By Chris Michlewicz; photo courtesy of Tracy Engerman

When she’s not helping make decisions to improve the lives of residents in the City of Castle Pines, the new mayor is making the most of life in Colorado.

Growing up in a small town in the middle of Kansas, Tracy Engerman knew she eventually wanted to head west and settle close to the mountains. She and her family would visit almost every year to go skiing and Engerman fell in love with the active lifestyle.

“I wanted to be somewhere where there were a lot of outdoor activities, and I wanted to enjoy Mother Nature,” said Engerman, who served on City Council since 2017 before being elected mayor.

She made her way to the Front Range in 2003, but didn’t leave Kansas far behind in her rearview mirror. Engerman returns to her hometown of Hoisington (population 2,700) every Fourth of July with her husband, Paul, and their combined four children to visit her parents, who still live on the rural spread where she grew up.

During the snowy season, the family can be found on the slopes of Breckenridge or Copper Mountain, and during the warmer months, they pack up the tent, dog and hiking gear and find a quiet spot to set up camp in the foothills. Much like she was, the kids are being raised on family road trips to states like Montana and Wyoming, where they take advantage of the wide open spaces and the many recreational opportunities.

Engerman, who has a background in finance, data analytics and communications, has served in various roles at American Academy, a K-8 school in Castle Pines where all four of the kids attended classes, but she now works on a project-by-project basis for the school. By the time her 9 year old graduates eighth grade, the family will have spent 18 years being involved in the school in some capacity.

The Engermans’ free time is often occupied by performing arts activities and youth sports – everything from golf to Taekwondo to gymnastics to lacrosse – but they often try to take a break on Sundays when possible. When asked if she has a hobby that not many people know about, Engerman answers quickly: “woodworking.” She spent part of last year designing and building their back deck by hand.

“I’m the oldest of two kids, and my dad always wanted boys and got two girls,” she said. “We lived in the country, so I was always on the tractor with him or holding a flashlight when he was fixing things.”

Her parents owned a car dealership that was the largest generator of sales tax revenue for their small town, and she observed them persevere through ups and downs. Engerman learned about the relationship between the business community, city government and the chamber of commerce, and their collective effort to ensure economic success.

“It’s important for us to focus on long-term strategies for what we want economic development to look like [in Castle Pines],” said Engerman. “There are things we can implement now that will make it faster for developers to start building and getting infrastructure in.”

Engerman was sworn in on January 11 as the fourth mayor of Castle Pines.