Term expires: November 2025
720-460-9277
snurmela@westminsterco.gov
Sarah Nurmela was sworn in as Mayor Pro Tem on Monday, December 4, 2023.
Invitations for the councillor to attend special events: If you wish to invite the councillor to attend an event, please work with City staff who can assist with scheduling. Please do not contact the councillor directly for invitations to special events.
For the most expedient response, please submit your request via Access Westminster. You may also call the City Manager's Office directly at 303-658-2006 or by USPS mail. Please address your correspondence to:
City Manager's Office
4800 W. 92nd Ave.
Westminster, CO 80031
Councillor Nurmela was elected to serve on the City Council in 2021. Nurmela, her partner Brian, and their three children have lived in Westminster since 2011.
Nurmela has over two decades of professional experience in architecture, urban planning, and development nationally and along the Front Range. Most recently, Sarah joined the Town of Erie as Director of Planning and Development, moving from the City and County of Denver where she led long range planning and implementation. Previously, she managed the design, planning, and development of the first phase of the new Downtown Westminster. Her work at Westminster also included leading long range planning efforts like the Citywide Comprehensive Plan, Downtown Specific Plan, and Westminster Station Area. In the private sector, her work included leading transit-oriented redevelopment and station area plans, Citywide plans, urban design, environmental evaluation, and public outreach for communities throughout California. She has received multiple planning awards from the DRCOG and American Planning Association (APA) for her work in Westminster and California.
Over the course of her career, Nurmela has focused on building community, fostering connections between people and their environment, and ensuring that everyone has access to opportunity. This commitment to people, equity, and community has not only driven Nurmela to work as a public servant but also to serve as a Chair on the Colorado Urban Land Institute Women’s Leadership Initiative committee where she helped found the Breaking the Glass Ceiling Mentorship program. Nurmela formerly served on Westminster’s Environmental Advisory Board and currently serves on the Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG) Board of Directors.
Nurmela holds a BA in Architecture from Washington University in St. Louis and a Master’s in Urban Planning from the Harvard Graduate School of Design. She is a member of the American Planning Association, certified through American Institute of Certified Planners, and a member of the Urban Land Institute (ULI).