Larimer County Human Services

I am Jane Looney, the Manager (Supervisor) of the Kinship Unit. I have worked at the Larimer County Department of Human Services since 1976 in a variety of positions. I really enjoy working with the kinship care program. It continues to gratify me how many wonderful people are willing to devote the extensive time and energy it takes to be kinship families. In Larimer County we are striving to make our program "state of the art" in terms of children's safety and well being while in out of home care. In order to do that we have improved our training and support services to kinship parents. In addition, we are monitoring the homes closely and assuring compliance with the State rules governing these homes. Our goal for 2006 is to expand the process of partnering with our provider families to continually improve the teamwork aspects of caring for children in care.

On a personal level, I have lived in Fort Collins since high school and still think it is a great place to live. I've been happily married for 26 years. We have a daughter who is grown and out on her own and a dog, Gracey. I love to hike, garden, read and cook.

Hi, I'm Nancy Schaft, Family Development Specialist. I have lived in Larimer County for the past 23 years. My husband and I have two grown sons and a teenage granddaughter. We also have two great dogs that often act like naughty children.

I graduated from Colorado State University, and the University of Denver, then I obtained my licensure two years later. During this time my husband and I became foster parents for Larimer County. We took care of 20 teenage girls over three years! Retiring from foster care I went to work for a child placement agency working with high needs children of all ages. I came to work for Larimer County Department of Human Services as a Foster Care Coordinator in 1998. I love working with foster families and our families are the best! Every child needs a loving, caring home in which to grow up. By working together, our foster families and our unit have excelled as top statewide examples.

Hello, my name is Scott King. I have worked for Children, Youth and Family Services here in Larimer County since 1997. That entire time has been dedicated to the certification and support of foster families. I have been professionally working with children since the early 90's. My focus has been with developmentally disabled children and young adults. I have worked in both treatment and group home settings with this population. I am currently the primary foster care worker with the Developmentally Disabled/Medically Fragile Foster Care Program in Larimer County.

My wife, Kimberlee and I have lived in Loveland since the summer of 1997. Since coming to Colorado in 1997, our family has expanded. Our oldest daughter, was born in 2000 and our youngest, was born in 2002. Along with our two beautiful little girls, we have been blessed with some pets. The other members of our family are; Katie - a two year old Basset Hound, Libby - an Australian import cockatoo, Aleta - a green wing macaw, two tortoises, and a Beta fish.

Hi! My name is Colleen Gibley-Reed and I am a Family Development Specialist for the Larimer County Foster Care Program. I've been with this program since January 2000, but have been with the Department of Human Services since 1994. After graduating from Colorado State University, I started out as a Case Services Aide for the Family Assessment and Intervention Program, which was an intensive home based services program, offering services to parents and their children. In October 1995, I changed jobs and began working as an Ongoing Child Protection Caseworker. In that position, I worked with abused/neglected children, birth families, foster families and community service providers. I left that position in January 2000 to work in the foster care program. My current job entails training and certifying foster families, and offering ongoing support once they have children placed in their care. I really love my job! Outside of work, I enjoy scrapbooking , my Pembroke Welsh Corgi (dog) "Sophie", hanging out with friends and family, watching movies and TV (I'm a big "Survivor" fan), and working out. Additionally, I am a recent newlywed, having gotten married in April 2005 to my soul mate, David!

I'm Kate Ashby. I am a kinship caseworker. I have worked in the foster care unit since August of 2001. I transferred to work in the kinship unit in September of 2006. I really enjoy working with kinship families that are working hard to support children and their families. I have great respect and admiration for both kinship and foster families.

I completed my Master's Degree in Counseling in 2006. I have worked within the Human Service field since 1996. Personally, I enjoy spending my "non-work" time with my two children, husband, and dog.

I am Penny Gilden, the administrative assistant for the Foster Care Services Unit since October 2002. I also support two other units with the department. I have worked for Larimer County since 1996 with a break between November 1998 and August of 2000. Most of my work with Larimer County has been supporting units that work with the adolescent population. Working with the Foster Care Services Unit has been a learning experience. I have become aware of the need to increase the number of foster parents and the importance of their contributions not only to the children they foster, but to the community as well.

Hello! I'm Charity Andrews. I am the Adoption Family Development Specialist for the Permanency and Foster Care Units of Larimer County. I am also co-facilitator of the adoption support group for Larimer County adoptive families. In 2004 I completed my Master's Degree in Counseling. Prior to working for Larimer County, I gained valuable experience working as a birth parent counselor at a private adoption agency and also working as an individual, family, and group therapist at an adolescent residential treatment center. In 2005 I began work with Larimer County Department of Human Services. I have felt fortunate in my experience working with the foster care/kinship providers, adoptive families, and children of Larimer County. It amazes me how many good people we have in the community that reach out to touch a child's life and I feel honored that I am able to meet and work with these people: "Thank you for all you are doing to enhance the lives of our children!"

Hi, I'm Nancy Courtney, one of the Kinship Caseworkers on the Kinship Team. My husband Scott and I have lived in Fort Collins for 17 years and have two grown children, Kerri and Jay, and a dog named Mego. I enjoy reading, gardening, exercise and traveling with my husband.

I joined the unit in February 2004 after our Kinship Unit merged with the Foster Care Team. I have worked for the Larimer County Department of Human Services since November 1993 in several different positions in Adoption and Ongoing Child Protection. I have specifically worked with Kinship families since 1998. I believe in children living with family whenever possible. I have learned so much from the families I have worked with and I have a great deal of admiration for the many "hats" caregivers wear. I am looking forward to being part of a team that gives caregivers, whether related or unrelated, the information and support they need to provide safe and nurturing homes for children.

Hello, I'm Kelly Jackson. I am a Kinship Specialist in the Foster and Kinship Care Unit. I have been working for Larimer County Department of Human Services since August of 1997. I started at Youth Safe, a residential treatment center, and worked there for two and a half years and then became a caseworker in Ongoing Child Protection. After about seven months, I decided that wasn't the right fit for me and switched to the Youth Services Unit. Then, in August of 2002, I began my current position working as a Kinship Caseworker and I love it!

Hi, my name is Annette Sandstead, and I work as a Kinship Specialist for Larimer County in the Children, Youth, and Family Division. I graduated from CSU in 1993 with a Bachelor's Degree in Social Work and I have worked with families since 1989 when I first moved to Fort Collins to attend CSU. I began working as a residential counselor for teens with developmental disabilities. In 1993 I went to work for the Yuma County Department of Social Services but missed Fort Collins so much that I returned. I became employed as a Program Manager for Bethphage, an agency that cares for adults with developmental disabilities, and then became a Host Home Provider before accepting a job offer at Larimer County DHS in 1998 in Intake. I joined Kinship in January 2000. I truly enjoy working with relatives and family friends who can offer children love & stability.

Hi, my name is Ruben Guerrero, Recruitment Program Coordinator for the Foster Care Unit. I was born and raised in Sidney Nebraska. I moved to Sterling Colorado as a young adult where I met my wife Shirley. On August 25, 2004 we will celebrate 25 years of marriage. We have 3 children: Chris age 24, Krystina age 21, and Jordan age 11. We also have 3 beautiful granddaughters.

Prior to becoming a member of the Kinship Certification Training Team, I worked at Colorado State University for 16 years with The Financial Aid Office as Coordinator of Outreach for Student Financial Services. I provided information and assisted students and their families in finding funding to reach their higher education goals. I also served as a regional trainer (financial aid and diversity training) for Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming. I have experience working with youth substance abuse prevention programs and was a VISTA volunteer for 2 years in Northeast Colorado. I have a bachelor's degree in Social Work from Colorado State University and am also a licensed Real Estate Agent.

I am Tammy Phillips and I am one of the Kinship Caseworkers. I graduated from Colorado State University in 1996 with a Bachelor's Degree in Social Work and then began working with severely emotionally disturbed children in a residential setting. I then moved to Anchorage, Alaska with my soon to be husband and continued work in the social services field. It was in Alaska that I realized how important kinship relationships are to children. We had a daughter and after six years of living in Alaska it was time to move back down and be near family.

I was fortunate to become a member of the kinship unit in August 2004. I believe this is the best job available in the Children, Youth & Family Division because we get to help children stay with family or friends when parents are unable to care for them.