Cary Kennedy
Colorado’s Public Employee Retirement Association

Cary Kennedy began her professional career as a budget analyst in Colorado Governor Romer’s Office of State Planning and Budgeting. She then worked as a fiscal analyst for the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing.  Kennedy left the department to lead a broad bi-partisan coalition to increase funding for Colorado’s public schools. Amendment 23 was approved by Colorado voters in November 2000. 

She worked with Educare Colorado to bring increased federal funding into Colorado to support early childhood education and school readiness. Kennedy later joined the Colorado Children’s Campaign to support an initiative to expand health insurance coverage for low-income children and fund cancer research. In 2004-2005, Kennedy served as the policy director for House Speaker Andrew Romanoff, and assisted in developing an historic budget compromise, Colorado’s Referendum C, which was approved by Colorado voters in 2005.

The Treasurer’s Office is responsible for managing all cash received by the State.  The office invests State funds, manages and provides access to unclaimed property, and provides tax deferrals and exemptions as specified by statute.  The office provides interest free loans to schools. 

Kennedy serves as a trustee of Colorado’s Public Employee Retirement Association.

In addition, Kennedy is focusing on providing greater transparency to taxpayers regarding how tax money is utilized, whether on specific programs or as an investment. Eventually, citizens will have access through a website to information on everything from the state’s credit rating to a listing of the state’s investments.

Kennedy received her bachelor’s degree from St. Lawrence University, a master’s degree from Columbia University and a law degree from the University of Denver School of Law. She and her husband have two children.