Company Profile
Cottonwood Community Alternatives, Inc. ~ P.O. Box 946, Englewood, Colorado 80151-0946 ~  PHONE: 303.761-6487
Affiliations & Accreditations

Cottonwood Community Alternatives, Inc. is a private, 501(C)3, non-profit agency, providing training and support services to persons with developmental disabilities.  Cottonwood was designated on July 1, 1991 as a Program Approved Service Agency by the State of Colorado, Department of Institutions, Division for Developmental Disabilities.

Cottonwood providers services in the counties of Arapahoe, Douglas, Jefferson, Denver, and the City of Aurora. We work collaboratively with the three Community Centered boards in those counties, Developmental Pathways, DDRC, and Denver Options. 

Management Team

Cottonwood’s administrative team is comprised of individuals with a significant amount of knowledge, experience, and dedication to this field and to individuals with developmental disabilities. The majority of our Senior Management Team has been in the Human Services field in excess of 20 years, with a large majority of those years being with Cottonwood. 


Senior Management

  • Cynthia D. Opheim - Director
  • Chris Gootee - Associate Director
  • Mindy Vankalsbeek - Program Administrator
  • Seanna Horton - Financial Officer
Program Managers

  • Melissa Gault - Residential
  • Lisa Griffin - Residential
  • Cynthia Kramer - Residential
  • Traci O'Brien - Day Program
  • Lisa Vargo - Residential
  • Nicole Schmidt - Residential
Administrative Support Staff

  • Michael Fox - Educational Coordinator
  • Carol C. Hypolite - Benefits Coordinator
  • Mary Lucius - Medical Services Coordinator
  • Deb Turk - Development Coordinator
  • Carlene Keenan - Office Assistant
Cottonwood is proud of its ongoing policy of open communication with their clients, family members, guardians, advocates and Interdisciplinary Team Members, and staff.   The primary contact for clients, their families, advocates, etc. is their assigned Program Manager. 

Emergency and after hours phone calls should go to our emergency cell phone 303-908-8761. If you have a message that can be handled the next working day, feel free to leave a message on the voice mail at the office.