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Fortenberry mines other staffs for his own |
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By The Hill Staff
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Posted: 04/19/05 12:00 AM [ET] |
The 3-month-old staff to freshman Rep. Jeff Fortenberry (R-Neb.) is a compilation of Capitol Hill veterans and Midwesterners, many of whom are from the congressman’s home state.
Ben Sasse, 33, is the chief of staff. He is from Fremont, Neb., and graduated from Harvard. From there, he earned a master’s degree in liberal arts from St. John’s University in Annapolis, Md., and then earned his doctorate in American history at Yale. He is on leave from a professorship at the University of Texas, where he has taught public policy. For the past two years, he was chief of staff for the office of legal policy at the Justice Department.
He has 1- and 3-year-old daughters. “Beyond that and work, I don’t have to much time to do anything interesting,” he says. He says his new position is “a great learning experience.”
Brian Lee, 33, is the communications director. He also serves as a legislative assistant. Lee hails from Redondo Beach, Calif. “I’m one of the few non-Nebraskans in the office,” he says.
Lee graduated from Stanford University. He previously worked at the Justice Department in the office of legal policy. He came to Capitol Hill, he says, because he sensed he needed more Hill experience and thought a freshman’s office would be a good venue.
His latest hobby is growing hops in his back yard. Hops are used to brew beer, and his have grown as tall as 15 feet high. “Just a little bit of gardening,” he says. “Nothing serious.”
Erin Rexroth, 24, is a legislative correspondent/intern coordinator. She is from Kansas City, Kan. She attended Olivet Nazarene University in Chicago, Ill. Previously, she worked for Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-Ala.). She says she switched offices because she wanted to get closer to the Midwest and wanted to move up careerwise. In her free time, she likes hanging out with Kelso, her mutt. The dog is named for a character on “That ’70s Show.”
Ginger Langemeier, 29, is the legislative director. She is from Hooper, Neb., and graduated from Northwest Missouri State University. She was the legislative director for Rep. Sam Graves (R-Mo.) for seven years before coming to Fortenberry’s office. “You know, it’s challenging getting to know someone new and understand their values and outlook on things,” she says. “But I think it offers a lot of growth to get a different perspective.”
How often does Langemeier get comments on her first name? “Daily,” she says, “and it’s been that way my entire life. Mary Ann, “Gilligan’s Island,” I’m used to it. As a kid, you hate it; as an adult, you grow into it because it’s unique.” In her spare time she likes to read history books and biography. She also enjoys running and cooking.
Alan Feyerherm, 41, is the senior legislative assistant, the same position he held in former Rep. Doug Bereuter’s (R-Neb.) office. He is a Hill veteran, having worked there since 1990. He graduated from Doane College in Crete, Neb. After 15 years on Capitol Hill, he says it’s still exciting to be here: “It’s always something new and different. I know it sounds kind of corny, but you have an opportunity to help people. In that way it has a lot of intangible benefits, feeling like you’re doing something good.”
For now, Feyerherm plans to stay where he is. He’s not sure what is down the road. “I have no plans to run for office,” he says. “I’m satisfied with staying in the background for now.”
Tyler Grassmeyer, 25, is an executive assistant and a legislative aide. He is from Holdrege, Neb., and graduated from the University of Nebraska in Lincoln. He is a former aide to Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.) and interned for the senator in 2002. After he graduated from college, he moved to Washington to work for the White House Commission on Remembrance, a public relations group that highlights the sacrifices made by people who died in battle. After that, he returned to Hagel’s office as a staff assistant. Most recently, he worked on Fortenberry’s campaign.
His hobbies include golf and work. “I work too much,” he says, explaining that he gets to the office at 7 a.m. and doesn’t leave until 8 p.m.
Shelly Blake, 26, is a legislative assistant. She is from Alliance, Neb., and graduated from Nebraska Wesleyan University. In her spare time she likes to cook, her favorite dish being homemade pasta. |
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