Where are they now? Phillip Yates

More than 20 years after he graduated from Niwot High School, Phillip Yates can still be found roaming around Niwot. Now, he's usually spotted with a camera, taking photos along the way.

Yates enjoys the community and he enjoys the outdoors-which is perfect for him since he's the Senior Communications Manager for the City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks Department.

After graduating from Niwot High School in 1999, Yates attended the University of Colorado Boulder where he studied journalism and history. Both degrees, he said, were pivotal to the way he sees the world and his own personal growth.

"I've always been interested in learning people's stories, understanding their perspectives," Yates said. "Fortunately, that has led to a career in storytelling, journalism and community engagement."

He has a wealth of experience identifying and telling the stories of both individuals and the communities in which he has immersed himself. While living in Texas, Yates was a crime and breaking news reporter at the "Amarillo Globe-News" and later, he pivoted to cover county and energy stories for the "Glenwood Springs Post Independent" in Glenwood Springs, Colorado. Being a beat reporter was a foundational experience for Yates; it taught him the importance of listening and asking meaningful questions.

"In Amarillo, I covered crime and breaking news, wrote several articles a day," he said. "It was a challenging and illuminating experience. It was challenging having to ask difficult questions. It really taught me that when people are suffering trauma, they really want people to hear and understand their stories."

Between his experience in the classroom and in the field, Yates became an even more curious person, open to new perspectives and wanting to learn more about shared history. He sees his studies and his days working in local news as essential to the work he does now for the City of Boulder. Much of that work has involved maintaining and further developing relationships with local Tribal Nations.

"Some of the most fulfilling moments..., in my current role and probably even my career, have been the moments I've shared with tribal representatives," Yates said. "I'm very grateful for the opportunity to learn from them, collaborate with them, for the relationships we've developed and more importantly, their willingness to share their knowledge and guidance with me, my colleagues and our community."

One meaningful project he was part of was the 2021 renaming of Settler's Park to The Peoples' Crossing. He said it was impactful to help the city fulfill its Indigenous Peoples' Day Resolution and then to see the broader Boulder community embrace the change. Then, last March, there was a consultation with Tribal Nations, during which Tribal Representatives and Lakota and Comanche children removed inaccurate signs at the park, which will be replaced with new materials that provide Indigenous interpretations.

In addition to the relationships he's developed with Tribal Representatives, Yates explained that he loves the diversity of responsibility with his role. While most days have a list of to-dos such as writing press releases and planning social media posts, there are new challenges and unexpected joys every day.

"Sometimes I send out a tweet and sometimes it can go viral," he said with a laugh, referencing a tweet from January 2023 that shared bear "selfies" caught by Boulder's wildlife cameras. "I had to do interviews about that and answer inquiries from reporters around the world."

But of all the places he's traveled and lived in the world-including Sweden during a study abroad trip, he also served as president of CU's Scandinavian Club-he has found his way back to Niwot, which, he says, is a special place.

"When I look back on my journalism and communications career, I am grateful that I've had the opportunity to make a difference in the communities where I lived," he said. "I'm very lucky to have the opportunity to communicate and talk about public land and nature."