The story of ohana

In 2023 our founders visited a small neighborhood in Oregon called Edwards Place, where families supporting adults with developmental disabilities lived side by side. A pocket neighborhood where homes were clustered around shared spaces. Care was nearby-but independence was respected.

What stood out wasn’t the buildings. It was the trust.

Neighbors knew one another. They knew each individual’s needs. And they shared responsibility-not our of obligation, but out of community.

When we returned to Utah, we asked a simple question: Why doesn’t this exist here?

Ohana Communities was born from that question.

The concept of Ohana stems from the Polynesian culture of creating loving relationships with more than just blood relatives. Embracing Ohana means developing a sense of familial care and devotion to all members of the human family.

What is ‘Ohana’?

A young man in a green long-sleeve shirt smiling and stretching his arms, sitting in a wheelchair in a bright indoor corridor.
An aerial view of a residential neighborhood featuring a community park with a grassy area, a gazebo, and surrounding houses, with a parking lot in the foreground.

creating communities of ohana

Our mission is to create small, close-knit communities of Ohana, consisting of 10-15 single family cottage homes and at least one group home, with the goal of integrating into the surrounding community.

Ohana’s Board of Directors

A smiling man with gray hair wearing a suit and tie at an indoor event.

Allen Cress, Board President

Allen is the Executive Director of Edwards Center, the company that created Edwards Place, which Ohana Communities is being modeled after.

Since 2014, Allen Cress has found his greatest joy serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in their homes, jobs, and communities. After more than 20 years as a paramedic and EMS administrator, he discovered that career had prepared him for what became his life’s passion. Allen currently lives near Portland, Oregon with his wife and two children, surrounded by a lively mix of animals.

Mara Urie, Co-Founder, Board Vice President

At age 10, Mara befriended a neighbor with intellectual disabilities, and soon after became the favorite babysitter and close friend of a young girl with Down syndrome. Those early relationships led her to a decade-long career in special education, followed by a master’s degree and work as a school psychologist, including two years at the Kauri Sue Hamilton School in Jordan School District. Through this work, she saw firsthand parents’ deep concerns about their children’s futures—and views Ohana Communities as a meaningful answer to those fears.

Headshot of a smiling man with short brown hair, a beard, wearing a light blue shirt and a darker blue tie, against a plain gray background.

Greg Free, Board Treasurer

Greg holds an MBA in Finance and Entrepreneurship from the University of Illinois. With over a decade of experience in IT, finance, and management, he has led enterprise transformations that improve efficiency, strengthen financial controls, and accelerate organizational performance. He specializes in strategic planning, budgeting, and the use of AI to support smarter decisions, with deep experience leading cross-functional teams in fintech and resource-based industries.

A close-up portrait of a smiling middle-aged man with short, combed-back hair, wearing a dark zip-up jacket outdoors in natural light.

Ohana’s Executive Leader

Thom Urie Co-Founder, Executive Leader

An early, lasting influence on Thom came from a close friend’s brother, Chris, who had Down syndrome. Chris was never treated as a second-class family member—he was deeply loved and a vital source of joy in his family. Though Thom later earned degrees in finance and law and built a career in residential real estate development, that early experience stayed with him.