The City of Loveland has hired seasoned public relations and communication leader Nicole Yost to serve as its first director of communication and engagement. Yost was selected out of three highly qualified finalists and is transitioning into the role immediately.

In 2020, the City committed to improved communication and engagement through its Strategic Plan, Communication and Engagement Roadmap, and rebranded its Public Information Office to the Office of Communication and Engagement (OCE). Yost joined the City in March 2021 as its first engagement coordinator and will be responsible for transitioning OCE, currently a division of the City Manager’s Office, into a City Department. She will provide strategic leadership for the City’s internal and external communication, engagement, and marketing efforts, and lead a team to further elevate and unify this work across the organization and the Loveland community.

“This is a new era for the City of Loveland. Nicole’s leadership, depth of community engagement experience, strategic communication expertise and passion for Loveland have elevated the City’s outreach over the past few years,” said Loveland City Manager Steve Adams. "She is the right person to build this collaborative, community-centric department to further the City’s goals in this area.”

Under her leadership, City communication and engagement efforts increased across all channels, including more frequent engagement events and a 200% increase in community survey results. Within her first year, Yost earned the Shining Star Employee Award for demonstrating the City’s values of accountability, transparency, and honoring the public’s trust.

She brings more than 18 years of experience and over 10 years leading teams to drive meaningful, award-winning campaigns within Loveland and across the U.S. Before joining the City, Yost owned and operated a Loveland-based PR firm working with government, healthcare, education, nonprofit organizations and small businesses.

For five years, Yost was a board member for the Public Relations Society of America’s (PRSA) Colorado Chapter, serving as president in 2016. She was named PRSA’s 2019 Colorado PR Professional of the Year and earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Colorado State University.

“As a proud, long-time Loveland resident, I am honored to step into this important role for the City as we work to serve our community better,” said Yost. “Our amazing team is passionate about this work, and our collective progress in communication and engagement over the past two years is a sign of what we can accomplish alongside our community. I personally look forward to connecting with residents and stakeholders to continue elevating our work in this area.”

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