Emerging Congressional Staff Leaders Program
117th Congress Emerging Leaders
Steve Chang
Legislative Aide
Office of U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips
Steve Chang serves as a legislative aide in the Office of U.S. Representative Dean Phillips. Prior to his current position, he held two internships on Capitol Hill. He was born and raised in New Jersey and attended American University in Washington, D.C.
Michael Cobb
Staff Assistant
Office of U.S. Rep. Alma S. Adams
Michael Cobb serves as a staff assistant in the Office of U.S. Rep. Alma S. Adams, Ph.D. Prior to his current position, Michael served as a Fellow in the Office of U.S. Rep. Adriano Espaillat. Michael also worked in nonprofits and education, with over five years of experience. He holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Shaw University and a master’s degree in African American studies from Morgan State University. Michael enjoys collecting art, going to museums and galleries, and learning about art and history.
Beatrix Dalton
Legislative Correspondent/Assistant to the Chief
Office of U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal
Beatrix Dalton serves a legislative correspondent in the Office of U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal. Her portfolio covers the Commerce Committee and includes technology, transportation and infrastructure, trade, telecommunications, and manufacturing. She previously interned in Artificial Intelligence Solutions at IBM Research. Beatrix graduated from Smith College in 2019 with a bachelor’s degree in engineering science. Outside of work, Beatrix practices yoga, plays the double bass, and bakes desserts for her friends and family.
Juliana Dauchess
Legislative Correspondent
Office of U.S. Rep. Lloyd Smucker
Juliana Dauchess serves as a legislative correspondent in the Office of U.S. Rep. Lloyd Smucker. She is fully responsible for the office’s proactive and reactive constituent mail, and her portfolio covers foreign affairs, family issues, animal rights, postal, and science, space, and technology. Prior to her current position, she served as a staff assistant in Congressman Smucker’s office. She completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Navarra in Spain, where she studied bilingual humanities. Juliana also completed an exchange program in Hong Kong and held internships at an international business and the U.S. Department of State. She is a native of Washington, D.C.
Elizabeth Dos Santos
Scheduler
Office of U.S. Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart
Alaura Ervin
Legislative Assistant
Office of U.S. Sen. John Cornyn
Alaura is a legislative assistant in the Office of U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, where she covers education, labor, foster care/adoption, human services, and religion. She came to Capitol Hill at the request of Congressman Steve Russell of Oklahoma, where she worked as his legislative aide. She later worked in the Office of U.S. Sen. Tim Scott, where she covered education, labor, welfare, and health-related issues, before moving to Sen. Cornyn’s office. Alaura graduated from the University of Central Oklahoma with both her bachelor’s degree and master’s degree. She is a native of Midwest City, Oklahoma. Outside of work, Alaura enjoys art, history, and all things food culture.
Catherine Belmán Goggins
Legislative Assistant
Office of U.S. Rep. Robert C. “Bobby” Scott
Catherine serves as a legislative assistant in the Office of U.S. Rep. Bobby Scott, focusing on climate policy and the Chesapeake Bay. As an undergraduate, Catherine studied agricultural economics at Virginia Tech. After graduation, she spent a year in Argentina before returning to the United States to work on state and local policy as an interfaith climate organizer. During her graduate studies at Georgetown’s McCourt School, Catherine worked as a climate adaptation-focused research assistant before finding her way to the Hill, where she first interned in the Office of U.S. Rep. Donald McEachin. She enjoys biking with her husband and baking bread.
Nicholas Graham
Legislative Correspondent
Office of U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin
Nicholas Graham serves as a legislative correspondent in the Office of U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, where his portfolio covers energy, environment, and agriculture policy. Prior to his current position, he served as a legislative intern in the Office of U.S. Sen. Thomas Carpenter. He graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a degree in business management. Nicholas was born and raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Luke Hale
Legislative Correspondent
Office of U.S. Sen. James Lankford
Luke serves as a legislative correspondent in the Office of U.S. Sen. James Lankford. He graduated from Oklahoma State University with a degree in ag business and currently attends law school at night at George Washington University. Luke grew up on a farm outside of a small town in West Texas.
Jessica Hernandez
Legislative Assistant
Office of U.S. Sen. Kirsten E. Gillibrand
Jessica Hernandez serves as legislative assistant in the Office of U.S. Sen. Kirsten E. Gillibrand, where she advises the senator on energy, environment, transportation, and infrastructure. She as spent the last for years in Washington, D.C., where she has worked in both the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate. A native New Yorker, she received a bachelor’s degree in both economics and political science from Quinnipiac University in 2017 and is a part-time graduate student at The George Washington University in the master’s of media and strategic communication program. She is an active member of the Congressional Hispanic Staff Association, the Women’s Congressional Staff Association, and the Congressional Progressive Staff Association. She enjoys biking around the monuments, cooking, traveling, and a good cup of coffee.
Kaila Hood
Senior Legislative Assistant
Office of U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer
Kaila grew up in Colorado, where she developed an early awareness of the challenges we face in protecting our treasured landscapes, invaluable natural resources, and burgeoning communities. She has pursued professional opportunities focused on community-led climate resilience, adaptation, and justice policies. Kaila has worked in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2017, first as a field representative for U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette and then as a legislative assistant for U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer, handling a climate and natural resources portfolio. She is committed to promoting sustainability and equity through innovative policy solutions.
Delia Kashat
Senior Policy Advisor
Office of U.S. Rep. Brenda L. Lawrence
Delia Kashat serves as a senior policy advisor in the Washington, D.C., Office of U.S. Rep. Brenda Lawrence and advises the member on foreign affairs and international trade, women’s issues, small business, financial services, and transportation issues. Additionally, she serves as the lead staffer on the Congressional Caucus on Black-Jewish Relations, the Democratic Women’s Caucus, and the staff liaison to the New Democrat Coalition. Delia also staffs Congresswoman Lawrence on the Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government. Prior to her current position, Delia spent time at the Canadian Embassy, where she worked on the congressional affairs team. Delia holds a bachelor’s degree in French with a minor in political science and a master’s degree from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced and International Studies.
Ana Martinez
Policy Advisor
Committee on Rules (Majority)
Ana Martinez serves as the deputy clerk/policy advisor for the House Rules Committee. She has been with the committee for three years. In her free time, Ana serves on the board of the Wellesley Washington Club and is an active member of the Congressional Hispanic Staff Association. Originally from Queretaro, Mexico, she enjoys embroidery and repairing vintage typewriters.
Murray Miller
Legislative Assistant
Office of U.S. Rep. Michael Guest
Murray Miller serves as a legislative assistant for Congressman Bruce Westerman (AR-04), Ranking Member of the House Natural Resources Committee. In this role, she oversees the Congressman’s agriculture, energy, and environment portfolio, as well as natural resources portfolio for his personal office. Prior to her current position, Murray served in the office of Congressman Michael Guest and in the government relations field at a trade association in Washington, D.C. A 2015 graduate of the University of Mississippi, Murray grew up in Jackson, Mississippi. Murray serves as a volunteer on the Chi Omega National Recruitment Team, in the D.C. Junior League, and on the Ole Miss Alumni Association Board of Directors. When she’s not at work, Murray can likely be found on the tennis courts or watching Ole Miss sports.
Robert Redding
Legislative Assistant
Office of U.S. Rep. Drew Ferguson
Robert Redding serves as a legislative assistant in the Office of U.S. Rep. Drew Ferguson. After graduating from the University of Alabama in 2019, Robert came to Capitol Hill, where he interned in U.S. Rep. Mike Johnson’s office before accepting a staff assistant position in U.S. Rep. Ferguson’s office. He is a native of Alexandria, Virginia, and enjoys college football and DC sports.
Jordan Sorenson
Legislative Correspondent/Staff Assistant
Office of U.S. Rep. Jeff Duncan
Jordan Sorenson serves as a legislative correspondent/staff assistant in the Office of U.S. Rep. Jeff Duncan and has been on the Hill for a year. She graduated from Clemson in December 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in both political science and English. When she is not at work, she enjoys finding new trails to hike around the area or cozying up on the couch with a book.
Dawn-Marie Sullivan
Legislative Assistant
Office of U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz
Dawn-Marie Sullivan serves as a legislative aide in the Office of U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz. Prior to her current position, she served as an LC in the Office of U.S. Rep. Andy Biggs and then as an LA for U.S. Rep. Matt Rosendale. She is passionate about health care and values and is interested in learning about other policy areas. A native of New Orleans, Lousiana, Dawn-Marie attended undergrad at George Washington University.
Sydney Vermilyea
Deputy Scheduler
Office of the Speaker
Sydney is originally from San Francisco, California, and attended Occidental College in Los Angeles, California. On the Hill, Sydney served as an intern for former U.S. Rep. Susan Davis, staff assistant in the Office of Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and currently serves deputy scheduler for Speaker Pelosi.
Trey Webster
Legislative Counsel
Office of U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips
Trey Webster serves as legislative counsel in the Office of U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips, covering government operations and politics, law and judiciary, and transportation and infrastructure. Prior to his current position, he led the six-person research team of a midsize, bipartisan government affairs firm. He previously worked as an organizer in North Carolina during the 2016 elections and as a legal fellow for U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar on the Judiciary Committee. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree from the University of South Carolina and a JD from Georgetown University Law Center. He lives in Takoma with his wife and cat, Harley.
James Whaley, III
Legislative Correspondent
Office of U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine
James Whaley, III, serves as a legislative correspondent in the Office of U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine. As an avid hiker and admirer of the great outdoors, James looks forward to dedicating his public service career to mitigating and reversing the impacts of global climate change through all policy lenses and American innovation.
Taylor Wiseman
Legislative Assistant
Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry (U.S. Rep. John Boozman)
Taylor Wiseman serves as a legislative assistant for the Senate Agriculture Committee for Senator John Boozman, focusing on livestock, poultry, climate, forestry, trade, and marketing and regulatory programs, in addition to assisting the chief economist. She graduated from the University of Arkansas with her master’s degree in agricultural economics. Outside of work, she loves hiking and biking around the Washington, D.C., area, listening to podcasts, and planning her next road trip.
Not Pictured
Jack Ganter, Legislative Correspondent, Office of U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter
Molly Joseph, Legislative Assistant, Office of U.S. Rep. Ann Wagner
Joycelyn Pickens, Legislative Assistant, Office of U.S. Sen. Robert P. Casey
Eliza Ramirez, Deputy Chief of Staff/Legislative Director, Office of U.S. Rep. Tom Malinowski
Gil Ruiz, Senior Policy Advisor, Office of U.S. Sen. Kirsten E. Gillibrand
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