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HILL PEOPLE

12 Things You Might Not Know About Key Hill Leadership Aides

By National Journal Staff

Updated: July 14, 2011 | 6:42 p.m.
June 17, 2011 | 2:58 p.m.

National Republican Senatorial Committee John Cornyn, R-Texas Rob Jesmer Executive Director The St. Paul, Minn., native and University of St. Thomas alumnus says that his young family--he and his wife have three children--occupies most of his time outside of the committee's well-appointed offices in the Ronald Reagan Republican Center. "I go home and change diapers and do story time," said Jesmer, 37. (Richard A. Bloom)

CORRECTION: The original version of this report gave an incorrect name for Sharon Soderstrom.

Every four years, National Journal devotes a special issue to profiling top congressional staffers. Among the 319 profiles in the latest Hill People issue, reporters uncovered insightful and colorful details about the lives of key aides, many of whom toil behind the scenes in relative anonymity. Here is a sampling from the Senate and House leadership teams:

(RELATED: Hill Staffers Under 30 to Watch | 12 Things You Might Not Know About Key Hill Leadership Aides | 14 Powerful Women on the Hill | Hill People: Who Are They and Where Did They Come From?)

Capitol Hill offices and other subscribers can view more than 300 profiles of Hill aides and staffers at nationaljournal.com/hillpeople.

Hill People Leadership Aides

<p><strong>BEHIND THE CURTAIN</strong><br>You may not know their faces, or even their names, but these top congressional staffers are busy working behind the scene. Get a quick glimpse into staffers’ personalities and passions with these little-know facts about key Hill leadership aides.</p> - Richard A. Bloom and Chet Susslin

<p><strong>DAVID KRONE</strong>, Chief of Staff<br>Senate Majority Leader <strong>Harry Reid</strong>, D-Nev.<br>Reid and his top aide have been friends for nearly 20 years, ever since Krone, working at the time for a telecommunications company, picked Reid up at a Denver airport. Former colleagues have said that the relationship has a father-son aspect.</p> - Richard A. Bloom

<p><strong>DAVID McCALLUM</strong>, Deputy Chief of Staff<br>Senate Majority Leader <strong>Harry Reid</strong>, D-Nev.<br>McCallum's life isn't exactly a story of outhouse to penthouse, but it's close. McCallum, 57, was born in South Elgin, Ill., and lived for several years in a chicken coop converted into a duplex.</p> - Richard A. Bloom

<p><strong>PATRICK SOUDERS</strong>, Chief of Staff<br>Senate Majority Whip <strong>Dick Durbin</strong>, D-Ill.<br>
In addition to heading up Durbin's office, Souders also coordinates policy and politics with Reid and other top Democrats on Reid's team. When asked if the arrival of Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York in the leadership circle has diminished his boss's role, he said, "Durbin has more to do now than ever--that includes traveling and raising money."</p> - Richard A. Bloom

<p><strong>GUY CECIL</strong>, Executive Director<br>Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee<br>Chairwoman <strong>Patty Murray</strong>, D-Wash.<br>
Cecil was working for Mel Carnahan's Senate campaign when the Missouri governor died in a plane crash on October 16, 2000. "We went from organizing canvassing to organizing volunteers for the funeral," Cecil said.</p> - Richard A. Bloom

<p><strong>SHARON SODERSTROM</strong>, Chief of Staff<br>Senate Minority Leader <strong>Mitch McConnell</strong>, R-Ky.<br>
Away from the office, the Stony Brook, N.Y., native likes sailing on Long Island Sound.</p> - Richard A. Bloom

<p><strong>ROB JESMER</strong>, Executive Director<br>National Republican Senatorial Committee<br>Chairman <strong>John Cornyn</strong>, R-Texas<br>
The St. Paul, Minn., native and University of St. Thomas alumnus says that his young family--he and his wife have three children--occupies most of his time outside of the committee's well-appointed offices in the Ronald Reagan Republican Center. "I go home and change diapers and do story time," said Jesmer, 37.</p> - Richard A. Bloom

<p><strong>BARRY JACKSON</strong>, Chief of Staff<br>House Speaker <strong>John Boehner</strong>, R-Ohio<br>
Jackson guards his image closely, posing for no pictures with Boehner in nearly 20 years of service. After turning down <em>National Journal</em>'s request several months ago for a picture to accompany another story, Jackson relented for <em>NJ</em>'s Hill People issue.</p> - Chet Susslin

<p><strong>DAVE SCHNITTGER</strong>, Deputy Chief of Staff, Communications<br>House Speaker <strong>John Boehner</strong>, R-Ohio<br>
All you need to know about Schnittger can be summed up by his Twitter handle: @OhSchnitt. The 40-year-old says, unconvincingly, that the "O" and "h" stand for Ohio. But everyone else in Boehnerland gets the joke: If something goes wrong or something spills, more often than not someone will yelp, "Oh Schnitt."</p> - Chet Susslin

<p><strong>JOHN STIPICEVIC</strong>, Floor Director<br>House Majority Whip <strong>Kevin McCarthy</strong>, R-Calif.<br>
A native of Yonkers, N.Y., 27-year-old Stipicevic worked as a golf pro through college. "I don't play on a regular basis at all anymore, unfortunately. This place sort of absorbs you," he said.</p> - Chet Susslin

<p><strong>GUY HARRISON</strong>, Executive Director<br>National Republican Congressional Committee<br>
Chairman <strong>Pete Sessions</strong>, R-Texas<br>
Harrison was recruited to play college football, and he uses a football metaphor to describe the team assembled by Sessions. "We realize that campaigning is not about a series of long passes but a series of three yards and a cloud of dust," said Harrison, 39. "Just getting first downs every time."</p> - Chet Susslin

<p><strong>TERRY LIERMAN</strong>, Chief of Staff<br>House Minority Whip <strong>Steny Hoyer</strong>, D-Md.<br>
The affable, accessible Beloit, Wis., native--who came to the Washington area as an intern at the National Institutes of Health--ran for Congress in 2000, losing a close race to then-Rep. Connie Morella, R-Md.</p> - Liz Lynch

<p><strong>STACEY BERNARDS</strong>, Deputy Chief of Staff, Policy Director<br>House Minority Whip <strong>Steny Hoyer</strong>, D-Md.<br>
Bernards has taken a particular interest in the party's "Make It in America" campaign to highlight policies aimed at revitalizing domestic manufacturing (she has seen to it that buttons and coffee mugs have been made).</p> - Chet Susslin

Hill People Leadership Aides

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