Meet Our Team
Our team has the experience to deliver your legislative and governmental affairs strategy.
John Bardgett
John E. Bardgett is president of Bardgett & Associates, Inc., which is a political consulting and lobbying firm, primarily focused on representing clients’ interests in the State of Missouri at the legislative, executive, and state department levels.
John is a lifelong Missourian who grew up in St. Louis and Jefferson City. Following college, John began his lobbying career in 1980 and has been actively engaged in the lobbying and political consulting arena for the past 40 years. The client list of Bardgett & Associates represents some of the top corporations in our country as well as professional and trade associations in our state. John’s firm has offices in both Jefferson City and St. Louis and, including John, there are six full-time lobbyists who work on clients’ issues.
John’s family has been involved in Missouri politics for many years. John’s father was the Chief Justice of the Missouri Supreme Court and formerly served as a St. Louis County Circuit Judge. His father has served as ex-officio counsel to numerous Speakers of the Missouri House and Presidents of the Missouri Senate of both parties over the last twenty years.
John’s 40 years of lobbying experience and extensive knowledge of the legislative process have earned him the respect of legislators, staff, and bureaucrats on both sides of the aisle.
John has been an active participant in some of the major political legislative events that have shaped our state’s history over the last 40 years which include legislative discussions over public funding of stadium projects, increased funding and ballot issues for our state’s transportation infrastructure, and discussions surrounding the state funding of both K-12 and higher education systems.
Jacqueline Bardgett
Jacque Bardgett is a life-long Missourian and St. Louisan, graduating with her bachelors from the University of Missouri Columbia and master’s from Webster University in St. Louis. Ms. Bardgett began working for Bardgett & Associates at the beginning of the 2013 legislative session and represents clients on the legislative, executive, and state levels. As a governmental and public relations consultant, she monitors legislation and advocates for clients before the Missouri state legislature. Ms. Bardgett has built a vast personal network of legislative leaders, staff, and bureaucrats. She works closely with clients to facilitate meetings with elected officials and state entities. She also works closely with several associations helping to craft legislative strategies to successfully implement their legislative agendas. Jacque’s passion for the political and legislative process is rooted in her family’s broad background of political involvement.
Jacqueline has long had a passion for working in the public policy arena and enjoys the challenges of legislative efforts. Jacque lives in St. Louis with her husband, Bill.
Chris Roepe
Chris Roepe has been around the legislative process and Missouri politics for nearly 20 years. He brings a wealth of experience on a wide variety of public policy issues and long-term relationships across all of state government that will be of great assistance to the Bardgett & Associates clients. He has experience running many successful political campaigns, passing major legislative policies, association management and providing government affairs leadership to large businesses. Chris is based out of Bardgett & Associates Jefferson City office.
Prior to joining Bardgett & Associates, Roepe previously served as Chief of Staff to Senate President Pro Tem Charlie Shields for eight years where he negotiated over a thousand public policy changes. He most recently was Vice-President of Government Affairs for Noranda Aluminum.
Mark Habbas
Mark Habbas’s passion to serve and help people began when he became a paramedic in 1994. Mark worked as a paramedic for four years and during that time went to the St. Louis County Fire Academy to become and paramedic/firefighter. In 1999 Mark was hired by the Pattonville Fire Protection District in Bridgeton, Missouri, serving the Bridgeton community as a first responder. While working full time as a paramedic/firefighter, Mark earned his bachelor’s degree in business management and master’s degree in business administration in 2005. In 2017, Mark had to end his career as a First Responder due to neck and back issues but continues to represent fire fighters in the state of Missouri.
Marks love for politics began in 2005 when he became the political director for the Professional Firefighters of Eastern MO. In 2006, Mark was elected to the Missouri State Council of Fire Fighters (MSCFF) board, a statewide board representing first responders that serves to help educate elected officials on EMS and Firefighter issues.
After proving himself in the political and campaign arena, Mark was voted by his peers to lead them as the MSCFF Legislative Director (lobbyist) in 2008-2019. In this capacity he was successful in passing many important pieces of legislation that protects first responders. Mark also assisted in many statewide campaigns for Governors, Attorney Generals and many State Senate and Representative races.
Mark has earned the respect of numerous statewide elected officials, state legislators, and political consultants for his honest and passionate pursuit of his clients’ objectives. This includes the staff at Bardgett & Associates who consider Mark’s political expertise added value to the team.
Mark continues to serve as a trustee for the Pattonville Pension Board and as an advisor for the Missouri Association of Career Fire Protection Districts.
Carol Kemna
Carol provides leadership for two long-standing clients through association management services. She performs numerous duties for both associations including, but not limited to, all aspects of daily operations, meeting planning, conference planning, lobby day planning, financial oversight, and website administration. She began working for Bardgett & Associates in 2003 and is a registered lobbyist with an emphasis on health care related legislation. Carol resides in Jefferson City with her husband, Ross, and their son, Clayton.
Cheri Gibson
Cheri serves as the Office Manager for the Jefferson City office and has been a part of Bardgett & Associates since 2002. Cheri has over thirty years of experience in association management services and the operations of the legislative process. As Office Manager of the Jefferson City office she is a vital link to providing communications between Bardgett & Associates clients and members of our team during the legislative session. She interacts daily with legislative offices and their staff in coordinating everything from meetings, legislative advocacy days, to political fundraisers. Cheri resides in Jefferson City with her husband, Tim.
Andrea Webb
Andrea serves as the Office Manager of the Chesterfield office. She handles all financial duties of the firm, client contracts, and daily operations. She is in direct communication with all Bardgett & Associates’s clients, as well as members and staff of the Missouri General Assembly and statewide elected officials. Andrea resides in Illinois with her husband Eric, and her son, Gunnar.