Barbara J. Brohl
Menifee, CA 92587
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Qualifications
My career has been spent balancing business experience and public service.
I obtained extensive legal, regulatory, and technology experience while working in the telecommunications industry. I started out in IT, designing systems, developing software, and negotiating technology contracts. After graduating from law school, I was promoted to a corporate lawyer for Qwest Communications, where I directed and developed the legal strategy and direction regarding Qwest’s general Regulatory Compliance requirements and ensured that company’s product strategy direction complied with all federal and state regulatory obligations while furthering corporate product and service goals. In addition, I performed regulatory evaluation of and submitted regulatory applications for mergers & acquisitions of broadband and fiber companies in several states. At the same time, I also negotiated large broadband and fiber wholesale agreements.
While at Qwest, I was elected to the board of directors for the Regional Transportation District – the bus and light rail agency. During that time, I learned how to govern and develop policy, in addition to dealing with constituents’ issues and concerns. I was a member of the Executive Committee, the General Manager Search and Compensation Committee, and oversaw the multi-billion-dollar budget for the FasTracks project which was considered a model for the country at that time. In support of those transit projects, I actively worked on the RFP for the Penta P – public / private partnership business relationship and oversaw the deliverables and budget for the light rail build out project. I was selected to be a Trustee for the Salaried Employees Pension Trust, overseeing the plan, approving appropriate investment strategies, and ensuring that the financial health of the Pension Trust was maintained.
These experiences led to my being appointed to (then) Governor Hickenlooper’s Cabinet as the Executive Director for the Department of Revenue (DOR). DOR is a department that is not singularly focused and has several constituent-facing responsibilities. I led a multi-level organization of approximately 1,400 employees with an annual budget of approximately $500 million. I was responsible for leading the Tax Division; Division of Motor Vehicles; Lottery; and Enforcement for Gaming, Liquor & Tobacco, Racing, Automotive Dealers, and Cannabis.
I regularly presented to and testified before the Colorado Legislature, in particular: 1) the Joint Budget Committee; the Legislative Audit Committee; and 3) the Joint Finance Committees; regarding financial matters, audit matters, cannabis regulation, and general state of DOR.
State Tax – I had executive oversight of and developed an understanding of tax policy, budgeting, and financial management. I ensured the financial integrity in collecting and disbursing state tax revenues, and the integrity of all products and services provided to constituents; demonstrated through internal and external annual audits.
Barbara J. Brohl
Menifee, CA 92587
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DMV – I spearheaded process improvements and successfully oversaw the driver license system replacement project, securing funding, and overseeing the implementation of SaaS technology solutions to replace aging DMV systems.
Lottery – I oversaw the integrity of the lottery game process and the proceeds which funded outdoor Colorado parks and recreation.
Regulation & Enforcement for the Gaming, Liquor & Tobacco, Racing, Automotive Dealers, and Cannabis industries – I oversaw regulatory programs that used education, workshops, compliance, and criminal enforcement, balancing public safety and regulatory burden.
Most recently, I was on the board of the Elevations Credit Union where I served as Treasurer and Audit Committee Vice-Chair.
Background
I grew up poor, so understand the value of hard work and the value of a dollar. I went to work right out of high school; college was not within my reach at that time. I started college in my 30’s, working full-time while graduating in 4 years and then going on to law school. I believe in the value of education and that it should be accessible for all and that a lack of resources should not be what prevents individuals from getting an education if they desire it. As a result, I have been on non-profit boards that support education, such as the DSST Public Schools, which is a network of open enrollment charter public schools with STEM-focused programs. I was also on the board of the Latinas First Foundation, which provides scholarships, mentorship and networking opportunities, and honors Latina Trailblazers and Unsung Heroines.
Reasons for Seeking Appointment to the District 2 Council Seat
Based on my previous public service I believe strongly in giving back to my community, and for that reason I am interested in being appointed to the Menifee City Council. I believe we have an obligation to get involved in our communities. With my business and government background, serving on Menifee’s city council is a perfect way to do that.
My husband and I purchased a home in the Audie Murphy Ranch development 2 ½ years ago and really enjoy the area. We moved here from a city in Colorado – Lakewood – with about the same population as Menifee. It is considered a “bedroom community” because it has no major industries and is lived in by people who go to another town or city to work. We had previously lived in the city of Denver, which is much larger and has a much larger population. The city of Lakewood is adjacent to the city of Denver.
Because of my background, my qualifications, and my experience – in both the public and private sectors - I believe I can bring insight and understanding to the discussions surrounding growth and the future of our community.
Barbara J. Brohl
Menifee, CA 92587
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Vision for Representing District 2
I want to ensure that District 2 and its needs continue to be represented in the future of Menifee. I embrace the diversity of the area and will foster strategic and managed growth, such that the city is economically sound to support its future. Menifee is a desirable place to live and work, and I want to ensure that it maintains its character while meeting the needs of all of its residents.
Barbara J. Brohl
Menifee, CA 92587
P a g e 1 | 3
Questions
1. Why do you want to represent District 2, and what unique goals would you bring to the Council?
As noted in my Statement of Interest, with my previous public service I believe strongly in giving back to my community, and for that reason I am interested in being appointed to the Menifee City Council. I believe it we have an obligation to get involved in our communities.
With my business and government background, serving on Menifee’s city council is a perfect way to do that.
My husband and I purchased a home in the Audie Murphy Ranch development 2 ½ years ago and really enjoy the area. We moved here from a city in Colorado – Lakewood – with about the same population as Menifee. It is considered a “bedroom community” because it has no major industries and is lived in by people who go to another town or city to work. We had previously lived in the city of Denver, which is much larger and has a much larger population. The city of Lakewood is adjacent to the city of Denver.
Because of my background, my qualifications, and my experience – in both the public and private sectors - I believe I can bring insight and understanding to the discussions surrounding growth and the future of our community.
2. Can you share examples of your past or current community involvement and how you would continue to engage with residents?
During my tenure as an elected member of the Regional Transportation District Board of Directors, I regularly engaged with my constituents, which included both the public and the business community. It is important to use different avenues for engagement in order to interact with constituents in the way they feel most comfortable. For example, I interacted with constituents on an in-person basis, by attending ad-hoc neighborhood meetings, weekly public board meetings, community meetings and events, business events, district-wide events, in addition to through email, newsletters, and a website that focused on the work I was performing, the projects I was working on, decisions being contemplated, and obtaining their input. It was also necessary to engage with fellow governing bodies, such as the Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG), the Metro Mayors’ Caucus and the State Legislature.
3. What are the top three issues facing Menifee residents, and what specific improvements or mitigation efforts do you believe are needed?
Growth – growth is happening and will continue to happen. The question is whether it is uncontrolled growth or strategic growth. My answer to #5 fully addresses the rest of this question.
Barbara J. Brohl
Menifee, CA 92587
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Job Creation – My answers to #6 and #7 address what is needed to address job creation.
Affordability – affordability of housing and food is an important concern. The answer to #7 addresses what is needed to address housing and the discussion on job creation and business development addresses what is needed to address other costs challenges.
4. What do you envision Menifee’s “Unique Identity” to be?
Menifee was born in 2008 when a collection of smaller communities – including the traditional lands of the Luiseno and Pechanga Indian tribes, Sun City, Quail Valley, and Romoland – voted to incorporate it. Menifee has a rich history with the diversity of each of these communities and is working hard to ensure that all of its constituencies and residents and their needs are represented in its planned development.
Menifee’s “unique identity” is that it is comprised of diverse communities with diverse histories and diverse needs. Approaching its growth needs with thoughtfulness and care will allow Menifee to integrate its past with its future and to do so in a manner that does not disenfranchise any of its residents.
5. What is your perspective on the growth Menifee has experienced?
Menifee is a growing city – in fact, it is growing fast. It is a beautiful locale with great weather and a close proximity to the coast. It will continue to grow. People want to live here.
Menifeebusiness.com reported that it is “recognized as the top city for growth in California and the top 15 in the nation.” It is considered to be a “boomtown”. As such, growth and density will happen – the key is to guide it – determine the type of growth we want and then manage it. Families are moving in and the need and demand for more housing, amenities, schools, shopping, dining, entertainment, roads, etc., will continue. Along with that is employment – central to a good economy for the city are businesses that provide the types of jobs residents want and are now commuting to other cities to have. When individuals work and play in other cities, many times that’s where they leave their dollars. People go out to lunch near where they work, they may shop near where they work, they may play near where they work – and that translates into tax dollars being spent near where they work. Having lived in what’s considered a bedroom community – where people live, but they work somewhere else – I have experienced this quite a bit. I firmly believe that Menifee can continue to grow, do it strategically, meet the needs of those who have lived here for entire lifetimes, and meet the needs of those who have made conscious decisions to live here. To do that requires planning, infrastructure, and the right businesses.
Barbara J. Brohl
Menifee, CA 92587
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6. What role should the city play in attracting businesses and amenities, and how should the infrastructure to support these developments be funded?
The city should play a large role in attracting businesses and amenities. That role needs to start with a short-term and long-term strategic plan with 5-, 10-, 15-, and 20-year increments that address the following:
A vision of what the city will look like in the future Understanding of what Menifee residents want and need The types of businesses and infrastructure that are part of the plan Goals for each phase
Identification of the stakeholders for each phase
Key performance indicators that designate success
Continuous feedback loop
Determination of cost and how it will be funded
Interim deliverables and success factors
The city does not need to do this all by itself. Other projects that I have been part of have availed themselves of public / private partnerships, whereby the industries, business community, and development community work with the city to perform the buildout, to commit to bringing their businesses and industries here, and as part of the partnership, agree to up-front much of the funding that is needed for development in exchange for tax breaks, a trained workforce, and the ability to manage their growth strategically, for example. It tends to bring the best of both worlds together but does require oversight with integrity.
7. A recent Channel 5 News report stated that nearly 80% of renters in Menifee are rent burdened, making the city one of the most impacted in the state. Would you support the development of more diverse housing options to help address this issue?
I have often said that the measure of a government is how it treats its most vulnerable populations. Those individuals who are rent burdened are in that category. Having housing insecurity is as detrimental as having food insecurity. This is a very complicated issue and I would support looking at more diverse housing options to help address the issue. I believe we must look beyond only housing options – we should look at how we ensure that individuals have good job training, good education, and access to good jobs. As I looked at this news report, I saw that Santa Clara, CA ranked in the top ten for best cities for renters, so I took a look at the differences. Its population is similar to Menifee, but where it differs is in its job market.
Attracting the right kind of high-paying jobs to this area would also help renters to afford rent.
Latinas First Foundation Board (2018 – 2022)
- Granted scholarships to students, and oversaw comprehensive networking and mentoring program Denver Employee Retirement Program (DERP) (2011 – 2011) - Appointed by the Denver Mayor
- Oversaw and approved trust investment financial documents to ensure ROI to support pension financial health, which ensured full funding of Pension Trust Corporate Boardbound Program 2018 - 2019
- One-year board readiness program for C-suite level executive women
Corporate Leadership / Professional Experience
B J Brohl Strategies, Principal – Denver, CO / Menifee, CA - 2017 – Present - Government Affairs consulting for law firms regarding the state regulatory environment.
Colorado Department of Revenue – Denver, CO 2011 – 2017 Executive Director and State Licensing Authority with responsibility for:
- Leading a multi-level organization of approximately 1,400 employees with an annual budget of approximately $500 million.
- Leading Colorado’s Tax Division; Division of Motor Vehicles; Lottery; and Enforcement for Gaming, Liquor & Tobacco, Racing, Automotive Dealers, and Marijuana. - Regularly presenting to and testifying before the Colorado Legislature, in particular: 1) the Joint Budget Committee; the Legislative Audit Committee; 3) the Joint Finance Committees; regarding financial matters, audit matters, cannabis regulation, and general state of the Department - Ensuring the financial integrity in collecting and disbursing $12 – 14 billion in state tax revenues; integrity of all products and services provided to customers; demonstrated through internal and external annual audits.
- Ensuring that regulatory programs are implemented using education, workshops, compliance, and criminal enforcement, in a manner that balances public safety with burden on the industries. - Oversaw the implementation of SaaS technology solutions to replace aging Tax and DMV systems. - Directed the implementation of a METRC Users’ Group with membership from regulators, industry, 3rd-party API vendors, and METRC, LLC.
Qwest Communications International – Denver, CO 1978 – 2011 - Corporate Counsel, Corporate Law Department
- Regulatory Director / Expert Witness, Information Technologies - Software Developer, Systems Architect, Project Manager, Information Technologies
Demonstrated Skills
Governance:
- Directed and developed the legal strategy and direction regarding Qwest’s general Regulatory Compliance requirements and ensured that company’s product strategy direction complied with all federal and state regulatory obligations while furthering corporate product and service goals. - Reviewed Qwest’s retail products and services to ensure they complied with all federal and state regulatory non-discrimination obligations.
- Performed regulatory evaluation of and submitted regulatory applications for mergers & acquisitions in several states of broadband and fiber companies.
- Negotiated large broadband and fiber wholesale agreements. - Executive oversight of all internal audit & external audit activities and directed training on fraud recognition and reporting requirements to all Department of Revenue employees.
Regulatory Policy:
- Worked extensively with the Colorado State Legislature for six years in developing policy and statutes to implement that policy.
Business Development and Marketing:
- Oversaw the Lottery Division’s increased profitability by more than 25%, distributing more than $770M to its beneficiaries.
- Oversaw all marketing activities, including: social media, bricks & mortar, and website-based marketing channels; evaluated profitability and return on investment on specific channels and specific games; and maximized profits to its beneficiaries.
- Partnered with and advised Qwest’s Marketing Division to ensure that the company’s product and marketing strategies complied with all federal and state regulatory obligations while furthering corporate product and service goals.
Reorganization and Innovation:
- Directed extensive process and system improvements throughout the Department of Revenue, resulting in streamlined tax processing for taxpayers, doubling the number of on-line filing of sales tax returns to 82% and on-line filing of corporate returns to 56%, and technology projects delivered with quality, on time and on budget.
- Successfully obtained $94M in funding from the Colorado Legislature Joint Budget Committee to replace the obsolete driver and vehicle systems with a configurable off-the-shelf software system; completed on time and under budget.
- Process & system improvements significantly reduced wait times and increased online capabilities with a 37% increase in online driver license renewals.
Strategy Development of Cannabis Regulation:
- Executive oversight of the development and implementation of the first-in-the-world regulatory program for adult-use cannabis, known globally as “The Colorado Model”. - Co-chair of the Amendment 64 Implementation Task Force. - As State Licensing Authority, ensured appropriate licensing requirements were met, rigorous rules were established, and regulatory program was developed that balanced public safety and burden on the industry.
- Consulted with governments on both national and international levels to present “The Colorado Model.”
- Notable engagements include: 1) Panelist at the Commission on Narcotic Drugs at the United Nations in Vienna, Austria; 2) , Keynote speaker at The Transparent Chain Conference in the Netherlands advising government and key stakeholders regarding their move toward full regulation of cannabis; and 3) Member of the expert review panel for the 2018 Report on Regulation by the Global Commission on Drug Policy.
Education / Awards
Education
- J.D., University of Denver, Sturm College of Law, 1995 - B.S., with honors, Regis University – Business Management, with minor in Computer Science Awards
- Top 25 Most Powerful Women in Business, Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce, 2019 - Lifetime Achievement Award, Colorado Hispanic Bar Association, 2019 - State Executive of the Year Award, National Association of State CIOs, 2017 - Lifetime Achievement Award, Center for Legal Inclusiveness, 2017 - Trailblazers Award by the Latinas First Foundation, 2015 - Outstanding Women in Business – Finance, Accounting, & Banking, Denver Business Journal, 2015 - Outstanding Lawyer Award, Colorado Hispanic Bar Association, 2008
Publications / Public Speaking / Media
Publications
- Co-Author, If New Yorkers Join The Recreational Cannabis Bandwagon, What Could They Learn From Colorado? (Forbes Magazine, Jan 25, 2019)
- Expert Review Panel, 2018 - REGULATION - THE RESPONSIBLE CONTROL OF DRUGS, Global Commission on Drug Policy Report (September, 2018)
- Expert Advisor, 2018 AN EXPERIMENT WITH A CLOSED CANNABIS CHAIN, Advisory Committee to Dutch Government (June, 2018)
Public Speaking
- Frequently requested speaker about cannabis to local, national, and international audiences addressing regulatory, financial, enforcement, and legal matters - Keynote speaker at numerous local, national, and international conferences, notably:
o Uruguay, Switzerland, Germany (Berlin and Frankfurt), the Netherlands (Amsterdam and Utrecht), New York, Rhode Island, Florida, Texas, Pennsylvania, California, Nevada, Illinois, Colorado, District of Columbia, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and the Biennial of the Americas o United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs (side event) –Vienna, Austria o Plenary Session before Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission – Washington, D.C.
Media / Interviews
- Have been extensively interviewed by local, national, and international media, notably:
o Nieuwsuur from the Netherlands, Calgary TV News, Fortune Magazine, The Economist, BNN, CNN with Ana Cabrera, CBS This Morning, CNN with Fredricka Whitfield, Brookings, and ABC News Nightline.