The CLS Team

MELANIE LAYTON

Co-Owner, Lobbyist

Melanie joined CLS in 2000 and has nearly 25 years of expertise in public policy, lobbying, business, banking, bioscience, and renewable energy. In 2019, Melanie was named one of the “Top Women in Energy” by the Denver Business Journal.

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, vice-president of the Western Pack Burro Association 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.

GARIN VORTHMANN

Co-Owner, Lobbyist

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 at CLS in 2012 and effective January 1, 2023, she will become co-owner of CLS alongside Melanie Layton. Garin has dedicated the past 15 years of her career advising CLS’ clients and has achieved many successes at the Capitol. 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” and “Who’s Who in Agriculture” by the Denver Business Journal in 2017 and 2019, respectively.

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.

ANDREW WOOD

General Counsel, Lobbyist

Andrew is a skilled attorney with extensive government, legal, and political experience in Colorado. Prior to joining CLS in late 2019, Andrew was the Policy Director for the Colorado House Majority Office. Andrew also has substantial legal experience and has been involved with Democratic campaigns at the highest level since 2016.

After graduating from the University of Denver Strum College of Law, Andrew began his legal career as a Deputy District Attorney on the western slope. Andrew honed his skills in advocacy and now utilizes those skills when advocating for clients at the Capitol. Additionally, Andrew uses his experience in legal negotiations when helping clients negotiate favorable amendments to improve legislation.

Andrew has also been intimately involved with campaigns and the Democratic Party in Colorado. During the 2016, 2018, and 2020 campaigns, Andrew successfully led a statewide voter protection program that included working with state election officials, coordinating campaign legal efforts, and recruiting and training thousands of volunteers.

The relationships that Andrew has with legislators also stem from his time as the Policy Director for the House Democrats, where Andrew was also involved first-hand on numerous policy areas. Andrew helped to lead the way during the historic 2019 legislative session, where Democrats newly in power at all levels of government were able to pass several historic bills on everything from health care, education, economic growth, environment, criminal justice, and government. Andrew also has deep insight into how the legislative process works.

Andrew brings all these things together when advocating on behalf of CLS clients – knowledge of the law, policy, politics, and players. Andrew also brings an easy-going and likeable personality that can achieve results for clients when working with members of both parties.

Lastly, Andrew also holds a Bachelor of Science in psychology from Texas A&M University in addition to his Juris Doctorate from the University of Denver Strum College of Law. In his free time, Andrew enjoys spending time with his wife Nicky and dogs Baloo and Benny.

CAROLINE WOODHOUSE

Lobbyist

Caroline’s political career began working for a highly respected public affairs firm in Denver, focusing on healthcare and business issues. Using industry knowledge paired with strong communication skills, Caroline has built strong relationships with legislators on both sides of the aisle and key stakeholders in her approach to understanding the issues that affect clients most.

She has engaged in roles on several federal and state level campaigns, including Deputy Manager on Barb Kirkmeyer’s campaign for Colorado’s 8th Congressional District. There, Caroline focused on outreach to small businesses, women, and the Hispanic community. She is particularly proud of organizing a coalition of over 80 prominent members of the Hispanic community who supported her candidate.

Additionally, Caroline has successfully completed several internships related to political communications, research, and strategy. Most recently, she completed PhRMA’s internship program in State Advocacy, gaining a detailed understanding of healthcare policy.

Caroline was born and raised in Denver, Colorado. She’s a proud graduate of Mullen High School and the University of Colorado in Boulder, where she earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science with a minor in Spanish. Caroline grew up around politics - from volunteering on campaigns with her mom, to the occasional trip to the Capitol with her dad, she knew from an early age that she wanted to work under the Gold Dome. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, true crime documentaries, and going to brunch.

CONNIE GRIDER

Office Manager

Since 1999, Connie has been contributing her extensive organizational talents and keen attention to detail to the CLS lobby team and clients, by handling all business operations including information production, research, legislative tracking, bookkeeping, human resources, vendor management, supply management, client interface and event planning.

Connie expertly handles one of the most important functions of the firm — compliance required by the State of Colorado that includes campaign finance disclosures, lobbyist registration and monthly reporting of all client positions on bills to the Secretary of State’s Office. She stays current with reporting requirements to communicate updates and changes to clients. Connie’s accuracy and precision ensures CLS is 100 percent compliant and meets all reporting and registration deadlines. Her tremendous experience, resourcefulness and organization are an asset to the firm and the clients alike.

Prior to and over the course of her years with CLS, Connie has pursued her passion for art and has established herself as a professional, gallery-represented, and award-winning abstract painter. Her work has been featured in Acrylic Artist Magazine, on the DIY Network show “Bargain Mansions” and is in corporate and private collections throughout the country.

JAMES J. COLE

Principal Emeritus

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 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.