Managing public money at scale

• Throughout my decades working in the legal, government, and nonprofit sectors, I've been responsible for the management and oversight of budgets ranging from $1 million to over $500 million.

• On Boulder City Council, I helped coordinate tens of millions in ARPA dollar distributions across city, county, state, and federal partners. Signature initiatives included funding a Guaranteed Income Pilot, hundreds of new affordable housing units, day services at Boulder's homeless shelter, reduced fees for low-income residents at our rec centers, an innovative BVSD-City-Habitat for Humanity partnership to build modular permanently affordable housing units, and expanding pedestrian and cycling infrastructure.

• Appointed by Governor Polis to the Emergency Task Force on Eviction Prevention, where I helped formulate concrete steps for the Governor and legislators to minimize evictions statewide during COVID.

Serving Boulder

• As a Boulder City Council Member and Mayor Pro Tem, my work was at the intersection of careful stewardship of public resources and the investments necessary to create a thriving and equitable city. One of the hallmarks of my service on Council was improving public engagement and constituent services, including the creation of standing on-site Council Member office hours. As Treasurer, Boulder County can count on the office to be a space that is welcoming, professional, and efficient.

• Championed expansion of Boulder's community connectors program and passage of the city's first ever Racial Equity Plan. Also eliminated the "pink tax" on menstrual products and diapers, providing direct relief to struggling families.

• In the wake of the King Soopers mass shooting, I advocated for our community and for common sense gun laws at the regional, state, and national levels — including an appearance on All In with Chris Hayes and coverage in the New York Times. I championed revocation of the state preemption law and passage of Boulder's 2022 Assault Weapons Ban. These were among the hardest and most important moments of my time in public service.

Legal career

• From serving as an administrative law judge handling Medicaid and disability rights appeals, to serving as a federal appellate court clerk, to serving as counsel to individuals in high-stakes legal proceedings — including domestic violence survivors, children in foster care, and immigrants in detention facilities here in Colorado — my professional career has always required me to center fairness, integrity, and compassion.

• As a Notre Dame Law School student, volunteered in the Elder Law Clinic assisting clients who were victims of financial fraud and housing foreclosures, and in the Immigration Law Clinic — work I continued through representation of asylum seekers at Aurora's detention facility.

• Appointed by the Speaker of the Colorado House to the Commission on Judicial Performance, which observes and evaluates sitting judges up for reelection in Boulder County.

Nonprofit Leadership

• Served as Chief Operating Officer of a 400+ person nonprofit organization focused on affordable housing and support services for veterans and people with disabilities — responsible for HR, operations, and the systems that kept a large, complex organization running.

• It has also been a joy to work alongside some of Boulder's most beloved nonprofit organizations, including Bridge House, Community Cycles, and The Boulder Chamber. Nonprofit work requires calm and measured financial management alongside the ability to deliver sustainable, needed services to the community.

Engaged Community Member

• Just as I've worked at every level of government, I've also experienced frustration as a constituent at every level. It is incredibly difficult to get one's needs met when you're navigating confusing systems. From trying to pay water bills to trying to connect with federal representatives about issues I care about — I know what works and what doesn't. Outstanding, empathetic customer service is the cornerstone of my approach to public service.

Taken together, these experiences shape how I approach public responsibility: with preparation, steadiness, and respect for both the people doing the work and the people relying on it.

At every stage of my career, I’ve been motivated by the same goal: doing careful work that helps my community keep moving toward a brighter future.