Wyden Announces Leadership Team

WASHINGTON –Chairman Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today announced his leadership team for the Senate Committee on Finance:

Joshua Sheinkman, Staff Director, comes from the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, where he held the same position. Josh is a longtime Wyden aide who has led the senator’s legislative efforts on a wide range of issues, from overhauling the tax code to reforming federal health care and energy policy.

Jocelyn Moore, Deputy Staff Director, comes from Wyden’s personal office, where she served as Deputy Chief of Staff and Policy Director. A key architect of major provisions of the Affordable Care Act, Jocelyn is a 13-year veteran of the U.S. Senate and Finance Committee issues, most recently working as Legislative Director for Sen. Jay Rockefeller, and previously as health, immigration and housing policy adviser to Sen. Bob Graham.

Mike Evans, Chief Counsel, was previously a partner in the K&L Gates law firm. Before that, he worked in the Senate for almost 20 years, including a previous stint as Chief Counsel to the Finance Committee and as Democratic Chief Counsel to the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works.

David Berick, Chief Investigator, held that position for Sen. Wyden on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. He previously served as an investigator on the House Government Operations and the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committees and also held senior positions on the personal staff of Sen. Wyden and at the U.S. Department of Energy.

Elizabeth Jurinka, Chief Health Policy Adviser, comes to the Finance Committee from Sen. Wyden’s personal office, where she served as his senior health policy adviser for three years. Jurinka began her career on Capitol Hill with Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md, followed by five years with Rep. Melissa Bean, D-Ill.

Laura Berntsen, Senior Human Services Adviser, comes to the Committee from Sen. Wyden’s personal office where she has served as his Domestic Policy Adviser since 2011. Prior to joining Sen. Wyden’s staff, Berntsen spent five years working in the House of Representatives for Rep. Jim McDermott, D-Wash.

Todd Metcalf, Chief Tax Counsel, held the same post in Sen. Wyden’s personal office. Metcalf spent nine years in various senior roles in the House of Representatives, including House Floor Director and Counsel to the Majority Whip, Rep. James E. Clyburn, and followed his tenure in the House with a year as the Deputy Director for the Department of Labor’s Office of Recovery.

Jayme White, Chief Adviser for International Competitiveness and Innovation, joined Wyden’s staff in 2009, where he served as legislative director and top adviser on international trade and technology issues. Prior to that, White spent 9 years in the House of Representatives working for Rep. Jim McDermott, D-Wash.

Sarah Bittleman, Legislative Director and Finance Committee Chief Counsel for Energy, Natural Resources and Agriculture, comes from the Environmental Protection Agency, where she served as Agriculture Counselor to the Administrator. Bittleman has also worked as senior adviser to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, and in a number of senior posts on Capitol Hill, including Natural Resources Counsel for Sen. Wyden.

Wyden also announced his communications team:

Tom Caiazza, spokesman with a focus on Intelligence, Technology/Internet, Defense and Transportation. Tom has worked for Senator Wyden for more than five years on a similar range of issues that also included taxes and trade. He worked as a reporter and editor in New Jersey prior to working on Capitol Hill.

Keith Chu, spokesman with a focus on Energy, Natural Resources and Trade. Keith was previously spokesman for Wyden on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. He worked as a reporter in Oregon and Washington, D.C., for nearly a decade.

Lindsey Held, spokeswoman with a focus on Tax and Investigations. Lindsey previously supported the Senate Finance Committee under former Chairman Max Baucus. Before joining the Senate, Lindsey worked as Vice President for Global Corporate Affairs at SAP.

Ken Willis, spokesman with a focus on Health and Domestic Policy. Ken was previously spokesman for the same issues in Wyden’s personal office. He has been working on Capitol Hill for nearly a decade as spokesman for the Senate Special Committee on Aging, U.S. Rep. G.K. Butterfield, D-N.C., and U.S. Rep. Marty Meehan, D-Mass.

Rebecca Steele, Digital Director, has worked for Wyden for two years. She also previously served as Digital Coordinator on the Democratic press staff for the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.

###

Next Article Previous Article