Legislative Staff Directors

Transcription

1 What is an LA? By Brennan Long When constituents call the offices of busy delegates and senators, they are often greeted by legislative aides, the legislators knowledgeable right-hand men and women. These aides are not just responsible for answering the phones or responding to s, they are at times an extension of the legislators themselves, acting as an extra set of hands to get the job done for the state of Virginia. This could mean researching legislative issues, filing requests, tracking legislation and at times attending events with or in place of the legislator. As legislators are notoriously busy running from committee meetings to session at the Capitol to This Week in Richmond tapings at the General Assembly Building, the legislative aide must keep commitments on the calendars organized. With so many deadlines, people and procedures you do your best to help your boss look good, stay on schedule, and connect all the dots, said Holly Herman legislative aide to Senator Emmett Hanger since It takes about three Sessions to just realize what all you have missed while you were thinking you were on top of all your tasks. Legislative aides are not only required to have the organizational skills of the very best assistant, but they also must handle the legislator s public relations. Aides write press releases to send to local newspapers and newsletters to send to the legislators districts back home. In addition, today s technology savvy aides must monitor the legislator s Twitter and Facebook accounts as well as websites. Some legislative aides that have been working at the General Assembly for many years have had the opportunity to see the position change as technology evolves. When I arrived at the General Assembly, all correspondence was conducted via letter: drafting requests, budget amendments, everything, said Allison Baird, legislative aide to Senator John Edwards. Fax machines were a game-changer I remember how excited I was to be able to fax in drafting requests! The legislature has come a long way from the days of paper filing and this year the legislative drafting system will allow legislators and aides to file legislation with the Clerk s office online for the first time. Before the dawn of and the Internet, mail was delivered to the General Assembly Building three times a day. Today stacks of hundreds of letters and postcards have transformed into digital inboxes full of s. s can be a blessing and a curse. When a topic heats up it is overwhelming to open your box to find up to 1,000 s a day. And with only the delegate and legislative aide to answer, that process can be mind boggling, said Judy Wyatt, aide to Delegate Steve Landes. Despite the changes in technology, the legislative aides continue to work hard to help their legislators and they are not afraid to reach across party lines to get the job done. Two things have not changed over my years at the General Assembly: the willingness of legislative aides whether Republican or Democrat to help each other, and the dedication the Clerk s Office and Legislative Services have to making our offices run smoothly, Baird said. Paper or electronicage, this is a team that never loses focus on the important service we render to our great Commonwealth. Brennan Long is a junior at the University of Richmond. She is majoring in Journalism and minoring in French at the university. V This article originally appeared in the Winter 2013 issue of Virginia Capitol Connections Quarterly Magazine 1

2 Maryam Ahem George Barker Alison Baird John Edwards Nicholas Blessing Michael Webert Courtney Campbell Sam Rasoul Daniel Davies Dave LaRock Terry Durkin Scott Lingamfelter Carrie Ann Alford Toddy Puller Eric Bateman Nick Rush Tempestt Boone Mamye BaCote Angela Chellew Ron Villanueva Tami Davis Brooke Embree Jeffrey Campbell Dale Hargrove Alderman Buddy Fowler Yovonda Bellamy Kenneth Alexander Sam Bosch Adam Ebbin Ashley Chiera Gordon Helsel Jason De La Cruz Ryan McDougle Tracy Eppard Creigh Deeds Jennifer Aulgur Mark Obenshain Pat Bennett Riley Ingram Thomas Bowman Kaye Kory Julia Chun Mark Keam Patti Dempsey Steve Newman Jill Eyler Bill DeSteph Sally Antonelli John Watkins Caroline Biggs Steve Newman Jennifer Boyd George Barker Susan Clark Chris Jones Cindy DiFranco Christopher Stolle Christen Smith Faatz Jeff McWaters Trent Armitage Mark Sickles Carmen Bingham David Toscano Shelia Bradley James Edmunds Julie Coggsdale Chris Peace Jordan Dix Rob Bell Ann Fitzgibbon Daun Hester Jameson Babb Peter Farrell Cindy Blanks C. Matt Farriss Kristin Brawley Rick Morris Erica Constance Kathleen Murphy Mary P. Dooley Patrick Hope Bill Flanagan Brianna Bair Glenn Davis Pat Blaszak David Brown David Toscano Christie New Craig John Cosgrove Deborah Duke-Daly Bill Stanley Tenesha Flowers Joseph Preston 2 3

3 Mary Franklin Danny Marshall Dean Goodson Tim Hugo Holly Herman Emmett Hanger Cori Inman Dave Albo Zach LeMaster Tommy Norment Marti Meersman Jim LeMunyon Gary R. Frink Meg Graham Jimmie Massie Stuart Higley Bill Carrico Shawneequa James Jeion Ward Chris Lore Richard Black Aria Meier Rob Krupricka Jeanne Frink Marty Hall Will Morefield Carrie Hoffmann Glenn Davis Morgan Jameson Marcus Simon Jesse Lynch Greg Habeeb Gerald T. Miller Terry Kilgore Chad Funkhouser Tony Wilt Eric Harris Matt Farris Jacob Holmes Israel O Quinn Eric Johnson David Ramadan Tristan MacDonald Monty Mason Tim Mitchel Richard Morris Savanna Funkhouser Richard Bell Mike Hazlewood Keith Hodges Cassy Horn Bryce Reeves Amanda Johnston Brenda Pogge Nicole Manley Ben Cline Janet Muldoon Richard Saslaw Ryan Galloway Rich Anderson L. Gail Henderson Louise Lucas Cindy Hosmer Frank Ruff H. Sue Jones Archer McGiffin John O Bannon Angela Murphy Bill Carrico Claire Gardner Bob Marshall Dale Hendon Richard Stuart Megan Howard Scott Surovell Jediah Jones Donald McEachin Garrett McGuire Eileen Filler-Corn Kathy Neilson Chap Petersen Kelly Gee Jasper Hendricks Michael Futrell Vickie Hull Tim Hugo Olivia Jones Betsy Carr Brent McKenzie Dave Marsden Phil Newell Luke Torian 4 5

4 Ashley Nixon Bryce Reeves Randy Pearson Thomas Greason Sheryl Moody Reddington Johnny Joannou Brenda Roberts Scott Taylor Meredith Smith Kathleen Murphy Karol Straub Janet Howell Matt Ogburn Ben Chafin, Jr. Eric Philipkosky Roxann Robinson Edward Reed Rosalyn R. Dance Kathy Roberts Bill Howell Nancy Snead Tommy Wright Karen Stuber Mark Cole Sarah Owen Scott Garrett Abbey Philips Jennifer McClellan Kevin Reynolds Jr. Thomas Garrett Kim Rollins Matthew James Kalia Sokos Tommy Norment Dave Suetterlein Ralph Smith William Pace Charles Poindexter Michael Phillips Joe Morrissey Sandy Richards Barry Knight Susan Johnston Rowland Lionell Spruill Arlene Spinelli Barbara Favola Andrea Tetreault Marcus Simon Rachel Park Betsy Carr Al Pianalto Sherry Richardson Kathy Byron Susanne Saddington John Watkins Charles Stanton Lynwood Lewis Alex Thorup Charles Poindexter Theressa E. Parker Mamie Locke George Price Todd Pillion Zachary Rickard Charniele Herring Deborah Sherman Vivian Watts Alexandra Stephens John Miller Vik Veeramachaneni Sam Rasoul Jerry Parshall Jennifer Wexton Kristy Arnesen Pullen Ken Plum Dustin Rinehart Glenn Davis, Jr. Danielle Simms Charniele Herring Tricia Stiles Jill Vogel Mary Beth Washington Roslyn Tyler Jean Payne Edward Scott Brittany Rawlinson Joseph Preston Blake Roark Jeffrey Campbell Carol Sinclair Thomas Rust Craig Storrs Mark Berg Scott Weldon Scott Taylor 6 7

5 Brittany West Joseph Yost Not Pictured Danielle Barrow Terry Austin Gretchen Heal David Yancey Gina Lauterio Cheryl Simmons Jeff McWaters Keith Westbrook Delores McQuinn Jeffrey Williams Bill Stanley Vicki Wilson Frank Wagner Karla Williams Boughey Walter Stosch David A Bovenizer R. Lee Ware Richard Crouse Les Adams Margaret Dalton Abbi Easter Donald McEachin Cathy Gause Ralph Smith Linda Gross Manoli Loupassi James Heo Mark Sickles Jody Hopkins Robert Bloxom Glen Hudgins Frank Wagner Renee Hudson Bobby Orrock Kate Kruk Bill Howell Muriel LaMois K. Rob Krupicka, Jr. Susan Lascolette Tom Garrett Matt Moran William Howell Karen Papasodora- Cochrane James Leftwich Jennifer Peters Margaret B. Ransone Rose Pruden Joseph Lindsey BJ Robertson Chris Head Judy Robinson Bobby Orrock Lisa Scott Edward Scott Jason Stanford Alfonso Lopez Peggy Tyree-Wells Charles Colgan Rama Van Pelt David Bulova Matthew Weinstein Richard Sullivan Phyllis Weinstock John Miller Erika Williams Joe Morrissey Sarah Ashley Wright Stephen Martin Last updated March 2015 Judy Wyatt Steve Landes 8