Who We Are
We organize across communities to take action and create lasting change
Claire Bagazonzya
Initiative Director
Gary Advocacy
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Susy Bates is the Initiative Director for Move Colorado Forward. She focuses on building and activating the strategy and infrastructure needed to win big on policy at the ballot box.
Susy is a seasoned professional with nearly two decades of experience in national, state and local politics. Her experience spans community and political organizing, campaign management at all levels of office, and policymaking at the state Capitol.
Born and raised in Colorado, Susy has committed to designing and implementing operations that break down barriers to access and representation in our political systems. Most recently, Susy ran the winning Freedom to Marry campaign to remove the ban on marriage for same-sex couples that was in the Colorado state constitution.
Susy is committed to ensuring everyone has access to what they need to thrive and that Colorado is the best place to live and raise a family. She loves everything Colorado has to offer, especially camping and hiking in the mountains, and spending time with her family, her husband, Carlos, and their 80-pound pittie.
Susy Bates
Project and Events Manager
Move Colorado Forward
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Claire Bagazonzya is the Project and Events Manager for Move Colorado Forward, acting as the operational anchor that holds together the organization's day-to-day work. A seasoned strategist in the nonprofit and business landscape, Claire brings a wealth of experience in high-stakes coordination and community advocacy to the team. She has led end-to-end event planning for large-scale fundraisers and business awards, mastering the art of managing diverse stakeholders and complex logistics.
Throughout her career, Claire has built a reputation for operational excellence and equity-centered planning. Her background spans from managing high-volume interpreter scheduling and training systems to grassroots mobilization. At Move Colorado Forward, Claire leverages this unique blend of logistical precision and mission-driven passion to lead project management streams and streamline data systems. Whether coordinating statewide events or mobilizing specific community coalitions, her focus remains on building the structural support necessary for large-scale social impact. Claire is excited to work with a team that is passionate about large-scale advocacy and creating lasting systemic change.
In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her husband & family, hosting friends, checking out food spots around Colorado and traveling.
Sophie Mariam
Engagement and Organizing Director
Move Colorado Forward
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Sophie Mariam is the Engagement and Organizing Director at Move Colorado Forward, where she works to build statewide momentum for policies that help Colorado families thrive. Her work focuses on organizing child care workers, housing advocates, and community leaders to address Colorado’s rising cost-of-living challenges and advance practical, long-term solutions.
Sophie is an organizer and coalition-builder passionate about the power of community and grassroots leadership. She brings people together across sectors to build durable relationships, strengthen coalitions, and equip local leaders with the tools and opportunities needed to drive policy change at both the local and state level.
Her experience spans statewide issue campaigns including Paid Family Leave, minimum wage increases, and child care tax credits, as well as coalition and advocacy work with organizations like the Colorado Fiscal Institute.
Outside of this work, Sophie is a yoga and fitness instructor, ultramarathon runner, and hosts nature-rooted yoga and retreat experiences for women in high-burnout caregiving professions like education and early childhood care.
Move Colorado Forward, a partner of Gary Advocacy, supports policies that will make our state the best place to live and raise a family. We are committed to long-term organizing that supports lasting change across communities for kids and families. Learn more about our partners at Gary.