Katie Spector, 2015
Katie Spector earned her Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication and Media Strategies from Colorado Mesa University in 2015. A Grand Junction native, she began honing her craft early through internships with local law enforcement agencies including the Mesa County Sheriff’s Office and Grand Junction Police Department. Those formative experiences shaped her trajectory toward federal public affairs and strategic communication.
Upon graduation, Spector moved to Washington, D.C., where she served as a public affairs specialist for the U.S. Navy Medical Research Center. There she authored press releases, cultivated relationships with national media, organized high-level events involving foreign dignitaries and military leaders and had her photography featured in prominent outlets including BuzzFeed and TEDx.
In recognition of her early career achievements and commitment to service, Spector received the Young Alumni Who’s Who Award from the CMU Alumni Association in 2019. This honor reflected her rapid rise and continued connection to Maverick values.
Spector went on to roles of increasing strategic responsibility. She became a strategic communication specialist for the Department of Defense's Transition to Veterans Program Office and later senior director at Powell Strategies. In these positions, she led communications initiatives for veterans, drafted congressional briefs, crafted national program narratives and represented government programs in international forums.
Alongside her professional trajectory, Spector has remained deeply engaged with community and purpose-driven organizations. She served as immediate past president of the Den Collective, a Denver-based spiritual community where she contributed leadership and outreach from 2021 to 2024.