Kathleen Staks is the Executive Director at Western Freedom, an organization that is working to enable the delivery of low-cost electricity and energy freedom to the West through an efficient and integrated grid system. Kathleen has extensive experience in policy and strategic engagement on a broad spectrum of bipartisan energy issues in the public and private sectors. She has worked in house and as a consultant on government and public affairs for a variety of energy and natural resources companies. Kathleen served as the Executive Director of the Colorado Energy Office under Governor Hickenlooper where she worked to broaden the influence and impact of the office by developing and securing bipartisan support for long-term funding while expanding wide-reaching relationships across the energy spectrum. Prior to that, Kathleen was the assistant director for energy and minerals at the Colorado Department of Natural Resources, where she developed and implemented oil and gas and mining policy across Colorado in coordination with the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, the Division of Reclamation Mining and Safety, and the Governor’s Office.

Kathleen also serves on the board of the Colorado Electric Transmission Authority, an independent special purpose authority that will prioritize and enable the development of transmission lines that will deliver clean energy to Coloradans and the region.