State Division Candidate (Non-Higher Education; 4-Year Term)

Colorado Department of Labor and Employment

Tracy Marie Rushing is a Supervisor I in the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation for the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment.

Education/Special Courses/Certifications

B.A., University of Minnesota, Duluth, Minnesota

M.A., University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, Colorado

CDLE Leadership Series

Employment History

Supervisor I, Southeast District, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR), Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE), 2016–Present

Vision Services Coordinator, CDLE, 2012–2016

Counselor/Counselor II, DVR/CDLE/CDHS, 2001–2012

Organizational Affiliations/Achievements

PERA Board Trustee, 2022-Present

Board Member, Arapahoe Douglas Work Force Center, 2019-Present

Member, Douglas County Mental Health Initiative, 2017-Present

Past Chair, Bayaud/DVR Oversight Committee, 2001–2012

Past Member, Workforce Youth Committees Adams/Arapahoe/Douglas, 1998–2005

Responses

Interest in Serving as a PERA Trustee

 I was elected to the PERA board as a Trustee in 2022.  It is an immense responsibility to represent all PERA recipients now and those who will receive PERA retirement in the future. This role requires active listening, ongoing education and training, as well as the willingness to be present in order to ask the right questions- seek to understand, support or challenge the current pathways. I am invested in the goal of PERA reaching fully funded status.  As a dedicated public servant for 24 years, I would like to continue in this capacity.

Challenges/Opportunities Facing PERA

PERA trustees seek a pathway to fully funding PERA in 30 years. In order to do this, we must consider multiple attributing factors: PERA’s investments, strategic plan, the continued attrition of state employees, and impacts by legislation, just to name a few. Board members need to understand these various topics and be on top of legislation that can impact PERA negatively. The Board collectively votes to make a change if necessary, to achieve this goal. Exploring innovative approaches and technology advancement opportunities with proven effectiveness may also lead to sustainability.  The current PERA app for mobile devices is one such strategy to engage more members.

Role of a Trustee

A trustee has fiduciary responsibility and acts in the best interest of all the account beneficiaries now and in the future.  As a Trustee, you provide oversight of investment decisions, PERA operations, and monitor risk and benefits to the fund. Trustees implement strong communication skills to interact with account holders, receive information on account performance, monitor, and follow the process to make decisions for the best interest of the fund.  Collaborating with PERA staff, financial advisors, and other professionals to ensure the account is managed effectively to achieve the goal of fully funded status in 30 years.