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COLORADO LEGISLATIVE SERVICES, LLC
LOBBYING • GOVERNMENT RELATIONS • POLICY ADVANCEMENT
1410 Grant Street, Suite D-110 • Denver, Colorado 80203 • P: 303.832.1061 • F: 303.830.0826 • Email: cls@lobby4co.com
Team
Jim has been lobbying the state legislature for over 25 years. He has provided leadership on some of the most difficult public policy issues affecting energy, waste and higher education. Jim has been involved in lobbying tax reduction issues and redefining the guiding statutes for these policy areas. He is very familiar with the state budgetary process. Jim has the ability to use the budget process to advantage. Perhaps Jim's greatest asset is his ability to think several steps ahead and recognize how amendments to legislation might spin out to positively or negatively impact a client.
Melanie joined Colorado Legislative Services in 2000 and became a partner in 2005. She now has nearly 20 years of public policy experience lobbying a variety of business issues at the Capitol including banking, financial, economic development and tax policy. She also has vast experience lobbying K-12 education, higher education and health care issues with a high success rate. Before joining CLS, Melanie was the State Affairs Director for Colorado Farm Bureau and Public Relations Director for the Colorado Trial Lawyers Association, concentrating on legislative and media relations, all while obtaining a Masters Degree in Public Administration from University of Colorado Denver Graduate School of Public Affairs. Melanie has a strong network of relationships with legislators, as well as leaders in the government and public policy arena, ensuring CLS clients have access to key people in Colorado politics.
Garin joined Colorado Legislative Services in 2007. She was raised on a sheep and cattle ranch in southwestern Colorado. She received a Bachelor's of Science degree in Agriculture Business from Colorado State University. After graduation, Garin worked for Senator Wayne Allard in Washington, D.C. Following her D.C. experience, Garin joined Colorado Farm Bureau and served as Regional Manager, Policy & Research Specialist and Director of State Affairs and chief lobbyist. Garin has extensive knowledge and background experience in matters regarding agriculture, water, wildlife, private property rights and more. Garin is very dedicated and has a strong work ethic. She strives to maintain good relationships with legislators on both sides of the aisle, and prides herself on being the "go-to" person on important issues.
Connie has been a valued member of the CLS team since 1999. She manages all administrative operations of the business so that CLS lobbyists are free to focus their time and energy on addressing client issues and concerns. Her wide-ranging scope of duties include bookkeeping, human resources, research, legislation tracking, campaign finance compliance, event planning, website design and management, in addition to other varied tasks and projects. Her resourcefulness, experience and information literacy are an asset to the firm and the clients alike.
Zoey joined the CLS team in December 2012 after managing a successful campaign for State Representative Cherylin Peniston. Relationships she cultivated on the campaign trail continue to grow as she has been actively following legislation dealing with higher education, bioscience, health care, business, energy and the state budget. Zoey graduated magna cum laude from Northern Arizona University where she was a nationally ranked debater and communication scholar. Post-graduation and prior to her work in Colorado, she spent time working on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. working in the office of Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and in the press shop of South Dakota Senator Tim Johnson. Translating complex issues into comprehensible messages, strong resolve and extensive knowledge of Colorado's political performance index are a few of the many talents she brings to CLS.