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APPLE STRODEL. House Speaker Pelosi on Thursday appointed Daniel J. Strodel as the interim House chief administrative officer, following Dan Beard's resignation earlier this month. Strodel, currently senior adviser to the House Administration Committee, began his career on the Hill over 25 years ago at an entry level position in the Office of the Clerk. He was promoted several times, finally acceding to the position of director of the CAO's Office of Personnel and Management. In 1995, he was named director of human resources management for the Capitol Police, and in 1999, became the third-highest ranking official in the Office of the Clerk. In 2005, he assumed legal counsel duties, serving as general counsel to both the Senate and House Sergeant at Arms. Strodel graduated from Hobart College and received a law degree from the Catholic University of America. Pelosi swore him in Thursday afternoon, and he will officially assume his new duties on Sunday. "As CAO, Dan will continue the initiatives we have begun to 'Green the Capitol' complex, ensure accountability and transparency in House operations, and tighten our cybersecurity controls," Pelosi said in a statement.

MILLER TIME. Miller B. Girvin, who was a policy assistant to former House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., is joining the Hawthorn Group as vice president of communications. Girvin was most recently a senior policy associate and lobbyist for Capitol Management Initiatives, where she specialized in foreign assistance, defense and education. A native of Birmingham, Ala., Girvin graduated from Princeton University and arrived in Washington in 2004 as a staff assistant in the House speaker's Office of Interparliamentary Affairs.

THE REAL MALLOY. It may seem old-fashioned to some, but in the eyes of H. Malloy McDaniel, "starting at the bottom and working your way up" affords congressional staffers an opportunity to observe the legislative process at every level. When McDaniel, who is joining Blank Rome Government Relations LLC as a principal, arrived in Washington, he "worked in the mailroom just like everyone else who seems to get their start on the Hill. It's something I wouldn't change -- the experiences that I gained helped me to be where I am today." McDaniel was most recently policy adviser to Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., with whom "he moved down the hall" when McConnell was elected minority leader following the 2006 midterm election. He had been whip liaison for McConnell. McDaniel grew up in North Carolina, and attended the University of Mississippi. He began his career as Republican floor assistant and cloakroom assistant to former Senate Minority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss., before joining McConnell's staff.

This article appears in the July 17, 2010, edition of National Journal Daily.

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