Kim Morrison, PE, RG
Chief Technical Officer (CTO) at ATC Williams
Denver, Colorado, United States
About Kim Morrison, PE, RG
Kim Morrison, PE, RG is Chief Technical Officer (CTO) at ATC Williams. Location: Denver, Colorado, United States.
From tailings facilities of remote mine sites to the boardrooms of the world's largest mining companies, my journey has been one of pioneering new frontiers in environmental stewardship for the extraction industry. Over nearly three decades, I've had a front-row seat to mining's evolving responsibilities and the imperative to minimize its footprint through sustainable practices. It was never my intended career path - I stumbled into this world quite by accident after graduating. But I quickly found myself drawn into the criticality of responsibly containing the vast volumes of tailings that are mining's inescapable byproducts. In those early days, tailings management was an overlooked afterthought. But I recognized the urgent need to elevate it as a core environmental and safety priority. My hands-on experience at far-flung mine sites birthed a passion for developing better technologies and management systems. I became determined to drive industry-wide change through a disciplined, engineering-based approach. After years of consulting, I had the opportunity to lead that transformation at Newmont, implementing the Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management across their global operations. I authored and edited technical guidelines that became mining's authoritative textbooks. And I lent my expertise to multiple high-stakes projects - securing permits for large uranium operations and conducting environmental and technical due diligence for billion-dollar acquisitions and mergers. Through it all, I strove to be a bridge-builder - fostering dialogue between mining companies, regulators, engineers, and other stakeholders. I chaired committees setting new global best practices. My roles with organizations like SME, GBA and ICMM allowed me to be an influential voice shaping conformance standards and governance models. Yet my mission transcended just technical mastery. I recognized that building an ethical, sustainable mining industry required prioritizing diversity, equity and inclusion within its ranks. So in parallel to my professional pursuits, I mentor young women, champion underrepresented groups, and work to create more pathways for non-traditional voices. I've been humbled by accolades ranging from being named a Top 100 Global Inspirational Woman in Mining to an SME Fellow. But more gratifying is witnessing once-reckless practices evolve into an industry increasingly defined by environmental and social responsibility.
Skills
Additional experience
Advisory Board Member
Canary Systems, Inc.
Started July 2025
Education
- M.S., Georgia Institute of Technology
- B.S. (Summa Cum Laude), Missouri University of Science and Technology