Julie Pignataro

Councilmember, District 2 | Mayor Pro Tem

Telephone970-556-2869
Email jpignataro@fortcollins.gov

Councilmember Julie Pignataro standing in front of City Hall

Biography

Julie was first elected to City Council on April 2, 2019, and represents District 2, where she lives with her husband and son. Julie grew up in Colorado Springs and moved to Fort Collins in 1992 to attend Colorado State University. She graduated in 1995 with a degree in English and chose to make Fort Collins her permanent home. She later earned a master’s degree in library and information science from Drexel University, which, coupled with her project management background, shaped her career as an information technology contractor for the Federal Government, bringing a systems and implementation lens to her work on City Council.

Julie is part of the inaugural cohort of Abundance Elected Fellows, where she is honing her skills in results-oriented policymaking that modernizes systems and delivers tangible outcomes for communities. She is also working on a graduate certificate in nonprofit administration from Colorado State University. Her continued learning reflects a deep commitment to public service and to strengthening the systems that serve Fort Collins.

In 2026, Julie was elected Mayor Pro Tem. Through her service on Council, she has gained a deeper appreciation for the complexity of municipal systems and the ongoing work of balancing priorities across the full ecosystem of people, services, resources, and long-term sustainability. She is deeply committed to identifying and addressing friction points that prevent all community members from being fully served.

People who have worked with her note her ability to bridge strategic vision and operational nuance by working as a cohesion builder among stakeholders. Julie strives to bring a voice that offers multiple perspectives through her own lived experiences, grounded in a spirit of inquiry and lifelong learning. She believes in the power of asking questions to surface assumptions, invite diverse voices into the dialogue, and support better decision-making. She has a great appreciation for the thoughtful planning and hard work that have gone into making Fort Collins the great place it is and she is honored to give back by helping steward its future.