Lobbyists

Ralph Simoni has 38 years of experience as a legislative advocate. He served as assistant director-government affairs for the California State University and Colleges, vice president-legislative counsel for the California Land Title Association and chief legislative advocate for the State Bar of California. Ralph also had four years experience working with another lobbying firm as the vice president responsible for management of the firm's legislative office.

In recent years Ralph has developed expertise in complex resource and recycling issues. On behalf of the plastics industry, soft drink manufacturers and distributors, battery companies, and waste companies, Ralph has participated extensively in legislative and regulatory issues involving recycled content requirements, consumer refund programs, landfill sitting limitations, environmental issues such as groundwater treatment, waste stream treatment, and others. Additionally, he represents several local government clients in the complex issue of California water policy.

Ralph is a graduate of San Francisco State University and the University of California at Davis, Martin Luther King, Jr., School of Law. He is admitted to practice before state and federal courts in California.
 

Michael Belote has nearly 30 years experience in representing a variety of clients before the Legislature and state regulators. Before joining California Advocates, Mike worked as a legislative advocate for the California Society of Certified Public Accountants followed by the California Association of Realtors. He has also served as Vice President and Legislative Counsel for the California Land Title Association. In the latter capacities, he gained valuable knowledge in land use and development issues.

Mike's activities in the legislative process have spanned a broad array of issues, including financial services, real estate, health care, the judiciary, and local government. He has been involved in such diverse endeavors as creating new occupational licensing laws, fostering economic development, shaping state tax policy and influencing the budget process.

Mike is a graduate of the University of California at Berkeley and the McGeorge School of Law. He is admitted to practice before the state and federal courts in California.

Julianne Broyles has nearly 30 years of legislative and political experience at both the state and federal level. Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Broyles was the director of Employee Relations and Small Business for the California Chamber of Commerce for nearly 16 years. She covered the all issues affecting the relationship between employers and their employees, as well as high priority issues impacting California’s small business community.

Prior to her work representing California employers for the CalChamber, Ms. Broyles served on the staff of a number of Congressional members, including nearly two years for then House Minority Whip Trent Lott. While in the nation’s capitol, she also administered the Defense Budget Project for two years, which investigated fraud and waste in the defense budget for the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

After returning to California, Ms. Broyles spent almost five years working for then-Assemblyman Tom McClintock as legislative assistant, before joining the Chamber as a legislative advocate. Ms. Broyles attended Loyola Marymount University and the University of San Diego, majoring in political science and international economics.

At California Advocates, Ms. Broyles uses her extensive experience in labor law, benefits workers’ compensation, family leave, OSHA, unemployment insurance, small business, risk management, sales tax, and many other major public policy issues to aid California Advocates’ business and association clients.
 

Dennis Albiani has over 14 years experience in advocacy and public policy. He was most recently the Deputy Legislative Secretary for Resources, Energy, Food and Agriculture and Cal EPA for Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Previously, he served in the Davis administration as the appointed Deputy Secretary at California Department of Food and Agriculture. His legislative experience includes a position as consultant to the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Water Resources for then state Senator, now Congressman Costa and as Government Affairs Counsel for the Agricultural Council of California. He has extensive business experience in livestock production, real estate and land use. Dennis is a member of the California State Bar and graduated from McGeorge School of Law with distinction.

Dennis has a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture Business and minor in Water Science from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, where he was recognized as an outstanding graduate from the College of Agriculture. Dennis was a fellow in the prestigious California Agricultural Leadership Program and a graduate from the Dale Carnegie Institute. Dennis' wife Beth is a teacher and they have four children, Nicolas and triplet girls, Sophia, Isabella and Samantha.
 

Top of Page