ABOUT US
Established in 2017, 4 The Children advocates for and supports children in Southwest Colorado who have experienced abuse, neglect, or family related trauma.
MEET OUR STAFF
Ashley Hein
Executive Director
Ashley has called Durango home since 1999 when she moved here to attend Fort Lewis College where she studied theater and early childhood development. Ashley married her next door neighbor in 2006 and they are raising their 2 boys, 2 dogs, a cat, two turtles, and a tortoise together. Ashley’s extensive experience in nonprofit management began at the Durango Arts Center. Ashley was on the original team that moved and transformed the Children’s Museum of Durango to the Powerhouse Science center, and most recently she worked as the Development DIrector at Animas High School. Ashley believes that all children should feel safe and loved and feels very fortunate to be a part of such a beautiful and supportive community.
Barb Casey
CASA Program Director
Barbara Casey was hired in September 2013 as Program Manager for what was then known as CASA of the Four Corners, located in Cortez, CO. Ms. Casey’s education and background are in law, receiving her Juris Doctor degree in 1985, and working in several different capacities over the years, including Business Law instructor at Ft. Lewis College and Pueblo Community College, Legal Research Attorney for the 22nd and 6th Judicial District court judges, and partner with her husband in their private law practice. The original CASA program was expanded into La Plata, Archuleta and San Juan Counties with Ms. Casey as Executive Director, and became an independent entity known as CASA of the Southwest in 2015. Ms. Casey has lived in Durango for over 30 years, worked on local non-profit boards and volunteered in the community while working and raising three children, now grown, there.
Please edit the following staff bios to reflect what they say here:
MARY FULLER
CASE MANAGER & VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR
Mary Fuller is the CASA case manager and volunteer coordinator for the 22nd Judicial District at our CASA office in Cortez. Mary is originally from Brookfield, WI and earned two degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Mary came to southwest Colorado to teach in Shiprock, and then she settled in Cortez. Mary taught in the public education system for 22 years and then entered the world of non-profits with experience in adult education, domestic and sexual violence victim advocacy, and animal advocacy. Mary continues to work in all of these areas and began working with children. She has two amazing sons who are living their lives well.
BRYN JOYNER
PROGRAM COORDINATOR AND VISITOR COORDINATOR
Bryn Joyner began as an intern with 4 The Children over the summer of 2018 for college credit. In August, of 2018, Bryn was hired on as the program coordinator, where she works for both the SEPT program and the CASA program. Bryn is currently attending the University of Colorado Denver, where she is pursuing her Bachelors in Criminal Justice with a minor in Legal Studies and a certificate in Ethics. In addition to working at 4 The Children, she also works at a Montessori Preschool in town, where she works as a teaching aid. Bryn has the broad goal of advocating for children as her future career, and more narrowly, she hopes to attend law school to become a Guardian ad Litem. Bryn has lived in Durango for 20 years, worked with kids for the majority of her teen and adult years, and volunteered with swimming Special Olympics.
MEET OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Margo Lee
President
Margo is retired after spending almost 40 years in various management positions with the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management. She worked in a number of states including Montana, Arizona, Washington DC and Colorado. Upon retiring, she moved to Dolores CO and resides on a small acreage along with her horses, dogs and cats. Margo’s family, including 3 grandchildren, is the sunshine of her life, spending time with her on the ‘farm’. She also enjoys hiking, skiing and working in her yard.
Margo began her volunteer service with CASA over 30 years ago in Maricopa County, AZ. She has continued that service in Montezuma and Dolores Counties CO and is currently the Board President for 4 The Children non-profit organization.
Gary Stevens
Vice President
Devon Wayne
Devon has lived in Durango since 2013 after she and her husband Jon decided to relocate from Dallas. They love Durango and all it offers. Devon was a CASA advocate in Dallas for over 5 years and loved the work. She was thrilled to hear it was coming to this area and was ready to get involved. She is serving on the board and looks forward to helping CASA establish itself in Durango and the surrounding area.
In addition to working with CASA, Devon volunteers at Mercy Hospital in an administrative position.
Her hobbies include working with mosaics, cycling, hiking and skiing. She has been married to Jonathan for 40 years and they have 3 grown children and 5 grandsons.
“CASA offers the gift of giving oneself to others and the rewards are overwhelming!”
John Creson
John is a retired Juvenile Justice worker and has been married to Jacqueline Creson, a retired Perfusionist, for 33 years. They have 3 children, Sarah, Tom and Erin. All three kids work in the medical field like their mother. John also has three grandchildren.
John graduated from Southwest Missouri State University (SMSU) in Springfield Mo with a BS in Psychology and Sociology. While attending SMSU, John did volunteer work with the Missouri Division of Youth Services (DYS) in a group home for adjudicated youth and then was hired on as a Youth Specialist in the program. The Division of Youth Services provided treatment programming for adjudicated youth ages 12-17.
After graduation from SMSU, John continued working with the Missouri Division of Youth Services for 40 years. He retired from DYS after holding positions of Youth Specialist, Outdoor Rehabilitation Counselor, Youth Facility Manager, Assistant Regional Administrator and his last position was as the Regional Administrator overseeing 10 treatment facilities located in the 24 counties of the Southwest Region of the state.
While working with the DYS, John also worked in the Weekend Intervention Program (WIP), an assessment and intervention program for individuals charged with alcohol related traffic incidents and started and ran a similar program for teens charged with alcohol related traffic incidents called “On Track”.
After retirement John and his wife moved to Durango Co. Having passed through the town 32 years earlier while hiking in the area, they had decided they would one day return to live in Durango and did so upon retirement in 1986.
Dan Whitehead
Treasurer
CPA, MBA, has been in public accounting since 1980 and is licensed in Nevada, Wyoming and Colorado. He has lived in Mancos-Cortez area since 1988 and is currently a board member of Veits Pipeline Company and an advisory board member or CASA of the Southwest and the CFO of Montezuma Water Company located in Dolores Colorado.
Shane Nelson
Shane moved to Durango in 1992 with a mohawk and a dream. He is a graduate of Ft Lewis College with a degree in Psychology, and most recently from the University of Northern Colorado School Psychology Program. Shane has spent time living in Hollywood and Maui while traveling the world Field Producing wilderness adventure based shows for networks that include; The Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, The Travel Channel and ABC. He spends his summers operating his Wilderness Therapy Company; “All Forward,” specializing in adolescent character development, people in recovery, Trauma survivors and returning veterans with combat related challenges. Even after working in remote regions on 5 continents, deep immersion into indigenous cultures and first hand experience with major world religions, he still has not figured out how to get his dog to keep from barking. She barks all the time, for no reason at all.
Hours of Operation
Monday Office closed- by appointment only
Tuesday 9am-5pm
Wednesday 9am-5pm
Thursday 9am-5pm
Friday Office closed- by appointment only