Governor Polis announced cabinet and senior staff updates today.
Eve Lieberman, the Governor’s Chief Policy Advisor and Legislative Counsel, will assume the role of Executive Director of the Office of Economic Development and International Trade, effective January 1, 2023. Lieberman has been at the helm of the legislative and policy departments and federal affairs issues for Governor Polis during his first term and served as his Congressional Chief of Staff.
“We are thrilled Eve will be helping Colorado’s small businesses and entrepreneurs grow, innovate, and expand into new markets while expanding our trade programs. Eve’s counsel and guidance over the past many years have been invaluable to me and I am so appreciative of her work to make Colorado one of the best places to live and work. Eve will be missed by many on our staff but is not going far and we are excited for what she will bring to the table to help keep Colorado’s economy thriving,” said Governor Polis.
Since day one, Lieberman has been key to Governor Polis’s historic efforts in partnership with the legislature to help businesses and people save money, cut the cost of health care and keep Colorado’s economy on the path to success. Eve was a driving force behind the enactment of free full-day kindergarten and universal preschool, bold pieces of climate change and energy policy, lowering the cost of healthcare, economic recovery legislation that helped small businesses, and lowering costs for hardworking people.
Prior to serving in the Governor’s office, Eve served in Congress for ten years, most recently as Chief of Staff to then-Congressman Polis. During her tenure in Congress, Eve focused on technology, innovation, and trade policy, and had a key role in drafting important legislation to advance those policies which focused on boosting Colorado’s economy and helping small businesses and entrepreneurs. Eve also helped establish Startup Day Across America, which connects Members of Congress with startups in their communities.
Eve has served in various roles on Capitol Hill, including for a senior Member of Congress managing the House Rules Committee portfolio, which helps lead to the passage of critical federal laws and manages Congressional floor debates on pressing issues. Eve is a graduate of the University of Michigan with a degree in political science, and the George Washington University Law School. While at George Washington Law School, Eve served as a law clerk for the United States Department of Justice and interned for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
“Eve has helped ensure the Governor and the business community worked on data-driven and balanced policy approaches to help businesses recover from the pandemic, focused on commonsense ideas that help Colorado’s businesses and economy, and ensured that Colorado has a seat at the table in Washington. Eve will continue to deliver positive results for Colorado’s business community and the State in this new role,” said Loren Furman, President & CEO of the Colorado Chamber.
“Eve has provided solid advice to the Governor and successfully worked together with business leaders and the community to ensure Colorado’s businesses and workforce continue to be in positions where they can thrive. Pat Meyers is a constant professional and problem solver, so we are delighted he will continue working on recovery issues for the administration. We are thrilled to continue working with Eve and the administration on ways we can continue to develop our economy and grow our tourism industry,” said J.J. Ament, President, and CEO of the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce.
Patrick Meyers will remain in his role as Chief Recovery Officer for the State of Colorado, managing the staff, oversight, and compliance for Colorado’s American Rescue Plan Act and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Meyers will be departing as Executive Director of the Office of Economic Development and International Trade, a role he assumed in April 2021. Meyers has served the people of Colorado for many years in various capacities.
“Pat has steered the Office of Economic Development and International Trade through the pandemic and recovery and I want to thank him for his service overseeing this critical agency. We are grateful that he has agreed to remain on as Chief Recovery Officer, ensuring that we will continue to save people money and deliver on our transformational investments in affordable housing, behavioral health, workforce development, and economic recovery,” said Governor Polis.
Pat’s previous service to the state includes acting as the Constrained Medical Supply Team Leader for the State of Colorado’s COVID Innovation Response Team, for which he was awarded the 2021 Colorado Governor’s Citizenship Award. He served as the Chief of Staff to Colorado’s Governor John Hickenlooper from December 2017 through the end of the Governor’s term.
In 1993, Pat was elected as a director for the Quiznos sandwich chain, then a public company. In 1997 Pat started the general counsel’s office at Quiznos, and subsequently became an owner of the company until January 2012. Pat served at various times as the head of Quiznos Legal, Finance, Administration, IT and HR. Pat subsequently became a Partner, Managing Director and the Chief Legal Officer for Consumer Capital Partners. Pat was an owner of CCP’s newest venture, Smashburger until the chain’s sale in 2018, and up until October 2016 was a director for CCP, as well as a board member for Smashburger and chair of the CCP and Smashburger audit committees. Pat also served on the compensation committees of both companies and the investment committee for CCP.
While at Hastings School of Law, Pat served as a clerk and intern for the U.S. Attorney’s Office Civil and Criminal Division and the Department of Justice Antitrust Division, San Francisco. After graduating from law school, Pat clerked for the Hon. Justice William Erickson of the Colorado Supreme Court, and thereafter was an attorney with Moye Giles in Denver. He specialized in franchise, appellate, and transactional law. Pat was a Special Assistant Attorney General representing the State of Colorado in criminal appeals from 1992 through 1994.
Patrick Meyers is a graduate of the University of Colorado Denver and the University of California Hastings School of Law. He served in the US Navy Submarine Service from 1978 to 1984.