Kiyana Newell

Kiyana Newell is the policy and research director for New Era Colorado, a nonprofit advocacy organization focused on engaging college-aged voters. She is a designated proponent of Colorado Amendment 87, a 2026 ballot measure that would replace the state's flat income tax rate with a graduated income tax structure.

Newell filed the graduated income tax initiative alongside Chris deGruy Kennedy, president of the Bell Policy Center. The measure seeks to increase taxes on individuals and businesses earning more than $500,000 annually while lowering taxes for those earning less, with new revenue directed toward education, healthcare, and childcare services. In September 2026, Newell and Kennedy were named as defendants in a lawsuit challenging the validity of the petition signatures gathered by the Protect Colorado's Future coalition to qualify the measure for the ballot.

In her role at New Era Colorado, which is described in the press as a progressive nonprofit, Newell has publicly advocated for state legislation. During the 2026 legislative session, she represented the organization in supporting a bill that would require Colorado colleges and universities to provide access to medication abortion through their student health centers. Newell holds a master's degree in public policy from the University of Denver.