Knowing Karen DeAguero as both a neighbor and a friend has given us a front-row seat to the kind of leader she is: thoughtful, engaged, and ready to act.

When a potential redevelopment was proposed near our homes, Karen stepped in immediately as a leader and advocate for our neighborhood. She took it upon herself to deeply understand the proposal, break down complex information, and proactively launch neighborhood communications so every resident could stay informed. When we reached out with questions, Karen came to our home to talk through the details, answer our family’s questions, and encourage our engagement. That moment showed us exactly why she’s such an effective leader — she’s a true connector who meets people where they are and makes sure every voice has a place at the table.

And Karen doesn’t just show up — she rolls up her sleeves and gets things done. Whether she’s advocating in planning sessions, creating clear and accessible communications, building community resources like websites, or organizing meetings with neighbors, Karen consistently follows through with action. You can depend on Karen.

What impresses us most is how naturally her leadership aligns with the values Adams County needs. She champions environmental stewardship and climate action, ensuring our air, water, and land are protected while also building economic opportunities for families and local businesses. She understands the importance of attainable housing, equitable economic growth, community health and safety, inclusive governance, and supporting our agricultural heritage so rural voices aren’t left behind in county planning.

We’re proud to support Karen for Adams County Commissioner. We know she will lead with integrity, compassion, and a deep commitment to every neighbor.

Karen has been an inspiration with her commitment to non partisan civics to include land development code amendments and the preservation of current citizen testimony process in Arvada. She has also helped me with technical issues such as water quality, stormwater drainage, and rezonings/site development plans in the area. She is committed to a professional ethic in all of her civic activities, and if I was in Adams County she would have my vote.

Karen demonstrated exceptional leadership by bringing neighbors together around a complex and sensitive issue facing our community. Through open dialogue, organization, and tireless advocacy, she helped unite residents to thoughtfully oppose the placement of a 24-hour shelter in our neighborhood while still encouraging compassionate, appropriate solutions. Her ability to listen, build consensus, and represent the community’s concerns with clarity and respect made a lasting impact and showed what true local leadership looks like.

Karen is always the first person to respond with genuine care when there is an inquiry about something big or small in our neighborhood (development, graffiti, park upkeep, safety, etc). She makes herself available for questions and concerns and also takes it upon herself to liase directly with contacts at the city to fix problems, find solutions and organize community meetings. I've personally worked with Karen to clean up the neighborhood we live in, not only does she know who to contact when questions arise she's also been boots on the ground when help is needed. Karen shows sincere efforts in our neighborhood to foster communication and have events (like our summer bbq at Tennyson Knolls!) which is such an important part of building community and knowing your neighbors. She is an excellent neighborhood leader and advocate for our community!

I’ve worked closely with Karen to help co-found Arvada Voices since the summer of 2024. Through that work I saw firsthand her thoughtful, community-first leadership. From the beginning, she listened carefully to residents, asked the right questions, dove into the data, and ensured community voices shaped how the organization took form. Karen has a strong ability to bring people together — engaging neighbors, coordinating with city staff, and guiding productive community conversations. She is especially effective at translating complex or technical issues into clear, accessible information so residents can participate meaningfully. She leads with integrity, values transparency, and keeps the focus on what’s best for neighborhoods rather than politics. Throughout our work together, she earned trust through follow-through, accountability, and a consistent commitment to serving the community.

When I think of an impactful leader who truly wants to make a difference, I think of Karen. She has done so many wonderful things for WRISE and the Arvada community, always leading with a clear vision while staying deeply rooted in the needs of the people. Karen is truly incredible, she doesn't just lead; she listens, acts, and transforms our community for the better.

She is deeply diplomatic and has a rare ability to make everyone feel heard, even when opinions differ. She listens thoughtfully and follows through—I’ve personally seen real, positive changes in my neighborhood because of her leadership. She is an eloquent, clear communicator who approaches complex issues with integrity, collaboration, and genuine care for the community. Our community would be better represented with her as County Commissioner.

Karen was very responsive and needed at our city council meetings. Always polite with an open mind and very helpful within our neighborhood. She would be perfect representing Adams County. Thank You, Karen!

I am pleased to recommend Karen DeAguero for Adams County Commissioner, District 4.

As a fellow engineer, I am very familiar with Karen’s line of work and seen her technical expertise shine. With her background as an environmental engineer addressing legacy mining sites and reclamation projects, she brings the analytical rigor needed to tackle complex county challenges like land use, conservation, and economic growth.

By founding Arvada Voices, Karen has demonstrated a deep commitment to community engagement, amplifying resident voices and fostering thoughtful, balanced dialogue on development decisions. Her pragmatic approach, integrity, and ability to unite diverse perspectives make her an outstanding choice to serve Adams County effectively.

As a first responder, I see every day how critical it is to have leaders who truly understand and respect the work we do. Karen has consistently shown that she listens to first responders, supports public safety, and values the people who put themselves on the line for their communities. Her approach is thoughtful, practical, and grounded in real-world impacts—not politics for politics’ sake. I trust her to advocate for the resources, collaboration, and common-sense decisions that help first responders do our jobs safely and effectively.

We met Karen about a year ago when our neighborhood was notified about a potential navigation center, and she immediately proved herself to be a thoughtful, organized, and proactive leader. She brought our community together to understand the situation—breaking down the pros, cons, and realistic next steps based on what neighbors truly wanted. She facilitated open communication with city and county council members, first responders, nonprofits, and residents across Arvada. Since then, we’ve had the opportunity to work closely with her through Arvada Voices, the platform she founded to continue strengthening community awareness and engagement, empowering people to get involved. Throughout our work, we research, verify information, and fact-check each other, and we’ve seen firsthand how thorough, knowledgeable, and fair she is. Karen always seeks out multiple perspectives to ensure accuracy and balance, and she communicates clearly and transparently. She is a natural leader—reliable, dedicated, and committed to empowering her community.

I worked with Karen when she organized and led a cleanup on a local trail, and it was clear she’s a leader who turns values into action. She brought the community together, ran a well-organized effort, and worked side-by-side with volunteers to deliver real results. Karen leads with purpose, listens to people, and shows the kind of hands-on leadership we need.

I just recently moved (2 ish years) into Arvada and started going to meetings surrounding a new building project in our Neighborhood. Karen was the first person that stood out to me at these meetings, and actually the first person to introduce themselves to me. Out of these meetings, any where from 10 to 40 people, Karen’s presence was known. From the start I could tell she was the calm reasonable voice in emotionally taxing meetings. She communicated clearly and effectively Neighbor’s view points that were against the project, making sure that they were heard, offering potential solutions, and pathways to a clear resolution. She also communicated the Neighbors views that were in favor of the project while also working as a moderator for all parties. She acts as the main point of contact for all things Arvada for our Neighborhood. Making sure everyone is heard, understands what is going on, and ensures everyone no matter their view points or political affiliation is heard and seen. When I first met Karen, I knew she was a kind and caring individual and she would be an outstanding addition as the City Commissioner.

Karen has emerged as an unwavering and influential advocate for a long-overlooked community, serving as a vital voice for those who have historically gone unheard. She has demonstrated exceptional leadership by holding the Arvada City Council accountable while steadfastly championing transparency, integrity, and meaningful public engagement. Through tireless dedication, Karen has worked collaboratively with local officials to build strong, trust-based partnerships that prioritize community needs. She consistently listens with care and intention, responding promptly to community concerns and taking decisive action by engaging appropriate officials to seek timely and effective resolutions. Karen’s commitment to advocacy, collaboration, and accountability has resulted in a profound and lasting positive impact on both the community and local governance.

Karen joined the Friends of Ralston Creek Neighborhoods team against incompatible development along the Ralston Creek and Trail last summer. She put her environmental engineering skills to use ASAP and worked diligently to support and broaden our scope in this area. She spoke at City Council and Public Hearings on a wide range of topics making excellent points in opposition to the planned RV Storage development of putting 355 RV’s on top of a 14 acre, 100 year old unregulated landfill right next to the Ralston Creek and Trail. Karen cares deeply about Arvada and Adams County and works hard to engage and support others. Adams County would be very fortunate to have her serve as their district's county commissioner. Her energy is infectious!

I met Karen through a mutual friend who connected us because we live in the same community. It was upon meeting that i realized Karen was the person who I heard about that was keeping the city of Arvada accountable during the proposed Navigation center project. Once I got to know her, she kept me informed of what was going on in the area and how to take action. Karen cares deeply about the community that she lives in and works hard to engage neighbors too. We would be super lucky to have her serve as our district’s county commissioner.

I met Karen through her environmental work and have seen firsthand how thoughtfully and effectively she leads. She leads with integrity, collaboration, and purpose, and has a remarkable ability to help others fully understand complex issues. Adams County would be lucky to have her as a commissioner.

My name is Wayne Wawok. I am a resident of the Tennyson Hills/Arlington Meadows subdivision.

In September 2024 Arvada Mayor, Lauren Simpson and council members, held a Community Town Hall to address homelessness and navigational center to replace the now vacant Early College of Arvada building.

In October of 2024 residents held a community meeting that Karen DeAguero was instrumental in organizing. Her ability to listen and gather input that day was exceptional in the weeks and months that followed. I saw Karen demonstrate her many attributes. Karen is fact driven, non-emotional, and bipartisan. Karen organized many community input sessions. During this time, Karen also met with police departments, fire departments, businesses, and government entities in both Adams and Jefferson counties.

Karen developed an Arvada Voices website and newsletter to keep community and residents informed, which led to defeating the navigation center in a residential neighborhood.

Karen's leadership skills and passion for her community and resident advocacy make her an ideal candidate for county commissioner.

In conclusion, I wholeheartedly recommend Karen DeAguero. She is a highly talented and driven individual with the potential to make significant contributions to the Adams County commissioner position. Please feel free to contact me at wwawok@hotmail.com if you require additional information.

Sincerely,

Wayne Wawok