorado's nine Centers for Independence. Ty leads by example and is a new proud homeowner. He has come a long way from the prison he was told he would spend the rest of his life behind to a fearless advocate for change and people with disabilities.

Briant Tallant is a Licensed Professional Counselor and owner of Neurodiverse Communities in Centennial, Colorado. Brian has over 33 years of clinical and administrative experience supporting mental health for people who have developmental disabilities. Brian is a contributing member of the IDD and Trauma Expert Panel for the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN). Brian also serves on the Board of Directors for NADD and has received the esteemed Earl L. Loschen Award for Clinical Practice. Brian conducts workshops nationally and internationally on adapted mental health treatment for people who have intellectual and developmental disabilities and resilience planning for people experiencing secondary traumatic stress with helping professions.

Sammy was appointed to the Commission in January 2025 and has a Bachelor's degree from Colorado State University, obtaining his degree in Sociology with a Criminal Justice Concentration and a minor in Political Science. Sammy has a history of political advocacy, serving in multiple leadership roles within the Associated Students of Colorado State University (ASCSU), the student government for CSU. Sammy in his last year co-founded and chaired the Accessibility Caucus for ASCSU, a student-lead initiative aimed at evaluating CSU’s accessibility infrastructure and issued a 40 page report detailing their findings. Sammy concurrently served as a Senator for the Student Disability Center, advocating for students with disabilities on campus, being their voice in student government and ensuring accessibility standards were being met.

Sammy currently serves as the Commission’s Secretary, ensuring meeting minutes and attendance are accurately recorded. He also serves as the Co-Chair of the Policy & Research Subcommittee, spearheading the Commission’s legislative initiatives at the city and state level.

Outside of the Commission, Sammy serves his community in the neighboring Arapahoe County as a Central Services Assistant with the 18th Judicial District Attorney's Office. In this role, he supports the office with discovery requests, document distribution, and other administrative duties.

Ling Ly Tan is a Behavior Analyst with over two decades of experience in clinical practice, serving individuals with profound autism and developmental disabilities across the lifespan, including those with aphasia following a stroke. She holds a Master of Applied Disability Studies and has spent over a decade teaching and designing post-secondary courses in autism and behavioral health sciences. She continues to deliver professional education and training for healthcare professionals in evidence-based practices addressing communication, adaptive behavior, language, speech, and cognition for autistic individuals.

Her extensive collaboration with speech-language pathologists has shaped cross-disciplinary training programs for professionals and caregivers who support individuals with limited to no functional speech. She is the founder of Linggo, an assistive communication technology and training platform that brings AAC technology and research-aligned strategies to promote communication.

Ling brings to the Commission deep expertise in clinical practice, research, education, and assistive technology, grounded in a commitment to communication accessibility for people with complex communication needs. In her free time, she enjoys yoga, art, and nature walks.

Stephanie Nevel Alejo is a strategy and operations leader with both early stage and Fortune 500 business experience across technology and consumer packaged goods. She is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Stanford University with distinction. Stephanie was born and raised in Denver and moved back in 2022 after spending time on the west and east coasts. She has been a lifelong advocate for her younger sister, who has nonverbal autism.

Tinsley Ore is a social worker, early childhood educator, and disability advocate with over 20 years of experience. Tinsley has been re-appointed as a Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Advisory Board member and currently is a Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities.

Previously, Tinsley worked an intake case manager for adult and child waivers, and a member of multiple advisory councils, including the Disability Accessibility Council at Denver International Airport. She has completed over 200 eligibility determinations, managed more than 20 crisis intake cases, and led efforts to close gaps in customer care. Tinsley is also the parent of three children with disabilities. She founded the Inclusive Denver Project to give her children more access to their community and give them a way to make friends. Lastly a Colorado creative industries leader, she has harnessed her creative development skills into a program to assist disability spaces and providers to ignite their passion and to think outside the box.