COLORADO'S FIRST LADY FRANCES OWENS

“The first step in successful prevention or early intervention efforts is strengthening the family and supporting healthy communities.  The steps to follow will come one child at a time as parents teach their children the difference between right and wrong.  They will come when our culture promotes neighborhoods safe from drugs and crime, and our children are provided with nurturing and unconditional love from their parents.”  Frances Owens

Introducing Frances Owens, First Lady of Colorado

Mrs. Owens has a longtime concern for the welfare of children, as is exemplified by her participation as one of 33 spouses in the Leadership to Keep Children Alcohol Free.  Prevention has always been a priority of the Owens administration.  The importance was reinforced tenfold after the Columbine tragedy of April 20, 1999.  Since Columbine, Mrs. Owens has dedicated even more of her time as a champion of Colorado’s prevention efforts. With Mrs. Owens’ full support, the Owens administration has created a Children and Youth Prevention Services Division, a clearinghouse for all of the State prevention activities.  Mrs. Owens also hosts an annual Early Intervention Awareness luncheon for the developmentally disabled, which draws over 500 people who advocate early interventions and prevention for young disabled children.

A native of Colorado, Mrs. Owens received a degree in Art History from the University of Colorado at Denver.  She and her husband have three children.