OUR TEAM
Our team of professionals boasts decades of experience in business, politics, and advocacy. We unlock doors for our clients by utilizing our deep understanding of the ever-evolving business landscape and our long-held relationships with policy-makers.
Michael Colbruno
Partner
Michael Colbruno is a partner in The Milo Group of California. He began his career as a journalist and news editor, before moving on to jobs at all levels of government, and eventually, a successful career in the private sector.
For eleven years, Mr. Colbruno served as Vice President of Government Affairs for Clear Channel Outdoor/Northern California. He handled all interactions with government officials at the local, state, and federal level, as well as managing staff, leading development teams, implementing new digital technology strategies, procuring land use entitlements, overseeing legal and public affairs budgets, managing litigation and spearheading community outreach efforts. In his eleven years, he never lost a vote before a government body.
Prior to Clear Channel, Mr. Colbruno worked in local and state government as a legislative director and chief-of- staff in the San Francisco Mayor’s office, San Francisco Board of Supervisors and California State Assembly. He was in charge of all legislative activities and interacted between various levels of government. He handled media, staff relations, budget issues, public policy and staffed various committees, as well as serving as the liaison between the San Francisco Mayor’s office and the Board of Supervisors. He has regularly served as a delegate at both state and national Democratic Party Conventions.
He was appointed by three mayors to serve on the Oakland Planning Commission and was selected to oversee the re-zoning effort in Oakland. In 2013, he was unanimously approved to serve as a member of the Oakland Port Commission, where he serves as Vice President. He has also served as the chair of committees overseeing water quality and public art.
In the non-profit world, he has served as chair of the Chabot Space & Science Center, Equality California Board of Directors, founder of the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra Corporate Counsel and chair of OakPAC. He was named the “Corporate Citizen of the Year” by the Oakland Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce. He is currently a board member of the Merola Opera Program in San Francisco, a Founding Board member of the UC Theatre in Berkeley and the Opera Parallèle Advisory Board.
Along with historian Dennis Evanosky, he is co-author of the book “Lives of the Dead” (Stellar Media Group, 2015) and a contributor to “Street Art and the War on Terror” (Rebellion, U.K., 2007).
JOHN GOODING
Partner
John Gooding has owned and operated small businesses his whole career. Born and raised in western Pennsylvania, schooled at Brown University and the University of Pittsburgh, John has lived and worked in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, and for the past 27 years in California. In the 1980s and 90s he was President of The GUS Team, LLC.The The, which became Emeryville’s fifth largest company and had business all over California and in Massachusetts. Currently John is owner or co-owner of several consulting and public advocacy firms: Quadric Group, Inc., TransitCommunities, Inc., and the Milo Group of California, Inc.
John’s lifelong interests in business, education, and public affairs have been recognized. Several years ago, Alameda County School Superintendent Sheila Jordan presented John with the prestigious “Friend of Education” award. The San Leandro Chamber named John Gooding “Business Person of the Year” in 2009. In the spring of 2010, John was honored along with Assemblywoman Nancy Skinner and Congresswoman Barbara Lee for “work in advancing social equality for all” by the East Bay Stonewall Democratic Club.
John is President of the Emery Education foundation, Chair of OakPAC, Chair of Government Affairs for the San Leandro Chamber of Commerce, Chair of One Voice (Congresswoman Barbara Lee’s PAC), President of the Board of ECAP (Emeryville Community Action Program), a board trustee on the National Equity Project (formerly BayCES), a board member of the Berkeley Film Foundation, and past Chair of the Emeryville Chamber of Commerce.
NARA DAHLBACKA
Vice President
Nara Dahlbacka lives in Lake County, originally from Oakland (with some long central coast stints), and grew up in a deeply political family. Since coming on board in 2016, fresh off of a successful county board of supervisors campaign (and fifteen years of political work), Nara has been Milo’s “Queen of Green,” handling most of the cannabis and drug policy work at the firm. Her other areas of expertise include campaigns, community organizing, complex land use and zoning policy and entitlements, reproductive rights, animal welfare, and healthcare justice. She loves serving community. Current roles include programs and recruitment chair for the Lake County Democratic Central Committee, Cat Town Oakland boardmember, and Queer Cat Productions company member. Nara is studying to become a certified Ganjier to highlight and better serve the beautiful cannabis that we grow here in California, and she has a secret night life in theater.
ALISTAIR MCELWEE
Operations
Alistair (through Quadric Group, Inc.) provides operational support to John, plus add-on support to the team. His experience includes 17 years in operations at The GUS Team, LLC. and two years of oncology nursing at Alta Bates Summit Medical Center. Alistair’s education reflects his interests in politics, policy, and healthcare. He studied political science at UC Berkeley before a post graduate degree in public administration in San Francisco. More recently Alistair’s interest in healthcare led him to an advanced nursing degree.
Alistair has participated as a volunteer for various political campaigns in Emeryville and for statewide offices since 1986.
MILO
MiloGroupCa Mascot
Milo was a rescue dog who spent the first two years of his life living in a backyard in Fremont, California. When his family lost their home in the housing crisis he was placed into foster care with our co-founder Michael Colbruno.
Milo showed early skills as a dogged advocate for anything that he wanted, including treats, a warm bed, endless naps, long walks and a permanent indoor home. He successfully hounded his foster parents relentlessly to permanently adopt him. They finally threw him a bone and offered him a paw-menent place to wag his tail.
When our company was formed, Milo became the model for how we wanted to operate our business, “With loyalty, devotion, doggedness and a willingness to bite the ankles of anyone who crossed our clients.”
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1300 Clay St., Suite 600; Oakland, CA 94612