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.

11-15 years

Jake has been recognized in the New York Observer's Power 80 as one of the influencers and insiders "who help run this" City, City & State's 40 Under 40 as a "rising star" in New York politics and also by City & State as a key member of one of the top 10 government relations teams in New York that is leading the state in influence and separately as one of the top 10 political consultants in New York "the people putting New York politicians into office."

I have elected and work closely with some of New York's leading political figures, including:
- NYS Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins
- NYS Senate Deputy Leader Michael Gianaris
- Members of the NYS Senate Majority
- Members of the NYS Assembly Majority
- Members of NY's congressional delegation
- Members of the NYC Council
- Boroughwide officials throughout NYC
- Westchester County Executive George Latimer
- County officials throughout NYS

Jake Dilemani is a Senior Vice President in Mercury's New York City office. With an extensive background in campaign management and public affairs, Jake has effectively blended research, message development, statistical analysis, media relations and advocacy to achieve success for a variety of clients. At Mercury, Jake leads political consulting, public affairs and government relations projects.Jake has advised winning candidates facing tough races in federal, state and local elections, developed state of the art grassroots and public affairs campaigns for corporate clients and advocacy groups and has generated numerous earned media placements in the New York media market's most respected print, broadcast and digital outlets.Jake represents a diverse clientele, including high profile political campaigns and independent expenditures, Fortune 500 companies, foreign government officials and a host of New York's leading political figures.For six years, Jake served as a strategist to many members of the New York State Senate Democratic Conference, including Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Deputy Leader Michael Gianaris, and former Senator George Latimer whom Jake advised on his successful campaign for Westchester County Executive. Jake's political consulting work has included industry-leading direct mail and cutting-edge public opinion research for campaigns ranging from congressional incumbents to municipal mayors to state legislative leaders.Prior to joining Mercury, Jake served as Vice President for Public Affairs at a strategic communications firm in New York, and held senior roles on numerous campaigns for public office.In the public sector, Jake served as a Chief of Staff in the New York State Legislature, and is currently a Democratic Party Leader representing Manhattan's East Side, where he plays an integral role in the nomination and election of New York's city and state judiciary.

Jake has been recognized in the New York Observer's Power 80 as one of the influencers and insiders "who help run this city," and City & State's 40 Under 40 as a "rising star" in New York politics.

11-15 years

Garin began her political career in Washington D.C. working for Senator Wayne Allard and ran the government affairs department at Colorado Farm Bureau before joining Colorado Legislative Services in 2007. She became partner in 2012 and steadfastly through her career, Garin has honed her policy knowledge on issues related to agriculture, including water and property rights. She also is highly skilled as a strategist for higher education, business, liquor, and state licensure issues.

Growing up on a ranch in southwest Colorado gave Garin a strong work ethic and her dedication to understanding an issue completely shows up when representing CLS clients. Her adeptness in many policy areas and direct manner of speaking means that she is a trusted resource for legislators on both sides of the aisle. She is regarded as a top water policy expert in Colorado and has been recognized for her work bolstering the Colorado business climate by working to align agriculture and energy-- two of the top five drivers of the Colorado economy--on a variety of issues. Garin was recognized as one of Colorado's "Top Women in Energy" by the Denver Business Journal in 2017.

She is a proud graduate of Colorado State University where she earned an Agricultural Business degree. Garin has completed Colorado Farm Bureau's Elite Leaders Academy, is a member of the Women's Energy Network of Colorado and has served on the Colorado Agricultural Leadership Program board and Butterfly Pavilion's Fund Development Committee.

In her free time, Garin cherishes time with her husband and two daughters, especially during trips to the mountains. She is an avid reader, sous-chef for her husband and wine connoisseur who frequents the Napa Valley.

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.