Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.) has hired Deana Funderburk to serve as her legislative director. Funderburk will supervise the legislative staff and focus on issues pertaining to the House Education and the Workforce Committee, as well as foreign affairs.

Funderburk spent nearly eight years with House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas). While with DeLay, Funderburk served as a legislative assistant on education, family, social, health care and foreign affairs issues and as a policy adviser in the Office of the Majority Leader.

In addition to her work with DeLay, Funderburk also worked as a staff assistant for House Majority Whip Roy Blunt (R-Mo.). She is a native of Buies Creek, N.C., and graduated from Wake Forest University in 2000 with a bachelor’s in history education.

Tanner Taps Five. Rep. John Tanner (D-Tenn.) has made several changes in his Washington, D.C., office in the past several months.

David Burns, 27, has been brought on board as a legislative assistant. He will handle issues related to defense, foreign affairs and homeland security for the Congressman. Previously, Burns had worked as legislative director and legislative assistant for Rep. Chris Bell (D-Texas).

Hailing from Houston, Burns graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 2000 with a bachelor’s in economics. He is not the only member of the Burns clan serving on the Hill; his brother is the communications director for Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-N.Y.).

Carling Dinkler, 25, has also been hired as a legislative assistant. He will handle issues in the fields of energy, telecom, education, science, housing, civil service, judiciary, small business and the Postal Service.

Prior to joining Tanner’s office, Dinkler worked for Rep. Chris John (D-La.) as a legislative correspondent. A native of New Orleans, Dinkler graduated from Washington and Lee University in 2002 with a bachelor’s in English.

Randy Ford, 26, returns to Tanner’s office as communications director after a brief stint in the private sector. After serving as press secretary for Tanner from October 2001 to March 2004, Ford worked for the Distilled Spirits Council until December of last year.

Ford hails from Clinton, Tenn., and graduated with a bachelor’s in mass communication from Middle Tennessee State University in 2000.

George Tagg Jr., 23, has been hired to fill the position of legislative correspondent. His responsibilities will include researching legislation and handling constituent concerns. Previously Tagg served as a campaign coordinator for Phil Bredesen’s Tennessee gubernatorial campaign in 2002.

Tagg, a Memphis native, received a bachelor’s in political science from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville in 2004. He currently attends American University’s Washington College of Law.

Katy Vedlitz, 21, has been hired as a staff assistant and legislative correspondent. She previously served as a staff assistant for Rep. Jim Turner (D-Texas). A native of College Station, Texas, Turner received a bachelor’s in cross-cultural and public policy studies from Vanderbilt University in 2004.