Over the past 14 years, I have built my family and career here in Westminster. My husband and I moved our small family of three to Westminster in 2011, where we first rented a home in North Park, followed by Bradburn, and finally settled in Harmony Park. Along the way, we became a family of five with three amazing children, enjoying Westminster’s way of life, amenities, and community. On any given day, you’ll likely find a contingent of us on one of Westminster’s many soccer fields or tennis courts, the grocery store (kids can eat!), or on our way to work or school. 

While life is hectic and challenging, I take nothing for granted. Being able to settle into a long-term home with my children is especially meaningful to me, since I did not have the same stability in my youth. After my parents divorced when I was 11, I lived with my mother who struggled to make ends meet as a newly-minted single mother. Our financial and housing instability increased with the addition of two younger siblings. We moved often over the next seven years while I helped raise my younger brother and sister. During this timeframe, I attended nine schools in three different states. For some periods, we didn't have a home and instead lived with various family members over summers or the course of a school year. This also included living on and off with my siblings’ father who was a severe alcoholic. While this period of time was difficult, I also consider it to be transformative. I grew not only as an individual, but as an empathetic leader, nurturer, and protector. These gifts have contributed to who I am today; particularly, my passion for affordable housing and family needs, and my understanding of the economic and personal struggles within our community. 

Since then, I have focused on creating stability and building resilience for myself as well as others. I earned a full tuition scholarship to Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, where I received a B.A. in Architecture. Shortly thereafter, I began my architecture career in Portland, Oregon, where I worked for several years. During this timeframe, I realized I wanted to expand my connection to people and community by pursuing a Masters in Urban Planning at the Harvard Graduate School of Design. After earning my degree, my soon-to-be husband and I moved to Oakland, California, where I began work at a small urban planning firm in San Francisco. For the next seven years, I worked with a wide range of suburban and urban communities to create long range comprehensive plans, neighborhood and station area plans, and public-private partnerships.

In 2011, my husband and I made Westminster our home while he pursued a graduate degree at the University of Denver and I started work with the City of Westminster. Over the next eight years, I had the opportunity to contribute to my city in a significant way by initiating Westminster's long-range planning program and building the first phase of our new Downtown. I consider myself incredibly lucky to be able to contribute to and shape the place in which I live, not only for my children, but for the Westminster community. in 2019, I transitioned to a new job, which opened up the opportunity to advocate for Westminster through first volunteering on the Environmental Advisory Board and later through election in 2021 as a City Councilor. 

Throughout my life, my urban planning and volunteer work has been driven by my desire to ensure that all community members have access to housing, economic and educational opportunity, and public services and amenities. My passion for people, their success and opportunity, and building community has guided me both personally and professionally. Over time, I have found ways to contribute to the Westminster community and my profession, including:

• Our Environment. In January, 2020, I was appointed to the City of Westminster’s Environmental Advisory Board. I volunteered for this board because of my desire to see more robust and expanded environmental policies in our city, region, and state. Having a child with asthma as a result of poor air quality conditions in our previous state, I value clean air and working toward reducing impacts from construction, vehicle, and building pollution. I also believe in maintaining our environment for future generations--like my kids, who will want to enjoy our beautiful amenities and open spaces.  
• Urban Planning Profession. Over the years, I have had the opportunity to present unique and relevant aspects of my work to my colleagues at national and local planning conferences (www.linkedin.com/in/sarahnurmela1). Additionally, I also work to enhance the role of women in the development and planning profession throughout the region as a former Co-Chair and current Steering Committee member of the Colorado Urban Land Institute (ULI) Women’s Leadership Initiative (WLI). The WLI committee focuses on highlighting and supporting women leaders in the industry. My contributions to WLI include starting the Breaking the Glass Ceiling mentorship program for professional women looking to move into top leadership positions as well as programming events like Bridging the Generation Gap for women of all ages in the workforce.