Life and Work with Dana Barton

Today we’d like to introduce you to Dana Barton.

Dana, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I moved to Colorado after graduating from Michigan State University (Go Green!) in 2003. While in college, I worked for the MSU Football Department assisting with recruiting operations. The University of Colorado Football Program hired me as Assistant Director of Football Operations in August 2003. I spent one season with the team, where I met my now-husband, who also worked for the program. He was born and raised in Colorado Springs and had decided to move back to the springs and I decided to join him.

I worked for the Broadmoor Hotel for the next seven years in various roles, spending five years as the Director of Recruitment where I was responsible for the recruitment and hiring of the 2,000+ person staff. This role took me around the world to recruit foreign students on different visa programs and allowed me to learn all aspects of Human Resources.

In an attempt to find a better work-life balance I left the Broadmoor in 2012 and worked for a short time as a Senior Technical Recruiter for Robert Half Technology before taking on the role of Business Relations and Employment Development Director for the Pikes Peak Workforce Center (PPWFC).

In my role at PPWFC, I managed millions of dollars in state and discretionary grant funding to support both adults and youth in meeting their educational and employment goals. It was in this role that I found my passion to support individuals in becoming the best version of themselves. I worked with businesses that were struggling to find good employees and people who were seeking good employment. I was able to understand the workforce climate in Colorado Springs and develop solutions, like braiding federal funds to obtain positive outcomes that were beneficial for our community and the people who live here. In addition, I worked closely with community partners to provide training and development opportunities to individuals with disabilities to increase their employment opportunities.

In 2017, ready for a new challenge and opportunity, I accepted the position as the Director of the Rocky Mountain ADA Center (RMADAC), a project of Meeting the Challenge. My role within the organization was to lead the staff’s daily efforts to provide the six-state Rocky Mountain Region with technical support, training, guidance and the most updated information pertaining to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Over two years, I was able to see increased awareness around the services RMADAC provides and education around the ADA within our region. We started a social media campaign, which saw increases of over 155% in reach through social media channels. We rebranded and built a new and accessible website, and refreshed a library of educational materials. We launched a free online training program around the ADA and increased our in-person training programs. In addition, we participated in over 170 public awareness activities and 65 media appearances in one year.

In October of 2019, I was approached by our parent company, CP&Y, Inc. to oversee operations of Meeting the Challenge, while still serving as the Director of RMADAC. Meeting the Challenge is a disability compliance consulting firm based in Colorado Springs. We work with public and private entities to assist in ADA Compliance. We perform audits of facilities, public-rights-of-way, programs, services, and activities. We assist state and local governments in developing and fulfilling their self-evaluation and transition plans, as well as providing plan reviews for architects. We have worked within Colorado, but also in other states like Georgia, Washington, and Tennessee.

In my spare time, I am the mother to two amazing kiddos – 9 and 11 years old. Both play hockey; my son competitively for a team in Colorado Springs, for which I am the team manager. I write for the Colorado Springs Moms Blog and have served on various boards within the community.

Has it been a smooth road?
This road has been rough! It’s challenging being a wife, mother, daughter, friend…and a professional. There are times when it seems impossible to juggle it all, especially when you are an overachiever. I am the type of person who strives for perfection and excellence in all that I do. Over the years, I have had to learn to slow down and take things as they come.

By the time I was 35, I had mapped out my entire career. I positioned myself to be at the top of the list for new positions, made sure I was “seen” at all the right events, and tried to rub elbows with “cool kids” in town. At that time, I wasn’t confident enough in myself to allow my results to elevate my career. And because I wanted to be in such control of my career path, I allowed myself to be crushed when things didn’t go the way I had planned. I allowed myself to be angry and negative.

But the beauty of seeing my plan crumble is that I am now in a place that I could have never dreamed of. I have had to learn to trust the process and to believe that I have the skills and knowledge to make a difference every day. That’s a tough lesson to learn. By not getting a promotion, or being passed up for a position I thought I was made for, I have been able to stretch myself in a new industry, focus on being present for my children and family, and had time to be comfortable in my own skin.

So, as you know, we’re impressed with Meeting the Challenge and the Rocky Mountain ADA Center – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
We help to make the world a more accessible place! One in four Americans has a disability, which can affect so many aspects of their lives. The Americans with Disabilities Act was passed in 1990 and prohibits discrimination of qualified individuals with disabilities and allows for equal participation in public life. Many individuals with disabilities don’t realize what their rights are and many public and private entities don’t realize that they are discriminating. From bathroom stalls to websites, inaccessibility can negatively impact a person’s experience.

The ADA requires compliance by employers, state and local governments, and places of public accommodation in physical access, effective communication, and participation in programs, activities, and services. We have experience auditing thousands of facilities, providing technical assistance, training, and implementation for hundreds of clients. As consultants, we are able to provide clients with the knowledge and resources to solve their disability law compliance challenges, while increasing access for people with disabilities.

We use proprietary software which is specifically designed for accessibility compliance audits. Our technology is able to accurately pinpoint areas of risk and non-compliant elements. Using the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design, we ensure every element we analyze is accurate and prioritized correctly.

In addition, Meeting the Challenge operates the Rocky Mountain ADA Center, one of ten regional technical assistance centers funded by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research. We provide free technical assistance on the ADA for six states – Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Montana, South Dakota, and North Dakota. We help individuals, institutions, and businesses understand their rights and responsibilities under the ADA through information, training, and guidance.

Who have you been inspired by?
So many! When I worked in college athletics, I was one of the very few women in a male-dominated industry. I was lucky to have strong women to look up to and to help me develop a thick skin. Learning early in my career to not take things too personally and not put up with domineering behavior has always served me well.

In more recent years, I have been inspired by many of the women leaders in Colorado Springs. They are everywhere you look, getting stuff done! Since community involvement is important to me, I have spent a great deal of time networking in the community, which has led to deep friendships and mentorships over time. Through these relationships, I have become friends with professional women, who are a bit further along in their careers, who are also mothers. When I stopped caring about who I was seen with, or who invited me to which event and began developing deeper relationships, I found a group of mentors (and friends) who had my best interest at heart.

Having the ability to lean on these women has been a lifesaver. I have the ability to call them up and get their advice on opportunities. Getting their outside perspective has allowed me to make well-thought-out decisions about my next move.

Contact Info:

• Address: Meeting the Challenge
  3630 Sinton Road, Suite 103
  Colorado Springs, CO 80907
• Website: www.mtcaccessibility.com
• Phone: 719-433-7644
• Email: dbarton@mtc-inc.com

Image Credit:
Faith Photography By Kati

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