The Professional Years Since
the US wasn't yet ready for professional women's basketball, Angie was
ready to pursue her professional life of work. Enamored with Colorado
after training at the Olympic Training Center, playing in the Olympic
Sports Festival in Colorado Springs, and training in Colorado with
Athletes-in-Action, Angie decided to relocate. Colorado would become
home for more than 20 years. Driven by a strong desire to make a
difference in the lives of young people, Angie first started working at
a treatment center for troubled teens. After two years, she decided to
become a high school teacher and completed the required coursework at
the University of Denver.
After earning her teaching
credential, Angie was hired at Smoky Hill High School to teach social
studies and coach basketball. During her eight years at Smoky Hill,
Angie became the first and remains the only woman to coach a boy's
varsity high school sport in the large school classification. Smoky was
the second largest high school in the state of Colorado. That
experience led to other opportunities such as performing the color
commentary for the first televised college women's basketball games for
the University of Colorado under Coach Ceal Barry. Angie continues to
demonstrate the courage that allows her to say "yes" to opportunity.
In
1995, Angie left Smoky Hill to pursue advanced degrees at Colorado
State University. There, she worked with Project Promise, a nationally
recognized program of excellence in teacher preparation while earning a
Master's degree and a Ph.D. in Education.
Angie was busy
preparing graduate students to become world-class teachers when she
went to vote in the 2000 election. While in the voting booth, she was
stunned to find there was no Democrat on the ballot for the 4th
Congressional District race. At that moment, she heard her family's
admonition to "say yes to opportunity" and that still small voice that
urged her to "step up and step in" to fill the leadership void. The
next year, Angie would be on the ballot for the State House of
Representatives.
From 2003 to 2006 Angie served as the State
Representative for House District 53 in Fort Collins. She was
re-elected in 2004 by the then largest margin of victory by a Democrat in the
history of Larimer County. Serving the citizens of Fort Collins with
her signature passion, Angie helped to grow the base of engaged
citizens through her weekly breakfast meetings and monthly townhall meetings.
A strong supporter of increasing opportunities for the young, Angie has
an impeccable record of service to the community.
Smoky Hill H.S. for 8 years
Taught at CSU for 10 years
State Representative 2003-2006
Photo by Mark Piscotty, copyright Rocky Mountain News
