Renate has operated her own small planning consulting firm providing a full-range of project and development management services since 1992. In her early career she was a municipal planner with the City of Richmond for ten years. Renate became the Executive Director of the Winnipeg Social Planning Council in 1988 and returned to Vancouver in 1992.

Renate served two terms on the Vancouver Development Permit Board Advisory Panel from 1992 to 1996 and for six years on the Board of Directors for the Canada Housing and Mortgage Corporation until 2000. In 2003, Renate was appointed to the BC Assessment Review Panel and she served as chair of a Vancouver panel until 2011.

Over the past thirty years Renate has served on numerous community as well as professional boards, holding a leadership role with several organizations.