The City of Wheat Ridge is excited to announce Lauren Mikulak as the new Community Development Director. Mikulak has worked at the City of Wheat Ridge since 2010, and since 2017 she has managed the Planning Division, overseeing all current and long-range planning efforts. She specializes in land use regulation, development review, plan implementation, project management, and process improvement. As the staff liaison to the Wheat Ridge Housing Authority, she oversaw the redevelopment of the historic Fruitdale School Lofts.
Over the last few years, Mikulak has helped lead the city into a new era of meaningful public engagement. She led the implementation effort for Wheat Ridge Speaks, the City’s online engagement platform for public meetings, and launched the Let’s Talk Resident Engagement Program that allows residents to share their thoughts about their neighborhood.
“Lauren has built a strong career at the City of Wheat Ridge. The city has been honored to watch her grow as a leader, and we are looking forward to seeing her shine in this new role,” said City Manager Patrick Goff.
Mikulak has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Notre Dame and a master's in urban and regional planning from the University of New Orleans. Prior to living in Colorado, Mikulak served as a construction manager for Habitat for Humanity in post-Katrina Baton Rouge.
About the City of Wheat Ridge
The City of Wheat Ridge offers a mix of retail/commercial businesses and unique residential neighborhoods with easy access to the Denver metropolitan area. The community of nine square miles is located immediately west of Denver with a population of 33,000 residents. This home rule city was incorporated in 1969, however, its rich heritage extends back to the 1800s.