Meet Our Team
Our team consists of seasoned professionals with specialized expertise in policy, legislative advocacy, and client management.
Leigh Antoinette (Tonette) Salazar
Founder, Attorney and Lobbyist
Tonette Salazar has been in the legislative and political arena in Colorado for more than twenty-five years. Tonette is an experienced lobbyist with a strong history advocating on education, housing, immigration, consumer protection, tax policy and state budget to name just a few. Tonette tackles complex issues with strategic thinking, thorough policy analysis and powerful coalition building.
Tonette began her legislative career as staff for Legislative Legal Services, the non-partisan office staffing the Colorado General Assembly, where she honed her legal research skills, learned the nuances of drafting state policy and agency regulations and worked on the implementation of TABOR and other tax policies. Her strategic thinking and ability to collaborate with grassroots groups and public officials has led to the successful bipartisan passage of public policy and major funding. She credits her strategic approach to advancing clients’ policy goals and strengthening their political brands to her experience working for former Speaker of the House, Ruben Valdez, a pioneer in education community issues.
Tonette’s most notable achievements include leading the lobbying effort to help secure passage of in-state tuition and financial aid for undocumented students, negotiating a compromise on construction defects, and creating a new special education funding formula for public education. Additionally, she has advocated for an array of education clients including school districts, community colleges, school counselors and career and technical education organizations. She has also worked extensively on homeowner association issues, labor and employment issues, and work force issues.
Tonette also spent time leading the state relations efforts for the Education Commission of the States, a 50-state compact focusing on preschool through workforce issues in Education. Tonette developed state engagement strategies for the organization and testified across the country as an expert in a multitude of areas. This experience led Tonette to assist national and international clients on strategic planning for state political engagement and US market strategic business development.
A native of Las Cruces, NM, Tonette holds a Bachelors of Arts in English and Political Science from University of Denver and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Colorado at Boulder. She also volunteers her time working with the next generation of Latino through the Latino Leadership Institute and serves on the Mile High United Way Board of Trustees, the oldest United Way in the country.
Joey Salazar
Government Relations Associate and Lobbyist
Joey Salazar is a Government Relations Associate with Salazar & Associates, where he is known for his thorough policy research and quick analysis of data. Joey conducts 50-state research for white papers that are used as the foundation for Salazar & Associates clients’ legislation. He has provided research that led to the successful passage of HB 22-1157 Utilization of Demographic Data in Health Outcomes, which established a task force to determine how to collect health data statewide on race, ethnicity, sexual orientation and gender identity, and disability, and HB 23-1002 EpiPen Affordability Program, which created an affordability program capping the cost of a two- pack of EpiPens at $60. Joey also led the lobbying efforts on HB 24-1438 Implement Prescription Drug Affordability Programs, which refined and more strongly enforced HB 23-1002. Joey also creates multi-layered tracking systems for the 2022 and 2024 State Senate and House races, as well as some Congressional races, that included voter demographics, voter propensity, regular campaign finance reporting and endorsements.
Prior to his work with Salazar & Associates, Joey worked for Strategies 360, a national public affairs, communications and lobbying firm. Joey also worked for State Senator Julie Gonzales, supporting her efforts around reducing recidivism rates by increasing workforce training opportunities for prisoners with the U.S Department of Education and Colorado higher education institutions. Joey was destined for political work after growing up in a family that has always been immersed in Colorado politics. He began volunteering for candidates and school district mill and bond campaigns at a very young age and was one of the best door-to-door canvassers with the ability to convince voters using the right messaging.
Joey earned his B.A. in Political Science and Business Management from Knox College in Galesburg, IL, where he was also a 4-year varsity baseball player and a member of the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity.
Jacky Jimenez
Government Relations Associate and Lobbyist, Bilingual (Spanish)
Jacky Jimenez is a Government Affairs Associate at Salazar and Associates, where in 2024 she specialized in immigration reform, zoning and housing policy, and workers’ rights. This past session, Jacky facilitated and supported client testimony on HB 24-1007 Occupancy Limits and HB 24-1098 For Cause Eviction for Spanish-speaking witnesses. Jacky supported the coalition on behalf of the firm’s clients of immigrant, LGBTQ and criminal justice reform organizations who were opposing SB 24-090 Driving without Proper Identification. She also has experience in social media and graphic design where she excelled at designing all the firm’s fact sheets for the 2024 session. Fluent in Spanish, Jacky has leveraged her skills at Salazar and Associates to connect clients and community members more effectively with the legislative process. Her career is a testament to her deep commitment to advancing equitable policies and supporting the firm’s values in elevating all voices in policymaking spaces.
Prior to joining Salazar & Associates, Jacky had extensive expertise in local and state politics excelling as the Senior Legislative Aide for State Senator Julie Gonzales and Policy Aide for Denver’s District 7. In these positions, Jacky offered advice on policy matters through detailed legislative analysis and research. Additionally, she played a crucial role in formulating budget proposals and amendments by collaborating with departments to provide accurate cost estimates and identify funding sources. Jacky also kept the elected officials schedules and ensured timely communication with constituents and interested parties. Her passion for state politics began early volunteering on Get Out the Vote campaigns and supporting ballot initiatives through canvassing and phone banking in Denver and Aurora.
Jacky is from Aurora, Colorado and graduated as a first-generation student with a B.A. in political science from the University of Denver, during which she completed two internships at the Colorado State Capitol. She spends her free time volunteering to mentor Latino college students and supporting other individuals of color wanting to enter the policy career pathway.