Gretchen Hollrah is the Executive Director for the Mayor’s Office of the National Western Center (NWCO) for the City and County of Denver, serving as an appointee of Mayor Michael B. Hancock.  In this role, Gretchen oversees the campus strategic planning, operations and construction for the redevelopment of the National Western Center in coordination with partners and their construction plans. When complete, the National Western Center will be a dynamic 250-acre global destination for entertainment, cultural, educational and agricultural business innovation campus.

With 20 years of experience, Ms. Hollrah began her career as a city planner for the City of New York and continued in the private sector at Wilbur Smith Associates in San Francisco, CA, before her career at the City and County of Denver. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from Northwestern University and a Master of Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Michigan.

Gretchen’s city roots run deep with over 15 years serving the City and County of Denver. She has successfully led business initiatives from finance and development to Excise and Licensing. Her roles include serving as the City’s Deputy Chief Financial Officer and Deputy Chief Projects Officer, reviewing development proposals and recommending public financing opportunities to maximize efficient use of City resources. Her project work has included the continued redevelopment of the Stapleton and Lowry neighborhoods as well as other major infill and infrastructure reinvestment projects. Additionally, Gretchen managed Denver’s Capital Improvement Program, overseeing appropriations for the City’s streets, bridges, parks, buildings and arts facilities. In this role, she developed a new performance and accountability system for the allocation of capital funding citywide, building on her prior experience at the Denver’s Department of Public Works.

Combining her experience in infrastructure and public finance with her understanding of city government, Gretchen is dedicated to facilitating the sound growth and development of Denver, helping Mayor Hancock deliver his vision of “a world-class city where everyone matters.”