Yellowhammer State Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) recently made a number of staff changes, promoting three staffers and hiring four more in his Russell Senate office.

Ryan Robichaux, 22, joins the Senator’s office as a legislative correspondent for tax and judiciary issues. The former Sessions intern also interned for the Senate Steering Committee and for British Parliament member Nigel Waterson. The Montgomery, Ala., native holds a bachelor’s degree in politics from the Catholic University of America.

Coming aboard as staff assistant is Courtney Taylor. Taylor, 26, is a native of Mobile, Ala., and holds a bachelor’s in international relations from the University of South Alabama.

Also joining Sessions team as staff assistant is Danielle Behler. Behler, 22, cut her teeth in politics as an intern for then-Rep. Bob Riley (R-Ala.) in the summer of 2002. She later worked as a caseworker and domestic violence intervention center training coordinator for the Alabama Congressman. The Auburn University graduate holds a degree in political science and calls Notasulga, Ala., her hometown.

Megan Clarke, 31, is Sessions’ other new hire joining the staff as legislative assistant for health issues. Clarke’s experience in the health field stems from her three years as a resident physician in the department of surgery at the University of Virginia. She has also worked as a research assistant at both the University of Illinois College of Medicine and College of Law, during which time she earned both her medical and law degrees. She attended Stanford University as an undergraduate and calls Charlottesville, Va., her home.

Moving up from constituent services representative to legislative correspondent for military, defense, foreign policy and veterans’ issues is Leroy Nix. Nix, 22, has worked for Sessions since he graduated in May 2003 from the University of Montevallo with a degree in political science. He calls Maplesville, Ala., his hometown.

Stepping into Nix’s old position of constituent services representative is former Sessions staff assistant Rachel Sullivan. Sullivan, 23, previously interned for fellow Yellowhammer State Sen. Richard Shelby (R) and hails from Vestavia Hills, Ala. She is a graduate of the University of Alabama and holds a degree in political science.

Sessions’ other staff promotion is Cindy Barnes, who has been named deputy chief counsel for the Senate Judiciary subcommittee on administrative oversight and the courts. Now helping to handle judicial nominations and issues from homeland security to antitrust regulation, the former legislative counsel has been with the committee since 2002. Barnes, 27, holds a law degree from the University of Alabama School of Law and bachelor’s degrees in chemistry and history from Huntington College. She hails from Cullman, Ala.