Stories by Rebecca Shabad:
Feb. 21, 2013
Olympia J. Snowe has joined the Bipartisan Policy Center as a senior fellow. She is a Republican who served in the Senate for Maine. She also has served in the House.
Feb. 15, 2013
Garth van Meter has been hired as legislative director to Rep. John Fleming, R-La. He was legislative director to former Rep. Chip Cravaack, R-Minn. Van Meter was the deputy chief of staff for former Rep. Bob Inglis, R-S.C. He has also worked for Inglis as legislative director and as a legislative assistant and systems administrator.
Feb. 14, 2013
Matt Lira has been named a senior adviser in the leadership office of Rep. Eric Cantor, R-Va. He was director of new media for the office, and as digital director for vice presidential nominee Rep. Paul D. Ryan, R-Wis. for the Romney-Ryan campaign. He also held that same position for the office of the Republican whip during the 111th Congress, and for the chief deputy whip in the 110th. Lira also has worked as a creative media specialist at the House Republican Conference. He served as a field representative and worked in the eCampaign division at the Republican National Committee.
Feb. 13, 2013
Chris Vieson has been named director of floor operations for the leadership office of Rep. Eric Cantor, R-Va. He was previously deputy floor director. He also has worked as floor assistant to Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo. Vieson also has worked as a policy analyst and committee liaison for the House Republican Conference.
Feb. 12, 2013
The following people have been hired for the staff of Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas:
Feb. 11, 2013
The following people have been hired as staff members for Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas:
Feb. 8, 2013
Katherine Brandt has been hired as special assistant to the chief of staff for Rep. Michael M. Honda, D-Calif. She was a press intern. She also has worked as an intern for Rep. Mike Quigley, D-Ill., and Maryland Democratic Rep. Steny H. Hoyer’s PAC office. She also served as communications coordinator for Democrats in Illinois’ 10th congressional district. She also was an online communications manager for Tammy Duckworth’s 2012 congressional race in Illinois. She was membership coordinator at the City Club of Chicago, a public affairs forum.
Feb. 7, 2013
Michael Merrell has been hired as chief counsel for the Republican staff of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. Merrell was an elections counsel to the Republican staff of the Senate Rules Committee. He has also worked as counsel to former Sen. Robert F. Bennett, R-Utah.
Feb. 6, 2013
Peter Oppenheim has been hired as an education policy director and counsel for the Republican staff of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. Oppenheim was legislative counsel to Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn. He has worked as a managing associate for Carmen Group, a lobbying firm. He also has worked as a research assistant for former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, R-Ga.
Feb. 5, 2013
The following people have been promoted on the Republican staff of the Senate Finance Committee:
Feb. 4, 2013
Skiffington Holderness has been named staff director for the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee. He was a legislative assistant and legislative correspondent to Sen. Jim Risch, R-Idaho. He also has worked as a deputy campaign manager for Risch.
Feb. 1, 2013
Stephanie L. Young has been hired as press secretary in the leadership office of Rep. Steny H. Hoyer, D-Md. Young was director of constituency press for the 2013 Presidential Inaugural Committee. She has worked as director of regional press in Florida for Obama’s 2012 presidential campaign. She was communications director for the Congressional Black Caucus. She also worked as an editorial assistant at PBS Newshour. She was deputy press secretary and African American press adviser at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.
Jan. 31, 2013
Jonathan Kott has been appointed communications director for Sen. Joe Manchin III., D-W.Va. Kott was communications director for Delaware Gov. Jack Markell’s re-election campaign. He also was communications director for former Reps. Anthony Weiner, D-N.Y., and Brad Ellsworth, D-Ind. He also worked for former Sen. Evan Bayh, D-Ind. He worked at the centrist think tank Third Way.
Jan. 30, 2013
Donelle Harder has been promoted to communications director for Sen. James M. Inhofe, R-Okla. Harder was press secretary. She also has worked as an online communications adviser to Rep. Kenny Marchant, R-Texas. She also served as an executive account manager at Pinkston Group. She was the head intern in the marketing and communications department at the American Red Cross of Greater New York. She also was reporter and contributor at Lariat newspaper.
Jan. 29, 2013
Bill Murat has been hired as chief of staff for Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis. Murat was chief of staff for Baldwin when she was in the House. He has also worked for Baldwin as district director. He has served as a representative in the Wisconsin Legislature and as district attorney for Portage County in Wisconsin.
Jan. 25, 2013
Caroline Rabbitt has been hired as communications director for Rep. Tom Cotton, R-Ark. Rabbitt was deputy press secretary for the House Republican Conference.
Jan. 24, 2013
Monica Jirik has been promoted to chief of staff to Rep. Adrian Smith, R-Neb. Jirik was his deputy chief of staff and legislative director.
Jan. 23, 2013
Neal Kirby has been hired as press secretary for Rep. Doc Hastings, R-Wash. Kirby was online communications manager for the House Natural Resources Committee. He also worked on the committee as an intern. He was a research clerk at BGR Group. He also served as a campaign administrator for a Louisiana state senator’s race.
Jan. 22, 2013
Amanda Carpenter has been hired as senior communications adviser and speechwriter for Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas. Carpenter was speechwriter and senior communications adviser to Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C. She also has worked as a columnist, reporter and blogger for The Washington Times. She served as a national political reporter for Townhall.com and Townhall magazine. She was an election blogger at Glamour magazine.
Jan. 18, 2013
Jamie Fly has been hired as counselor for foreign and national security affairs for Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla. Fly is the executive director of the Foreign Policy Initiative, a conservative-leaning foreign policy think tank. He has served as director for counterproliferation strategy at the National Security Council under President George W. Bush. He also served at the Defense Department as an assistant for transnational threats policy under Bush.
Jan. 17, 2013
Brian E. Treat has been promoted to chief of staff to Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla. Treat was a legislative assistant and a senior policy adviser to Coburn and also worked as an aide to Coburn when he served in the House.
Jan. 17, 2013
Holly Woodruff Lyons has been appointed staff director for the House Transportation and Infratructure’s aviation subcommittee. She was a member of the subcommittee staff.
Jan. 15, 2013
Alex Herrgott has been hired as legislative director for Sen. James M. Inhofe, R-Okla. Herrgott was a senior professional staff member for the Republican staff on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.
Jan. 14, 2013
Emily Bittner has been hired as national press secretary and senior communications adviser at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. Bittner was communications director to Sen. Joe Manchin III, D-W.Va. She also has worked as communications director for the Democratic Governors Association. She was communications director for the Arizona Democratic Party. She was an associate at Policy Development Group. She worked as an associate at Critical Public Relations. She also worked as a reporter for The Arizona Republic.
Jan. 11, 2013
Whitney Phillips has been hired as communications director for Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D. She was communications director to former Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman, I-Conn. She also served as a press assistant, legislative correspondent and tour/internship coordinator for Rep. Ed Perlmutter, D-Colo., and press secretary former Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, D-S.D.
