The Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) Advisory Council guides how Boulder County spends IDD Mill Levy funding. This voter-approved funding supports services and programs for people with IDD, autism, and brain injury in Boulder County.
The council meets monthly and includes people with IDD and their families, community advocates, and representatives from local organizations. Together, they advise the county on policy and help make sure Mill Levy dollars are invested in ways that reflect what our community needs.
Council meetings are open to the public. See the schedule below to find the next meeting.
Jolie Bernstein is the mother of an adult son with IDD and schizophrenia. She has worked in Early Intervention for more than 25 years, including 23 years at Imagine! as a bilingual Early Intervention Service Coordinator. Through this work, she has supported many families navigating the IDD system. Jolie serves on the IDD Advisory Council as one of our IDD Individual or Family Member Representatives.
Heidi Que (Vice Chairperson) is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with 23 years of experience in medical, educational, and community settings. She is the mother of a child in the IDD community and holds a Master of Social Work from Gallaudet University, where she also studied American Sign Language. Heidi has volunteered with Special Olympics and served on the American Red Cross National Headquarters Disabilities Task Force. Heidi serves on the IDD Advisory Council as one of our Business or Non-Profit Representatives.
Lisa Slager is a retired marketing and financial professional with nonprofit and private sector experience. She is the mother of a daughter with a rare genetic disorder involving an intellectual disability, and has spent years learning to navigate IDD systems and resources across multiple states. Locally, Lisa volunteers with Cultivate and the I Have a Dream Foundation. Lisa serves on the IDD Advisory Council as one of our IDD Individual or Family Member Representatives.
Annette Treufeldt‑Franck is the mother of two neurodiverse young adults, one of whom is IDD identified. Navigating systems and services for her children has given her deep knowledge of the supports available to the IDD community. Annette lives in unincorporated Boulder County near Nederland and is a board member at the Nederland Food Pantry and a member of the Peak to Peak Housing and Human Services Alliance. Annette serves on the IDD Advisory Council as one of our Member at Large Representatives.
Asher Johnson is a self-advocate with firsthand experience in the autism community. They are committed to improving access to transitional housing for people with IDD, autism, and brain injury, and to bringing data-driven insights to guide how funding is spent. Asher serves on the IDD Advisory Council as one of our IDD Individual or Family Member Representatives.
Teresa Greene is currently employed by The Center for People with Disabilities as a Youth Independent Living Adviser. Teresa obtained her Bachelor’s in Child Development from California State University Fresno. Her focus has been on Special Education and Mental Health. Teresa has ten years of experience working with people living with disabilities from early education to adult support programs. Teresa has four children and has seen first-hand the struggles they have faced due to barriers. Teresa has spent her life educating herself so that she can advocate for her children as well as other people living with disabilities. Teresa is also a Host Home Provider for an individual with multiple disabilities. Teresa describes herself as a compassionate soul with a loving heart who has a realistic outlook on life and can find the humor in any situation. Teresa serves on the IDD Advisory Council as one of our IDD Individual or Family Member Representatives.
Julie Marshall is mom to a child who has autism and a seizure disorder. Julie created Brainsong when her child was in third grade. Brainsong is a nonprofit opening access to the professional art. It has grown, providing free art therapy for siblings, and free ASL classes for families living with different abilities. Brainsong has been a Community Foundation grant recipient for its “No Shushing” concerts that follow these rules: No Judging, No Explaining, No Apologizing. Brainsong with partners Expand and the Association for Community Living, was the catalyst for the first adaptive Nutcracker in Colorado three years ago with Boulder Ballet and the Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra at Macky Auditorium. Julie is the co-creator of the grant-funded city public art installation “What If Lafayette” and she continues to work as a freelance journalist after seven years as an associate editor for the Daily Camera. She is the author of Making Burros Fly: Cleveland Amory, Animal Rescue Pioneer (Big Earth, 2006). She lives in Lafayette with both of her children and husband who is a physician assistant at Kaiser. The family also includes three happy huge dogs sand two finicky cats. Julie serves on the IDD Advisory Council as one of our IDD Individual or Family Member Representatives.