Denise Maes is a seasoned attorney and public policy leader from Colorado with deep experience in civil rights, government, and nonprofit advocacy. She served for nearly 12 years as Public Policy Director at the ACLU of Colorado, where she led legislative strategy on criminal justice reform, voting rights, and civil liberties at the state and local levels. Maes also held senior roles in the Obama and Biden administrations, including as Director of Administration in the Office of the Vice President and, most recently, as Regional Administrator for the U.S. General Services Administration covering 16 states. She is known for advancing equity, expanding access to justice, and lifting voices that are often excluded from policymaking.