Natalie Stiffler to join professional services firm, leave her position as Transportation & Mobility director

City Manager Nuria Rivera-Vandermyde announced today that Transportation & Mobility Director Natalie Stiffler will be leaving the city organization to take on an exciting position in the private sector.

Stiffler has accepted the role of Senior Vice President, Transportation Business Leader for Colorado with WSP Global Inc., one of the world's leading and largest professional services firms.

"While we are sad to see her go, this is a tremendous professional opportunity for Natalie. I congratulate her and wish her all the best in this next stage of her career," Rivera-Vandermyde said.

Stiffler has served as director since May 2023, but has held a variety of other roles in the city between 2014 and today, including transportation planner, deputy director and interim director. Under her leadership, the department has continued its work to advance many important transportation objectives and priorities. Some key accomplishments include:

• Building the first-of-its-kind-in-the-U.S. tall curb protected bike lanes along Baseline
• Constructing the city's first protected intersection at 30th and Colorado
• Seeking and securing a monumental federal grant of $23 million to further Vision Zero
• Partnering with Boulder County, CDOT, RTD, and other local agencies to secure a federal RAISE grant of $25M to construct the SH119 Bus Rapid Transit and Bikeway project
• Maintaining forward momentum on council's Core Arterial Network priority, leveraging constrained resources to support effective planning and implementation of phased enhancements
• Improving airport safety, operations and compliance while also guiding an in-depth community conversation about the future of that location

"I am so proud of my colleagues for their ability to balance competing priorities, plan and construct projects that will serve the Boulder community's transportation needs for years to come, provide essential services to maintain the city's existing network, and strengthen relationships with the many partners who make this work possible," Stiffler said. "They are truly among the best in this profession."

Stiffler said she is excited to be able to support more cities across Colorado to create innovative multimodal systems that will meet the needs of their communities. She and her family plan to remain in Boulder County.

Stiffler's last day will be Sept. 3. Current deputy director, Valerie Watson, has agreed to serve as interim director until the city is able to conduct a national search.

"Valerie is an established and well-respected leader in her field and within Transportation & Mobility, and I am appreciative of her partnership in helping us ensure a smooth transition," Rivera-Vandermyde said. "There is important work ahead of us and we are committed to supporting staff and community as we advance the ambitious workplan priorities to achieve Boulder's vision."