Representative Colin Larson

2021 Alliance Legislator of the Year

Representative Larson has been serving South Jefferson County since 2019. He is a small business owner who knows first-hand how the government stifles job creation. He started his business from the ground up, facing the same challenges that business owners across the metro area face all while creating a community asset for the residents of Ken Caryl and Columbine.

Moving to the Columbine Valley as an infant, he has been a proud Colorado resident for over 24 years, attended Bradford Elementary, Deer Creek Middle School and Littleton High School.

Growing up, he was expected to take responsibility at a young age, getting his first job as a freshman in high school and working his way through college. He earned a degree in political science and history from Colorado College while working administrative jobs on campus. 

After graduating college, he took a job in public policy where he met his wife, Annie. In 2014 he started Atlas Coffees.  Through his role there, he has had the privilege of interacting with people from all walks of life, giving him a broad perspective and deep appreciation for the diverse needs of our community.

Representative Larson has proven to be a consistent ally for Alliance and an unwavering advocate for people with IDD, demonstrated through both his community service and throughout his years on the General Assembly.  Representative Larson has gone above and beyond to engage with the IDD population in his community, including spending time at Stepping Stone Support Center. 

Taylor VanAllen

2021 Direct Support Professional of the Year

Taylor Van Allen is the proud recipient of the “2021 Alliance Direct Support Professional of the Year” award.  He began his career as a DSP eight years ago when he joined the team at A Brighter Community.  As a rookie DSP, Taylor embraced his role whole-heartedly and, over time, he became a master of his craft. Taylor’s gifts and talents are only surpassed by his extreme devotion to the individuals he supports. Taylor has been instrumental in helping A Brighter Community develop its culture of friendship, belonging, inclusion, growth, love, kindness, dignity, and respect – because these are all values that he inherently demonstrates in every aspect of his life. Taylor wishes to thank Alliance for this extreme honor, and for advocating tirelessly on behalf of his friends with IDD.

Isabelle Woloson

IDD Advocate

Isabelle Woloson is a Boulder resident and recent graduate of the University of Northern Colorado. As a woman who has Down Syndrome, Isabelle is one of the first Coloradans with IDD to graduate from an institute of higher education after participating in a UNC program designed to offer students with disabilities the opportunity to attend college. With a certificate in communication under her belt, Isabelle is now training to be a life coach. Of this accomplishment, Isabelle says, "Higher education is important because without this, many people with disabilities would not have the access to go to college in the state of Colorado. When I chose University of Northern Colorado, I knew that it was the right environment for me. Overall, I hope that many programs like this can elevate into a bigger community of people with disabilities."

Nita Chettiar

Parent

Nita Chettiar is a stay-at-home mom to a uniquely talented 9-year-old. She has completed her Masters in Environmental Engineering from Manhattan College, NY and has Bachelors in Science in Microbiology and Biotechnology from Mumbai University, India. She has over 12 years of experience working in the Pharmaceutical and Medical Device industry. The majority of her working years, she has led a team of laboratory individuals, working as a liaison with several departments and as a Subject Mater Expert for all things related to Aseptic and Non-Aseptic manufacturing, with a focus on process improvement. 

Her education and work life were far removed from the world of Autism or any kind of disabilities. When life presented her with speech-related challenges and other developmental delays in her then 18-month-old son, she was thrust into the world of evaluations and Developmental Pediatricians - a specialty she was blissfully unaware of until then. Since then, it’s been her goal to find the best therapist for her son and work with them to find out why his brain works the way it does and the best way to support him. Her quest to know more brought her to the CU-JFK Partners Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (LEND) program. She is excited to use the knowledge gained during her LEND Fellowship to help the Developmental Disability community. She is currently a member of the Colorado Developmental Disabilities Council and their Planning and Grants committee. She is hopeful she can use her leadership qualities to better serve the Autism community.