When important things get done in Denver, they often have one thing in common: Tamra Ward.

Ward is the new chair of the History Colorado board, a lifetime achievement for most of us, and a big one for Ward as well. When you’re a top-shelf professional strategist and relentless do-gooder, however, it’s just another day at the office.

Youthful and infectiously enthusiastic, Ward has been around public affairs in Denver nearly 30 years. Newcomers might recognize her from the zoo – the chief external relations office for the Denver Zoo, that is, starting in 2016.

She’s hanging out a shingle as a principal in the public affairs firm Taloma Partners with Lori Fox, formerly of United Airlines and other public roles, and lawyer Maren C. Stewart, the former vice president of external affairs for Children’s Hospital Colorado. 

Ward wasn’t feeding the monkeys at the zoo, she was feeding the budget of the 120-year-old cultural touchstone, through government relations, a ballot issue and bond campaign, we well as community outreach.

Others might know her from her work starting in 2011 as president and CEO of Colorado Concern, the business advocacy association of more than state and local 115 business executives and community leaders, boosting its revenue 25%.

She broke into the politics business as an assistant press secretary to then-U.S. Sen. Alan Simpson, a Republican from her home state, Wyoming.

She landed in Denver in 2000 to be the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce’s spokeswoman and top policy and political adviser a decade, as it turned out. If it happened in Denver, Ward was probably there, be it transportation, education, health care or improving the city’s general business climate.

She was the business community lead for the campaigns to beat Proposition 101 and amendments 60 and 61, ballot measures aimed at slashing income and property taxes, respectively, cutting billions in revenue that would have to made up in deep cuts in government services or tax hikes and fee increases elsewhere to maintain schools and other vital services.

Both were crushed.

FAST FACTS

• Where did you grow up? Sheridan, Wyoming. A beautiful town of around 18,000 at the base of the Big Horn Mountains. I appreciate it so much more now than I did then.
• What are your hobbies? I’ve started playing the piano again. It’s like riding a bike – it does come back to you. If you could do any other job, what would it be? Personal shopper. I enjoy helping people find an outfit that makes them shine from the inside. I’m also known for my ability to clean a closet.
• Are you good at sports? No. But I have committed to running during the pandemic. I’m approaching the 10K mark. Award your proudest of? Cancer survivor. Nine years and counting!
• Oddest odd job as a teenager? I worked two summers at Eaton’s Ranch, the oldest dude ranch in the country. Now I’d like to go back as a guest! Where did you go to college and why? Growing up in Wyoming, and going to school with the same kids K-12, I wanted to broaden my horizons. I picked Baylor University out of a of a big book of colleges and universities (without photos) and enrolled without visiting. It was a great choice.
• Is working at the zoo as much fun as it sounds? Absolutely! Denver Zoo is an amazing institution. It’s so much more than an attraction. It’s an educational provider and a leader in conservation here and abroad. The team is so talented and passionate about the work they do. Think about it. The Zoo is a city within the city. It has 4,000 residents who require, and receive, 24/7 care and feeding. Leading the team that was focused on telling the Zoo’s stories-both to the public and to elected leaders-was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Colorado Politics: You’re a household name in Colorado politics. Why do you think that is? 

Ward: In politics – and in life – I firmly believe that if you show up, work hard and are an honest broker you will be successful. Anyone who has been a part of my team knows I subscribe to the old adage “You get more bees with honey than vinegar.” That doesn’t mean you aren’t direct, or you are unwilling to address a challenging situation. It means everyone knows you listen; you pick your battles wisely; and you never burn a bridge.

This approach has provided me an opportunity to play a role in some of the most interesting and impactful statewide policy measures-in the General Assembly and at the ballot box-over the last 20 years. I’m very proud of efforts such as Referendum C&D, legislative actions that led to additional transportation funding and initiative reform, and local ballot campaigns like the SCFD and the 2017 bond measure that secured $20 million in funding for Denver Zoo’s new animal hospital.

CP: If you could change one big thing to make Colorado better, what would it be and why?

Ward: I would say that Coloradans are barn builders. We come together-oftentimes from different backgrounds-to solve the challenges that face our state and its citizenry. During my two decades in the state, I’ve seen this happen time and again. Sometimes the barn stands after the first attempt, other times we have to go back, re-engineer and start over. But what has been unique to Colorado is the coalition that commits to this effort.

What I would call for is not a change-but a request that we hold firmly to that approach. We should firmly embrace that we are stronger together.

CP: What is your favorite part of owning your own business?

Ward: My favorite part of owning our business is when the phone rings and someone says they know us by our past work or reputation, and they would like our help on an issue or project. Knowing the work we have done in the past is the foundation for our future success tells me we are on the right path.

CP: You just became chair of the History Colorado board. What’s your vision for your tenure?

Ward: In our current environment History Colorado has evolved into an organization that’s serving more Coloradans in more ways than ever before. At a time when faith in some of our civic pillars has diminished, trust in History Colorado is rising. I am so proud that as an institution we are meeting people where they are (these days mostly in their homes) and providing constructive nonpartisan dialogue around key issues of the day.

Our digital programming and engagement numbers are through the roof. Our podcast “Lost Highways: Dispatches from the Shadows of the Rocky Mountains” attracts as many as 6,000 downloads per episode and earned a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities after its inaugural season. If you haven’t listened you must. It’s really great and it will surprise you.

This approach – increased use of technology to reach folks – is a piece of History Colorado’s new normal. It will outlast the pandemic and be a value add to the in-person opportunities we provide when we find ourselves in an environment that allows for more direct interaction at our museums and historic sites across the state.

My vision is to cultivate greater financial stability that aligns with and supports this work. I want to help more people understand why History Colorado is too valuable to rely on a single, volatile and diminishing funding source – limited gaming revenue-for more than 75 percent of its annual budget.

CP: Other than to save old stuff, what greater good does historic preservation deliver average folks like me?

Ward: In the simplest of terms, historic preservation is the rising tide that lifts all boats. It is a surgical means of providing multi-layered economic stimulus where it’s needed most, which explains why more than 75 percent of the grants administered by the History Colorado State Historical Fund are currently allocated to rural areas of Colorado. Here’s some statistics for you. Since 1981, historic preservation projects in Colorado have created more than 27,000 jobs and generated nearly $3.9 billion in direct and indirect economic impacts, adding $2.2 billion to Colorado’s GDP. A very timely example are the SHF’s grant rounds that have continued on schedule despite the Covid-19 pandemic. It has already distributed $6,681,634.42 since mid-March to active projects that remain ongoing as a result.

If I showed you a map of Colorado with a star delineating every historic preservation project we have funded you would be amazed – and proud.

CP: The museum runs off donations, obviously, so what’s the most common reason people tell you they open their checkbook?

Ward: Pride. Our members are proud to be from Colorado and they are proud to support its history. If you believe Colorado is worth fighting for, we are one of the best partners you can find, and we welcome your support.

CP: Do women get a fair shake in our state and national discourse?

Ward: When History Colorado led America’s most comprehensive statewide centennial of the 19th Amendment last year, we learned that the history of women’s equality is not in the past. It’s in our future. It took more than 190 years before a woman was appointed to a seat on the US Supreme Court. We just elected our first woman on a presidential ticket. The first version of the equal rights amendment was drafted in 1923 and it still hasn’t been adopted. As Americans we’re not done pursuing a more perfect union, and we have plenty more work to do.