David M. Abelson is the founder and managing director of Abelson Partners, LLC, a Colorado-based government affairs, strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, and communications firm specializing in complex regional and national policy issues. Abelson is an attorney with more than 27 years of experience working with Congress, senior administration officials, state and local officials, business leaders, and the press. His central focus has been the Department of Energy Environmental Management program.
Ableson's current work includes managing the Rocky Flats Stewardship Council and advising governments and businesses on the political dynamics surrounding nuclear weapons cleanups and environmental protection strategies. Previously, he served as district counsel for former US Rep. David Skaggs, advised state regulatory agencies, and as the executive director of the Rocky Flats Coalition of Local Governments. Under Abelson’s leadership, the Rocky Flats Coalition and the Rocky Flats Stewardship Council established a national model for how local governments can successfully partner to address the many complex technical and policy issues central to the cleanup and long-term protection of nuclear weapons facilities.
Abelson also has extensive experience advising and representing non-profit organizations. His work includes co-leading an effort to protect more than 1.6 million acres of federal public lands. He co-authored The Politics of Cleanup and authored Oil Shale 2050: Data, Definitions and What You Need to Know About Oil Shale in the West.
Abelson is a graduate of the University of Colorado, School of Law. He lives in Boulder, Colorado.
Abelson serves on EMAB as a special government employee. He provides expert advice on issues related to intergovernmental and stakeholder engagement, environmental stewardship, large project planning, and risk assessment.