Colorado Fiscal Institute welcomes new executive director

NEWS RELEASE
COLORADO FISCAL INSTITUTE
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DENVER, CO – The Board of Directors of the Colorado Fiscal Institute (CFI) announced today they have hired Kathy White as the organization’s next executive director. White previously served as CFI’s deputy director from 2012-2021.

“I’m excited to lead CFI into its next phase at this remarkable moment in Colorado’s history. Working families continue to face unprecedented challenges in the COVID economic recovery, and policymakers have a unique opportunity to use fiscal and economic policy to ease those hardships and make lasting changes that promote greater fairness and opportunity for all Coloradans,” said new Colorado Fiscal Institute executive director Kathy White. “Our founding executive director built a strong organization, and I’m honored to continue building upon that foundation as the next executive director,” White continued, adding that CFI is known for its expertise on TABOR and other fiscal policies, solid analytic research, and deep commitment to community priorities.

“Together with the rest of the Colorado Fiscal Institute board, I’m thrilled to announce Kathy will be leading CFI’s next chapter,” said Trinidad Rodriguez, Chair of the Colorado Fiscal Institute board of directors. “Her expertise on a wide range of fiscal and economic issues means the organization will remain a strong force for equitable tax and budget policies at the state capitol and the ballot for many years to come.”

White, who previously served as director of the organization before it became a standalone nonprofit, will succeed former CFI executive director Carol Hedges, who retired in December. During her more than 20-year career, White has been known as a veteran advocate for policies that enhance economic security for working families.

She has championed effective tax credits for working families, values-based budget priorities, unemployment insurance reforms that benefit working people, and policies that recognize the economic contributions of immigrants. Prior to her work with CFI, Kathy conducted policy research for a national health insurance company. A lifelong Colorado resident, White lives in Denver with her family.

Since 2012, the Colorado Fiscal Institute has been an important and influential voice on progressive tax, budget, and economic policies, both at the capitol and on statewide ballot measures. CFI’s research and advocacy have led to important policy advancements such as the passage of the Tax Fairness for Coloradans Act in the 2021 legislative session, which will help put more money in the pockets of thousands of working families in the coming year.

At the ballot, CFI has tackled measures to make Colorado’s tax code fairer and answered important legal questions, including securing a landmark 2019 Colorado State Supreme Court ruling which found a measure to repeal the state’s restrictive TABOR law would be legal under Colorado’s single-subject rule for ballot initiatives.

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