Colleen Horton retired from the Hogg Foundation for Mental Health in 2022 after serving as the foundation’s first director of public policy. Her work focused on improving opportunities for recovery for diverse populations, expanding peer services, developing the foundation’s policy fellow program, improving mental health services for individuals with disabilities, increased funding for mental health/substance use services, and more.

Prior to working at the foundation, Colleen served as policy director at the Center for Disability Studies at the University of Texas. Her passion for improving services and supports for those living with disabilities and mental health/substance use conditions stems from raising a daughter with disabilities and witnessing the challenges experienced by her brother who struggled with addiction.

She holds a master’s degree in public policy from the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas.