James Gillespie Joins Gateway Domestic Violence Services as New Executive Director

Gateway Domestic Violence Services has appointed James Gillespie as the new Executive Director. He joins Gateway as the former Community Impact & Government Relations Liaison at Mile High Behavioral Healthcare & the Comitis Crisis Center where he served since 2012.

James has more than 15 years of leadership experience and a proven successful track record working with all segments of the public, the community, the private sector, the legislative and executive branches of government, and the media to bring the message of ending homelessness. He has created shelter programs to include the integration of behavioral and primary healthcare. James advocated for the introduction of H.R. 95, The Homeless Veteran Families Actand provided expert testimony via a Statement for the Record to the House Committee of Veterans Affairs. The bill now has 301 bipartisan cosponsors in the U.S. House of Representatives, has passed the full House Committee on Veterans Affairs with a unanimous vote, and is now waiting to be scheduled for a Floor vote.

In his new capacity as Executive Director at Gateway Domestic Violence Services, James will lead all fundraising and operational activities by working with the community to transform Gateway into the best-run, evidence-based, effective and compassionate shelter within the United States. He is replacing Linda James as Gateway’s former Executive Director, who led the organization since 1990. Linda announced her retirement and we want to thank her for her leadership at Gateway and serving the community for almost 30 years.

“I am delighted to lead Gateway’s efforts in providing safe shelter for survivors of intimate partner violence,” said James Gillespie, Executive Director at Gateway Domestic Violence Services. “I look forward to leading the Gateway team in collaboration with the public and private sectors to significantly reduce and end domestic violence across our community.”

“We are excited to have James Gillespie lead the next stage of growth and evolution at Gateway Domestic Violence Services,” said Deborah Chen, Board President at Gateway. “We are very proud that Gateway has served the City of Aurora and the Arapahoe County community for 40 years and will continue to serve its citizens with counseling, emergency shelter and court advocacy services.”

For more information, please visit: https://www.gatewayshelter.org

About Gateway Domestic Violence Services

Founded in 1979, Gateway Domestic Violence Services’ mission is to prevent and eliminate intimate partner violence through counseling, residential care, and empowering people for social change. We provide more than 10,000 nights of residential care, handle 11,000+ crisis calls and serve more than 350,000 people per year. ​Gateway is the only 24/7 shelter available in the City of Aurora and Arapahoe County, offering emergency shelter and extended-stay care, together with a crisis line, licensed counseling, and court advocacy.​ ​Gateway is a non-profit 501c(3) organization that relies on private and public donations and grants to deliver these services across Arapahoe County. For more information about Gateway Domestic Violence Services, visit: ​https://www.gatewayshelter.org