Maria Garcia Berry

Maria Garcia Berry is the guiding force behind what is today one of the most influential public affairs firms in Colorado. Serving a broad spectrum of clients from transportation to professional sports teams to real estate developers, the services of Ms. Garcia Berry and her associates are sought by clients across the United States. As chief executive officer of CRL Associates, Inc., she successfully manages CRL's broad client base that includes a variety of high-profile projects such as the Master Plan and Environmental Impact Statement for Denver's Union Station; the transformation of the former Villa Italia mall site into Belmar; and Forest City's redevelopment of Stapleton. In 2004, Ms. Garcia Berry was the campaign chair for the nation's largest proposed mass transit expansion effort, the successful FasTracks Yes campaign. She is a much sought-after consultant for other locales striving to bring an integrated and comprehensive transportation program to their area. In addition to FasTracks, she has been a strategic consultant to a number of transportation-related initiatives around the country, including a transportation master plan for the seven-county Tampa Bay region adopted in 2009 by the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation Authority (TBARTA) and a 2012 regional transportation referendum in the 10-county Atlanta region that would fund $8.5 billion in transportation improvements. Highly respected for her skills in negotiation, mediation and advocacy, Ms Garcia Berry is experienced at forging links between diverse interests and groups. She is widely recognized in her field for her expertise in government and public decision making, strategic planning, coalition building, crisis communications, community outreach, public positioning and legislative advocacy. Maria Garcia Berry is a member of the Board of Directors of TBD Colorado, a nonpartisan, collaborative effort designed to create informed and constructive conversations among Coloradans about some of the biggest issues facing the state. She is a member of the Auraria Higher Education Center Board of Directors; serves on the Citywide Banks Board; and is a member of the Urban Land Institute. Ms. Garcia Berry is also an alumnus of Leadership Denver. She is married to Chuck Berry, currently the CEO and president of Colorado's Association of Commerce and Industry and formerly Colorado's Speaker of the House. They have three children.