Welcome to my About Me page! I’m honored you took the time to check it out.
Kris Valdez, AICP, MURP, is the owner of Novel Ideas specializing in land use consulting. As a one-person firm, she prides herself on providing personalized and attentive services to her clients. Kris understands the complexities of navigating regulatory processes and strives to provide fair and effective solutions for each unique situation. Her goal is to help her clients achieve their land use objectives while also being mindful of environmental concerns and community impact. With over 20 years of experience in the field, Kris provides the expertise and guidance needed to successfully navigate land use issues.
Kris and her family make their home in the mountains of Colorado, where the skies are blue, and the trails are plentiful.
If you want a more professional bio, read below.
Kris is an award-winning, certified coach, published author, and experienced speaker. She has owned and operated her own business since 2003. Sometimes full-time and sometimes as a side hustle. She worked professionally in the public as well as private sectors since 1997. Her experience working with the media, making public presentations, facilitating groups, and building working relationships with her sense of humor taught her how to be a great listener who creates successful results.
Kris has been professionally published in Planning, Denver Business Journal, Home Business Magazine, Museum Store Association, Women’s Edition, Lone Tree Magazine, and her book entitled Open Space Preservation: History and Practice of the Colorado Front Range was published in August 2010, and her other book Remember Me? Getting Your Home-Based Business to Stand Out in an Over-Marketed World was published in February 2013.
Since 2003, Kris has participated in various groups and received awards for her work. In 2006, she served as a founding board member of the Lone Tree Chamber of Commerce. During her work with the South Metro Denver Chamber of Commerce, she was awarded Women In Leadership Volunteer of the Year for coaching, appointed to the Leadership in Motion Committee, Event Chair for Women in Leadership, Chair of the Golf Tournament Committee, and served on the Business Expo Planning Committee.
Kris has volunteered her time as a coach for the Small Business Development Center that serves the southern suburbs of Denver. In 2004-2005, she was recognized as a top volunteer for the organization.
In 2005, she was appointed to the board of the Executive Women’s Golf Association – Denver Chapter. She served as the newsletter chair.
Kris has spoken at the Colorado Planning Conference, Western Planner Conference, Rocky Mountain Land Use Conference, and the National Planning Conference.
Kris holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Utah State University in Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning and a Master’s Degree from the University of Colorado in Denver in Urban and Regional Planning.