Amber Backhaus is a member of Leonard, Street and Deinard’s Governmental Relations team. She has significant policy knowledge in the areas of transportation, highway funding, alternative fuels and legal liability reform. Amber has considerable experience working with both the trucking and railroad industries before the Minnesota Legislature and state regulatory agencies, including the Departments of Transportation, Public Safety, and Labor and Industry.

Amber has worked successfully in a number of coalitions at the Minnesota State Capitol to improve the business climate for Minnesota companies. She participates extensively in several public policy organizations, including the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, the Civil Justice Coalition and Clean Air Minnesota.

Prior to joining the firm, she served for four years as director of public affairs for the Minnesota Trucking Association. She also represented the American Plastics Council as manager of state and local public affairs, and worked with agricultural, railroad and liquor industry clients as a legislative assistant at the firm of Messerli & Kramer P.A. from 1996 to 2000.

Amber is not a licensed attorney.

Education

• B.A., Carleton College, 1995