Summer Gathercole, Managing Director of SHG Advisors, excels at doing things that people think are impossible: She recently led Governor Polis’ initiative to reform Colorado’s behavioral health system. Many people said it couldn’t be done because there has been a myriad of efforts to reform Colorado’s system over the past two decades. But we did it! Summer and the Behavioral Health Task Force, comprised of 120 members, delivered our Blueprint to Governor Polis in September 2020 and he immediately asked us to start implementation. The recommendations are currently being executed and Colorado is well positioned to be the state in the U.S. that has a comprehensive behavioral health system for all people.
Summer also founded a workforce nonprofit that engaged Fortune 500 companies who employed hundreds of people. She served as the “state” Secretary of Labor for Washington, D.C. She launched a pre-apprenticeship program in a matter of weeks with 8 new partners. She facilitated a project that included a contentious and diverse group of stakeholders on a committee to develop recommendations for a discrete program. No one thought that the committee would come to an agreement. Summer conducted one-on-one interviews with all the committee members and used those conversations to set the framework for how the Committee interacted. After meeting for five months, the Committee developed recommendations on which they could all agree, and the implementation of those recommendations saved lives.
Summer was listed in Washingtonian magazine as one of the “40 People Under 40 to Watch.” She is an alumna of the 21/64 training on how to engage the next generation of philanthropists. Her work has been published in PR News’ Corporate Social Responsibility Guidebook.
During her free time, you can find Summer on hiking trails, or traveling on some far-off adventure around the world.
Experience & Education:
- SHG Advisors, 2014 – Present
- Colorado Department of Human Services/Behavioral Health Administration, Senior Advisor and Deputy Commissioner, 2019 – 2023
- Share Our Strength, Colorado State Director, 2012 – 2014
- Community Wealth Partners, Director, 2010 – 2012
- SHS Consulting Services, Principal, 2008 – 2010
- DC Department of Employment Services, Director, 2007 – 2008
- Workforce Organizations for Regional Collaboration, Executive Director, 2001 – 2006
- Goodwill of Greater Washington, VP of Training & Development, 2005-2006
- Community Family Life Services, Employment Specialist, 1999 – 2001
- Grant Thornton, Staff Accountant, 1997 – 1998
- B.S. in Business Administration, Accounting, University of Richmond
- Certified Public Accountant (CPA), State of Illinois 2001