Reactive to Proactive--Reframing of the Colorado State Patrol's Wellness Culture

Darrell Aulston is an Executive Law Enforcement Professional with over 20 years of experience. He earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice from the University of Nebraska at Kearney while working for the Buffalo County Sheriff’s Office as a detention officer. Darrell Aulston is currently a Captain with the Colorado State Patrol and has 11 years of leadership experience, now serving as the Wellness Director. Darrell’s previous roles include training, investigations, and first and second-level leadership. Darrell is married to his wife Kali and lives in Denver with their son Riggs.

Lt. Colonel Joshua Downing began his career with the Colorado State Patrol in July 1998. His first duty station was in Golden, Colo.. He later served as a Trooper and Corporal in Weld County, was promoted to Sergeant and then Captain both in the Hazardous Materials Section, promoted to Major of the Staff Services Branch, and then transferred to the Training Services Branch. On February 1, 2018, Downing was promoted to Lt. Colonel and has been assigned to all three Regions over the past 5 years. Lt. Colonel Downing has played a critical role in the advancement of technology, policy, training and accreditation for the Colorado State Patrol. Lt. Colonel Downing has held many leadership roles throughout the organization, providing him an advantage to understanding the many intricacies of business processes across the Patrol. Lt. Colonel Downing has served as an instructor for the Leadership in Police Organizations (LPO) program, a chairman for the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance Level VI program and held numerous other positions on committees that have a national impact on the law enforcement community. He attended the and graduated with honors from the 140th Adminitrative Officers Cousre at the Southern Police Insitutute at the Univerity of Louiville in 2018. Lt. Colonel Downing was recognized with the Citizens Appreciate State Troopers (C.A.S.T.) Award in 2002, and is an alumni of Colorado Mesa University in Grand Junction, Colo. Lt. Colonel Downing is a Colorado native and married with two children, one of which his oldest son becaome a Trooper with CSP in July of 2023. He enjoys spending time with his family, friends and coaching football.

Josephine "JoJo" McFee Wellness Coordinator - Colorado State Patrol Josephine McFee is the Wellness Coordinator for the Colorado State Patrol. She has over a decade of experience in Employee Wellness. In April of 2023, she began working with the Colorado State Patrol Wellness Unit. In her work, she strives to help employees discover how to achieve well-being in their everyday lives in both the workplace and at home. Josephine studied Exercise Science with an emphasis on Health Promotion in her undergraduate program at Colorado State University. Additionally, she has continued her learning by becoming a Certified Personal Trainer, Health Coach, and Group Fitness Instructor. As an active learner, finding ways to stay aware of current trends and research is critical to her success. Currently, she is studying for a certification in Sleep, Stress, and Recovery coaching. She has spent most of her life in Colorado and enjoys time in the Outdoors. Whether snowboarding, paddleboarding, or hiking, she enjoys being active and maintaining her well-being in her free time. Through years of trial and error, she understands wellness, especially for employees, from personal and professional learning and expertise. When not helping employees thrive, she enjoys time with her husband and dog, 'Doc.'