ARVADA, Colo.–In a shakeup of its lobbying and advocacy activities, the Colorado and Wyoming Credit Union Association announced Monday it has hired Timothy Dore, executive director of the Colorado Catholic Conference of Denver as senior vice president of government affairs.

He succeeds Peter Kirchhof, who has held the job last three years and will continue working for the two leagues via contract after joining the Denver firm of Brownstein Hyatt Farber Shreck. “Pete Kirchhof has built one of the best advocacy departments of any league anywhere in the United States,” league President/CEO John Dill said. “His day-to-day management of the department will be missed, but I am pleased that Pete will count credit unions as one of his prime clients in his new capacity.” Dore, 34, who served as a top campaign staffer for former Senator Bill Bradley's (D) presidential bid, has served for the last five years as the chief lobbyist for the conference, which represents the Archbishop of Denver, and the Bishops of Colorado Springs and Pueblo. A lawyer who previously did contract work for mortgage and investment firms, Dore starts work for the associations Jan. 2. As part of the lobbying shifts, the Colorado league has started stepping up its “already successful” grassroots programs.