
Caitlin Owens, MSW, UCEDD Director
Caitlin Owens, MSW, was recently appointed Director of Iowa’s University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD) at the Center for Disabilities and Development (CDD). She had been serving as Associate Director of Iowa’s UCEDD for several years and before that worked as a program coordinator providing training and technical assistance.
Since returning to the UCEDD in 2019, Owens has managed operations for the UCEDD, overseeing multiple grants and contracts. Along with former UCEDD director Derrick Willis, she has supported the substantial growth of the UCEDD during this time, including writing successful grant applications to establish Iowa’s Center of Excellence in Behavioral Health in 2022, and the Aging Disability and Resource Center (ADRC) Technical Assistance and Call Center in 2024.
Owens is passionate about self-determination and social justice. In her new role, she looks forward to helping the Iowa UCEDD continue its great work towards the vision of “a life in the community for everyone.”