Denver, CO - Colorado U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet announced today that he has named Monisha Merchant as Senior Advisor for Business Affairs in his Senate office. A Colorado native, Merchant formerly served as senior director of product management at Level 3 Communications and as a University of Colorado Regent for the 7th Congressional District.
Merchant, who resigned her position on the CU Board of Regents this week, is a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where she earned degrees in electrical engineering and political science. She completed her master’s of business administration at Yale School of Management, with a focus on public sector and nonprofit management.
Prior to her work with Level 3 Communications, she worked as a consultant with Booz Allen Hamilton, where she advised leaders at key federal grant-making institutions such as NASA, the Department of Homeland Security, the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health. At Lucent Technologies, she managed the test lab for long-distance optical telecommunications equipment.
“Monisha’s knowledge of the business sector and strong commitment to public service will be a tremendous asset in our office’s efforts to strengthen our economy and create long term job growth in Colorado and America,” Bennet said. “I look forward to working with her and know she will serve the people of Colorado well.”
“Michael is a proven problem solver with a common-sense approach to tackling the challenges facing our state and our country,” Merchant said. “I’m excited to join his team and to work with business leaders across Colorado on how we can get our economy moving forward. It has been an honor to be on the University of Colorado Board of Regents and to serve the people of the 7th Congressional District.”
Merchant has been nationally recognized for her commitment to public service and civic engagement. She is a Harry S. Truman Scholar, a German Marshall Fund Marshall Memorial fellow, and a fellow with the American Council for Young Political Leaders, Center for Progressive Leadership, and the Truman National Security Project.
