By
Kate Tummarello
| Feb. 6, 2012, Midnight
Growing up in Alabama, Ben Dunham was more into sports than he was into school. Dunham, now the legislative director for Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.), remembers thinking that it would be football rather than physics class that would ultimately pay off.
By
Kate Tummarello
| Jan. 30, 2012, Midnight
Staci Cox has always been a good communicator. In high school, she hoped to one day open a litigation public affairs firm, but coming to the District for college changed all that.
By
Kate Tummarello
| Jan. 23, 2012, Midnight
Ray Martin has always had role models close by. His grandparents raised him and introduced him to “Star Wars,” and a lifelong friend inspired him to pursue a career in politics.
By
Kate Tummarello
| Jan. 9, 2012, Midnight
Four years ago, Abe Rakov was on track to graduate from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism and become a sports reporter. But the college newspaper’s editor-in-chief decided to add Congressional intern to his résumé, and “everything has just kind of snowballed since then.”
By
Kate Tummarello
| Dec. 19, 2011, Midnight
The new deputy chief of staff for Rep. Mary Bono Mack has been involved in politics since before she was 2 years old.
By
Kate Tummarello
| Dec. 12, 2011, Midnight
Sen. Frank Lautenberg's new deputy chief of staff attributes her deep interest in politics to her upbringing.
By
Kate Tummarello
| Dec. 5, 2011, Midnight
Carolyn Shore describes herself as a “curious person.” The new science fellow for Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-N.Y.) attributes her curiosity to her interest in science.
By
Kate Tummarello
| Nov. 28, 2011, Midnight
A tornado was all the impetus Angela Zirkelbach needed to move to Washington, D.C. The new staff assistant for the National Republican Senatorial Committee was working in Joplin, Mo., when the city was struck in May by a devastating tornado.
By
Kate Tummarello
| Nov. 21, 2011, Midnight
When Aaron Welty was an infant, doctors were convinced that the baby with cerebral palsy and breathing problems would not survive or have a high quality of life if he did. Almost three decades later, the legislative assistant for Rep. Thaddeus McCotter (R-Mich.) continues to prove them wrong.
By
Kate Tummarello
| Nov. 14, 2011, Midnight
For some, a career in the film industry sounds like a dream. For Rep. Mike Honda's new communications director, it was a reality.
By
Kate Tummarello
| Nov. 7, 2011, Midnight
Growing up, John Kerry's new energy and environmental adviser was not the outdoorsy type. Instead of traveling the world to study and work on environmental issues, Clare Sierawski pictured herself traveling the world as an ambassador — until her college adviser persuaded her to consider environmental studies.
By
Kate Tummarello
| Oct. 31, 2011, Midnight
Jessica Kahanek was born into a Republican family, but she jokes that the nuns turned her into a Democrat. The new communications director for Rep. Jim Costa (D-Calif.) credits her affiliation to her Catholic education and a campaign fight over children’s health issues.
By
Kate Tummarello
| Oct. 24, 2011, Midnight
Capitol Hill can be a rough-and-tumble place, but Laura Sisemore has already skated through a shark tank. The California native worked for the San Jose Sharks hockey team before joining the office of Rep. Mike Quigley (D-Ill.) as press secretary.
By
Kate Tummarello
| Oct. 17, 2011, Midnight
The new assistant to the chief of staff for Rep. Mike Honda was inspired by her parents to pursue social justice issues.
By
Kate Tummarello
| Oct. 3, 2011, Midnight
Growing up in Wisconsin, Tom Just wanted to become a pilot and travel the world, and he wasn’t willing to wait until adulthood to pursue his dreams.
By
Kate Tummarello
| Sept. 26, 2011, Midnight
Liam Fitzsimmons graduated from high school sure that he would go to law school, but nine months in Spain convinced him otherwise.
By
Kate Tummarello
| Sept. 19, 2011, Midnight
Michigan’s redistricting process has given Rep. John Dingell's new chief of staff something of a homecoming.
By
Laura Barron-Lopez
| Sept. 15, 2011, Midnight
Setting yourself apart from the masses is no easy task. To help, Roll Call asked workers who have already made it to the Hill for the advice they would offer to those trying to follow in their footsteps.
By
Kate Tummarello
| Sept. 12, 2011, Midnight
For some people, coming to Capitol Hill is part of a clear career path. Not Amber Aviles. Her previous jobs include an internship in an emergency room, stints in voice-over acting and gigs in stand-up comedy.
By
Kate Tummarello
| Aug. 1, 2011, Midnight
For Rep. John Dingell’s new legislative director, it all started with an internship during her junior year of college.
