Champions of Change
Dana Louise Niemela, MSW, is a veteran of the United States Navy and the Coordinator of the Homeless Veterans' Reintegration Program (HVRP) for the Denver Department of Human Services. As the HVRP Coordinator, Dana has worked to create a substantial supportive services network throughout the Metro Denver Region to meet the needs of the hundreds of homeless veterans her program has served throughout her tenure. She has leveraged her relationships with community partners that include federal, state, and local governments, non-profit organizations and the private sector to increase employment opportunities, increase both access to funding and funding for behavioral health programs serving the military and veteran community, and provide veterans of all eras and socio-economic backgrounds access to community and service opportunities. Her efforts have earned her national recognition for efforts towards community building and coordinated service delivery. In addition to her role as the HVRP Coordinator, Dana also serves on the Colorado Board of Veterans’ Affairs, is the Homeless Coordinator for VFW Post 1, the Veteran Outreach Coordinator for the Denver Chapter of Team Red, White, and Blue, and a volunteer for Team Rubicon.