Honoree Questionnaire#

Name: Annabelle Phillips

Current Position: Project Manager

First position with City: Administrative Clerk

Years with City: 6

How did you come to work for the City of Fort Collins?

My background and degree are in Social Work, and I had been working in that field for many years but was feeling really burned out. An administrative position opened at Transfort and it seemed like it would be a good opportunity to change gears and try something new.

What are your favorite things about working for the City, and more specifically, your department, and why?

One of my favorite things about working for the City, and especially Transfort, is the strong sense of team. The positivity and support that I see throughout diverse work groups and departments is really energizing and makes it easy to want to come to work every day.

What has been your most memorable project or experience while working for the City, and why?

My most memorable project to date has been the Battery Electric Bus deployment. I have been working on this project for about four years now in different capacities. When we were awarded the original funding in 2018 I was working in Grant Compliance, but then I moved into a role as a Project Manager in 2020, so I’ve been able to follow this project from its initial stages all the way through. I’m proud to be part of the shift to zero emissions and renewable energy sources.

In your role as a City employee, how do you believe you are making this community a better place to live?

Public transit is a vital service that advances the livability and health of our community. There are so many facets to providing great transit and I love that I get to contribute daily to this important service.

Honoree Questionnaire#

Name: Schyler (Bear) Peterson-Gordon

Current Position: Technician II - Network Engineer

First position with City: Technician II - Network Engineer

Years with City: 1.5

How did you come to work for the City of Fort Collins?

I like to consider myself the original Connexion super-fan, in that I wanted to work for Connexion before it even existed. Before Connexion, I had written letters in support of getting Google Fiber to Fort Collins, and I was very vocally supportive when I had the chance to support the vote to allow Connexion to be built. While working as a plumber in the private sector, I cultivated the dream of one day having the opportunity to work for Connexion, which at the time I thought would be on the installation/field side of things. To make this dream a reality, I enrolled in school for a second bachelor's degree in Cyber Security to make myself a more desirable candidate. The stars aligned and my first job with my new education was working for Connexion as a TSR, which was quite literally a dream come true for me.

What are your favorite things about working for the City, and more specifically, your department, and why?

My favorite thing about working for the city is having the gift of knowing that the work I do makes the city a better place and improves our community. It is truly a gift getting to do a job where I the main goal is to help people and make their day better. I have absolute faith in our leadership and the product we are providing to our neighbors, and that allows me to confidently help each customer I speak to without any moral grey areas. I truly appreciate that there is no upselling or gimmicks with our product, it is simply the best product available. Every day I get to leave work feeling great about the team I am on and the work we are doing, and the value of that cannot be understated.

What has been your most memorable project or experience while working for the City, and why?

My most memorable experience working for Connexion so far was the first time getting to meet my coworkers after the pandemic. I started with Connexion in December of 2020 in the middle of the pandemic, and so my introduction to my coworkers was all online. For the first six months or so, my only interactions with my coworkers were over the phone, despite this however, they quickly became some of my best friends. It was pretty weird “meeting” people I was so close to for the first time, but also effortless as the connection was already there.

In your role as a City employee, how do you believe you are making this community a better place to live?

I believe in the mission of Connexion wholeheartedly. During the pandemic, we witnessed how internet connectivity had changed from a luxury to a necessity in the blink of an eye. By providing cutting edge internet service to the people of Fort Collins, I believe we are both improving our community in the short term by giving equitable access to a critical service to all our community members, as well as establishing Fort Collins as future hub for technology and intelligent growth in the future. As the internet becomes more enmeshed with our daily lives, I believe that cities like Fort Collins will become highly desirable destinations for employers and entrepreneurs that are looking for this type of infrastructure for their company and employees. I feel pride in what I do, knowing that we are making Fort Collins a better place today and for future generations.

Honoree Questionnaire#

Name: John Song

Current Position: Business Support III for Water Engineering & Field Services, Utilities

First position with City: Customer Support II for Parking Services/Transfort

Years with City: 5 years

How did you come to work for the City of Fort Collins?

I came to work for the City because I wanted to find a career where I could leverage my desire to serve the community. I work best where I have challenging work with apparent purpose. Working directly with the public when I was with Parking Services and Transfort taught me that I could raise the capacity for my joy, knowledge, and job skills, despite—or more likely because of—many tough conversations with external customers who were planning routes, challenging violations, interpreting City codes, and navigating the municipal court process. It taught me to work creatively within boundaries, under time constraints, and with emotional pressure, and still joyfully serve to support the infrastructure as an employee of the City.

What are your favorite things about working for the City, and more specifically, your department, and why?

I love working for the City because it’s allowed me to hone and showcase my skills as well as challenging me to become better. Working for Water in Utilities has especially been an honor because it reminds me of a time when I mentored youths and young adults in the past, and I’ve always described the mentees as water; it can be powerful and destructive, but fun, beautiful, and life-giving if stewarded well. Lo and behold that I get to now work in capacities that steward water: I get to serve our engineers and project managers who have a planning scope of 10, 20, 50, 100 years into the future; I support our operators who’re on the field every day doing the necessary work to serve our community; and I facilitate the Water Commission to provide the space for community members and City staff to communicate—so I get to see the planning, the work, and the corroboration with the community all as a part of my job description, and I’m reminded that not only are we serving in the present, but also for the next and future generations as well.

What has been your most memorable project or experience while working for the City, and why?

I had the opportunity to organize and host 3 high school summer interns in Water Field Operations, and I had a blast planning for them to tour, complete projects, join the field, reflect, etc. It was a fun, exhilarating, and busy few months, but it was a fantastic learning experience, even more so because just doing our thing led the County to consider our internship as their model program for their department that year.

More recently, I was invited to open an All Managers’ Meeting where I was asked to “ground” the hundreds of participants prior to a frank and creative conversation about culture and equity in the workplace. For a 5 to 10-minute segment, I performed an original spoken word—the support, gratitude, and congratulations that followed and continues to this day was just unbelievable. It was both encouraging and humbling, and I hope to stay inspired and accountable as I continue my career with the City.

In your role as a City employee, how do you believe you are making this community a better place to live?

As project manager of the Utilities Workforce Culture Team, I’m doing my best to understand the needs of the staff so that I can steward my role well and to the best of my abilities. I realize that there are things happening culturally in the workplace that have never occurred before—and for better or worse, I acknowledge that we have the opportunity to accept the challenge. I don’t know what the solution is, but here’s a cross-section of the Service Area with representation from all corners of Utilities who signed up to join a group that aims to serve our fellow staff—what better group is there to deeply consider these overarching challenges so that there’s a precedent and an initial feedback system?

I’m also trained as a racial justice curriculum facilitator, as well as involved in other equity work, and I had the honor of drafting the first-ever AAPI Heritage Month mayoral proclamation for the City of Fort Collins in 2021, followed by its second-ever in 2022. I’ve attended the Government Alliance on Race and Equity (GARE) conference the last couple years to hold myself accountable and to make advances for the organization in the equity space. I can only hope that any effort I put forth allows for those underrepresented in the community to feel seen and heard in Fort Collins, empowering them to find their own voices, as I had to find mine growing up in America as a young immigrant.

Honoree Questionnaire#

Name: Judy Schmidt

Current Position:  Senior Assistant City Attorney      

First position with City:  Senior Assistant City Attorney

Years with City: 7

How did you come to work for the City of Fort Collins? 

I grew up in Fort Collins and returned in 1991 after completing law school and working in private practice as a partner in a Denver law firm.  I came to the City Attorney’s Office (CAO) from the Loveland City Attorney’s Office, having interacted and worked with Carrie (Daggett), John (Duval) and others in the CAO as colleagues.

What are your favorite things about working for the City, and more specifically, your department, and why?

For the City:  My favorite things include advising and managing the legal issues that my clients face in accomplishing projects that build, maintain, and improve the City I live in.

For the CAO:  I value being able to contribute to the CAO as a member of the Senior Staff team and thoroughly enjoy working with my colleagues, especially the folks in my Section who I have had the opportunity to mentor and support.

What has been your most memorable project or experience while working for the City, and why?

I’ve been lucky to a legal advisor to project management teams working on Utilities, Development Review, and Environmental Services projects.  I value the teamwork it takes to complete the projects and developments that have helped to make Fort Collins a great place to live.

In your role as a City employee, how do you believe you are making this community a better place to live?

I do this by helping staff bring Council and community priorities to completion and by engaging with my colleagues and the residents of our community in a respectful and helpful manner.

Honoree Questionnaire#

Name: Katie Kitzerow

Current Position: Lead Security Specialist with Emergency Preparedness & Security

First position with City: Lead Security Specialist with Emergency Preparedness & Security

Years with City: 2

How did you come to work for the City of Fort Collins?

My husband and I were married in Allenspark, CO in 2009 and we stayed with friends in Fort Collins during our yearly visits. We always knew we wanted to move to the mountains but just had to find the “right time”.  Well, 2020 was the right time and it was the best decision for our family!

The city’s reputation as a great employer was a huge draw and I was also desiring a healthier work/life balance.  I was looking to return to the public sector after a great experience leading the security for Target HQ in Minneapolis, MN.  The City of Fort Collins not only aligned with my vision and values but I knew my work in security would be impactful to the future of the city and it’s employees.

What are your favorite things about working for the City, and more specifically, your department, and why?

I am so grateful to work with the City’s EPS team, as it is a group of hard workers, who are motivated and passionate about their work.  On top of the professional aptitude of our team, the laughs and fun make work more enjoyable.

I am surrounded daily by passionate people, who want to make the city a better place to live and work.  Bringing these different business areas together, towards common security goals, is extremely rewarding.

Finally, I would be remiss if I didn’t say work/life balance – seriously, this is one of the best organizations to balance work, kids and fun!  I am humbled by the flexibility and ability to get my work done, at the same time, meeting the department’s security goals.

What has been your most memorable project or experience while working for the City, and why?

During my first year with the city, I was assigned to the small but mighty COVID Mitigation Team.  As a new employee, this was a great way to take on a new learning opportunity, meet others and start forming collaborative partnerships across the city.

The COVID Mitigation Team worked long hours together but we were motivated to do our best, especially during a time of unknown.  This was valuable work, towards a purposeful goal, helping to keep our employee healthy and safe.

Working at the city is rewarding and everyday looks different in my role, whether I’m working on the COVID Mitigation Team, functioning as the Operations Chief for the Cameron Peak Fire, partnering on emergency management work or leading new security initiatives for the city.

In your role as a City employee, how do you believe you are making this community a better place to live?

My goal each and everyday:  Provide a safe and secure environment for employees, contractors and visitors to our facilities.

I am continually working to unify our security technology, such as security cameras and access control, to assess our facilities and set standards, providing user friendly options for our employees.  This also reduces security risks, limits liability for the city and provides best practices across the city.

I provide security related trainings to employees, allowing them to be confident in their decision-making and actions.  Finally, I guide employees and leaders through threat assessments, to handle difficult employee situations and provide a safer work setting.

I am grateful to lead physical security strategies at the City of Fort Collins and be a part of a world class organization!

Honoree Questionnaire#

Name: Megan Hervey

Current Position: Box Office Coordinator, The Lincoln Center

First position with City: Assistant Box Office Coordinator

Years with City: 4

How did you come to work for the City of Fort Collins?

I have always had a passion for theatre and art, and I was a patron of The Lincoln Center before I started working here. I found myself looking for a change of pace in my career and when thinking about the places that bring me joy, I immediately thought about The Lincoln Center. I learned that there was a job opening and it felt serendipitous, so I applied! Four years later, and I am still growing and learning in my role every day.

What are your favorite things about working for the City, and more specifically, your department, and why?

I love working in an environment that fosters creativity and innovation. No two days are exactly the same, and I am consistently challenged in my role to think outside of the box and problem-solve. I feel lucky to work with colleagues who are passionate about community engagement and inclusion, and who are striving to create more opportunities to bring culture and art into our City.

What has been your most memorable project or experience while working for the City, and why?

The onset of the Covid-19 pandemic directly aligned with me assuming my current role as Box Office Coordinator, so I was quickly thrown into an environment full of new challenges and uncertainty while simultaneously navigating being a manager for the first time. Through ventures back and forth between remote and on-site work, implementation of Covid-related safety practices and procedures, and shifts to virtual and socially distanced programming, it’s safe to say I learned a lot in my first year in this position!

We realized shortly after Covid emerged that it would help to move some of our processes online to make them more accessible to patrons and to ease the burden on our box office team. For that reason, we took on the complicated task of converting our season ticketing process into a fully online format. This has been my most memorable project because it resulted in a complete overhaul of our historically difficult-to-manage internal system and dramatically improved our ability to efficiently work through season ticket orders. We’re still learning more about how the process can improve every year that the new system is in place, but it serves as a great example of the innovation and flexibility that came into play when we were met with the unique challenges of the pandemic.

In your role as a City employee, how do you believe you are making this community a better place to live?

To me, art and theatre are all about connection. Art is a powerful tool that can spark new ideas, unite people from different backgrounds, and even drive social change. It has the unique ability to transform by helping people see other perspectives they may not have considered before. I feel proud to play a role in helping to create positive experiences for our patrons so they may learn, discover new passions, and engage with different cultures.

Honoree Questionnaire#

Name: Nicholas D. Jones

Current Position: Lead Safety Specialist 

First position with City: Lead Safety Specialist

Years with City: 3 years

How did you come to work for the City of Fort Collins?

Prior to working for the City, I was one of the Environmental, Health and Safety Managers at the Anheuser-Busch (Budweiser) Brewery in Fort Collins.  I heard great things about the City culture from a colleague who also came over from the brewery, and I decided to come over and find ways to improve the health and safety program for the City of Fort Collins.    

What are your favorite things about working for the City, and more specifically, your department, and why?

I knew immediately I had the background and education to improve upon the existing safety program and culture.  I greatly enjoy the flexibility to lead new safety initiatives and focus in on current health and safety deficiency and turn them into success stories.  I also enjoy the process of building relations, garnering support, and making decisions based on a “we” consensus, rather than making decisions based on what I think is the correct path. 

What has been your most memorable project or experience while working for the City, and why? 

(Unfortunately, it was when an AEG contractor for Broadband was killed by a motor vehicle while working along a road installing ground cable 2 years ago)

I will say, the experiences that fuel my passion for health and safety come from hearing about life changing injuries or deaths that occur locally and around the country, evaluated our risk tolerance to the same events, and developing a plan to insure our employees will never be in that same position. Utility work, in particular Water Field Operations, performs incredibly dangerous job activities on a daily basis.  As a City and community sometimes we forget that. 

In your role as a City employee, how do you believe you are making this community a better place to live?

When I hear employees taking the initiate to evaluate and change their own personal safety behaviors, because of a conversation I had with them, or a class they participated in, then I know I am making difference.  At the end of the day, my job is to help ensure everyone goes home safely to their friends, family, and community.  Nobody wins after someone is injured or killed while on the job.        

Honoree Questionnaire#

Name: Ryan Mounce

Current Position: City Planner

First position with City: Intern (with Transportation Planning, now FCMoves)

Years with City: 9

How did you come to work for the City of Fort Collins?

I was always impressed with Fort Collins’ Planning and Transportation efforts, working on issues like Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and the Transit Oriented Development incentives, which are unique to a community of Fort Collins’ size. During college I “cold-called” the Transportation Planning department to see if there were internship or volunteer opportunities available to work on these efforts and was fortunate to be able to join Transportation Planning as they were preparing the Environmental Assessment for the MAX BRT corridor.

What are your favorite things about working for the City, and more specifically, your department, and why?

Within Planning I appreciate the variety of work and innovation that’s possible, being able to seamlessly jump from reviewing development projects, working on a neighborhood plan or brainstorming with community members and internal stakeholders on special projects and policy work. No two days, weeks, or years are the same.

What has been your most memorable project or experience while working for the City, and why?

Working on the Residents’ Rights team for mobile home parks has been a wonderful experience. The team has moved quickly in a short period of time to implement a number of local policy changes and advocate at the state level to provide tangible and timely improvements for mobile home park residents that are directly related to their issues and input. A great example of the work and empowerment local government can promote.

In your role as a City employee, how do you believe you are making this community a better place to live?

By helping facilitate balanced community conversations around some of the hot topics the community is facing. Whether it’s housing, equity, or climate, there’s no shortage of important issues to address, and they all tend to be interrelated and have significant tradeoffs. Helping the community learn about these topics, providing information, facilitating connections, and sharing data with decision makers can help the community make informed choices as to how we want to address these topics locally.

Honoree Questionnaire#

Name: Sarah Meline

Current Position: Recovery Policy and Engagement Specialist

First position with City: Waste Reduction and Recycling Program Assistant

Years with City: 5

How did you come to work for the City of Fort Collins?

I stumbled into working for the City. I was working in a temporary role at CSU that was ending and trying to figure out what was next. My boss at CSU was coordinating with City staff to host a recycling conference and that’s how I became connected to the Waste Reduction and Recycling Team. They needed a program assistant, I needed a job, and I found an amazing entry into local government.

I’ve always been interested in government work, but never imagined I’d be at the local government level. However within a few months of working at the City, I realized that at the local government level you can have an incredible impact and see that impact within your local community every day. I love the passion of my colleagues and the diversity of work we get to do to make Fort Collins a better place.

What are your favorite things about working for the City, and more specifically, your department, and why?

My favorite thing about working for the City is the diversity of work we do and the passion folks all over the Organization bring to their work.

I especially love working for the Communications and Public Involvement Office because we work with nearly every part of the City Organization. It gives me the chance to be deeply plugged into our community and continually learn new things.

What has been your most memorable project or experience while working for the City, and why?

Leading engagement and outreach for the creation of our Resilient Recovery Plan! Navigating how we talk about recovery and life post-pandemic while still in the middle of it was extraordinarily challenging, especially because many of the initial engagement strategies were planned assuming we could do in person outreach activities.

With the rise of COVID variants and case numbers, we had to quickly pivot to still accomplish our engagement needs while keeping everyone safe. It was some of the most intense work I’ve ever done, but I’m so proud of the plan that was created. It reflects what the community needs most as we recover from the pandemic and is something that will help shape Fort Collins for years to come.  

In your role as a City employee, how do you believe you are making this community a better place to live?

Every employee, no matter what their job is, helps make the City a better place in some way. My role helps make Fort Collins a better place because it focuses on connecting community members with crucial information and working to make our community stronger and more resilient through recovery. I help connect those in need with City resources and programs by strategizing and consulting with staff about how to best share and communicate their work.

Honoree Questionnaire#

Name: Sue Beck-Ferkiss

Current Position: Social Policy and Housing Programs Manager

First position with City: Social Sustainability Specialist

Years with City: 9

How did you come to work for the City of Fort Collins?

After pausing my career to be a full-time mom, I worked for a grass roots non-profit whose mission was to stabilize housing for people struggling to live in Fort Collins. The agency was funded by the City through the competitive grant process administered by the Social Sustainability Department. Having worked for State government previously, I knew how impactful working for government could be and I wanted to strengthen and expand the support system available to our neighbors. Watching the City’s efforts, I believed working for the City would enable me to do meaningful work.

What are your favorite things about working for the City, and more specifically, your department, and why?

Right before I started working for the City, I was taking an out-of-state guest on a tour of the city and she said, “You love this city so much, you should work for it.” She was right! It is an honor to live, work and play in this community. The Sustainability Services Area attracts people who want to improve the world and my colleagues exhibit this commitment everyday – we want to improve the world by focusing on our people, environment and economic health. Purposeful work done by passionate colleagues is the best!

What has been your most memorable project or experience while working for the City, and why?

The COVID-19 pandemic caused many of us to pivot and shift work priorities. My department was asked to help find solutions for people to stay-at-home when they had no home. Social distancing became incredibly challenging for people experiencing homelessness and seeking shelter, some of them were vulnerable for a variety of reasons. With support from City Council and, wonderful community partner agencies, we were able to coordinate and offer a non-congregate shelter at a hotel where these vulnerable people could practice social distancing and mitigate their risk of contracting COVID. As a highlight, almost all these people exited to permanent housing because housing navigators were able to work specifically with each person to address their needs.

In your role as a City employee, how do you believe you are making this community a better place to live?

The City designs policy, policy sets the stage for programs, and programs attract funding – this process makes out City great! Regional housing price escalation, inflation and stagnant incomes contribute to the challenge of affording to live in Fort Collins. My role at the City has been instrumental in creating and implementing policy, culminating in more housing opportunities for consumers of affordable housing, allowing people to live here even if they do not earn a lot of money.  Fortunately, some of the affordable housing projects created during my tenure are permanently affordable homes that will stabilize the lives of generations of Fort Collins’ households. Our community is a better place to live when the complexion of our community is diverse, vibrant and healthy.

Honoree Questionnaire#

Name: Tenae Beane

Current Position: Development Review Coordinator

First position with City: Customer Service Rep II in Neighborhood Services

Years with City: 5

How did you come to work for the City of Fort Collins?

I moved to Fort Collins fifteen years ago without ever visiting and I am here to stay! After graduating from CSU and then working in retail and a medical office for a few years, I was looking for a career where I could be part of the larger community, create meaningful connections and make lasting impacts on where I live. So, I set my sights on working for the City of Fort Collins, first landing the job in Neighborhood Services and now I work in Development Review.

What are your favorite things about working for the City, and more specifically, your department, and why?

Working for the City is very rewarding and I am proud to be here. One of my favorite parts about working in Development Review is building relationships with the development community and my coworkers. Development Review involves many City departments who collaborate every day on projects and it is inspiring to work with a team who is incredibly dedicated to the work we do and cares deeply about Fort Collins.

What has been your most memorable project or experience while working for the City, and why?

Jumping in feet first into the Development Review Coordinator role has been incredibly memorable! There are three of us in this position and over the past four years, we have molded it to what it is today. The position was brand new to the City when I applied and it has been really exciting to see the value that it adds to such a complex process.

In your role as a City employee, how do you believe you are making this community a better place to live?

Working in Development Review has a direct influence on the built environment, and I believe each project is connected to the bigger picture of what makes Fort Collins a great place to live now and in the future.

Honoree Questionnaire#

Name: Tessa Jakobsson   

Current Position: Corporal in the Crimes Against Persons Unit

First position with City: Police Officer

Years with City: 15 years.

How did you come to work for the City of Fort Collins?

I started my law enforcement career as a patrol deputy with Boulder County Sheriff’s Office.  I then moved to Northern Colorado with my husband and began looking at law enforcement agencies in the area.  I went on a ride along with Fort Collins Police department and immediately knew this was where I wanted to work.  I applied right after my ride along.     

What are your favorite things about working for the City, and more specifically, your department, and why?

I love working in the Crimes Against Persons Unit because it gives me an opportunity to help people.  For me, the most rewarding cases to work are the cases involving children where I can help make sure they are safe and can give them the opportunity to safely talk about what has happened to them.  Kids who feel safe, believed and heard are much more likely to be resilient through challenging situations.   

What has been your most memorable project or experience while working for the City, and why?

As a Corporal in the Crimes Against Persons Unit I get to help the Detectives on my team with their cases and I get to mentor new Detectives.  I love getting to see my teammates have successes on their cases.  Watching a teammate solve a major case or seeing them successfully work through a challenging case is extremely rewarding. 

In your role as a City employee, how do you believe you are making this community a better place to live?

The Crimes Against Persons Unit investigates serious crimes that occur here in Fort Collins.  Throughout each investigation I seek to help the victim have the courage to share what happened to them so they have a voice.  I work hard to hold people accountable when they victimize someone else and through that try and make our community a safer place.