As well positioned Democrat, Independent and Republican lobbyists we have consistently delivered for our clients in difficult situations under challenging circumstances. Our political connections and tenacious style have proven time and again to meet our client’s expectations. Together we have proven access to the Governor’s office, Joint Budget Committee members and legislative leadership on both sides of the aisle, as well as executives in various State Departments. The firm employs three full-time lobbyists, a Policy Associate / a Policy consultant and an office manager, all of whom allow our team to provide unparalleled resources to serve our clients’ needs. We invite you to meet the team at Aponté & Busam Public Affairs:
Ruth Aponté
Founder; Owner & President
The founding partner of the firm, Ruth has been lobbying in Colorado for over 25 years and is well regarded as one of the premier budget lobbyists in the state. Her work has resulted in millions of dollars annually being directed to client needs. Ruth has also worked as the executive director of a non-profit organization and organized a campaign to fight a constitutional initiative. Ruth has gained the trust and respect of members from both sides of the aisle and consistently secures bipartisan sponsorship and support for client legislation. She holds a Masters Degree in Political Science.
To reach Ruth email her at raponte@aponte-busam.com
Edie Busam
Principal
Edie has over 35 years in lobbying experience, health care administration including hospice administration, reimbursement contracting, auto industry regulations and medical device manufacturing. Edie was successful in passing prosthetic parity legislation for the Colorado Coalition for Working Amputees, the first in the country. She has worked on difficult health insurance legislation, auto industry issues, reasonable licensure legislation and decreasing burdensome regulations. Edie specializes in the areas of health care, non-profit organizations, and business. She holds degrees in Political Science and Nursing.
To reach Edie email her at ebusam@aponte-busam.com
Emily Biniki
Senior Government Affairs Associate
Emily leads the firm’s client support services including policy analysis, legislative tracking, committee hearing preparation, educational events, legislative field relations and coalition coordination. Emily has extensive legislative and policy analysis background, having worked for several Colorado legislators and on other health policy issues. Emily grew up in Southern California and has lived in the Denver area for 8 years. Emily has a degree in Political Science from the University of California, Santa Cruz, as well as a Master of Public Policy from the University of Denver.
To reach Emily email her at ebiniki@aponte-busam.com
Iris Hentze
Senior Government Affairs Associate
Iris brings nearly a decade of diverse public policy experience to the Aponte & Busam team, including government, nonprofit and campaign experience. Prior to joining Aponte & Busam, she worked at the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy & Financing (HCPF), the state agency that administers Colorado’s Medicaid Program. Prior to her work with HCPF, Iris worked as a nonpartisan policy analyst at the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) focusing on employment and labor policy. Iris has a bachelor’s degree in political science and economics from Colorado State University and a master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Colorado, Denver.
To reach Iris email her at ihentze@aponte-busam.com
Austin Fearn
Government Affairs Associate
Austin has worked in Colorado politics for 3 years and has experience working on both City Council and State Legislative race campaigns. Austin previously worked as a Senior Legislative Aide for Rep. David Ortiz and his campaign manager before that. He has a degree in mathematics and economics from CSU Fort Collins where he was very active in student government working as a key member of the student government budget committee. He has strong budget analysis skills, and brings a strong skill set to the efforts at Aponte and Busam!
To reach Austin email him at afearn@aponte-busam.com
Mahamoud Ahmed
Government Affairs Associate
Mahamoud has worked in Colorado politics for 2 years and has experience working with several members of the Colorado General Assembly. Mahamoud has background as a senior legislative aide for Senator Rhonda Fields and also worked on several state level campaigns. Mahamoud has a degree in Political Science from CSU Fort Collins where he was active in several organizations including United Men of Color, Political Science Club and the Academic Advancement Center. He is fluent in both English and Somali and brings strong analytical and problem-solving skills to the team.
To reach Mahamoud email him at mahmed@aponte-busam.com
Cindy Link
Administrative Director
Cindy brings over 30 years of detail, organization and management experience to the firm. Her role to support the team includes schedule coordination, customer billing and contracting, event planning and overall operations management. Throughout her career, Ms. Link has placed a strong emphasis on customer service and thorough communication. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for Woodglen Square Home Owners Association, and volunteers at the Samaritan House. Ms. Link is a native Coloradoan hailing from the San Luis Valley who is fluent in Spanish. She and her son Adam live in Thornton, Colorado.
To reach Cindy email her at clink@aponte-busam.com
