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City of Fort Collins Graduate Management Assistant Program#

The City of Fort Collins Graduate Management Assistant (GMA) program allows current Master of Public Administration students and recent graduates (as well as students and recent graduates from closely related fields) the opportunity to gain valuable career experience in a wide variety of areas of municipal operations. This position provides future municipal leaders with the opportunity to learn from seasoned professionals in a community consistently rated as one of the best places to live in the country. The Management Assistant will have the opportunity to learn about the inner-workings of a full-service city.

The Management Assistant will be provided the opportunity to work on projects based in a variety of City departments while maintaining a "home base" in the City Manager's Office. Management Assistant will be involved in research, analytical work, and managing special projects. This position represents a full-time, one-year fellowship.

Current Management Assistant#

Lockie Woods

Lockie Woods is the current Graduate Management Assistant for the City of Fort Collins. He graduated with high honors from Michigan State University with a degree in International Relations and History in the spring of 2021, and he will complete his Master’s of Public Administration from the University of Kansas in the spring of 2024. An Eagle Scout, Lockie’s lifelong commitment to public service has driven him to pursue a career in local government where he can work alongside similarly motivated public servants to build a better community. After a series of undergraduate internships in municipal government, Lockie spent last year working as a Management Intern in the City of Lenexa’s City Manager’s Office. There, he dove into meaningful projects that increased the effectiveness of City staff and directly improved the lives of residents. He is excited to keep performing important and impactful work as he continues his local government career with the City of Fort Collins and is immensely grateful for the opportunity to serve the exceptional people who make this city an exceptional place to live.

Previous Management Assistants#

Year Name Organization Position

1983-84

Wendy Williams

City of Fort Collins, CO

Assistant City Manager

 

Mark Rohloff

City of Oshkosh, WI

City Manager

1984-85

Jody Kole

Grand Junction, CO Housing Authority

Chief Executive Officer Director

 

Deborah Sagen

Pikes Peak Community College

Vice President Workforce Development

 

Susan Loo

City of Louisville, CO

City Councilmember

1985-86

Ann Turnquist

Poudre Fire Authority

Administrative Services Director

 

Mark Campbell

Multnomah County, OR

Chief Financial Officer

 

Don Gaeddert

City of Larned, KS

Retired City Manager

1986-87

Julia Novak

Novak Consulting

President

 

Todd Vance

BreakForth Counseling and Consulting; Salem, VA

Clinical Psychologist

1989-90

Jon Ruiz

City of Eugene, OR

City Manager

 

Steve VanderMeer

Hometown Connections

Senior Vice President

1990-91

Kristin Epley

University of Colorado - Boulder

Sustainability Project Manager

1991-92

Stet Schanze

Gray Manufacturing Company

President

2000-01

Heather Brooks

City of Alamosa, CO

City Manager

2002-03

Sam McFerran

First Church (UCC)

Associate Minister

2011-12

Josh Jones

U.S. Federal Government

U.S. Federal Government Officer

2012-13

Kelly Houghteling

Town of Wellington, CO

Deputy Town Administrator

2013-14

Pam Davis

City of Boulder, CO

Assistant City Manager

2014-15

Travis Machalek

Town of Estes Park, CO

Town Administrator

2015-16

Tyler Marr

City of Fort Collins, CO

Deputy City Manager

2016-17

Jackson Brockway

City and County of Denver

Capital Planning Analyst

2017-18

Alyssa Johnson

Slalom Consulting

Organizational Effectiveness Consultant

2018-19

Joe Wimmer

City of Pittsburg, KS

Deputy Finance Director

2019-21

Sierra Anderson

City of Raleigh, NC

Senior Budget and Management Services Analyst

2021-22

DeAngelo Bowden

City of Fort Collins, CO

Senior Environmental Sustainability Specialist

2022-23

Megan "Meggs" Valliere

City & County of Denver

Associate Budget Analyst