Ian ENGLE

Prior to taking his current position at NWCCI in August 2013, Ian was Executive Director at the Center for People with Disabilities (the ILC based in Boulder) and before that he was Executive Director for the SouthWest Center for Independence with a main office in Durango. Ian sustained a spinal cord injury in a 40 foot fall from a tree on October 1, 1994. He was hired as an advocate with Michigan Protection and Advocacy Service, defending and enforcing the rights of people with disabilities. This work focused on investigating abuse and neglect in nursing homes as well as state and private institutions. Ian quickly developed a life-long passion for working with people to have more freedom and control over our own lives through exercising our right to choose and direct community-based services. Ian began delivering speeches and facilitating workshops on the conference circuit for human rights and social justice non-profit organizations, with a focus on nursing home transition and person-centered planning. Ian gained experience handling administrative duties, managing organizational budgets, facilitating dialogue-based interactive learning in participatory workshops, and organizing people to effectively address systemic issues in order to affect public policy. He enjoys connecting people with resources to further independence for many who are capable of doing more, in the larger community, for themselves and each other.