About Us
Central Colorado AHEC is a community-based non-profit organization driven by the priority needs of the communities that it serves in 11 counties of: Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Clear Creek, Denver, Douglas, Elbert, El Paso, Gilpin, and Jefferson.
Our Vision:
“A healthy and informed populace served by a well educated, diverse work force in an accessible health care delivery system.”
Mission:
To provide educational programs through academic-community partnerships to address the needs of the health workforce as well as the under and uninsured in central Colorado.
Values :
- Every citizen/organization involved will be healthier.
- A strong academic-community partnership.
- Access to comprehensive care for all.
- An adequate health workforce.
- Maximize utilization of resources.
- Data will drive decisions.
Goals:
- To improve the distribution and retention of healthcare providers
- To increase the representation of under-represented and disadvantaged groups in all health disciplines.
- To address the healthcare needs of under-served counties and populations.
- To enhance the quality of care and improve health outcomes.
The Central Colorado Area Health Education Center exists to help local people in the planning, developing and delivering educational programs; facilitating the placement of allied health, dental, medical, nursing, pharmacy, and human service students in urban clinical practical and improving the distribution , quality, utilization and efficiency of health service personnel, especially in urban and medically under-served areas of central Colorado.
The Central Colorado AHEC accomplishes its mission by providing educational services, technical assistance or capacity building for health care and human service providers, community leaders, businesses, institutions, agencies, organizations, consumers and government entities in its catchments area.
The Central Colorado AHEC operates under the direction of a regional board of directors appointed from local communities and professional constituent organizations in central Colorado. Central Colorado AHEC works in partnership with four other Area Health Educations Centers in concert with the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, as well as other state agencies and institutions.
One of the Colorado AHEC program’s primary missions is the overall improvement of the health status of the residents and communities within the state and especially to support the development of access to healthcare for medically under-served and uninsured residents of Colorado. To that end, for more than 30 years the AHEC/UCD system has supported the development of health professionals to serve in rural, medically under-served and health professional shortage areas of the state.
Board of Directors
- Marie Miller, President BOD
- Arvada, CO
marieXmiller@comcast.net - Cindy Le Coq, Secretary BOD
- CTE Program Dir, Health & ACE
CO Community College System
Denver, CO 80230
Cindy.lecoq@cccs.edu - Dana M. Arvin, Esq.
- Independent Law Consultant
Denver, CO
danaarvinlaw@msn.com - James Dale, DVM, MPH, MBA
- Dir Environmental HServices Div
Jefferson County DHE
Golden, CO 80401
jdale@jeffco.us - Gary Laura, M Ed
- Coordinator, CDPHE
Denver, CO 80246-1630
Gary.laura@state.co.us - Allegra Melillo, MD
- AF Williams Clinic
Aurora, CO 80045
Allegra.melilo@uchsc.edu - Carolyn Pace
- VP of Human Resources, Peak Vista CHC
Co Springs, CO 80910- 3195
cpace@peakvista.org - Shirley Stewart PNP
- Business Owner, Health Care Consultant
CO Springs, CO
sstewartpnp@comcast.net
Map
Central CO AHEC office is now located on the Anschutz Medical campus of the University of Colorado Denver in the building called the Academic Office Building (AOB 1) on the 3rd floor (rm. 3413). There is visitor parking northwest of the building in the Cheyenne Wells lot. A parking map from the university can be viewed here.

Google Map to Central AHEC
You can click on the link at the bottom of the map to see a larger version.
Note that the Anschutz Medical Campus is changing almost daily so this map below does not necessarily show today's condition (for instance this map, when it was placed on this page 14 November 2008, does not show that 17th AVE even exist).
View Larger Map
Collaborations
Adams County Education Coalition
An unprecedented coalition between local business, school districts, post-secondary education institutions, and social and human services ... www.adamscountyeducation.org/Adams-County.html
Aurora Lights- Health Career Pipeline
A program in Partnership with the CO AHEC Program office, Aurora Public School District, Aurora Community College, UCD and UCD Anschutz Campus, Metro Community Provider Network.
Colorado Center for Nursing Excellence
The Colorado Center for Nursing Excellence is the only organization in Colorado exclusively dedicated to ensuring that our state has adequate numbers of highly-qualified nurses.
Colorado Nurses Association
The Colorado Nurses Association is a professional organization of registered nurses in Colorado.
Colorado Health Institute
The Colorado Health Institute (CHI) is an independent, nonprofit health policy and research organization based in Denver, Colorado.
National Area Health Education Center
The National Area Health Education Center (AHEC) Network consists of two complementary programs.
Southwest Center for Public Health Preparedness (SWCPHP)
The overall mission of the Southwest Center for Public Health Preparedness is to help prepare the public health workforce response to bioterrorism and emerging health threats .
