Our Mission

True North provides services to individuals with disabilities within the Steamboat Springs, CO area to enhance their quality of life both socially and within work and educational settings.

Services are provided in a safe and consistent manner tailored to the individual needs and wants of the individual along with the desires of their families. Service providers offer unique ways for clients to overcome obstacles to obtain personal life goals and become as independent within the community as possible.

Activities will include both indoor and outdoor opportunities to develop new skills and interests to assist clients in leading purposeful, joyful, and productive lives. Recreational activities such as day trips, shopping, arts activities, playing games, cultural and educational programming, and excise are incorporated.

Meet our Staff

Hahn Erickson - Executive Director

Hahn grew up in Steamboat Springs, and Telluride, Colorado – splitting time between his father in Steamboat and mother in Telluride. Growing up in these two amazing places helped to create a desire to experience as much of the earth as possible. Spending most of his school in Steamboat and then graduating in Telluride, Hahn went off to explore Europe for the first time before starting college at Jacksonville University. After traveling much of the United States with his mother as a child, this trip to Europee expanded his belief that differences are the best part of life. After a year at school in Jacksonville, Florida, Hahn went on his first solo journey around the world. Learning, volunteering, and experiencing the vast differences between us all. He combined his love of travel and education as a Peace Studies major at the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, New Zealand. His “summers” were spent as a ski instructor and ski coach in Telluride, Colorado as he went as far as possible with his degree in New Zealand. The wanderlust had not left him and after another season in Telluride instructing and coaching he left for his third worldwide trip, his last for the time being.

Hahn continued traveling during the summers, and ski instructing and coaching during the winters for the next few years. His journeys became more in-depth as did his desire to help others. He spent time living in Argentina, Los Angeles, and the Hamptons, taking courses in Spanish in both Argentina and Los Angeles, and living in the Hamptons as a child care coordinator for a wonderful group of families. After finishing his final season as a full-time instructor and coach in Telluride, Colorado, Hahn began his journey back to Steamboat. Moving back home to help with his step-mother who was deep into a battle with Alzheimer’s. He became one of the head counselors at the local Boys and Girls Club where he was happy and rising the ranks. Until a major accident while getting promoted, three weeks after losing his stepmother, changed his life forever.

Having to relearn every aspect of his life post his accident lead him to Los Angeles to heal where he became a nanny (or manny as the term is in L.A.) for a wonderful family that said they would have kept him around for years had he wished. It was a wonderful experience but not the end of his journey home. After three years in Los Angeles, Hahn returned home to Steamboat where he began his work with the Yampa Valley Autism program. After three years of successful work with them,

Hahn was hooked but had one more big trip planned. His desire for education and travel was still present and he left for a 5 month trip to India getting certified in Yoga, spending time meditating and pilgriming throughout the country with teachers from many different aspects of life. After his trip and in the midst of going forward with YVAP he lost his stepfather and it was time for another change. He spent the next few months healing while he began to think about his next steps in life. This is when he began his own business helping those in need.

It has been a journey that has led to some of the most amazing experiences, greatest sorrows, and wonderful joys that being a human can be. Hahn learned to harness the experiences from the inside out and back again. Finding his passion for helping others lead him to help start True North with an amazing group of people. He has combined his knowledge and experience to help unique people with unique requests.

“There is truly too much to put in here and perhaps I did not put enough. It is hard to summarize the life I have lived. I believe in people. I believe we can overcome more than we know. I believe if a person thinks they are too different, have experienced too much pain, or have gone through things that not a lot of other people have seen or experienced, I have been there with you. I believe if there are questions there are answers. I believe in love.”

- Hahn Erickson

 

Hahn comes with a vast amount of experience in a wide variety of backgrounds. He has experience in carpentry, art, music, sports, landscaping, cooking, and gardening, among those already mentioned with yoga, meditation, counseling, coaching, instructing, and in-home work with families from almost every background possible. He hopes to always continue to travel and learn more along the way but has settled in Steamboat and is planning on being here, back home, for the distant foreseeable future. He absolutely loves this community and hopes to be able to support and be a part of it for as long as possible.

  • Contact information: hahn@truenorthsteamboat.org

Matt Courtney - Care Counselor

Matt Courtney – Care Counselor

"I have lots of experience in all realms of work, mostly cooking and labor. I love being a counselor and job coach for True North because I learn something new every day working with awesome people. I love being with my wife and daughter. I also enjoy playing drums, skateboarding, hiking, and practicing Tae Kwon Do."

-Matt Courtney

 

  • Contact information: matt@truenorthsteamboat.org

Board Members

Audrey Zwak | President

Tracy Metzler | Vice President

Tom Ruehle | Treasurer

Holly James | Secretary