Heather Beck Appointed as Interim CEO of The Gathering Place

As Organization Makes Changes to better Align with Mission, Current Vice President of Programs and Services Will Provide Vision and Stability

(Feb. 21, 2024–Denver, CO) The Gathering Place board of directors has appointed Heather Beck to serve as interim CEO of the organization.

The organization is aligning around a renewed vision of services and programming. 

“We will always be committed to serving the women, transgender, and non-binary folks and children who need support while they are experiencing poverty,” said Elizabeth Ferguson, Chair of the Board of Directors. “That is central to who we are and will not change. But, as we take this time to reenvision how to best serve this community, we are grateful for the vision and stability Heather Beck will provide.”

Beck has served for four years as The Gathering Place’s vice president for programs and services and in that capacity has overseen an evolution of the organization’s service delivery from a “drop in” only model to designing programming around trauma-informed best practices and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s pillars of recovery–health, home, purpose and community. Additionally, she has led the evolution at The Gathering Place to meet people in need where they are, including introducing a low-barrier model of providing essential services to support stability and recovery. 

Specifically, Beck led The Gathering Place’s collective efforts with the City of Denver and other agencies to establish the auxiliary shelter during the pandemic for women and transgender individuals, located in the Denver Coliseum. The 24/7 shelter offered enhanced safety for unhoused women and transgender folks as well as access to COVID testing, healthcare, and other basic necessities all while following public health guidelines. Beck also oversaw services at The Gathering Place’s Rodeway Inn, which ultimately connected more than 140 people with permanent housing. She is now leading the efforts to develop the program model for Elati Village, a 44 unit micro-community in collaboration with currently and formerly unhoused people and community partners. Elati Village will include case management, housing navigation, supportive services, and wellness programs to support members’ transition into permanent housing. 

Megan Devenport, former CEO, is no longer with the organization.

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The Gathering Place offers services to combat poverty and address the impacts of marginalization and oppression that are often contributing factors to poverty or homelessness. By offering low-barrier access to a broad range of basic necessities and wrap-around care options, we guide women, transgender and non-binary people, and children living in poverty from a place of crisis and instability to one of stability and security.