DRS director passionate about independent living

By S. Virginia De Herdt
Correspondent

Disabled Resource Services this year celebrates 25 years of having at its helm Executive Director Nancy Jackson.

Under her leadership, DRS "has grown and gained credibility in the community," said Rose Kreston of Resources for Disabled Students at Colorado State University. "Nancy has a good understanding of disability issues. She represents DRS well in the community."

The agency "wasn't more than one little store-front office" when Jackson took the job, Kreston added.

Jackson's anniversary with DRS also marks the 25th annual Wine Fest, the organization's major fund-raiser. This year's date is May 25.

Cheryl Enockson said Jackson has been "dedicated to the office from her first day." Enockson was the agency's information specialist in its pre-Jackson days and served on the board of directors.

"Inspiring in a very quiet sort of fashion," is how Steve Kershner, one of Wine Fest's founders and its coordinator for 20 years, described Jackson. "She is completely selfless ... someone who prefers to remain behind the scenes."

Wine Fest's current event coordinator, Dwight Whitney, said, "Nancy is very, very good at working with all sorts of people ... she's patient ... open to ideas."

Jackson grew up in Alhambra, Calif., with people with disabilities - her grandfather was blind. She majored in sociology, knowing she wanted to work with people. Passion for the independent living philosophy drives Jackson's work, a passion she said was inspired by the father of independent living, Ed Roberts. (Visit www.ilusa.com/links/022301ed_roberts.htm for history.)

She was working as rehabilitation counselor for the Department of Social Services in California when, in the mid-'70s, Ed Roberts was appointed by Gov. Jerry Brown Jr. to head the department. For Jackson it was "a golden moment, when we had the best of the best leading that department." Under Roberts' radical leadership, the department focused on effectively helping people with the most serious disabilities. This independent living philosophy underlies DRS' mission and work as the only state-certified center for independent living in Larimer County.

Having moved to Fort Collins in 1981, Jackson was serving on the Commission On Disability, where she learned about the Handicapped Information Office (DRS' former name) job opening. Despite the huge salary cut, she accepted the job offer because it and the young agency's potential for growth both appealed to her. She did not imagine back then how the agency would grow to what it is today, or how that growth would increase her management responsibilities.

"I like to believe that more people with disabilities are working," said Jackson, emphasizing that people with disabilities today face the same challenges as 25 years ago: finding money to survive on a fixed income, affordable housing, employment opportunity and accessible transportation.

The population of people with disabilities continues growing proportionally to general population growth. Jackson said there are more people with aging-related disorders today, and there are more people with brain injuries.

Director of the Center for Community Partnership, Cathy Schelly, has known Jackson since 1988, when CCP had a grant to work on a case-management model to help people with brain injuries return to work. CCP provided brain injury information to and worked with DRS to avoid duplicating services. "She's a great leader - within the organization, for the people she works with and in the community," said Schelly about Jackson.

Jackson acknowledged that the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990 helped educate people about disability issues, improving some social attitudes and increasing accessibility to buildings, programs, services, transportation and accommodations, which help provide more inviting environments.

As a result, people with disabilities today tend to be more involved in the community and, therefore, are more likely to be seen as a normal part of life. This helps stimulate rethinking how living spaces and neighborhoods are designed--using universal design so people can age in their homes, for example. On the other hand, an ADA specialist said he still sees lots of new public buildings that are not ADA-compliant.

Some challenges that faced Jackson in '82 remain today, though changed in scale. Working her first six months with no paid staff was a challenge addressed by a United Way grant to hire four part-time staff. Staff expansion has resulted in over-crowded offices in Fort Collins and Loveland. Today Jackson oversees one full-time employee, plus 10 who work part time.

Agency grant funding is more diverse, but obtaining such is more competitive and less secure.

The greatest challenge for Jackson is preparing DRS to adequately deal with the impact of increasing numbers of aging baby boomers. Many of them will acquire age-related disabilities affecting their sight, hearing and mobility. DRS will need additional staff, space and other resources to provide the services such aging boomers in Larimer County may need.

Improved medical technology today helps more people survive serious illnesses and traumatic injuries. "When it comes down to putting a face on disability, that face could be yours one day," Jackson observed.

Ticket info

Wine Fest XXV takes place May 25, 6:30 to 10 p.m. Tickets cost $40 and are available through May 25 at ticket locations in Fort Collins, Loveland and Windsor. Call 970-482-2700 or visit www.fortnet.org/winefest/ for more information.