UPDATED with comments from Mayor Michael Hancock, Tami Door and R.D. Sewald.

Brittany Morris Saunders, the senior vice president for economic development and public affairs with the Downtown Denver Partnership, is joining Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs, a Denver-based lobbying, business development and communications firm, The Colorado Statesman has learned.

Saunders, a former economic development director for Commerce City, will be president for local affairs at Sewald Hanfling. She starts with the firm on Feb. 21.

“Brittany is an incredibly strategic and thoughtful leader,” said Tami Door, president and CEO of the Downtown Denver Partnership. “She meets challenges head-on with her collaborative nature. She will be deeply missed by the Partnership team and I know that she will be a tremendous asset to our friends at Sewald Hanfling.”

At the Downtown Denver Partnership and in concurrent work with the Downtown Denver Business Improvement District, Saunders has directed economic development, housing, retail, public policy, marketing and communications operations. She has been in charge of the advocacy organization’s Economic Development department. Saunders served until last year as a mayoral appointment to the Denver Planning Board and is currently vice chair of the Downtown Denver Expeditionary School Board.

Denver Mayor Michael Hancock had high praise for Saunders.

“Brittany is one of the emerging political leaders of Denver,” he said. “I am excited to see her take this next step in her journey!”

Before joining the Partnership in 2011, Saunders played a key role in Commerce City’s economic revival. She is a former vice president of CRL Associates, Inc., a political consulting firm, and has both undergraduate and graduate degrees in political science from the University of Colorado.

Sewald Hanfling, founded in 2012 by R.D. Sewald and Josh Hanfling, has represented clients including Wal-Mart, Adams State University and the Denver district attorney’s office. Last week, the firm signed the Denver Broncos as a client for local matters.

Sewald said that Saunders will be a tremendous asset at the growing firm.

“Our business has been built on leveraging the right tools and the right talent to serve our clients most effectively. Brittany is enormously talented and will be a great addition to our firm,” he said.

Before the two launched the firm, Sewald worked as a strategic advisor and director of government affairs for Gov. John Hickenlooper and for Hickenlooper in the mayor’s office before that. He also worked on numerous Democratic campaigns, including Roy Romer’s 1994 run for his third term as governor, Denver Mayor Wellington Webb’s 1995 reelection campaign and Hickenlooper’s bids for mayor and governor.

Hanfling, who ran in a Democratic primary for the state House seat eventually won by Denver Democrat Lois Court, has been involved in the Colorado political, business and nonprofit world for more than two decades. He was the founding CEO of an international health, education and culture foundation and owned a Denver-based sign and graphics company. Hanfling also worked on Hickenlooper’s mayoral run and Denver Mayor Michael Hancock’s first campaign.

– ernest@coloradostatesman.com