Lenna Kottke
- Retired Executive Director, Via Mobility Services
I served as Executive Director of Boulder County non-profit agency Via Mobility Services for 25 years, retiring in 2016. Active in leadership with local, statewide (CASTA) and national (CTAA) community transportation associations, I also served as a mentor for CTAA's Emerging Leadership Academy for five years. I was named national Community Transit Manager of the Year in 2016. I know lots of folks in local government, the business community, and the non-profit community in Boulder County. I am passionate about developing the next generation of leaders, and I was delighted to be a mentor for a student in a Stanford internship program this past summer. I've lived in Boulder since 1972 and have been married...to the same man!...for 54 years. And I love to travel now that we are both retired.
My advice to students...
Leadership depends on the ability to build relationships and to engage people in shared values and a shared vision. Listening skills, empathy, and a sincere desire to serve are hallmarks of successful leaders. And as you embark on your career path, don't sell yourself short. You'll only be a promising young woman or promising young man for a brief time in your life.