On Tuesday, Jan. 16, Denver City Council passed Proclamation 24-0040 in a well-deserved tribute to Lowry’s very own Kate Williams for a life of service to others. Councilperson Chris Hinds read the proclamation and he, Councilwoman Sawyer and Councilperson Paul Kashmann offered their personal reflections and congratulations. Kate’s many supporters also were present in the chamber – RTD colleagues, members of the Voices Rock choir, and an army of friends from our Lowry neighborhood.
Her vast list of accomplishments include sailing the world, working for Shake-A-Leg Miami, and with seniors here in Colorado. Because she believes “transportation is the social determinant of health”, Kate also built an extensive career working on transit and transportation issues, including for DRMAC (Denver Regional Mobility and Access Council), the American Federation for the Blind, and most recently for CarePool, a pilot project with DRCOG that provides transportation for aging adults, those with disabilities and Medicaid clients.
Kate was first elected to the Board of Directors of RTD in 2016; Director Williams was re-elected in 2020 and represents District A, which includes portions of downtown Denver, Cherry Creek, Glendale and Lowry, and she was respected as Chair and Vice Chair of Operations and Safety Committee.
She firmly believes that the future of our planet resides in embracing the transit system more fully, “so that we can get out of our cars and keep our grandchildren alive and spare our air.”
Most recently, Director Williams was instrumental in creating RTD’s Zero Fare for Youth so there is now no fare for passengers under 19 years old, which she says is the “best thing I’ve done my whole life.”
To read the full proclamation honoring RTD Board Director Kate Williams click here.
Kate stepped down from her director position on Jan. 9 due to declining health. She has asked Mayor Johnston to appoint her replacement immediately so the RTD Board can continue to function. She is recommending Roger Sherman as her replacement as he has 17 years of RTD experience and thoroughly understands the workings of our District A. If you would like to support Kate’s recommendation of Roger as her replacement, you can email Chase Phillips, executive advisor to the mayor, to speed up this request. chase.phillips@denvergov.org.
LUN and all the Lowry community thank Kate for her significant contributions to our city and community. Congratulations Kate!