Media Contact:
Shannon Gray | shannon.gray@state.co.us | (970)-505-7937
The Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) is excited to announce the hiring of Kate Watkins as its new State Demographer. Watkins will join DOLA part time starting November 4, 2024 and will take over the role full-time starting Monday, December 2. Watkins comes to DOLA with nearly two decades of experience in applied economic and socioeconomic analysis, including serving as the Chief Economist for Colorado’s General Assembly, and most recently, as President and Chief Economist at Bright Fox Analytics.
“I am thrilled to welcome Kate as DOLA’s new State Demographer,” said Maria De Cambra, DOLA’s Executive Director. “Everyone who has worked with Kate speaks of her stellar reputation and describes her as their go-to resource. Kate is a pillar in the Denver business economics community, and we’re lucky that she’ll be able to carry on the legacy of excellence at the State Demographer’s Office.”
As the Chief Economist for Colorado’s General Assembly, Watkins led a team of economists and data scientists forecasting economic and state revenue conditions and authoring fiscal and demographic impact analyses. In addition to a decade serving Colorado’s legislature, she served as an economist for the Denver Branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City and as an economic consultant in the private sector working with a range of clients to better inform economic and policy decisions.
In 2022, Kate founded Bright Fox Analytics, an economic and data analysis consulting firm dedicated to helping Colorado businesses, nonprofits, and governments navigate the evolving economic and policy landscape. Since, she has worked with a range of clients offering timely analysis to better inform economic and policy decisions.
“It is truly an honor to step into the role of State Demographer,” said Watkins. “I look forward to working with communities across the state to provide the information needed to understand Colorado’s demographics and to plan for the future.”
Kate holds a Ph.D. in Sociology from Cornell University and an M.A. in Global Finance Trade and Economic Integration from the University of Denver. She teaches Economics as a faculty lecturer for the University of Colorado Denver’s Executive MBA Program. She is also the current President of the Denver Association of Business Economics.
Watkins will be replacing Elizabeth Garner, who has served as Colorado’s State Demographer since 2004. Garner is retiring effective November 29, 2024.
Get more information on DOLA’s leadership team.