Our Team
Alicia Burdick
Owner/Chief Executive Officer
Alicia Burdick founded Community Roots in 2022 with a vision of creating authentic communities for all people. Alicia has an extensive background in the intellectual and developmental disability field. She began by volunteering as a peer mentor in high school in Boulder, Colorado. She went on to obtain her Bachelor’s in Psychology from the University of Colorado while working as a respite provider for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. After graduating, Alicia worked in case management at Imagine! and supervised the HCBS-DD Waiver case manager team. She then worked as the Director of Residential Services at two residential agencies and further developed her skills in service delivery. After these experiences, Alicia was inspired to use her passion and expertise to found Community Roots – a small company with a big heart.
Sam Sartwell
Director of Community Integration
Sam started with Community Roots in October 2022. Originally from Baltimore, Maryland, he moved to Boulder to earn his Bachelors degree in Environmental Studies from the University of Colorado. After graduating, Sam worked as a research assitant studying the effects of climate change on the Continental Divide. While he felt extremely passionate about this work, he was looking to get more applied vs. theoretical and worked in gardening, weed management for the City of Boulder, and ultimately as a Noxious Weed Specialist for the Colorado Department of Agriculture. Sam was very involved in supporting Alicia with her goal of starting Community Roots and once the business was established, he was excited to change his path of work to join her. Sam started out working direct support with Community Roots clients and found his love and passion of working with the I/DD population. Sam brings his excitement, energy, care, and connection to our clients and is passionate about sharing this with more and more people.
Emily Begg
Lead Care Manager
Originally hailing from San Diego, CA, Emily brings to Community Roots her love of the beach, cats, Disney, Harry Potter and all things football (Go Chargers!). Growing up with a mother with multiple sclerosis, Emily brings to the field the split perspective of a family natural support and professional in human services. With a BA in Psychology from University of California: Santa Barbara, Emily spent 5 years post-graduation working at a residential mental health facility enriching the independent living skills and lives of individuals with mild to moderate mental illness. Her experiences with unique perspectives, incredible life stories and medication management helped her recognize her passion for advocacy and see the difference one person can make. Working there united her with her calling to help others by building a more inclusive and supportive community for all individuals.
Furthering this budding passion, Emily connected with a local Santa Barbara company, Peer Buddies, to provide direct support and ABA therapy under a licensed BCBA therapist. This 3-year adventure gave Emily her first experience with behavioral therapy, creating community connections/outreach and working with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Alongside working full-time as manager of the mental health facility, Emily assisted in grant writing and direct support through 1:1 and summer camp sessions, finding her stride in the field of human services in a quick 5 years.
In 2019, the opportunity came to move out to CO for her partner’s PhD Program. Looking for some new weather and new experiences, Emily, her partner and their cat moved to Boulder where she began work as a Direct Support Professional. After 6 months, Emily took on her first case manager role at this same residential agency, inheriting most of her 1:1 clients onto her caseload (a uniquely awesome experience!) Always looking to grow and looking for bigger ways to impact her community, Emily connected with Community Roots and signed onboard with 4 years IDD case management experience under her belt. Having worked closely with Alicia in the past, Emily is SO excited to be here and specializes in striking the balance between agency compliance and person-centered care and approach. Emily believes that every person should feel seen and valued in their community and that genuine relationships and outreach are the foundation that sustain that. She believes anyone and everyone can make a difference and strives to be a helping hand in that process every day.
Adam Taubert
Care Manager
Adam made a pivot from art-direction to the outdoor industry to begin developing his career as an instructor in adventure sports like Rock Climbing and Alpine Skiing. After a few years of working closely with hundreds of clients, he recognized a commonality in his clients – they had all found some resolve in their outdoor activities as a means to work through difficult, and oftentimes, very traumatic experiences from the past.
He deepened his approach by spending long periods of time in the wilderness to understand the benefits of the natural world in relation to mental and physical health. This led him down a path to become a nationally-registered Wilderness First Responder. He took it a step further by successfully pursuing his master-certification as a Health and Wellness Coach to advise and coach clients with chronic and acute illness by developing detailed patient assessments, meal plans, movement analysis, and talk therapy under the guise of a whole body approach.
In the same year, he was awarded a three-year scholarship to study and research trauma via the Somatic Experiencing Trauma Institute founded by Dr. Peter Levine – a leader in trauma therapy worldwide that has worked closely with an array of prominent therapists like Dr. Gabor Maté and Dr. Richard Schwartz, responsible for Internal Family Systems Therapy.
He is currently a returning-student at the University of Colorado Boulder pursuing his BS in Neuroscience with aspirations of completing a doctorate in Clinical Psychology at the University of Denver. When Adam isn't working with our clients, he spends his time working at Boulder Community Hospital in In-Patient Psych; and mentors people in substance abuse recovery.
Heather Mazzuca
Care Manager
Heather has spent almost ten years working with the Developmental Disabilities (DD) waiver, bringing care and support to her community. As a true Colorado native, she loves the outdoors and takes full advantage of the state's natural beauty.
At home, Heather is a loving parent to a spirited 2-year-old daughter and two playful dogs. They all enjoy going on camping adventures together, creating lasting memories in the great outdoors.
With a heart for helping others and a love for nature, Heather brings warmth and dedication to everything she does.
Margo Shean McNichol
Direct Support Professional
Margo is a compassionate advocate with a wealth of experience in providing support to diverse populations. From guiding young children to aiding elders, Margo's journey has been defined by a commitment to enhancing the lives of others.
Her career in supporting vulnerable populations began in 2000, working as a residential counselor supporting adults with developmental disabilities, discovering a profound passion for being present for people who don’t have the same privileges as the average person. This passion led her to immerse herself in meditation, spending three transformative years in a meditation center and emerging as a skilled meditation instructor, practicing, leading, and guiding retreats. Looking to further her understanding of the human experience, Margo pursued a BA in Religious Studies from Naropa University, where she delved into traditional Eastern arts and visual arts, illuminating the universal quest for authenticity and purpose.
Continuing her quest to facilitate healing, Margo is on the verge of completing her certification as a Nature Therapy Guide. She believes in the profound healing power of the natural world, offering clients a healing journey outdoors to ground them in the present moment and provide solace from past traumas and future anxieties, not to mention, for pure enjoyment.
In her free time, Margo finds solace in nature, exploring the trails of Boulder and cherishing moments with her beloved family, including her young son.