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Zoey DeWolf is lobbying for a better Colorado
Zoey DeWolf is one of the Top 5 Young Professionals of 2020
Lisa Ryckman //January 1, 2020//
Zoey DeWolf is lobbying for a better Colorado
Zoey DeWolf is one of the Top 5 Young Professionals of 2020
Lisa Ryckman //January 1, 2020//
Zoey DeWolf, 30
Director State Government Affairs | Sanofi Midwest and Rocky Mountain Western Region
Denver
Zoey DeWolf volunteered on her first congressional campaign at age 10. Since then, the child of an immigrant who grew up in a small South Dakota town has dedicated herself to making a difference.
“When I started (in politics), it didn’t matter what the work was — licking envelopes, late-night data input, walking door-to-door — because the work was meaningful,” she says. “Now, the result of my work is much bigger and has made a real impact in people’s lives. Being a helper is all I can hope to continue to be.”
As a partner and lobbyist for seven years at Colorado Legislative Services, DeWolf worked to pass legislation that would double the size of the Colorado Affordable Housing Tax Credit, a tool used as an incentive for developers to build low-income housing, resulting in the construction of over 530 units.
In 2018, DeWolf worked to pass a bill that made a $60 million investment for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Her success meant that more than 300 families were taken off the wait list for services and that all employees providing care, many employed at minimum wage, got a pay increase of nearly 10%.
In addition to her wide-ranging work, DeWolf serves on the boards of Minds Matter of Denver, which helps low-income students get into college, and the Denver Health Foundation. She also serves as a debate coach for West High School, and developed a first-ever legislative internship for debaters.
Recipe for success: “Ask yourself, if I were making no money at all, would I still do this? Then the next step is to figure out how you will get paid for it!”
Hear from DeWolf herself about her path to success:
This article is part of the ColoradoBiz Magazine’s 2020 Top 25 Young Professionals.
Click here to read more about the latest class of up-and-coming movers and shakers.
