Gov. Jared Polis on Monday named outgoing House Speaker Alec Garnett as his new chief of staff, effective Jan. 1.
Garnett will replace Lisa Kaufman, who has been with Polis for 15 years, dating back to his days in the U.S. House of Representatives. Kaufman was among Polis' first hires in 2007 in his first congressional bid and served as his chief of staff while he represented Congressional District 2, which includes Boulder.
She also chaired Polis' first run for the governor's mansion in 2018, and served as chief of staff in the governor's office for the past four years.
According to the announcement Monday, Kaufman is expected to continue with the Polis administration as a strategic advisor for public-private partnerships with the Colorado Department of Personnel and Administration.
“I couldn’t be more grateful to Lisa for her leadership over the past four years. She has been an excellent chief of staff and trusted advisor during an unprecedented time for our state. Together, we delivered real results for Coloradans, and I am honored to have worked shoulder to shoulder with her on behalf of our beloved state,” Polis said.
U.S. Rep. Joe Neguse, gubernatorial chief of staff Lisa Kaufmann and state Rep. Leslie Herod, D-Denver, who have been friends and political allies since they attend the University of Colorado Boulder in the early 2000s, visit at Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse in Greenwood Village before the Denver Rustlers travel to the Colorado State Fair in Pueblo on Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2017, for the group's 35th trip to bid in the Junior Livestock Auction.
“Lisa’s strategic thinking has been essential to helping guide my administration, and I am excited that she has agreed to continue with the administration focused on showcasing my second-term priority of expanding transit and more transit-oriented housing.”
Polis acknowledged that filling Kaufman's shoes will not be easy, but said he is confident that Garnett "is the best choice and will do an outstanding job."
U.S. Rep. Joe Neguse, D-Lafayette, a friend of Kaufmann's dating back to their days at CU-Boulder, said Monday: “Lisa has been an incredible public servant, and her problem-solving skills and ability to develop strategic solutions to our state’s most pressing challenges is simply unmatched. The Governor, myself and our congressional delegation in Washington, and our state have all greatly benefited from her wise counsel. And while I’m happy she and her family will have the opportunity for some much-deserved time away, I’m confident she’ll continue to serve our state for years to come,” he said.
Garnett added Monday: “No one can replace Lisa Kaufmann, who has been one of Colorado’s most successful Chiefs of Staff. Her strategic vision and pivotal role serving alongside Governor Polis over the last 15 years led to the passage of landmark legislation that is right now helping Coloradans in every corner of our state. Her leadership and steady hand guided Colorado through a global pandemic and devastating wildfires, and I'm honored to follow in her footsteps. I’m excited to advance Governor Polis’ bold vision for Colorado, implement recent legislative achievements, and continue serving the state I love."
Garnett, a fourth-generation Coloradan, served four terms in the Colorado House representing central Denver just east of the state Capitol. He has been speaker for the past two sessions.
Garnett has not been shy in taking on some of the biggest and most controversial public policy issues in the General Assembly, including the 2020 red flag law, bill to resolve years of conflicts over condo construction defects, and in 2022 was the prime sponsor of the legislature's sweeping measure on fentanyl. He also sponsored the legislation allowing for sports gaming in Colorado and changes to the state's liquor licensing.
