Clarissa Rojas, 23, is one of the youngest communications directors working on Capitol Hill, having begun serving in that position earlier this month for Rep. Darren Soto (D-Fla.).
Clarissa Rojas, center, is flanked by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, left, and Rep. Nanette Diaz Barragan, right. (Screen shot from Facebook)
But her latest position is not her first on Capitol Hill. Rojas previously served as press secretary for Rep. Nannette Diaz Barragan (D-Calif.) and before that as press assistant in the same office.
It’s not just her age that makes Rojas noteworthy, it’s the tough road she’s had to travel to get from a hard life in California to a congressional staff position. It’s a journey that Roll Call’s Kathryn Lyons describes well in a superb profile today. If you read nothing else today, read this one.
Kristine Lucius may have one of the toughest jobs on Capitol Hill these days – she’s now chief of staff for Sen. Kamala Harris, the California Democrat who is seeking the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination. That puts Lucius directing traffic at a very busy intersection! Her law degree is from Georgetown University and her BA is from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities.
Jesse Lee has a second act with Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, moving over from the Center for American Progress where he was a vice president. Lee previously worked as senior new media adviser for Pelosi in 2007. He’s also a veteran of the Obama White House communications office. He is a 2002 Trinity College graduate in philosophy.
Carina Nichols has her first job on the Hill, as a legislative assistant for Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska). Nichols expects to finish her MA in environmental management at Duke University in 2012 and she has a BS in biological sciences and ecology from Colorado State University. Welcome to the Hill, Carina!
Katharine MacGregor has been nominated by President Donald Trump as Deputy Secretary of the Interior. MacGregor is a Hill veteran, having served on the House Natural Resources Committee in various positions for six years.
Acting Deputy Secretary of the Interior Katharine MacGregor (Screen shot from DOI web site).
She also worked on the personal staffs of three Republican representatives, including Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-Colo.), Rep. Thelma Drake (R-Va.) and Rep. Eric Cantor (R-Va.).
She is a University of Pennsylvania 2004 graduate with a BA in American history and classical studies, with honors. She is presently the Acting Deputy Secretary.
Ally Kehoe is the new communications director for Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), moving over from the same position with Rep. Donald Norcross (D-NJ). Kehoe is a 2008 graduate in political science and broadcast journalism from Syracuse University.
Looking for a Hill Job?
Check out this five-part HillFaith series by Bret Bernhardt, former chief of staff for Senators Don Nickle (R-Okla.) and Jim DeMint (R-S.C.). Bernhardt has a wealth of experience, insider insight, how-tos and obscure terms (know what a “golden reference” is on the Hill?), plus lots of helpful links.
Got A New Job On The Hill? Tell The World About It Right Here
Just email the details – name of your new boss, your new title, description of duties, where you graduated from school, a great digital photo of yourself, etc. Send to: mt.hillfaith@gmail.com.
Ryan Feldman has interned for Reps. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), Sean Maloney (D-NY) and Jacky Speier (D-Calif.). Now Feldman is the new scheduler for Rep. Josh Harder (D-Calif.). Feldman is a 2019 graduate of American University in inter-disciplinary studies.
Melanie Lenhardt Brown is Rep. David Schweikert’s (R-Az.) new policy adviser. She previously worked as a legislative assistant to Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Az.), and is former director of government relations for Monument Advocacy. Brown graduated from Arizona State University in 2015 with a BS in marketing. Continue reading “WORKING ON THE HILL: Look Who’s Being Promoted”
Drew Story is the new legislative assistant for Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.). Story comes from a year-long stint working for Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.). He has a Ph.D. in chemical and environmental engineering from the University of California at Riverside in 2018.
Arjun Mody is the Senate Republican Conference’s newly hired staff director, under Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wy.). It’s a return engagement for Mody, as he previously served in the same job under Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) Arjun is a 2004 graduate of the American University Washington College of Law, as well as a 2003 graduate of the Arizona State University College of Law and a 2000 La Salle University graduate in political science. Continue reading “WORKING ON THE HILL: Look Who’s Getting Promoted”
Justin Weiss motors into the communications director slot for Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.). Previously, Justin was a senior associate at the Rational 360 lobbying firm. He’s a 2014 Denison University graduate, earning a B.A. in french language and literature, and communications and sociology.
Sara Garcia has saddled up as scheduler for Rep. Van Taylor (R-Texas). She is a 2019 graduate of the University of California at San Diego, with a B.A. in political science and international relations. This is Sara’s first job on the Hill. Continue reading “HILL STAFF MOVES: Look Who’s Getting Promoted!”
Jesus Espinoza is a Hill veteran, having previously worked for then-Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) as an intern and more recently as deputy press secretary for Sen. Catherine Cortez-Masto (D-Nev.) and press secretary for Rep. Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.). Now he’s taking the reins as communications director for Rep. Susan Lee (D-Nev.). Espinoza is a 2016 graduate from Williams College in political science and Spanish.
Andrea Porwoll is another Hill veteran making a move up, this time to be communications director for Rep. Rick Allen (R-Ga.). Porwoll previously worked as a public affairs officer for the Department of Homeland Security and before that was press secretary for Rep. Jim Banks (R-Ind.). She also worked as a communications coordinator at Heritage Action for America and as an intern for Rep. Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.). She is a 2016 graduate in public relations, political science and government from Florida State University.Continue reading “STAFF MOVES: Look Who’s Getting Promoted!”
Ana Alegria is the new Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee deputy press secretary. Ana is a 2017 Harvard graduate in history.
Cole Bockenfeld is Sen. Chris Murphy’s (D-Ct.) new national security adviser. Cole earned his MA in 2017 from the University of London’s School of Oriental and African Studies and his BA in 2008 in political science from the University of Arkansas. Continue reading “STAFF MOVES: Look Who’s Getting Promoted!”
