CAPTAIN CHIEF OF STAFF SARAH ALLEN began her career with the Colorado State Patrol as an unpaid intern in 2007 but became a full-time employee in 2008. Early in her career, she was recognized as a high performer who is capable of being tasked with and accomplishing high-impact programs. Chief of Staff Allen’s strengths are in strategic planning, change management, and organizational design. She thrived as a strategic planner and advanced the agency’s long-range planning capabilities. Additionally, she worked closely with the chief to develop and implement the agency’s internal and overarching communication strategy.

In 2020, she was named Colorado State Patrol’s first chief of staff, making her the first nonsworn member of the executive command staff in the agency’s history. In her role, Chief of Staff Allen successfully combined three of the agency’s information teams into one, which has led to more comprehensive and uniform communications both internally and externally. Her influence spans the entire state of Colorado, and she is recognized by the state government as a subject matter expert in organizational planning. She is also the architect of the agency’s biannual strategic review process.

Chief of Staff Allen also heads a multiagency team that includes representatives from public health, transportation, revenue, and law enforcement. The team’s focus involves developing and implementing strategies to provide consistent traffic safety messaging through enforcement and outreach, with an emphasis on equitable, diverse, and inclusive messages.

“Being part of a team that seizes every opportunity to serve inspires me to make every day count.”