New Trustees Join the PERA Board​​

Two new Trustees were recently elected to the Colorado PERA Board of Trustees in the election held this past May:

Tracy Marie Rushing (State Division), a supervisor in the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation at the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, fills a seat previously held by Ashley Smith, who was appointed to the Board in 2021. Rushing was elected to a two-year term.

Scott Smith (School Division), chief financial and operating officer at Cherry Creek School District 5, fills a seat previously held by Guillermo Barriga, who did not seek re-election. Smith will serve a four-year term.

 In addition to these results, the PERA Board appointed two new Trustees:

JB Phillips (School Division), a middle school science teacher in Fruita, fills a seat vacated by Tina Mueh, who retired in June 2022. Phillips will serve a one-year term until the next Board election in 2023.

Catherine “Trina” Ruhland (Local Government Division), a deputy county attorney with the Boulder County Attorney’s Office, fills a seat vacated by Cheryl Pattelli, who left the Board in November 2021. Ruhland will serve a one-year term until the next Board election in 2023.

New Governor-Appointed Trustee:

Gov. Polis appointed Jennifer Pasquino to the seat previously held by Thomas Barrett, whose term expired in July. Pasquino is a retired chief financial officer and senior finance leader who has also served as an investor relations officer and chief accounting officer with various Fortune 500 companies. Her term expires in July 2026. 

Interested in being a PERA Trustee?

If you’re interested in learning more about running for the PERA Board in 2023, information about applying for candidacy will be available on copera.org in early January. In 2023, a retiree seat will be up for election and is open to retirees who retired from a State, Local Government, or Judicial Division employer. Terms will also expire for Trustees in the School, Local Government, and Judicial Divisions and these positions are open to any employees currently working for PERA-covered employers in these divisions. Check out the Serving as a PERA Trustee fact sheet to learn more about being a Trustee.