Staff Profiles

Colleen M. DeGowin-Counselor
Colleen comes to our organization with an array of experience in the human service field. After completing a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology and Social Welfare, she began her career by working with at risk youth and teens, providing programming geared towards creating positive activities in their lives She then worked with men in the correctional environment, providing psycho-educational interventions designed to decrease the likelihood of continued involvement in the penal system. While working in the correctional center, she was able to complete a Master's Degree in Criminal Justice, which provided a deeper understanding of the complex factors confronting individuals in the legal system, including the prevalence of mental illness and drug and alcohol addiction. Due to a growing interest in mental illness, Colleen then took a position working with the psychiatric population at a non-profit residential and supported living program. She briefly held the position of Residential Coordinator of Adult Support Services before being promoted to Assistant Program Director. As Assistant Program Director, she was responsible for providing supervision of staff and maintaining a high quality of supportive care for clients living in the community. She also played a key role in identifying the unique needs of young adults with mental illness and opening the agency's first young adult residential program.

Colleen is dedicated to providing high quality supportive services to adults with disabilities. Drawing on her exposure to the current care provision system, she sees the great potential for individuals with disabilities to lead more fulfilling and productive lives. She has joined Side By Side Supported Living, Inc. to focus specifically on raising the self-esteem and self-efficacy of adults with disabilities through a new and more dynamic model of care.