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Proclamation recognizing Kate Kramer for service as Executive Director, Sand Creek Regional Greenway Partnership ("SCRGP")
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Summary and Background Information: Kate Kramer has worked at the SCRGP for over thirteen years. She is proud of her collaborative work with partners which brought over $17M to the Sand Creek Regional Greenway. A good day of work includes being on the Greenway, removing tamarisk, and picking up trash, writing grants, and planting trees. Kate has held numerous positions in non-profits and governments over the past twenty-five years, including the Western Center for Environmental Decision-Making, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, the Offices of Governors Romer and Lamm, and the Denver New Airport Office. She graduated from Grinnell College in Iowa and the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University in Massachusetts. During her tenure she served as a community advocate, helping advance Commerce City’s vision, advancing the Sand Creek Regional Greenway, a 14-mile public greenway connecting the High Line Canal in Aurora with the South Platte River Greenway in Commerce City, passing through northeast Denver and the new Stapleton community and promoting the greenway as a jewel in the necklace of trails that has made the Denver metro area a national model for linked trail systems.
In April 2017, Ms. Kramer accepted the position of Manager of the GoWild Northeast Metro Coalition, which received a $2.7M, three-year grant from Great Outdoors Colorado. The coalition of twelve organizations consists of one federal, one state, three municipal governments, and seven nonprofit organizations. The grant will be managed by the Sand Creek Regional Greenway Partnership, so Ms. Kramer will be around to assist with the transition of the new SCRGP executive director and to help out with volunteer events.
“I have been so lucky to work with great SCRGP board of director’s members and city partners - plus all the volunteers and donors who love the Sand Creek Regional Greenway as much as I do.! We have raised over $15M to buy park land, build trails, and restore native habitat over the last 13 years. The Greenway needs investments of nearly $5M more to complete the vision of the SCRG Master Plan to become the Greenway we all want.” Kate Kramer, Former Executive Director SCRGP
Announcing New Executive Director for the SCRGP, Beth Nobles
Ms. Nobles says she was attracted to the Sand Creek position because “trails are a great bridge to enjoying the outdoors, to enjoying your community and to staying healthy.” That love of the outdoors started with the sense of independence she remembers as a girl using trails in Bloomington, IL, and was cemented by a high school summer internship building bridges and trails in the Illinois State Parks system.
Nobles brings grant writing, fundraising and board and partner development experience to her new position at Sand Creek. Along with 20 years in fundraising for the University of Iowa, she served as the executive director of the Texas Mountain Trail where she developed “tourism assets” and heritage bike routes in six counties. She is moving from Austin, Texas, where she has been serving as Deputy Director of Bike Texas, managing the day-to-day operations of the organization. Starting her position in early July, we welcome Ms. Nobles to the Commerce City Community.
Staff Responsible (Department Head): Carolyn J. Keith
Staff Member Presenting: Carolyn J. Keith
Staff Recommendation: Approve as presented.
Suggested Motion: I move to approve Proclamation 17-16