Mendez, Steadman & Associates becomes Mendez Consulting, Inc.
Who We Are
Mendez Consulting, Inc. is a political consulting firm with nearly 50 years combined experience in strategic policy, political action, and dynamic communications. Our focus is government relations, and public policy development on the local, state, and national levels. Offering a spectrum of professional lobbying and campaign consulting services, our expertise includes health care, education, housing, information technology, business procurement, criminal justice, civil rights, state budgeting, and environmental issues.
We specialize in building key relationships and working in tandem with executive and legislative branches of Colorado's state and local governments. Our experience in every aspect of the political process enables us to successfully influence decision-makers, and create positive public policy on our clients' behalf.
Mendez Consulting offers a full range of political services including lobbying, legislative strategy, political action, budget analysis, research, message development, networking' and media relations. Skilled at lobbying the Colorado General Assembly, the Joint Budget Committee, and state agencies; we effectively influence statutory, regulatory, and budgetary domains. Experienced managing statewide campaigns, we artfully shape public opinion, garner legislative support, and successfully change the tenor of debate.
We are committed to our clients' agenda and success. Through our dedication to high quality service, we promote our clients' political power enhancement in achieving their public policy objectives. Mendez Consulting approaches every issue with careful analysis, strategic planning, and artful negotiation. Our firm is widely respected for knowing our clients' issues while representing their interests with integrity and tenacity.
How We Began
The firm was established over 25 years ago as Mountain Legislative Consulting Services. Upon the recent selection of Pat Steadman to represent Senate District 31, the firm has reorganized as Mendez Consulting, Inc. Although our firm has undergone change, our reputation, experience, and accomplishments have been solidified. As a result, the firm is well positioned among leadership, legislators, and colleagues.
Through our skill and expertise, we have successfully influenced legislative policy, statewide issues, and national discussions. Our diverse client base provides us with a breadth of experience that benefits all of our clients.
What We Believe
Mendez Consulting works to meet our clients' expectations while maintaining the utmost reliability - which is why we have retained our clients for many years. We pride ourselves in providing detailed information that helps decision-makers make wise choices. We walk the walk, and are persistent in our pursuits. Honesty, integrity, and tenacity are the philosophies we apply to every element of communication.
How We Move Forward
Mendez Consulting maintains a constant presence at the State Capitol during the legislative sessions. We observe committee hearings, floor debates, and interact with legislators and legislative staff. Legislative strategy is developed in close consultation with clients and their coalition partners.
Our work includes monitoring legislation from introduction to final action. We closely monitor the Joint Budget Committee, and communicate potential changes that may impact our clients. When introducing proactive legislation, we recruit bill sponsors, secure appropriate committee referrals, and assist in developing interest group involvement. We count votes, lobby priority bills, and encourage the Governor's support.
We approach our responsibilities as a team. Each client is assigned a lead lobbyist as their primary contact. Mendez Consulting employs three full time lobbyists and an experienced office manager. Although the lead lobbyist is the person directly responsible, all members of the firm are abreast of each client's agenda.
This team approach enables us to dedicate additional staff resources to issues as needed. We are unrelenting in our efforts to count votes and create every advantage for our clients' success.
Our Spectrum of Talents
Mendez Consulting offers a full range of political consulting services including all aspects of strategic policy, political action and dynamic communications.
Strategic Policy includes legislative and budgetary analysis, key relationship construction, drafting and sponsorship of legislation, lobbying, legislative monitoring, and executive agency advocacy. We design winnable lobby efforts, help clients set achievable goals, strategically choose bill sponsors, develop coalitions, and successfully pass, defeat, or amend legislation/public policy. On our client's behalf, we construct and maintain key relationships by working effectively with both sides of the political aisle. We are accurate vote counters, and pride ourselves in knowing the "lay of the land." We orchestrate testimony, and deliver a consistent and persuasive message to policymakers. Furthermore, we provide clients regular legislative updates, and work with them to create persuasive tools to support their goals and objectives.
Political Action includes campaign consulting, network advocacy, grass and top roots mobilization, community outreach, and coalition building. We provide network consultation, take inventory of a client's resources and maximize their "people power". We help clients streamline communication, develop infrastructure, and execute political action. We build coalitions by creating strategic partnerships to increase a client's political advantage. We offer strategic consulting for ballot initiatives and referenda campaigns, as well as, political committees.
Dynamic Communications includes messaging every topic and transform the communication into pithy points of interest for policymakers, reporters, and public opinion. We maintain relationships with both traditional and new media in order to create favorable coverage. We consistently update media contacts; draft press releases; orchestrate press conferences; attend editorial board meetings; draft editorial articles, and letters to the editor. We are successful at guiding pivotal media coverage on the local, state, and national levels.
The Backbone
Fofi Mendez - Principal
Fofi Mendez is a political and campaign consultant for business and social interests with over 18 years experience. She is an expert strategist of complex issues, boiling them down to "thirty-second sound bites", and refining them for legislators and interested audiences. Fofi has a reputation for being a tough lobbyist who works hard on her clients' behalf. She is a skilled communicator who is familiar with local, national, and international debate processes. Fofi has appeared on CNN and the McNeil-Leher News Hour, and various national news programs.
Fofi is intimately familiar with Colorado's budget process, and excels in addressing the Joint Budget Committee. She successfully lobbys for secured business interests, health care providers, non-profit organizations, and local government entities. She is recognized for her reliability, candor, and professional representation.
Fofi holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Metropolitan State College. Her background in psychology has provided her an intimate knowledge of human behavior and group dynamics. Fofi's training has proved invaluable, as she has developed excellent observation skills that allow her to strategically summarize debates through sound reasoning and thorough analysis.
Prior to her lobbying career, Fofi was the Director of Victim Services for one of Denver's rape crisis centers. During her tenure, she created volunteer and staff development programs which advanced her skills in organizational management. She crafted counseling templates for victims that are still in use today. Fofi is an expert victim's witness in federal and state courts throughout Colorado.
Fofi has provided service on various national and statewide boards dealing with philanthropic endeavors and civil rights issues. Most notably, she served as Chair for the Colorado Coalition Against Sexual Assault during the development of public policies impacting law enforcement, victim services, and civil litigation. Fofi is credited with legislative changes that benefit survivors, and was honored with the Service to the Community Award for her relentless efforts in victim's advocacy. Most recently, Fofi was appointed by Mayor Hickenlooper to serve on the Denver Public Library Commission, and The Mayor's Infrastructure Priority Task Force. She also serves on Rose Medical Center's Community Advisory Board.
Jeff Thormodsgaard - Associate
Jeff is our newest member at Mendez Consulting. He brings experience as a legislative aide in both Colorado and Alaska. Working as an aide, Jeff focused on labor, education, natural resources, and healthcare issues. He served as Labor and Commerce committee aide for the State of Alaska where he was responsible for legislative research. Jeff worked for the Chair of the Colorado General Assembly, House Education Committee, which afforded him opportunity to learn intricate processes in Colorado's education system, and budgeting processes.
Jeff attended the University of Colorado. He holds a double major in Political Science and Constitutional Law. After graduating in 2002 he interned with Denver Mayor Wellington Webb, and served as liaison to the City Council. Jeff also worked for the Chair of the Colorado House Education Committee, which afforded him the opportunity to learn about the intricate process of governing Colorado's education system and budget.
Jeff has extensive campaign experience. Through his experience in Alaska's government, he managed many successful candidate races. Most recently, Jeff served as Regional Field Director for the statewide Coloradans for Fairness campaign – Jeff coordinated all efforts throughout northern Colorado and much of the mountain region. Other campaign successes include a municipal bond initiative, and defeating a statewide attempt to amend the Colorado State Constitution.
His work on the Coloradoans for Fairness campaign convinced Jeff to turn his attention toward the state capitol - he then began work with Mendez Steadman & Associates. Jeff is known in the State Capitol as a tenacious and solid negotiator. He is skilled in a broad range of public issues that include health care, civil rights, environment, and human services.
Emily Hanson – Associate
Emily attended Luther College in Decorah, Iowa where she majored in Political Science. She spent a semester interning in Washington, DC with the Eating Disorders Coalition and the National Center for Policy Research for Women and Families. After graduating in 2004 she moved to Denver, Colorado and spent a year of volunteer service with the Urban Servant Corps working with homeless youth at the Urban Peak Shelter. She began her graduate degree at the University of Colorado - Denver's School of New Directions in Politics and Public Policy and graduated with a Master of Arts Degree in Political Science with an emphasis in Local Government and Public Policy in May of 2009. During her time in graduate school she participated in an internship program through the New Directions Program and the Colorado Department of Local Affairs. She spent two years working with the Community Development Department of Breckenridge, Colorado working on long range planning, focusing primarily on Affordable Housing and the Cultural Heritage Arts.
Who We Serve- Our Clients - Some for more than 25 years.
American Civil Liberties Union of Colorado
Blue Spruce Project
Coalition for a Thorough & Uniform Colorado Public Education System
Colorado Academy of Family Physicians
Colorado Association for Recycling
Colorado Association of Family & Children's Agencies
Colorado Association of Homes & Services for The Aging
Colorado Ceasefire
Colorado Center for Law and Policy
Colorado Coalition Against Sexual Assault
Colorado Congress of Foreign Language Teachers
Colorado Council of High School and College Relations
Colorado Consumer Health Initiative
Colorado Health Institute
Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition
Colorado Marriage and Family Therapists
Colorado Organization for Victim Assistance
Colorado Organizations Responding To Aids
Colorado Plaintiff Employment Lawyers Association
Colorado Safety Resources Center
Colorado School Counselors Association
Dynamics Research Corporation
Earth Justice
Equal Rights Colorado
Interactive Solutions
Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains
Public Health Awareness Task Force
Rx Plus Pharmacies
Society of Substance Abuse Counselors Of Colorado
Total Longterm Care
Women's Lobby of Colorado
Press Release
Denver, CO (May 20, 2009)— Today, Pat Steadman, former Vice-President and co-principal of Mendez, Steadman & Associates, Inc., was elected to represent the people of Senate District 31 in Colorado's General Assembly. With Steadman's election, Fofi Mendez assumed control of the political consulting firm the two have directed for more than a decade. Under the name "Mendez Consulting, Inc., Ms. Mendez will continue the legacy that began with Flo Mendez and Mountain Legislative Consulting Services 25 years ago.
"Over the last 14 years, Pat and I have worked side by side representing our clients' interests in education, health care, child welfare, criminal justice, civil rights, and the environment, both at the Capitol and on statewide issue campaigns. Now Pat will have an opportunity to demonstrate his passion on behalf of his constituents. I am excited about his election and know he will serve his district well.
"As required under Colorado law, Pat will completely divest his interest in the firm, said Mendez. "Though we'll miss him terribly, we're proud of him and know that he'll make an exceptional State Senator.
"In 1983, my mother, Flo Mendez, formed Mountain Legislative Consulting Services to advocate for sound public policy that served the people of Colorado. I am proud to continue our legacy of service to our clients and to our community through Mendez Consulting, said Mendez.
Mendez Consulting includes: Fofi Mendez, President; Jeff Thormodsgaard, Associate; and Emily Hansen, Associate.
The firm currently represents over 30 organizations involved in health-care, education, law-enforcement, social justice, business procurement, and the environment.
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Mendez Consulting advocates at the Colorado General Assembly and directs political campaigns. For nearly 20 years, our team has assisted individuals and businesses involved in civil rights, health care, education, housing, information technology, criminal justice, environmental protection, and an equitable state budget.
Contact Mendez Consulting at 720-530-6914 or email fofi@mendezconsultinginc.com
