Announcements December 9, 2009

Job Moves

Matsui announces two staff promotions: Rep. Doris Matsui (D-Calif.) announced two staff promotions. Kari Lacosta will be a legislative assistant, handling education, immigration, arts and humanities, judiciary and civil-rights issues. Carolyn Ramirez will take over Lacosta’s previous responsibilities in the congresswoman’s Sacramento offices, transferring from a part- to a full-time position.

Harkin makes changes to HELP Committee for January 2010: Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) announces two top staffers for the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee. Dan Smith is a former Harkin aide who now serves as president of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network and will take over as staff director. Pam Smith, Harkin’s current legislative director, will serve as deputy staff director. Both will assume their new positions in January.

{mosads}Susan G. Komen for the Cure welcomes new CEO, interim president: The board of directors of Susan G. Komen for the Cure welcomes Ambassador Nancy G. Brinker as its CEO. Brinker is a breast cancer survivor and founded the organization almost 30 years ago in memory of her sister, Susan G. Komen, who died from the disease at age 36.
The board also appointed Mike Williams as interim president. Williams served as the organization’s interim CFO before the position was filled earlier this year.

Kaptur has new legislative correspondent: Jonathan Wiggins has joined Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio) as a legislative correspondent. He previously was an intern for Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) He graduated from Hampton University and received a B.S. in mathematics.

Ketchum hires longtime Democratic strategist: Ketchum Public Relations hired Donald J. Foley, a longtime Democratic strategist, as the agency’s director of North American Public Affairs in the Washington office. Foley began on Dec. 1 and has a wide range of public affairs agency and political and public affairs campaign experience. He was previously managing director of Powell Tate/Weber Shandwick Public Affairs and founding partner of Prism Public Affairs.