Building Networks and Making Connections
By Mark Santon, Process Improvement Intern
January 16, 2020
Jamie Price began her career at the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) as an intern in January of 1999. Little did she know, it would begin a 9-year career with CDOT. Jamie began as a true IT intern in the late 90’s, building and maintaining PCs for CDOT employees. She was quickly introduced to other aspects of IT functions within the agency and transitioned into a role at CDOT managing web development as a Web Page Administrator. Jamie continued to work hard and learn new skills, ultimately taking on her longest tenured role with CDOT, at just over 7 years, as a Network Administrator and Engineer. She continued her public service as a Network Engineer and team manager with the State of Colorado’s Governor’s Office of Information Technology for 6 years. Currently, Jamie works as a Senior Network Engineer and Wi-Fi Network Engineer for the University of Colorado. Additionally, she holds numerous technical certifications relating to network engineering and wireless technologies. Her origin story with technology and successful career as a network engineer dates back to her time as an undergraduate student.
Photo of Jamie Price
Originally from Littleton, Colorado, Jamie has established a legacy of public service as a native of the state. While an undergraduate student at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, she recalled taking a computer course and started to think: Hey, this is pretty interesting and I think I can do this…The rest is history. Jamie moved back to her home state and transferred to the University of Colorado Denver Jamie transferred to the University of Colorado Denver where she earned her bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a focus on Finance and Information Systems. She has always had an interest in and ability to leverage various technologies and strategic project management techniques to solve complex problems. CDOT gave her the hands-on experience she needed to kick-start her career in serving Colorado.
The internship opportunity with CDOT emerged for Jamie through an announcement at the University of Colorado Denver. The internship program opened doors of opportunity for Jamie and created a sense of belonging. She recounted how she felt that every employee, including interns, were depended upon for critical work objectives. When asked to describe her internship in one word, Jamie responded, “experience.” She continued to explain how the people she met and relationships she built were invaluable in her professional journey. In addition, Jamie offers this advice to future CDOT interns: “Take ownership and know that you are an advocate and resource wherever you work. Take advantage of the experienced professionals you are surrounded with, as they provide real-world application of knowledge and work skills.”
Jamie continues to be a champion for public service and an advocate for CDOT’s internship program.