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Rocky Mountains

Rocky Mountain Chapter


The Rocky Mountain Chapter of APA is the first official chapter outside of Texas and covers the states of Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming.


Join us for continuing education and high quality, in depth, and interactive training seminars in the Rocky Mountain region, covering a variety of topics on accessibility, based upon expressed interests from our local building officials, design professionals, contractors, owners, and developers. 

The Rocky Mountain Chapter is your way to get involved with topics that are specific to your area and network with professionals in your region.


Join us!


Upcoming trainings

CHAPTER TRAINING:


Monday, June 12, 2023, 1:00 CT, noon MT

APA RMC Virtual Training - "[Things] People to Consider in Multimodal Transportation Projects"
Presented by Geoff Ames, RMC President

Course Description:

While nominally this course is about the accessibility of pedestrian facilities, fundamentally, we will discuss the prioritization of pedestrian safety above all else. The design of pedestrian/multimodal transportation corridors must anticipate the potential conflict of diverse user groups with different needs and expectations. Safety and equitable use of public assets is paramount. Transit-oriented development must consider environmental justice and inclusion of all categories of transportation users, from the transit-dependent to cyclists to the economically-disadvantaged, to people of all abilities. Projects must evaluate the needs of all users, compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the environmental and economic impacts on the surrounding community from the earliest conceptual designs.

AIA CE/LU credit will be offered for this webinar. You must attend the entire session to receive CE/LU credit. List your AIA number in the question area of registration in order to receive credit. APA will report credit to AIA. Completion certificates will be available for attendees to self-report continuing education units to various organizations. 



ACTCP 1 elective credit, AIA/CES #APA 257 1 LU|HSW, ICC #pending 1 hr CE credit + .5 hr Q&A

APA Rocky Mountain Chapter Member $25.00, APA Member $35.00, Non-member $45.00

 


Upcoming chapter events

Join us for our monthly roundtable

 

June's roundtable will be replaced by the virtual training, "[Things] People to Consider in Multimodal Transportation Projects," given by our very own Geoff Ames. 


See above for registration information. Chapter members enjoy $20 off the nonmember rate!

NOTE: The monthly roundtables are now every fourth Monday of the month

Open to all Rocky Mountain Chapter members. Chapter members are encouraged to bring a guest!

More info

 

Zoom invitations for RMC roundtables will be emailed to all chapter members. If you're an RMC member and haven't received your invite, please contact Camille North.Contact

Round wooden table seen from above

Why join the Rocky Mountain Chapter?

Chapter membership gets you these membership benefits, with more to come:


  • Network with others in your region
  • Brainstorm with other professionals in monthly virtual roundtables
  • Connect with others during in-person meet-ups every quarter 
  • Explore internships and mentorships through chapter outreach
  • Discuss accessibility issues pertinent to the Rocky Mountain states
  • Exchange ideas with other accessibility professionals 
  • Join the chapter to discuss codes and regulations unique to your region
  • Make your voice heard on legislative issues
  • Learn about the latest from the legislature
  • Offer a unified voice for the industry to the legislature
  • Earn Continuing Education credit through in-person trainings close to you
  • Drive to trainings instead of fly
  • Enjoy reduced fees for Continuing Education trainings
  • Use your chapter membership to get discounted rates on trainings and conferences


Join APA


Rocky Mountain Chapter Board

Geoff Ames

President

Building One Consulting

Denver, CO

Contact

Dana Barton

President-Elect

Building One Consulting

Denver, CO

Contact

Smiling woman with long dark hair against a sunbeam

MacKenzie Lowe

Secretary

Larimer County ADA Coordinator

Fort Collins, CO

Contact

Smiling man with short dark hair against a white background

Kevin Harkins

Treasurer

Building One Consulting

Denver, CO

Contact

Black and white photo of a man with glasses against a white background

Kevin Grace

Board Member at Large

Building One Consulting

Denver, CO

Contact

Sarah Strauch

APA Board Liaison

Marx|Okubo

Denver, CO

Contact


Past trainings

September 2022 Virtual Training with APA Rocky Mountain Chapter

Tuesday, September 20, 2022, 2:00 PM Mountain, 3:00 pm Central

"Blind spot acoustics: Inclusive architectural soundscape design" 


Chris Downey, AIA, and Joshua Cushner will help prepare participants be better prepared to design delightful and functional ADA-compliant architectural acoustic environments.


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June 1, 2022 Virtual Training

Wednesday, 12:00-1:30 Mountain, 1:00-2:30 Central

"New Topics in the 2017 A117.1 Accessibility Standard," presented by Kim Paarlberg, ICC


Kim Paarlberg from ICC will present on new added topics not addressed in the accessibility standards before.


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April 6, 2022 Virtual Training

Wednesday, 1:00-2:30 CST

"Why Does Website Accessibility Apply to Me?," presented by Geoff Ames, Meeting the Challenge, Inc., Colorado Springs, Colorado


The APA Rocky Mountain Chapter (RMC) will offer Lunch and Learn accessibility trainings via webinar in 2022. Potential topics include website accessibility, architecture and effective communication, legislative initiatives to improve access for people with disabilities, accessible pedestrian facilities (PROWAG), and accessibility in senior living facilities. Presentations will be given by experienced and knowledgeable trainers among RMC’s founding members, as well as guest speakers. Trainings will be offered for a modest fee, and completion certificates will be available for attendees to self-report continuing education units to various organizations.



Continuing Education

Members meet the requirements of numerous organizations by attending APA Training. APA is a CE/LU provider for Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR), Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR), American Institute of Architects (AIA), International Code Council (ICC), and the ADA Coordinator Training Certification Program (ACTCP).



Our members

The Accessibility Professionals Association members are experts on complying with the Americans with Disability Act and codes within various states. We also assist in educating our members in other related accessibility codes, such as the Fair Housing Act (FHA) and other building accessibility Codes and Standards, enabling them to guide their clients towards compliance, which can be a complex and challenging process. 



Our professional members are licensed by various agencies and have a broad knowledge of the laws, codes, and standards that promote accessibility in the built environment. Whether dealing with a public building or privately owned structure, a facility leased or occupied by government agencies, a place of public accommodation, or a commercial facility for individuals with disabilities, our APA members are engaged in a wide range of accessibility consulting, including assisting building owners, architects, contractors, building officials, and consumers in assuring an accessible built environment.

How APA members can partner with business and government

  • Plan reviews to verify your plans are designed complying with applicable federal, state, and/or local accessibility codes before construction begins.
  • Site inspections to verify your facility meets applicable accessibility requirements during and after the completion of construction.
  • Building and site assessments to identify items or areas of non-compliance in existing structures.
  • Accessibility seminars to educate and answer questions on accessibility standards, and provide insight into issues facing those within the building and construction industries.
  • Consultation in the development of strategies for ongoing proactive architectural barrier removal, thereby minimizing owner’s liability.
  • Design services provided at any point in the design or construction process to assist in the preparation of accessibility solutions for drawings, details, and specifications.
  • Expert testimony including dispute resolution for mediation and arbitration.
  • Governmental policy
  • Serve as a resource in establishing policy.
  • Provide a “review team” to address constituent concerns regarding state and federal laws related to disability.
  • Disseminate necessary information regarding disability-related policies and laws through our emails and/or mailings to appropriate representatives of the business community as well as the disability community.


APA mission

  • Support membership needs and organizational growth
  • Enhance professional development 
  • Actively promote the services provided by our members 
  • Hold our members to a high standard of professionalism and ethics 
  • Facilitate consistency in the application of accessibility regulations 
  • Present a unified voice in our industry
  • Actively participate in the development, interpretation, and adoption of accessibility regulations
  • Promote the value of certified accessibility specialists and consultants