McClellan announces staff hires on day of swearing-in ceremony
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Congresswoman-elect Jennifer McClellan Tuesday will be officially sworn into office in Washington, D.C. as Virginia’s Fourth District representative to the U.S. House of Representatives, several weeks after winning a special election to fill the seat of the late Rep. A. Donald McEachin.
On Tuesday morning, McClellan announced that she had hired nine staffers to work in her Washington office and seven to work in her district office. The team includes 11 people who previously worked for McEachin at some point.
McClellan, who had represented the Ninth Virginia Senate District prior to winning the special election, is bringing both of her state Senate staffers with her. (Maryn Campbell, her new outreach director and former chief of staff in the Senate; and Bianca Casper, her new senior constituent services liaison and former legislative assistant in the Senate).
“I am proud of the experienced, diverse, and capable team we have put together,” said McClellan. “These Hill and Virginia professionals possess a breadth of institutional knowledge and expertise to continue to advocate for and serve the people of the 4th Congressional District in the same manner as the office of Congressman McEachin. I am ready to get to work on behalf of Virginians, and I am confident my team will make sure our constituents’ voices are heard in Washington.”
McClellan’s Washington, D.C. staff members will be:
• Tara Rountree – chief of staff. Rountree was a longtime staffer for McEachin, having served under him for nearly seven years in a variety of roles, including chief of staff, deputy chief of staff, and district director.
• Donald Pollard III – legislative director. Pollard most recently served as Sen. Tim Kaine’s policy advisor. Prior to that, he spent several years as a legislative assistant to Rep. Lauren Underwood and Kaine.
• Shahid Ahmed – communications director. Ahmed most recently served as communications director for McEachin and previously spent more than two years as a press and digital assistant for the New Democrat Coalition.
• Jazmine Bonner – director of operations. Bonner has worked for Sen. Tammy Duckworth for more than three years, most recently as her special assistant and deputy director of advance. She began as a staff assistant for the House Judiciary Committee under the leadership of Chair Jerrold Nadler.
• Melody Tan – senior policy advisor. Tan is a former McEachin staffer who handled his health and environmental justice portfolio. She previously served as an IEEE-USA / AAAS Congressional Fellow for Sen. Tina Smith.
• Rahmon Ross – legislative assistant. Ross is a former McEachin staffer who handled his Department of Defense, veterans affairs, and transportation and infrastructure portfolios. He previously served as a legislative correspondent and staff assistant to Sen. Bob Casey.
• Jannie Kamara, legislative correspondent / legislative aide. Kamara most recently served as staff assistant to Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester. Prior to her time on Capitol Hill, she worked as a diversity, equity, and inclusion consultant for Impact 21.
• Lena Jacobson – press and digital assistant. Jacobson most recently served as McEachin’s press assistant. She started as a press intern in early 2021 and was hired as full-time staff shortly after.
• Sarah Houle – staff assistant. Houle is a former intern for McEachin, Rep. Robert C. “Bobby” Scott, Virginia LCV, State Sen. Jennifer Boysko, and REPRO Rising Virginia.
McClellan’s district staff members will be:
• Charity Howell, district director. Howell most recently served in the same role for McEachin and previously served as regional director and outreach representative to Virginia Sen. Mark Warner.
• Sylvia Copeland – constituent services director. Copeland is a former McEachin staffer who joined his office his first year in Congress. Prior to that, she worked for a housing authority in Suffolk to support low- and middle-income families.
• Maryn Campbell – outreach director. Campbell most recently served as chief of staff to McClellan in her Virginia State Senate office. Prior to that, she served as McClellan’s legislative assistant and intern.
• Bianca Casper – senior constituent services liaison. Casper most recently served as McClellan’s legislative assistant in her Virginia State Senate office. Prior to that, she served as a senior caseworker for Sen. Mark Warner for more than three years.
• Elizabeth Hardin – district representative. Hardin is a former McEachin staffer who joined his office his first year in Congress. Prior to that, she worked extensively throughout Central Virginia to support urban planning and community development.
• Abbi Easter – senior advisor. Easter is a former longtime staffer and advisor to McEachin. Prior to joining his congressional team, she served as his chief of staff while he was chair of the Virginia Senate Democratic Caucus.
• John Montgomery – service academies coordinator. Montgomery is a former McEachin staffer who also attended West Point and served as the Varina District representative on the Henrico School Board.
