20+ years

Jim is a highly accomplished senior executive, consultant, lobbyist and strategist with over 30 years of success in public policy, politics, government, energy, healthcare, financial services, transportation, state budget, local government, education and the nonprofit sector. Over the course of his career he has spearheaded legislation that has resulted in robust energy development, broader access to public k-12 education, enriched opportunities for higher education, higher air and water quality standards, major investments in transportation, and a healthy balance of power between the state and local governments.

Jim immerses himself in learning about his clients' needs and can put complex issues into relatable terms. He moves people to understand issues first and then support the policies he is advancing. It is because of this strategy and his leadership on oil and gas issues that he was presented with the Denver Business Journal's "Who's Who in Energy" award in 2017.

Some of Jim's highest accomplishments include creating the Arkansas River State Park, passing the Clean Air Clean Jobs Act and passing the Colorado School of Mines (CSM) Exemplary Institution Act, which enabled CSM to provide one of the highest quality and rigorous research experiences in the nation.

Jim has a Bachelor's of Science degree from Oregon State University. He has been married 38 years and he and his wife, Mary, have two adult children. Jim is an avid cyclist and has completed nine years of Ride the Rockies and Iowa's RAGBRAI. He also loves to fly fish and play guitar. His joy is seeing the humor that presents itself in everyday situations and sharing it whenever possible.

20+ years

Melanie joined CLS in 2000 and has nearly 25 years of expertise in public policy, lobbying, business, banking, bioscience and renewable energy. She enjoys working on complex economic development and tax policy, and has one of highest success rates passing incentives for varied industry sectors. She also has experience effectively lobbying k-12 education, capital development and healthcare. Melanie's strong network of relationships with legislators, as well as influencers in the government and public policy arena, ensures CLS' clients have unparalleled access to policy leaders.

Before beginning her lobbying career, Melanie was the Public Relations Director for the Colorado Trial Lawyers Association, then moved into lobbying as the Legislative Director at Colorado Farm Bureau, while obtaining a Master's from University of Colorado Denver's Graduate School of Public Affairs. Prior to that, she received her Bachelor's from Colorado Christian University. Melanie is a state board member of Girls on the Run and has served as an assistant instructor at the Colorado Mountain Club's High Altitude Mountaineering School.

Melanie is a married mother to three children and an extreme athlete. Her noteworthy accomplishments include finishing the Leadville 100 Ultra-Marathon, climbing all 58 of Colorado's mountains over 14,000', along with numerous high-altitude mountains around the world. Her current athletic focus is Pack Burro Racing, Colorado's official heritage sport, with her two rescued burros. Her dedication to these endeavors translates to the vision, planning and execution it takes to succeed in politics and advocacy.