Katie Ross

Katie Ross headshot

Role: Engineering Manager, Denver Water

How are you connected to CSU Spur?

My role is the one that most people never think about, helping to plan and manage where the pipes that carry water will be buried — not just at the CSU Spur campus, but across the redeveloped National Western Center. It’s the role that makes sure we’ve used the right material that will last, in the right location. It gives people the ability to turn the faucet and get water.

When did you get involved with Spur and why is it important to you?

I got involved in February 2018 on the planning for the National Western Center. It’s a complicated site, with a lot of history and many different partners involved, including private developers, the city and CSU. And Denver Water is both a utility reviewing the redevelopment plan and a tenant and partner in the development of the Hydro building, which is just one of the 17 projects at the site in our plan review process.

We worked with other utility providers to get all the utilities needed to support the different activities at the site, from offices to events to our own water quality laboratory, and make sure everyone involved in the development knows what is happening.

What outcomes have you seen or do you expect from work at Spur?

The work we did to support the development of Spur and the entire National Western Center changed how Denver Water handles large, multiphase, master-planned projects. We were involved earlier in the redevelopment process, allowing us to work with the development teams rather than coming in after decisions had already been made.

And this is one of the first projects that took a One Water approach, considering the types of water appropriate for the overall development, including the use of recycled water (which wasn’t appropriate for this development), greywater, stormwater in addition to safe, clean drinking water.

What would you like others to know about Spur?

This kind of development, it’s not just a grocery store or an apartment building. When you have multiple phases, building types, partners and types of partners, it gets complicated. There are a lot of projects that will benefit from what we did planning the redevelopment of the National Western Center.

JOCELYN HITTLE

Associate Vice Chancellor for CSU Spur & Special Projects, CSU System

Jocelyn Hittle is primarily focused on helping to create the CSU System’s new Spur campus at the National Western Center, and on supporting campus sustainability goals across CSU’s campuses. She sits on the Denver Mayor’s Sustainability Advisory Council, on the Advisory Committee for the Coors Western Art Show, and is a technical advisor for the AASHE STARS program.

Prior to joining CSU, Jocelyn was the Associate Director of PlaceMatters, a national urban planning think tank, and worked for the Orton Family Foundation. She has a degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from Princeton, and a Masters in Environmental Management from the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies.

Jocelyn grew up in Colorado and spends her free time in the mountains or exploring Denver.

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TONY FRANK

Chancellor, CSU System

Dr. Tony Frank is the Chancellor of the CSU System. He previously served for 11 years as the 14th president of CSU in Fort Collins. Dr. Frank earned his undergraduate degree in biology from Wartburg College, followed by a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the University of Illinois, and a Ph.D. and residencies in pathology and toxicology at Purdue. Prior to his appointment as CSU’s president in 2008, he served as the University’s provost and executive vice president, vice president for research, chairman of the Pathology Department, and Associate Dean for Research in the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. He was appointed to a dual role as Chancellor in 2015 and became full-time System chancellor in July 2019.

Dr. Frank serves on a number of state and national boards, has authored and co-authored numerous scientific publications, and has been honored with state and national awards for his leadership in higher education.

Dr. Frank and his wife, Dr. Patti Helper, have three daughters.

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