Editor’s note: Each week during the legislative session, Denver Post political reporters will sit down with Capitol newsmakers. This Q&A was edited for length.
Once a top staffer to former U.S. Rep. Marilyn Musgrave, Republican Rep. B.J. Nikkel was appointed to the House last year and is now forging her own political path and has picked up a few surprising hobbies to boot. She and her husband, Phil, celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary in August. They have two grown sons.
Q: Tell us a little bit about your family.
A: My husband and I both moved to Colorado the same month of the same year — 1979 — from different places, and we both worked for Hewlett-Packard. He’s an engineer. This will be our 30-year anniversary in August.
We had our first son, Jonathon, in 1983 and our second son, Christopher, about a year and a half later. Jonathon has now graduated from the University of Colorado as an aerospace engineer down in Tuscon. Our younger son is just finishing up school at CSU. He intends to become a superintendent for golf courses.
Q: Where are you from, and what brought you here?
A: I moved here from Independence, Mo., Harry Truman’s home. I came out of there a Republican despite the fact it’s a pretty Democratic population. I got a job working for Hewlett-Packard solely so I could come to Colorado to ski.
Q: You play the flute, Celtic whistle and American Indian flutes among other instruments. How did you become so prolific?
A: Back in grade school, I remember being really compelled that I wanted to play the flute. I had the most credit hours of anyone who’s taken that many music courses. . . . It’s the sort of thing I think touches other people, imparts some peace and solace to people. I have a baby grand piano.
