Key Management Executive at Developmental Pathways, Inc.

John Meeker, Executive Director

John Meeker joined Developmental Pathways as CEO in 1983, at a time when the agency was facing significant management and financial challenges. Under his leadership Pathways has become a recognized leader in developing innovative community programs for persons with disabilities and their families, and is especially well regarded as a change oriented organization with a strong and creative management team.

Mr. Meeker was the co-Chair for the Campaign to Help, which resulted in a 1.0 mill levy tax passed in November 2001 in Arapahoe and Douglas Counties. This mill levy is dedicated for persons with developmental disabilities and their families. While at Pathways, Mr. Meeker has served in various executive positions for statewide groups and associations, such as CCB Partners.

Prior to his tenure at Pathways, Mr. Meeker served five years as Program Section Chief of the Colorado Division for Developmental Disabilities, where he was responsible for program and policy development and oversight for community and Regional Center services statewide. While there he led development of the DD case management model; creation of Colorado’s system of specialized high need community residential programs; determination of the DD system target population, eligibility criteria and statutory DD definition; and design and development of the Regional Center satellite group homes. Before that he managed the Community Centered Board in the San Luis Valley.

Mr. Meeker has a Master of Science degree in Education from the University of Chicago, and extensive graduate studies in Nonprofit Management at the University of Colorado at Denver.

Cindy Lichti, Associate Executive Director: Programs

Cindy Lichti joined Developmental Pathways in 1979. She began her employment career at Developmental Pathways as an entry-level residential staff person and has achieved many promotions throughout her tenure with the organization. Other positions held include Case Manager, Program Manager and Associate Director of Adult Services, Director of Supported Living and Director of Comprehensive Services. In her current position as Associate Executive Director/Programs, she is responsible for the development and oversight of all services and supports within Developmental Pathways catchment area.

Ms. Lichti is a native Coloradoan having received her Bachelor of Social Work degree from Colorado State University and Masters of Public Administration from the University of Colorado at Denver.

Roberta A. Lips, Director of Finance

Bobbi Lips joined the Pathways staff as Controller in 1996, and was promoted to Director of Finance in January 2000. She is a native Coloradoan and has over twenty years of accounting experience. During the past five years, the Finance Department has expanded beyond the usual accounting operations of accounts payable, accounts receivable, and general ledger. Her accomplishments include the expansion of the Finance Department with the other operational service areas including payroll and employee benefits and consumer benefits and consumer financial eligibility. The significant financial growth of Developmental Pathways has also created additional complex financial reporting requirements for our varied funding sources. Ms. Lips’ extensive accounting background provided the expertise needed to work with others within the Agency to assure timely and appropriate reporting.

Prior to joining Pathways, Ms. Lips was the Director of Financial Services at Mercy Housing, Inc. and also has previous experience in the title insurance, oil and gas, and publishing industries. She earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Denver, and completed her MBA in Finance/Accounting at Regis University. She passed the CPA exam in 1992.

Nefeli Schneider, Director of Staff Development & Training and Special Projects

Nefeli Schneider has worked intermittently at Developmental Pathways as a Clinical Therapist, and as Director of Staff Development and Training and Special Projects for a total of 12 1/2 years since 1982. She has also directed residential services at DDRC, (Pathways’ sister agency in Jefferson County), developed and implemented the DD/MI residential and therapeutic day program at Aurora Mental Health, and worked as a psychologist at Laradon Hall.

Dr. Schneider has a doctorate in Educational Psychology from University of Colorado, Boulder, and holds master degrees in Child Psychology and Anthropology from the University of Colorado, Denver. She also teaches occasional psychology and anthropology college courses both in a real classroom and online.

Patricia Caldwell, Director of Employee Relations

Pat Caldwell joined Developmental Pathways in 1987 as Director of Community Relations and Training; however, the agency’s rapid growth and expansion quickly necessitated the formation of a Human Resources Department, and area in which Pat had an extensive background. Because of recent growth, Ms. Caldwell has focused primarily on employee relations, an area of interest and specific expertise.

After pursuing an undergraduate degree in Education at Wright State University, Ms. Caldwell concentrated her graduate studies in the area of guidance and counseling and began her career in personnel. Previously, she was EEO Compliance Officer for a National actuarial firm with 1,500 employees; Manager of Personnel for an independent oil & gas corporation, and Divisional Manager of Employee Relations for NBI, Inc., a 3,000 employee, Boulder-based office automation corporation.

Georgia Edson, Director of Quality Assurance

Georgia Edson joined Developmental Pathways in 2005 as the Director of Quality Assurance. Georgia has worked in the developmental disability field since 1995. She began her career developing community residential and vocational options for individuals moving from California state institutions. After relocating to Colorado, Georgia began work as a Clinical Social Worker for Denver Options. She developed policy and procedure regarding working with individuals with high risk behaviors and facilitated sex offense specific therapy groups. She then took the role of Intake and Placement Manager where she was responsible for a team of people who ensured that individuals with disabilities found services and supports that matched their needs.

Georgia has a Masters degree in Social Work from Florida State University and a Bachelors degree in Sociology/Irish Studies from Rollins College. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW).

Kent Dyson, Director of the Family Support Services Program

Mr. Dyson has worked at Developmental Pathways since 1990, and in that period of time has successfully managed increasing responsibilities and accepted promotions from within. He began with Pathways as a Program Administrator in the Comprehensive Services Department, and has been promoted from that role to many others, including Program Manager, Employment Consultant, Family Support Consultant, Supported Living Consultant, Associate Director and Department Director.

Prior to Pathways, Mr. Dyson worked in the Adult Psychiatric Unit at Lakeview Hospital as a Recreation Therapist in Bountiful, Utah and as a Recreational Therapist at the Utah State Training School in American Fork. His work includes experience at several hospitals, including the Community Psychiatric Center in Salt Lake and the Adolescent Psychiatric Unit at St. Luke’s in Denver. Mr. Dyson graduated from the University of Utah with a bachelor’s degree in Recreational Therapy.

Barb Komdat, Co-Director of Comprehensive Services

Barb Komdat came to work at Developmental Pathways 1993 as a part time Supported Living Consultant in what is now the Supported Living Program. As the program grew, she became a Program Administrator until she moved into the position of Associate Director of Comprehensive Services in February of 2001. She has been the director of Comp Services since January of 2002.

Before coming to this agency, Barb worked as an employment placement counselor with a private rehabilitation firm, was a career and academic counselor for students with disabilities at the Community College of Denver, and worked as a paraprofessional at a Special Ed school in Jefferson County. She also spent over ten years selling artwork, managing an art gallery, and owning her own art sales business.

Barb has a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from the University of Colorado - Denver, and a Master’s Degree in Vocational Rehabilitation from the University of Northern Colorado

Alexa Lanpher, Co-Director of Comprehensive Services

Alexa Lanpher came to Developmental Pathways Comprehensive Services in 1996 after having provided direct care to people with developmental disabilities. She started out as a Program Administrator in a residence for some of our more medically fragile clients. She was promoted to Program Manager for several of these houses and opened the South Washington home, one of our flagship facilities remodeled to be totally accessible for our clients. In 2001, she became Associate Director for Residential Services and in May of 2007 became Co Director of Comprehensive Services with Barb Komdat.

Alexa has a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Colorado State University.

Bob Ward, Director of Client/Family Relations

Bob came to Pathways as the Director of Client/Family Relations in January 2005. The father of a developmentally disabled child, Bob has a law degree from the University of Denver and 20 years of legal and management experience in both the private sector and government. In addition to years of parental experience in the DD system, Bob has worked on special education issues; DD eligibility questions; estate planning for special needs; and health insurance eligibility disputes.

Judi Persoff, Director of the Early Childhood Department

Judi Persoff is the Director of the newly formed Early Childhood Department. She was promoted from the Associate Director of the Child and Family Department, a position she held at Developmental Pathways since 2002. Prior to her employment at Pathways, Dr. Persoff was the Executive Director of Denver Early Childhood Connections for 5 years where she gained valuable experience working with families and children birth to three with developmental delays. She received her PhD. In Educational Psychology from the University of Denver in 1998 and also earned her Endorsement in Early Childhood Special Education. She taught in the Child and Family Studies Department at DU while she completed her degree. Judi was a part of the early childhood initiatives in the early ‘90s when IDEA was first being implemented in Colorado. She was a Trainer and Consultant with Mile High Down Sydrome Association and the Healthy Tomorrows program out of the Colorado Foundation for Children and Families. Dr. Persoff has also worked with adolescents and adults undergoing in-patient psychiatric care.