Listen as Madison Blanton and Mike Homco with One Step Beyond talk about serving adults with intellectual disabilities and share stories about what it means to live every day with a disability and what is possible with proper support and services.
One Step Beyond was founded in 2003 by former teacher Mimi Rogers with 16 participants in a small Phoenix neighborhood location. Today, One Step Beyond is the largest campus-based day training program for adults (18+) who have intellectual disabilities, serving more than 600 members each year at four locations in the Phoenix Metro area: Glendale, Peoria, Scottsdale, and Surprise as well as two Bay Area locations in San Mateo and San Carlos, California. Mimi Rogers served as CEO of One Step Beyond until August 2020. Upon her retirement, the Board named Mimi’s daughter Madison Blanton CEO.
Madison Blanton is CEO of One Step Beyond, Inc., a private, non-profit organization that provides comprehensive programming and services for adults who have intellectual disabilities. She was appointed CEO in August 2020. Prior to her appointment, Blanton was an executive director instrumental in expanding One Step Beyond programming to San Mateo and San Carlos, Calif. She also served as director of development and communications, and director of programs.
Prior to joining OSBI, Blanton held positions with Special Olympics Arizona and the Heard Museum. She also served as a Board Member of the Northwest Valley YMCA in both 2014 and 2015 as well as a Member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals Blanton graduated from Arizona State University with a Bachelor of Science degree with a focus on nonprofit leadership and management.
Mike Homco was One Step Beyond's first employee and remains with the organization to this day, currently serving as Executive Director Arizona. Mike oversees and leads the development and ongoing management and daily operations of all One Step Beyond Arizona programs and services. His responsibilities include supervision, mentoring, setting standards for professional conduct and quality assurance, developing policies and procedures, and ensuring adherence to the annual budget and strategic plan. He is responsible for leading efforts to address needs, interests, aptitudes, and ISP Goals and Objectives of all members participating in all AZ Programs and Services. This includes curriculum development and delivery, development of community partners, ongoing and effective communication with parents/guardians and all program stakeholders, as well as all other means to advance program goals achievement, responsiveness to participants, and continuous improvement.
Mike holds a Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies: Speech-Language Sciences and Technology with a minor in Public Administration and is also licensed by the Arizona Department of Health Services as a Speech and Language Pathology Assistant. Mike has made it his career to work with adults and children with intellectual disability and is continuing his education to pursue his Master of Science in Clinical Speech-Language Pathology. Mike is a member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and partners with Westside Speech & Language Services to provide speech services.
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