Executive Leadership
Rebecca Hobart, LCSW
Becky (she/her) has been with Ariel since 1994, serving as the CEO since 2005. She holds a Master’s of Social Work (MSW) from the University of Michigan and is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) in the state of Colorado. With over 40 years of experience working with special needs kids and families, she began her career in Michigan as a specialized foster care case manager and then moved on to addictions counseling in an outpatient hospital clinic. Upon moving to Colorado, she worked in family preservation at the mental health center in Grand Junction and later worked with the Healthy Steps program at Western Colorado Pediatrics Associates. Becky was one of Ariel’s first therapists and case managers. In her free time, Becky enjoys being outdoors, hiking, skiing, and swimming.
Stephenie Stephenson, BA
Sarah Marshall, CPA
Sarah (she/her) has been with Ariel since 2008 serving as our CFO. She holds a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wisconsin and a Master’s Degree (MA) in Accountancy from Western Illinois University. With over 35 years of experience in the accounting field, Sarah held positions in public accounting and government before landing at Ariel. Through her work here, Sarah has discovered the rewarding nature of the nonprofit sector, and she enjoys working behind the scenes to support the programs and services that Ariel provides. In her free time, Sarah enjoys training and competing with her dogs in various performance sports.
Lisa Whalin, LPC
Lisa (she/her) has been with Ariel since 2014, serving as the Associate Clinical Director since 2024. She holds a Master of Arts (MA) in counseling psychology from Adams State University. Lisa is also a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), a Licensed Professional Counselor-Supervisor (LPC-S), is trained in Trauma Focused-Cognitive Behavior Therapy (TF-CBT) and Parent Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) and has studied leadership and professional development. Lisa’s skills and experience largely come from working with children, youth, and families involved in the child welfare and juvenile justice systems for 14 years through Mesa County Department of Human Services. In her free time, she enjoys long walks, good books, a rich network of friends and hockey. #GoAvsGo
Hannah Shilling-Thomas, MSW
Shirley Lee, MSW
Shirley (she/her) has been with Ariel since 2001, serving as the Regional Executive Director on the Front Range. She holds a Master’s of Social Work (MSW) from the University of Denver and is fluent in American Sign Language (ASL). Shirley’s career in the human service field spans over 35 years, serving as the Director of Community Learning Center and supervising the Juvenile Justice Program at Colorado West Mental Health Center (now known as Mind Springs Health) in Mesa County prior to joining Ariel. Shirley’s parents, both hearing impaired, inspired her to be the voice of others and to fight for their rights, and her passion for providing quality homes to both children and adults led her to adopt three adolescents from the foster care system. In her free time, she enjoys staying active by gardening, biking, hiking, and exploring new places.
Managers
Joanna Stortz, SHRM-CP, PHR
Joanna (she/her) has been with Ariel since 2021, serving as Human Resource Manager since 2023. She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) for Human Resource Management and certifications as a SHRM–CP (Society for Human Resource Management Certified Professional) and a PHR (Professional in Human Resources). Joanna brings robust Human Resource Professional experience to Ariel with her specialized experience in recruitment, policies, wage analysis, employee relations, and safety from previous roles. In her free time, Joanna loves spending time with her family, cheering on the Colorado Avalanche, and anything related to Disney.
Michelle Powner, MSW
Michelle (she/her) has been with Ariel since 2008, serving as the Regional Program Manager since 2019, where she oversees the Foster Care and Adult Services Case Management teams for our Colorado Springs and Wheat Ridge offices. Michelle holds an undergraduate degree in Sociology from Louisiana State University, and a Master of Social Work (MSW) from Metropolitan State University. Her skills and experience comes from her service industry experience, being a Peace Corp volunteer and traveling around Europe. Michelle’s career has grown at Ariel as she has held positions here as a Case Manager, Coordinator, Supervisor and now as the Regional Manager. In her free time, she enjoys hiking and relaxing with puzzles.
Kristi Courter, BA
Grace Hendricks, BA
Grace (she/her) has been with Ariel since 2012, serving as the Information Technology (IT) Manager since 2022. She holds a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree from Baker College in Michigan. Grace has accumulated 47 years of experience in various administrative roles, including 17 years in office and executive management and 12 years in computer and IT management. Throughout her career, Grace has been involved in a variety of roles, such as starting the IT program at a hospital, helping to develop and oversee customer service for the City of Grand Junction, and serving as the Accounts Receivable Manager for Mesa State College (now Colorado Mesa University). At Ariel, Grace has held several different positions such as Executive Assistant, Office Manager, and Facility Manager, prior to her current role. In her free time, Grace loves spending time with her loved ones and puppies, walking, exploring the great outdoors, and painting landscapes.
Jesse Padilla-Goryl, MA, BCBA
Jesse has been with Ariel since 2019, serving as the Behavioral Services Manager on the Western Slope since 2022, and as the co-chair at the Ariel Inclusion Alliance since 2023. He holds a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Special Education and Family Studies from Central Michigan University and a Master’s degree (MA) in Special Education, with Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) emphasis from the University of Northern Colorado. Jesse’s skills and experience come from working with children with special needs as a teacher, a position he held for over six years prior to joining our team. Jesse’s professional focus is on providing a person-centered and trauma-informed behavioral approach. In his free time, Jesse enjoys outdoor activities such as rafting, kayaking, biking, and SAR (Search and Rescue).
John Sullivan
Kathy McCoy, BA
Ashleah Yates, LPC
Reyna Vigil
Reyna (she/her) has been with Ariel since 2009, serving as the Office Manager for the Colorado Springs and Wheat Ridge offices since 2010. Reyna has a wealth of experience in her field. She was a clothing store manager for seven years and worked for The Resource Exchange (TRE), which is a Community Centered Board (CCB), for eight years before coming to Ariel. Her experience there gave her a solid foundation working with individuals with Intellectual and/or Developmental Disabilities (I/DD) and with office management. In her free time, Reyna enjoys staying fit through various activities such as hiking, yoga, Pilates and strength-training, reading, crafting, learning new things, and traveling.
Supervisors
Debra Spence, BGS
Deb (she/her) has been with Ariel since 2020, serving as an Adult Residential Case Manager Supervisor on the Western Slope. Deb holds a Bachelor of General Studies (BGS) with an emphasis in Psychology and Education from the University of Indiana. Deb gained most of her expertise and experience conducting investigations for cases involving children, adolescents, and adults in the State of Kentucky, Cabinet for Health, and Family Services (CHFS). Deb also provided Case Management for children with Severe Emotional Disturbance (SED) through a mental health organization in Kentucky. She was introduced to the Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) waiver in Wyoming, where she worked as a case manager, provider, and patient support specialist for individuals with Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) and Intellectual and/or Developmental Disabilities (I/DD), prior to joining Ariel. In her free time, Deb enjoys gardening, music, and spending time with her family.
Grace Masters, BSW
Heather Lashbrook, AS
Lydia Strong, BA
Lydia (she/her) has been with Ariel since 2012, serving as the Vocational Program Supervisor on the Western Slope since 2020. Lydia holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Organizational Leadership from Colorado State University. She joined Ariel as our first 3-Bed Residential Supervisor, serving for over seven years, before moving on to her current position where she oversees all aspects of community-integrated activities. She focuses on ensuring that our clients are actively engaged in various vocational and recreational activities that promote their overall well-being and help them develop new skills. In her free time, Lydia enjoys spending time with her family and friends, camping, hiking, riding 4-wheelers, paddle boarding, and most things outdoors.
Sarah Knight
Sarah Suazo, BA
Emily Kallina, BA
Audrey Gill
Audrey has been with Ariel since 2017, serving as the Parenting Time Program Supervisor, Keys to Interactive Parenting Scale (KIPS) Assessor, and a Life Skills Coach since 2022. Audrey’s extensive knowledge in child development and family systems comes from previous experience working within school district and daycare systems, and through directly serving families as a private nanny. Audrey enjoys spending quality time with loved ones, camping, traveling on motorcycle, crocheting, cooking, drawing, reading, crafting, and watching movies and true crime documentaries.
Lori Summers, BA
Carolyn Pierce
Christina Burrows
Misty Ibarra
Misty has been with Ariel since 2022, serving as the three-bed (3-Bed) Personal Care Alternative (PCA) Supervisor since 2023. Misty holds multiple certifications in advocacy and case management for victims of domestic violence. She joined Ariel as an Adult Residential Case Manager, specifically working with homeless teens and clients who had experienced domestic violence. In her free time, Misty enjoys spending time with her husband and children.
Kimberly Williams
Kim (she/her) has been with Ariel since 2023, serving as the Work Services Supervisor. Kim has experience in retail management and entrepreneurship, as well as some undergraduate education in business management. She has been a pet groomer for 30 years and was an instructor for national retail companies, PetSmart and Petco. She also owned two pet facilities specializing in grooming, boarding, doggy daycare, and training, before returning to private clients and then retail management for a farm supply company. Through her role at Ariel, Kim looks forward to expanding Ariel’s work service program by getting more clients out into the workforce. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family and pets, and she is also a huge sports fan. Previously she has shown dogs (conformation, agility) and horses, both Quarter and Point (all disciplines), in competition.
Spencer Hoffman, MA, LPC-S
Milton Lee
Michele Fletcher
Brandon Weaver
Brandon has been with Ariel since 2022, serving as the Adult Services Agency (ASA) Case Manager Supervisor for the Wheat Ridge office since 2023. Brandon has served in the healthcare industry on the Front Range since 2017. His professional experience includes working with the memory impaired, medically fragile, and quadriplegic individuals requiring high intensity care, which helped him realize his passion for serving adults with Intellectual and/or Developmental Disabilities (I/DD) and wanted to make a difference for the whole community. This led him to Ariel, where he started as a case manager and eventually was promoted to supervisor. In his free time, Brandon enjoys listening and producing various types of music, spending time in the mountains, cycling, kayaking, and enjoying nature with his family.