Born in Colorado, Katie Smith, began her journey with GOCO in the summer of 2021 as the Program Officer for the West Region. Before GOCO, Katie worked in public health with a variety of roles, including regional emergency preparedness and response specialist; coalition facilitator for projects like Communities that Care, Child Fatality Review, and Tobacco-Free Team; as well as other program management projects. Katie has a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science, Health Promotion, and Recreation from Colorado State University-Pueblo.

Drawn by GOCO's guiding principles and values, she's passionate about using a public health approach to advance equity and eliminate barriers to outdoor recreation. When not working, you can find Katie coaching youth soccer, hiking, paddle boarding the Gunnison, camping, and enjoying time with family in the great outdoors of Colorado.