Staff

ELIZABETH A. MORAN, JD, serves as Executive Director for Arc of Colorado. Elizabeth brings an extensive lived experience and professional background working in disability rights across the lifespan. Prior to joining the ArcCO team, Elizabeth served as Chief Counsel at the American Bar Association Commission on Law and Aging, where she provided substantive support and expertise to the Commission with a focus on guardianship law, policy, practice, and reform at both the state and federal level, specifically in the areas of guardianship, supported decision-making, capacity issues, and abuse, neglect, and exploitation of individuals who have a broad range of disabilities impacting their ability to communicate, such as intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), traumatic brain injury, or who acquire dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, or other disabilities associated with aging.

Earlier in her career, Elizabeth served as Deputy Director of the Missouri Developmental Disabilities Council, Public Policy Coordinator for the Kansas Council on Developmental Disabilities, and founded an organization called Midwest Advocacy for Disability Rights, where she served as its Director for several years. Elizabeth also served as Chair of the Missouri Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights and more than ten years serving as adjunct professor at UMKC School of Law where she co-instructed the course Leadership in Disability Studies: A Multi-disciplinary Approach.

Elizabeth is a sibling of an individual who has an IDD diagnosis and is strong supporter of supported decision-making and community inclusion. She is an enthusiast of creative problem solving, particularly in promoting and protecting the human rights of individuals with IDD as they navigate legal systems and options for quality of life supports. She is most passionate about providing resources, support, leadership training and advocacy for and with individuals with IDD and their families as they seek information and understanding of the options and alternatives available to them in pursuing the most appropriate means of the long-term and decision-making supports necessary for individuals to live a truly integrated life. Elizabeth actively supports full inclusion and participation of all individuals impacted by IDD in their community and throughout their lifetimes.

Jane Johnston joined The Arc of Colorado team coming onboard in February 2021.  Jane has a passion for working with the community and has interned with the ACLU of Colorado and refugee and asylum seeker organizations locally here in Denver. Jane comes to us with a bachelor’s degree of Social Work and with it a dedication to working for the IDD community.  Working in the legal field for over 19 years, Jane offers her organizational experience and managerial skills to further the work here at The Arc of Colorado.