Rep. Mike Ross (D-Ark.) announced last month that he has found a new communications director in Adrienne Elrod. Elrod, 27, replaces Marie DesOrmeaux, who is leaving Ross’ office to serve as communications director for the USA Rice Federation.

A Little Rock, Ark., native, Elrod comes to Ross’ office after serving as communications director of the Democratic Party in Little Rock. She also worked in the Clinton administration at the Office of National Drug Control Policy, the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs and the Housing and Urban Development Department.

Elrod is a 1998 graduate of Texas Christian University, where she majored in journalism.[IMGCAP(1)]

House Science Committee Mixes It Up. House Science Chairman Sherwood Boehlert (R-N.Y.) announced several new hires and changes to the committee staff late last month.

Replacing former Chief Counsel Barry Beringer, who passed away on Sept. 29 after a battle with pancreatic cancer, is Michael Bloomquist. Bloomquist, 34, joined the staff in March as an associate general counsel. Before that, he worked for four years at

the law firm Patton Boggs LLP. He has also worked in the solicitor’s office of the Interior Department and is a former Boehlert intern.

Bloomquist, a Scarsdale, N.Y., native, earned his bachelor’s degree in history from Hamilton College in Clinton, N.Y., his law degree from Washington University in St. Louis and his master’s degree in environmental law from George Washington University.

Tim Hughes has been hired as majority counsel to the committee and will be working with the subcommittee on space and aeronautics. Hughes, 31, joined the committee after working for four and a half years in private practice as a communications lawyer at law firm Drinker Biddle & Reath in Washington. Prior to that, he was an attorney in the office of the chief counsel for the U.S. Secret Service.

A Potomac, Md., native, Hughes earned his bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service and received his law degree from the College of William and Mary in 1997.

Moving up from research subcommittee Chairman Nick Smith’s (R-Mich.) professional staff designee to subcommittee staff director is Dan Byers, 28. Byers joined the committee in December 2001 after working as a legislative assistant for Smith. He has also worked for the Congressman as a fellow for the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Byers, a native of Knox, Pa., earned his bachelor’s degree from Virginia Tech in 1997 and his master’s in soil science from North Carolina State University in 1999.

Replacing Byers as Smith’s designee is David Finger, 25. Finger joined Smith’s staff in October 2002 as a legislative assistant. Before coming to the Hill, he worked for Michigan Gov. John Engler (R), joining the governor’s constituent services division in January 2001 and transferring to the governor’s Washington office in August 2002.

An East Lansing, Mich., native, Finger graduated from Michigan State University in December 2000 with a bachelor’s degree in political economy.

Kathryn Clay is the latest addition to the Energy subcommittee as the professional staff designee for Chairwoman Judy Biggert (R-Ill.). Before joining the subcommittee, Clay worked as an independent consultant on energy and environment issues. She has also worked with the Alternative Vehicles Division of Ford Motor Co.

Clay, 34, earned her Ph.D. in applied physics this year from the University of Michigan. The Three Rivers, Mich., native also holds a bachelor’s degree in physics and mathematics from Kalamazoo College in Kalamazoo, Mich., and a master’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Michigan.

Rounding out the committee staff changes is Adam Shampaine, who is the new staff assistant for the subcommittee on environment, technology and standards. Shampaine, 24, previously served as special assistant to the committee chief of staff. Prior to his work for the committee, he worked as an executive assistant at Deak Reynolds Investment Co.

The Annapolis, Md., native is a 2001 graduate of St. Mary’s College of Maryland and holds a bachelor’s degree in economics.