BIO

Josh Rael serves as the Executive Director for Alliance, a nonprofit statewide association of Community-Centered Boards (CCBs) and Program-Approved Service Agencies (PASAs) in Colorado. Alliance members serve over 20,000 individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and employ over 4,000 direct support professionals and IDD case managers throughout Colorado. Alliance is well-respected for their efforts in the areas of public policy, state legislation, developmental disability initiatives, best practices and strengthening services and supports for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

In 2022, Josh was elected to the ANCOR Board of Directors. ANCOR, is the nation’s largest IDD provider association representing 1,800+ organizations employing more than a half-million professionals who together serve more than a million individuals with IDD. Josh will be representing the 55 state associations in 44 states on the ANCOR Board of Directors and will also Chair the SAE Network and Co-Chair ANCOR’s Government Relations Committee.

Josh is a Colorado native and received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Colorado State University-Pueblo, a Juris Doctor from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law and a Master of Public Administration with an emphasis in Nonprofit Management at the University of Colorado-Denver.

In 2020, Josh received the prestigious “40 Under 40” Award from the Denver Business Journal. In 2011, Josh was selected to attend President Obama’s White House Hispanic Policy Conference in Washington, D.C. And in 2007, Colorado's Governor Bill Ritter appointed Josh to the Colorado Creative Industry Board (formerly the Council of the Arts) for two terms.

After law school, Josh worked as a lobbyist for almost 8 years. Josh also worked for the Colorado Public Defender’s Office, the Colorado Mental Health Institute’s legal access department, the Colorado General Assembly, the Walt Disney Company, Koncilja and Koncilja Law Firm and the Ritter for Governor Campaign. Josh is also a successful national recording artist and was nominated for a Grammy in 2004 in the “Best Pop Album” and “Best Male Pop Performance” categories.

Josh also appeared on the Food Network in 2009, on the “Blind Date Cakes” Food Network Challenge. From 2007-2012, Josh owned and operated a Colorado talent management company representing musicians, actors, and models and managed a professional dance team that was featured on MTV’s America’s Best Dance Crew.

After years of training, hundreds of live performances, and many grueling auditions, Josh’s career took off with the singing of the National Anthem. Josh has had the honor to sing the National Anthem for many public figures such as President Clinton, Vice President Gore, Wayne Newton, the late Selena, Mario Lopez, and governors, senators, and representatives from around the country. The National Anthem also gave Josh the opportunity to sing at dozens of professional sporting events and venues such as, Mile High Stadium, the Pepsi Center, and Coors Field.