Casey Markwell – Rocky Mountain Health Care Services

When Casey Markwell recalls his first week on the job at Rocky Mountain Health Care Services, he still pauses to gather himself. A call had come in about an elderly woman who used a wheelchair and lived in a single-wide trailer. She hadn’t been outside on her own in years; the only way she could leave her home was with help from firefighters who carried her down the steps.

Markwell and his facilities team built a custom ramp and made a few adjustments to her screen door so she could move freely again.

Within four hours, she rolled out on her own, felt the sun on her face, and began to cry.

“It’s hard to put into words how it feels each time we do something like that,” Markwell says quietly. “That was my first week here, and I’ll never forget it.”

Moments like that define what Rocky Mountain Health Care Services—known locally as RMPACE—stands for. Based in Colorado Springs, the nonprofit operates as a Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) and provides comprehensive medical, emotional, and social support to low-income seniors. Funded by Medicare and Medicaid, RMHCS provides everything from transportation and meals to physical therapy, dental care, and social activities. The organization’s mission is simple but profound: “To provide the highest-quality, cost-effective, person-centered services to improve lives, optimize wellness, and promote independence for those underserved.”

Creating care that feels like home

Since joining RMHCS in 2022 and becoming Director of Facilities in 2025, Markwell has been part of a team driving projects that expand access, efficiency, and comfort for participants. His most visible achievement is taking the lead on transforming the organization’s third floor into a physical therapy gym and adding a new state-of-the-art dental suite on the second floor, bringing specialized service care directly under RMHCS’s roof.

Before this renovation, participants had to travel off-site for dental visits, a logistical and financial strain on both the organization and its elderly clients. RMHCS was spending about $90,000 a month leasing outside dental space and coordinating transportation.

Completed in December 2024, the in-house dental suite quickly became so popular that expansion plans were set in motion to add three more rooms, hire a full-time dentist and hygienist, and make on-site dental care available to every participant. This project was completed as of November 2025.

“By bringing these services in-house, we’re improving quality and saving money at the same time,” Markwell explains. “We’ll recover the cost of the project in less than four years. But more importantly, it’s about convenience and dignity. Participants can now see multiple providers in one visit, in a place that feels comfortable and familiar.”

The new suite, bright and modern with warm finishes, is emblematic of RMPACE’s people-first philosophy. Every design decision—from accessibility features to natural lighting—was made to ensure participants feel safe and valued. That sense of belonging carries throughout RMHCS’s day centers, where participants receive meals, attend physical and occupational therapy, and enjoy games, social events, and even acupuncture.

Adapting homes, empowering lives

While the new facilities make care more accessible on-site, another equally transformative effort takes place beyond the organization’s walls: home modifications. RMHCS evaluates every participant’s living environment through their individual care teams, identifying adjustments to help them remain safely at home.

Markwell’s team handles the physical work—installing grab bars, widening doorways, building ramps, and adding other safety features. The result is greater independence, lower housing costs for the state, and the chance for participants to “age in place, with grace,” as Markwell puts it.

“Housing is the number one driver of cost for Medicare and Medicaid,” he explains. “If we can keep people in their homes safely, we’re improving their quality of life and saving money for everyone involved.”

To make the most of every dollar, his team focuses on reusing materials whenever possible. Portable ramps and other fixtures are often refurbished and reinstalled at new homes, a practice that reflects both sustainability and fiscal responsibility.

The work can be complex—permits, inspections, and logistics are constant hurdles—but the payoff is immediate and deeply human. Each completed modification represents not just a safer home but renewed freedom for someone who might otherwise be confined or isolated.

“The impact we make in the community is drastic,” Markwell says. “We’re helping the most vulnerable people in our city, and that’s what makes it all so rewarding.”

Leading through service and trust

Markwell’s leadership style draws heavily from his years in the U.S. military, where he learned the difference between authority and true leadership. For him, directing a facilities team at a healthcare nonprofit isn’t about giving orders—it’s about removing obstacles, providing tools, and trusting his people to succeed.

“My job is to eliminate barriers so my team can do their best work,” he says. “That means making sure they have what they need, guiding them when necessary, and giving them the freedom to make decisions. That’s how people grow.”

This servant-leadership mindset has helped cultivate a tight-knit group that thrives on mutual respect and shared purpose. Many of the team members have backgrounds in trades or maintenance work, and Markwell ensures their voices are heard in planning and decision-making. When challenges arise, he sees them as learning opportunities rather than setbacks.

“I’m very fortunate to work alongside a group of people who are as dedicated and caring as this,” he says. “They take immense pride in what they do because they see firsthand how it changes lives.”

That pride extends beyond the facilities crew to the entire RMPACE community. The organization’s associates —nurses, social workers, therapists, and many more—share a collective mission to deliver compassionate, comprehensive care. The culture is intentionally collaborative, blending professional excellence with genuine empathy.

For Markwell, this environment feels like a perfect fit. After leaving the military, he spent several years in industrial boiler operations before discovering facilities management. The blend of problem-solving, teamwork, and visible impact drew him in, and RMHCS offered the chance to align those skills with a higher purpose.

Growing with purpose

RMPACE currently serves nearly 1,100 participants in Colorado Springs, but Markwell and leadership see enormous growth potential. The local community still has roughly 4,000 eligible seniors who could benefit from PACE services. Meeting that need will require not only more outreach but also additional infrastructure.

In April 2025, the organization opened its third center in town, a smaller but fully equipped facility that meets all PACE requirements. With its own transportation fleet and core services, the new center represents RMPACE ’s steady 7-percent-per-year growth target.

Each expansion reinforces the organization’s commitment to bringing high-quality, cost-effective care closer to the people who need it most. And for Markwell, each new building or renovation is another opportunity to make that mission tangible.

“When people come through our doors and see how we treat our participants, it’s easy to understand why this place matters,” he says. “Once you experience the culture, you don’t want to leave.”

That culture also extends to employee development. RMHCS invests heavily in professional training, leadership programs, and growth opportunities. Markwell, who earned his MBA from Western Governors University, says the organization has supported his aspirations—he hopes to one day move into a chief operating role to continue shaping services that make a difference.

For now, his focus remains on the people right in front of him: the seniors who depend on RMPACE for care, and the staff who dedicate themselves to delivering it. Whether it’s a large-scale facility upgrade or a single ramp built for one grateful woman, Markwell sees every project as part of something bigger.

“At the end of the day, we’re building independence,” he says. “That’s what makes this work so meaningful. Every improvement, every modification, every act of care—it all comes back to giving people their freedom.”