Former Fort Collins mayor is new Aims Foundation director

GREELEY – Former Fort Collins mayor Susan Kirkpatrick has been named the new executive director of the Aims Community College Foundation in Greeley.

Kirkpatrick, who ran unsuccessfully as the Democratic candidate for the 4th Congressional District in 1998, brings to Aims not only political experience but also a background in fundraising, management, nonprofit work, consulting and teaching at both the University of Northern Colorado and Colorado State University.

“My self-image is one of an educator, especially someone involved with post-secondary education,” Kirkpatrick said. “Campaigning and fundraising are areas I really enjoy and in which I excel. The job as executive director of the Aims Foundation combined my commitment to post-secondary education with my skills in fund-raising.”

Kirpatrick promised to deliver a fundraising plan for the college within her first six months at Aims.

Kirkpatrick has spent the last 18 months running her own business in fundraising management and business planning for nonprofit corporations. In that capacity, she successfully obtained a $10,000 gift for Right On Fort Collins and a $32,000 gift to the Center for Community Justice Partnership in 2003.

“I tried the business, but I liken that to the experience of being a substitute teacher. I never felt as though I could be around to see the results,” Kirkpatrick said. “It was a great experience, but it turns out that I’d prefer to be part of an organization.”

Before starting her own business, Kirkpatrick served as vice president/executive director of the National Audubon Society’s Colorado office in Boulder for more than three years.

From 1992 to 1997, she was an assistant professor of political science at UNC, earning awards in teaching excellence. She left to run for Congress in 1998. She was mayor of Fort Collins from 1990 to 1993, attaining that position after four years on the Fort Collins City Council.

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