WORK EXPERIENCE
County Commissioner, Boulder County, January 2013-present.
- Adopt and oversee the County’s $426 million annual budget
- Oversee management of nine county departments, including Transportation, Parks & Open Space, Land Use, Housing & Human Services, Community Services, Public Health and the County Attorney
- Serve as an executive and legislative policymaker for the county, including making decisions on open space acquisitions and management, land use and development, transit and trails systems, sustainability, human services, affordable housing and workforce training
- Work collaboratively with and approve the budgets for fellow elected county officials: District Attorney, Sheriff, Assessor, Treasurer, County Clerk, Surveyor and Coroner
- Develop intergovernmental agreements and partner with local cities and towns
- Serve as a County representative to the Denver Regional Council of Governments, U.S. 36 Mayors & Commissioners Coalition and Metro Area County Commissioners
Executive Director, Colorado Environmental Coalition, Denver, CO. October 1999-October 2012. Directed 50-year old statewide conservation alliance with 3,000 members and 100 partner groups.
- Managed staff of 20 working from three field offices
- Raised $1.35 million annual budget from foundations, major donors, events and membership
- Helped staff develop and implement policy and strategies for campaigns on wilderness, water, energy, climate change and smart growth
- Built coalitions within the conservation community and with diverse allies on key campaigns
- Lobbied on priority environmental bills at the state legislature
- Served as organizational spokesperson at conferences, fundraising events, press conferences, etc.
Rocky Mountain Director, League of Conservation Voters Education Fund, Boulder, Colorado, March 1998-October 1999. Worked to improve the effectiveness of the western conservation community by conducting skills trainings for environmental leaders, implementing Get Out the Vote campaigns, and producing an annual scorecard rating state legislators on their environmental voting records.
Senior Legislative Assistant, Rep. Elizabeth Furse (D-OR), Washington, DC, October 1993-December 1997. Staffed member of the U.S. House of Representatives on all natural resource and energy issues, including writing
legislation and speeches, and advising on votes and bill cosponsorships.
Coastal Project Coordinator, National Wildlife Federation, Washington, DC, August 1987-March 1991. Developed and implemented legislative campaigns to reform the National Flood Insurance Program and expand the Coastal Barrier Resources System—culminating in Congressional passage of legislation in October 1990.
BOARD & COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES
- Chair, Boulder County Commission
- Chair, Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG), 2016
- Chair, Metro Area County Commissioners, 2016
- Executive Task Force Member, IBM Smarter Cities Challenge on Homelessness
- Chair, Regional Transportation Committee, 2014-present
- Member, Statewide Transportation Advisory Committee, 2014-present
- Council Member, Regional Air Quality Council, Greater Denver Metro Area, 2009-present
- Member, DRCOG’s MetroVision Issues Committee, 2013-2016 (including 1 year as chair)
- Chair, DRCOG Administrative Committee, 2014-2016
- Board member, City of Boulder’s Planning Board, 2003-2011, including two years as chair
- Co-chair & member, Mayor Hickenlooper’s Greenprint Denver Advisory Council, 2005-2012
- Board member, Colorado Conservation Voters, 1998-2012
- Board member, State Environmental Leadership Program, 2004-2010
- Steering Committee Member, Southern Rockies Conservation Alliance, 2003-2012
EDUCATION
- M.S. in Resource Policy, Planning and Administration, University of Michigan, School of Natural Resources & Environment, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 1993
- B.S. in Natural Resources, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, 1986. Graduated with honors and distinction.
PERSONAL
- Regularly run, hike, mountain bike and telemark ski
- Played on nationally-ranked women’s ultimate Frisbee teams for 15 years; won the Masters Womens National Championships in 2009 and 2010
- Backpacked 2,300 miles solo on the Pacific Crest Trail from Mexico to Mt. Rainier, Washington, 1991
- Competed in track and cross country in high school and college; served as captain of college track team