Rep. Doris Matsui (D-Calif.) recently hired Julie Eddy as her chief of staff. In that role, the Broken Arrow, Okla., native will be responsible for overseeing the operations at the Congresswoman’s Washington, D.C., and Sacramento, Calif., offices. [IMGCAP(1)]

Prior to assuming her new post, Eddy worked as senior director of government affairs for the Mortgage Bankers Association. She also served as chief of staff for America Coming Together and in the same role for ex-Democratic National Committee Chairman Terry McAuliffe; as special assistant to the president and deputy director of scheduling in the Bill Clinton administration; and as deputy director of scheduling and advance for former Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman. [IMGCAP(2)]

Matsui praised Eddy in a statement: “Julie brings to the office a truly unique set of policy and political experience that sets her apart from her peers,” she said. “I served in the Clinton White House for six years and I know how demanding Julie’s role there was. Her career since then is a reflection of her considerable talent and political instinct. She has the ability and experience to help me accomplish great things for the people of Sacramento.”

Eddy earned her bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Arkansas in 1994.

Trio to Aid Triple-Threat. Sen. Daniel Akaka (D-Hawaii), chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs subcommittee on oversight of government management, the federal workforce and the District of Columbia, has hired a trio of staffers to help with his subcommittee work.

Lisa Powell will work as chief investigative counsel. She previously worked as an attorney for Bredhoff & Kaiser and as the Arthur Liman Fellow Attorney at the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project.

Powell, who grew up in Ludlow Falls, Ohio, earned both her bachelor’s degree and law degree from Yale University in 1999 and 2003, respectively.

Coming aboard as professional staff is Evan Cash. He previously worked as a legislative assistant and legislative correspondent for Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.) from 2002 to 2007.

The Detroit-area native who is a self- described “pub trivia addict” earned his bachelor’s degree from Eastern Michigan University in public administration in 2002. He received a master’s degree in legislative affairs from The George Washington University in 2006.

Finally, Thomas Richards joins the subcommittee team as professional staff.

He previously worked as executive director of the Federal Managers Association from 2006 to 2007 and as government and public affairs director of the association from 2004 to 2006.

Richards, a native of Fairfax, Va., who recently competed in the New York City Triathlon and plans to run the Chicago Marathon soon, graduated from Virginia’s James Madison University with a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and social science in 2000.